Political Sociology

Presentation

This curricular unit is part of both the bachelor in Political Science and Sociology. It is an indispensable unit for  understanding the changes that globalization provoked in the social system and to perceive the relation between the political and social elements

Part of this Programme

Political Science and International Relations

Level of Qualification|Semesters|ECTS

| Semestral | 5

Year | Type of course unit | Language

1 |Mandatory |Português

Code

ULHT11-6545

Recommended complementary curricular units

In the area of Political Science, the unit of Political Sociology is closely linked to the units of Political Parties and Political Communication. With regard to Sociology, it is important to mention the connection to the curricular unity of Inequality, Inclusion and Social Exclusion. In both areas the relation of this curricular unit with Demography, Migrations and International Relations is clear.

Prerequisites and co-requisites

n/a

Professional Internship

Não

Syllabus

Conceptual Framework: Political Science; Political Sociology versus Political Science

Systems and subsystems

Proposal by Talcott Parsons

Easton system

Luhmann's theory of the social system

Political subsystem and the other subsystems

Politics and social structure: the social anchoring of politics

State, political representation and general interest

Actors of political life

Citizens

Political parties

Types of parties and social representation

The Political Class. The theory of elites in Pareto and Mosca

Lobby groups and interest groups

Public opinion and pressure groups

Political practices in democracy

Introduction to the democratic process

Formation of representational logics

The ideological dimension of politics

Votes and elections in the network society

New social movements of citizenship

Populism and the question of hegemony and the social-historical blocs

Sociological diagnosis of the new Diluted Power in the network and digital society

Democracy and so-called religious terrorism

Objectives

This UC intends to provide student conceptual tools enabling him to deal with the political phenomenon in his societal dimension, allowing him to know and interpret the societal mechanics and its transformations from the point of view of its political conversion. The student should understand the sociological environment in which citizens move and to what extent this environment determines the intensity and forms of intervention in political life. It should also identify the role of each of the social actors in this process of constant interaction between civil society and the State.

In a unit of Political Sociology, the essential is to understand the societal anchoring of political processes, avoiding an excessively formalist understanding of the political-juridical universe. Thus, the student will have cognitive instruments that make him competent to understand the important sociological component presented in the political process, helping to a more complete analytical decoding

Teaching methodologies and assessment

The lessons will mix the theoretical exposition with reading of thematic excerpts and their debate in class. The evaluation will take two forms: continuous or by examination.
In the continuous evaluation, demanding the minimum frequency stipulated in the regulations, the analytical control of the syllabus will be done by two tests, both with a relative weight of 45%. Due to the size of the class, participation in the debates will only correspond to 10% of the final classification.
The evaluation by exam will be a written test that will involve the development of two topics that relate several of the concepts learned in the classroom.

References

Baudoin, J. (2000). Introdução à Sociologia Política. Lisboa: Editorial Estampa.

Braud, P. (2011). Sociologie Politique. Paris: LGDJ.

Colas, D. (2006). Sociologie Politique.Paris: PUF.

Dormagen, J.Y.; Mouchard, D. (2010). Introduction à la Sociologie Politique. Bruxelles: De Boeck.

Lagroye, J; François, B.; Sawicki, F. (2012). Sociologie Politique. Paris: Dalloz-Sirey.

Office Hours

Comments

Há a possibilidade de a calendarização prevista vir a ser alterada devido à realização de eventos que se revelem importantes para a discussão dos conteúdos temáticos.