Program and contents : Teaching objectives : The objective of this course is to present current issues dealing with political science
so as to be sufficiently equipped with some of the fundamentals for understanding our
contemporary world. Contents - Program 1. Understand the development and the extreme diversity of the Western model, beyond the common denominators, via a comparative study of different systems and political regimes in Europe and the USA:
• Introduction to the main principles (Rule of Law - Constitutional Justice - Universal Suffrage)
• Understanding the institutions and the actors (Chief of State – Head of Government - Parliament)
• Operating mechanisms and techniques (nomination, responsibility, dissolution, passing laws, referendum, etc.)
• Introduction to different state structures (Federal State, Unitary State, region variants)
• Comparative politics (France, USA, etc.)
2. Analysis in the form of discussions/debates on certain current issues:
• Web-democracy / the Internet as a political resource
• Human Rights and Public Liberties
• Changing citizenship
• Integration or Communitarianism
• Sovereignty and national identity
• Crisis in representation and political detraction? Toward a revival?
• New emergencies and political priorities: Environment, Ecology and Sustainable
Development
• The institutional question of Europe / the mini treaty / What does being European
mean today?
• A new elector? / Political behavior
• Does the traditional state still have a future?
• Political parties and their evolution 2007 / 2008
• Does the left/right division still have a sense?
• Should the 5th Republic be reformed?... or change politics? Assessment method : The participants of this elective course must submit a 10-page paper, done independently, dealing with a subject related to the issues dealt with in one of the themes studied in class. |