About the Course
Comparative politics covers a wide variety of topics and themes. The course starts with the definition of the comparative method giving special emphasis to concept formation and historical and institutional approaches. The bulk of the course is devoted to the theory of coalitions and the processes of government formation, functioning, termination. Through several in-depth analyses, the course will throw light on the way democratic regimes are governed. Electoral rules will receive special attention and their impact both on citizens’ behavior and parties and the party system will be thoroughly examined. The types of Parliaments, their structures and their role will be taken into consideration also in order to understand how they affect the formation of governing coalitions. Hence the dynamics and the transformation of those coalitions, with special attention to their more or less frequent rotation in office, will be explored and explained. The assets and the liabilities of the different institutional arrangements will be evaluated. The final part of the course will be devoted to an assessment of the quality of the different democratic regimes and to the proposals for change. The overall picture likely to emerge is that of the existence of several institutional solutions to the challenges and the problems of contemporary democracies.
Prof. Gianfranco Pasquino
Professor of Political Science, University of Bologna (1969-2012). Member of the Italian Senate 1983-1992: 1994-1996; has served as a parliamentary observer for the plebiscite (1988) and presidential elections (1989) in Chile; was awarded the laurea honoris causa from the Catholic University of Cordoba, University of Buenos Aires and University de La Plata; is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Enciclopedia Italiana, President of the Società Italiana di Scienza Politica and a member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. M.A., International Relations, SAIS (1967).
Co-editor Oxford Handbook of Italian Politics (forthcoming); Politica e istituzioni (2014); Finale di partita. Tramonto di una Repubblica (2013); La rivoluzione promessa. Lettura della costituzione Italiana (2011); Il Partito Democratico di Bersani. Profilo, persone, prospettive, co-editor (2010); Le parole della politica (2010); Una splendida cinquantenne. La Quinta Repubblica Francese, co-editor (2010); Nuovo corso di scienza politica (2009); Masters of Political Science, co-editor (2009); Strumenti della democrazia, editor (2007); Le istituzioni di Arlecchino (2007); Los poderes de los jefes de gobierno (2007); Sistemi politici comparati (2003, revised in 2004 and 2007); Il Dizionario di Politica, co-editor (2004 3rd ed.); editorial writer for il Corriere di Bologna; frequent contributor of articles and reviews to academic journals, policy forums and news outlets.
