This subject aims to study, from a comparative perspective, the characteristics and functioning of the political systems of different countries in the world, specifically in the regions least studied in the degree in Political Science and Public Management: Latin America, Eurasia and Africa. The students will investigate the contents by considering the context of international politics, international relations, the geopolitical struggle for hegemony between states, and the struggle of the Global South to emerge from economic and political dependence.



In the presentation and analysis of countries, the students will study the essential elements of any political system: historical evolution, institutional structures, actors and dynamics between them. In addition, the comparative study of the different degrees of institutionalisation and sovereignty, the various types of democratic and authoritarian regimes, their degrees of fragility/strength and external interference in developing political systems will be particularly relevant.

Objectives and competencies





1. General objectives



- Understand the complexity of political systems and the geopolitical constraints to which they are subject.

- Understand and identify the elements of political systems.

- Understand and identify external interference in political systems.



2. Specific objectives



- To understand the importance of exogenous factors in understanding and analysing the development and dynamics of the political system, especially in developing, peripheral and subaltern countries.

- To understand and analyse the development and dynamics of some political systems in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa.

- Understand and analyse the most significant characteristics of some political systems in Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa.



Competences



-Develop the ability to characterise and classify current political systems according to their organisation and functioning.

-Identifying the degrees of institutionalisation and sovereignty of states.

-Knowing the main geopolitical theories and dynamics.

-Diagnose and evaluate the impact of external interference in political systems.

-Knowing the comparative method in political science.

-Develop critical reasoning and argumentative skills.

-Identify different comparative instruments and indicators.



Other transversal competences:



-Understanding the impact of ideologies, interest groups and social movements on the political process and internal and international conflicts.

-Develop the ability to work in a team.

-To know the bibliographic and internet resources on politics and develop the ability to search and manage them.

-Develop the ability to design and execute academic writing.

-Develop the ability to design and deliver oral presentations.

1. The geopolitical limitations of the sovereignty of political systems: external interference and struggles for hegemony.

2. Defective democracies, hybrid regimes and authoritarian systems: internal and external factors.

3. Fragility and external interference in political systems: coups d'état, revolutions, regime change, wars and failed states.

4. Political systems in Latin America.

5. Political systems in Eurasia.

6. Political systems in Africa.

Lectures will be interspersed with some activities and practices to be developed and worked on in the classroom and at home: readings, videos, podcasts, debates or presentations. The subject is eminently lecture-based, with 4.6 credits and 1.4 practical credits.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Multiple-Choice Test (%): 50
  • Individual works (%): 25
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 25

The evaluation will be continuous:



The evaluation will be continuous for those who attend the teaching hours. The examination that will make up the continuous evaluation will be the following:



- 50% through five multiple-choice tests, each corresponding to 10% of the assessment.

- 25% group work/exercise.

- 25% group work/exercise.



As per article 8.3 of the Student Assessment Regulations, if a student wishes to renounce the continuous evaluation, they must submit a letter to the lecturer responsible for the subject. This letter should clearly state the student's decision and must be submitted within a period of nine weeks from the beginning of the course. In this case, the student will have a final exam which will include the following exercises:



1. - Written exam to develop (50%)

2. - Multiple-choice test (50%)



Students must understand that, as per Article 12.2 of the Student Assessment Regulations, if they wish to waive the continuous evaluation, they must apply one month before the end of the teaching period and submit this request in writing to the lecturer responsible for the subject.

In the case of the final evaluation, it's important to note that not taking the exam on the official assessment date will automatically result in the exam being waived.

The extraordinary call will include the following exercises for assessment:



1. - Written exam to develop (50%)

2. - Multiple-choice test (50%)

Brzezinski, Zibigniev (1998): El gran tablero mundial: la supremacia estadounidense y sus imperativos geoestratégicos. Barcelona: Paidós.
Carpizo, Jorge (2006): “Características esenciales del sistema presidencial e influencias para su instauración en América Latina”, Boletín Mexicano de Derecho Comparado 115: 57-91.
Chávarri Sidera, Pilar eta Delgado Sotillos, Irene -koordinatzaileak- (2011): Sistemas políticos contemporáneos. Madril: UNED.
Blas Mendoza, Asier (2022): “Golpes de Estado en el siglo XXI y la revitalización del factor externo: el caso ucraniano”, en Ezkurdia, G. y Kortazar-Billelabeitia (2022): Quiebras y pugnas del tablero político mundial, Barcelona: El Viejo Topo, pp. 15-103.
Levitsky, Steven eta Way, Lucan A. (2004): “Elecciones sin democracia: El surgimiento del autoritarismo competitivo”, Estudios Políticos 24: 159-176.
Linz, Juan José (2013): “Los peligros del presidencialismo”, Revista Latinoamericana de Política Comparada 7: 11-31.
Nogueira Alcalá, Humberto (2017): “La tipología de gobiernos presidencialistas de América Latina y gobiernos semipresidenciales en Europa”, Estudios Constitucionales 2: 15-82.
Tavits, Margit eta Letki, Natalia (2009): "When Left Is Right: Party Ideology and Policy in Post-Communist Europe". American Political Science Review, 103(4), 555-569.
Tirado, Arantxa (2021): El Lawfare: Golpes de Estado en nombre de la ley. Madrid: Akal.

Basic bibliography

Abbas Kadhim, Abbas –ed- (2013):Governance in the Middle East and North Africa: A Handbook. Routledge.

Anderson, Perry (2012): El viejo nuevo mundo. Madril: Akal.

Dahl, R. (2009/1971): La poliarquía. Participación y oposición. Madril: Tecnos.

Dallanegra Pedraza, Luis (2003): “El Sistema Político Latinoamericano”, Reflexión Política, vol. 5 núm. 10: 7-31.

