2025
Political Theory
Name: Political Theory
Code: ECN13106L
9 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/234 hours
Scientific Area:
Legal-Political Theory and International Relations
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English, French
Regime de Frequência: Presencial
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
It is intended to give students an analysis of the main forms of political organization, as well as institutional and social functioning of any political system. With that students will acquire skills that enable them to discern the mode of operation of the society that surrounds them in their various aspects, including political and social.
Contents
1. Classical and modern conceptions of politics.
2. Political system and ideology. Political legitimacy.
3. Classical political thought: Plato, Aristotle. Modern Political Thought: Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant. Contemporary political thought: Marx, Carl Schmitt, Hannah Arendt, Habermas, Rawls, Bobbio.
4. Political regimes. Democracy and dictatorship. Types of democracy. Politics and institutions.
5. Political culture. Political participation.
6. Political parties. Pressure groups. Social movements. Elites and political power.
7. The evolution of the contemporary state. Rule of law and social state of law. Human Rights.
8. Cyberdemocracy.
9. Contemporary Islamic political thought.
10. Politics and Globalization. The crisis of the nation state and the crisis of sovereignty. What is globalization?
2. Political system and ideology. Political legitimacy.
3. Classical political thought: Plato, Aristotle. Modern Political Thought: Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant. Contemporary political thought: Marx, Carl Schmitt, Hannah Arendt, Habermas, Rawls, Bobbio.
4. Political regimes. Democracy and dictatorship. Types of democracy. Politics and institutions.
5. Political culture. Political participation.
6. Political parties. Pressure groups. Social movements. Elites and political power.
7. The evolution of the contemporary state. Rule of law and social state of law. Human Rights.
8. Cyberdemocracy.
9. Contemporary Islamic political thought.
10. Politics and Globalization. The crisis of the nation state and the crisis of sovereignty. What is globalization?
Teaching Methods
Lectures, with debate to which students participate.
Assessment
Students can choose between Continuous Assessment or Final Examination (regular season/appeal season).
Continuous Assessment involves carrying out a set of activities (group
or individual) on moodle (40%) and an individual oral presentation (60%).
The timetable for presentations will be set at the beginning of the semester.
The Final Exam regime (normal season/appeal season) consists of a
open response test, without consultation.
Continuous Assessment involves carrying out a set of activities (group
or individual) on moodle (40%) and an individual oral presentation (60%).
The timetable for presentations will be set at the beginning of the semester.
The Final Exam regime (normal season/appeal season) consists of a
open response test, without consultation.
Teaching Staff
- Irene Viparelli [responsible]
- Rafael Franco Vasques
Certificações
