The course aims at providing a structured knowledge of the conflicts, actors, institutions, and processes that affect European political systems. As a result, the course aims at another important goal: forming students provided with an autonomous capacity of understanding the contemporary political dynamics. Through a comparative perspective, the course aims at combining theoretical analysis with the use of empirical data in order to understand and compare European political systems. The course is based on a direct connection with the activity of the CISE (Italian Centre for Electoral Studies).

Knowledge and understanding: students will develop a structured knowledge of the main tools of comparative method as well as the conflicts, actors, institutions, and processes that affect contemporary politics. Applying knowledge and understanding: students will be provided the tools to be critical, competent and informed users of theories and techniques of comparison, with specific regard to political systems. Making judgements: students will be able to autonomously understand the contemporary political dynamics. Communication skills: through in-class presentations of empirical scientific articles, students will learn how to convey data and other empirical evidence emerging from the comparative analysis to an audience, both possessing technical skills or not. Learning skills: the student will be able to conduct comparative research on conflicts, actors, institutions, and processes of contemporary politics and write articles and research reports based on the review of the literature or the use of original empirical data.

The course analyzes the conflicts, actors, institutions, and processes that shape contemporary politics. It does so through a survey of the international (and Italian) literature from a comparative perspective, with particular reference to Western Europe from the postwar period to the present. All theoretical perspectives—whether focused on Italy or other European countries—are supported by data and examples from empirical research, and discussed interactively with students. The course is divided into three parts: 1st part: Comparative politics and the comparative method / Nation-states and democracies / Political parties 2nd part: Social cleavages past and present: from Lipset and Rokkan’s theory to the new conflicts of globalization 3rd part: Challenges to contemporary politics: democratic crisis, populism and technocracy; deinstitutionalization of party systems Attendance is mandatory and constitutes part of the final evaluation. Presence will be recorded in class via Luiss Learn.

The course is not based on a textbook but, in each week, students are required to study scientific articles and book chapters (in Italian or English) provided by the instructor.

Lectures; Presentations by the students of scientific articles; Discussion and debate on the topics of the course; teamwork

Individual in-class presentations of a scientific article and group work on a research topic (30%) Final written exam without grade registration with 7 open questions in 90’ (70%) followed by an oral exam with grade registration; Students who are exempted or non-compliant will be required to cover, in the final exam – which will account for 100% of the final grade – the readings that were presented in class by attending students during the course. For these students, the exam will consist of 10 open questions in 90’ followed by an oral exam with grade registration.

29/30 grade. Positive assessment of the thesis project.