Diamond, Larry Jay (2002): “Thinking About Hybrid Regimes”, Journal of Democracy 13 (2): 21-35.

Fareed Zakaria, Fareed (1997): “The Rise of Illiberal Democracy”, Foreign Affairs 76 (6): 22-43.

Funston, John (2001): Government & Politics in Southeast Asia. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Gel’man, Vladimir (2008): “Out of the Frying Pan, into the Fire? Post-Soviet Regime Changes in Comparative Perspective”, International Political Science Review 29 (2): 157–180

Levitsky, Steven y Way, Lucan (2002): "Elections without democracy: The rise of competitive authoritarianism", Journal of democracy 13 (2): 51-65.

Levitsky, Steven y Way, Lucan (2010): Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War. Nueva York: Cambridge University Press.

Lijphart, Arend (2008): Thinking About Democracy. Power sharing and majority rule in theory and practice. New York: Routledge.

López-Davalillo Larrea, Julio; Martín Roda, Eva María (2017): Geopolítica. Claves para entender un mundo cambiante. Madrid: Editorial Universitaria Ramón Areces.

Martínez, Rafael (2014): “Subtipos de golpes de Estado: transformaciones recientes de un concepto del siglo XVII”, Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals 108: 191-212.

Meyer, Lorenzo eta y Reyna, José Luis (1992): Los sistemas políticos en América Latina. Madril: Siglo XXI / Universidad de las Naciones Unidas.

Milanovic, Branko (2020): Capitalismo, nada más: el futuro del sistema que domina el mundo. Barcelona: Taurus.

Mukherjee, Kunal (2010): Is There a Distinct Style of Asian Democracy? Journal of Asian and African Studies 45(6): 684–694.

Pabón Arrieta, Juan Antonio (2019): La democracia en América Latina: un modelo en crisis. Barcelona: J.B. Bosch.

Rios Paredes, Xulio (2018): La china de Xi Jinping. Editorial Popular.

Sanchez de Dios, Manuel (2012): Política Comparada. Madrid: Sintesis.

Sapag M., Pablo (2019): Siria en perspectiva. De una crisis internacionalmente mediatizada a la reconstrucción física y política. Madrid: Ediciones Complutense.

Tilly, Charles (2000): Las revoluciones europeas, 1492-1992. Barcelona: Editorial Crítica (original en inglés, 1993).

Tilly, Charles (2006): Regimes and Repertoires. Chicago: The University of Chicago.

Tilly, Charles (2010): Democracia. Barcelona: Akal.

Thomson, Alex (2016): An Introduction to African Politics. New York: Routledge.

Said, Edward W. (2008/1997): Orientalismo. Barcelona: DeBolsillo

Zamora, Augusto (2018): Política y geopolítica para rebeldes, irreverentes y escépticos (3ª edición). Madrid: Foca (Akal).

Zamora, Augusto (2018): Réquiem polifónico por Occidente. Madrid: Foca (Akal).

Wallerstein, I. (1979/1971): El moderno sistema mundial. La agricultura capitalista y los orígenes de la economía-mundo europea en el siglo XVI. Madrid: Siglo XXI Editores.

Wallerstein, I. (1984/1980): El moderno sistema mundial II. El mercantilismo y la consolidación de la economía-mundo europea, 1600-1750. México, Siglo XXI Editores.

Wallerstein, I. (1998/1989): El moderno sistema mundial III. La segunda era de gran expansión de la economía-mundo capitalista, 1730-1850. México, Siglo XXI Editores.

Wallerstein, I. (2017/2011): El moderno sistema mundial IV. El liberalismo centrista triunfante, 1789-1914. Madrid: Akal.

In-depth bibliography

Alcantara, Manuel (2013): Sistemas políticos de América Latina I: América del Sur. Madrid: Tecnos.
Alcántara, Manuel (2008): Sistemas políticos de América Latina. Vol II. México, América Central y el Caribe. Madrid: Tecnos.
Arrigui, Giovanni (2014): El largo siglo XX. Madril: Akal.
Bell, Daniel A. (2015): The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Fontana, Josep (2011): Por el bien del Imperio. Una historia del mundo desde 1945. Barcelona: Ediciones de Pasado y Presente.
Fortes, Meyer y Evans-Pritchard –editoreak- (2010): Sistemas políticos africanos. México: Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social (ciesas).
Heilmann, Sebastian -editorea- (2017): China's Political System. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield
Lazaro, Jorge -compilador- (2001): Tipos de presidencialismo y coaliciones políticas en américa latina. Buenos Aires: CLACSO.
Lijphart, Arend (2000): Modelos de Democracia. Barcelona: Ariel.
Martínez, Rafael -Ed.- (2001): Prácticas de sistemas políticos comparados II: Centroamérica y Caribe. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona.
Neher, Clark D. (1994): "Asian Style Democracy" Asian Survey Vol. 34 (11): 949-961.
Nye, Joseph (2004): Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. New York: Public Affairs.
Palmer, Monte (2002): The Politics of the Middle East. F.E. Peacock Publishers.
Pérez Rastrilla, Laura (2017): Kosovo: la primera operación de ataque de la OTAN. Información y propaganda en los medios de comunicación españoles marzo 1999-junio 1999. Madril: Tesi doktorala Madrileko Complutense Unibertsitatea.

Journals

Journal of Asian and African Studies
East European Politics and Societies
East European Politics
Revista latinoamericana de política comparada
Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales
Revista de Ciencia Política
Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales
Asian Political Science Review
African Journal of Political Science
The African Journal of Political Science and International Relations
Geopolitics
Latin American Politics and Society
Contemporary Southeast Asia

Web addresses

https://www.clacso.org/
https://africanstudies.org/