COURSE INFORMATION
Course Title: POLITICAL BEHAVIOR AND PARTICIPATION
Code Course Type Regular Semester Theory Practice Lab Credits ECTS
PIR 411 B 1 3 0 0 3 6
Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) NA
Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: Salih Özcan , Tuesdays 14:30-17:30 hours
Second Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: NA
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours: NA
Language: English
Compulsory/Elective: Elective
Classroom and Meeting Time: E 210
Course Description: This is a master level course. This course introduces students to a variety of topics dealing with comparative political behavior, such as the formation of partisan identification, public opinion formation, the decision to vote, organize and protest, and how foreign and domestic policy influence elections. The readings will introduce the students to the various methodological techniques—including case studies, quantitative analysis, and agent-based modeling—used to test the empirical expectations of these theories. The goal of this course is to provide a solid foundation upon which you can build for comprehensive examinations.
Course Objectives: The student shall: - have an overview of western political thinking. - have knowledge of the central concepts in political theory, both from a classical perspective and from newer thinking. - have knowledge of the key concepts and the most central models in the study of political behavior. - apply core concepts and basic models in political behavior in one’s own analysis and to critically evaluate which approaches are best suited for one’s research issue
COURSE OUTLINE
Week Topics
1 Class introduction, syllabus and requirements. Political Behavior, Personality and Culture (Woshinsky, O. H. 2008, Explaining politics: culture, institutions, and political behaviour, Intro and C.1
2 Political Participation and Modes of Participation: Voting, Campaign Activity, Communal activity, Protest and Contentious action, Wired Activity (Jan W. van Deth, 2016, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics; Russell J. Dalton, Citizens Politics, 2008 C.3)
3 Who participates? Who Becomes Political? (Russell J. Dalton, 2008, Citizens Politics, C.4; Woshinsky, O. H. 2008, Explaining politics: culture, institutions, and political behaviour, C.6)
4 Citizen Voting Behavior: What is Voting? (Woshinsky, O. H. 2008, Explaining politics: culture, institutions, and political behaviour, C.7; Jocelyn A.J. Evans, 2004, Voters & Voting, Intro)
5 Historical Development of Voting Studies; Michigan Model and Party Identification (Jocelyn A.J. Evans, 2004, Voters & Voting, C. 1-2; R. Dalton, 2016, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics; P. Norris, 2004, Electoral Engineering, C.6)
6 Social Structural theories of Voting: Political socialization (Jocelyn A.J. Evans, 2004, Voters & Voting, C.3)
7 Rational Choice Theories and Voting (Jocelyn A.J. Evans, 2004, Voters & Voting, C. 4; A. McGann, 2016, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics)
8 Voting and the Economy (Jocelyn A.J. Evans, 2004, Voters & Voting, C. 4; M.S. Lewis-Beck, Klingemann, Hans-Dieter & Dalton, Russell J. (Eds.) Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior, 2007, C.27)
9 Beliefs, Ideologies and Political Behaviour (Woshinsky, O. H. 2008, Explaining politics: culture, institutions, and political behaviour, C.8-9; P. Mair, Klingemann, Hans-Dieter & Dalton, Russell J. (Eds.) Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior, 2007, C.11; W. Jou & R. Dalton, 2017, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics)
10 I Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Political behavior (A. Just, 2017, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics; Dalton & Anderson (Eds.), 2011, Citizens, Context and Choice, C. 5.; M. Caul Kittilson, 2016, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics)
11 Protest and Contentious Actions (M. Quaranta, 2017, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics; Klingemann, Hans-Dieter & Dalton, Russell J. (Eds.) Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior, 2007, C.38; Russell J. Dalton, 2008, Citizens Politics, C.4; P. Norris 2004, Electoral Engineering, C. 5)
12 Political Party, Leadership, Candidate and Voting (Woshinsky, O. H. 2008, Explaining politics: culture, institutions, and political behaviour, C.11,13,15; I. McAllister, 2016, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics; Dalton & Anderson (Eds.), 2011, Citizens, Context and Choice, C. 6; P. Norris, 2004, Electoral Engineering, C.4)
13 Turnout and Non-Voting (Jocelyn A.J. Evans, 2004, Voters & Voting, C. 7; Dalton & Anderson (Eds.), 2011, Citizens, Context and Choice, C. 2; P. Norris, 2004, Electoral Engineering, C. 7)
14 Political Behavior and Participation in Albania-Case Study
Prerequisite(s): N/A
Textbook: Woshinsky, O. H. 2008, Explaining politics: culture, institutions, and political behaviour, Routledge Evans, Jocelyn A.J. 2004, Voters & Voting, Sage. Dalton, Russell, J. & C.J. Anderson (Eds.), 2011, Citizens, Context and Choice, Oxford Uni. Press. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics, Online Source. Dalton, Russell J. 2008, Citizens Politics, Sage, CQ Press.
Other References: Norris, P. 2004, Electoral Engineering, Cambridge UP. Klingemann, Hans-Dieter & Dalton, Russell J. (Eds.) 2007 Oxford Handbook of Political Behavior, OUP. Krasniqi, A. (2013, February 10). Shqiperia ne 22 vjet: Vota e perhershme dhe votuesit e lekundur (Albania in 22 years: Permanent vote and kneaded voters) Krasniqi, A. (2011). Sjellja Zgjedhore dhe Identifikimi i Votes ne Shqiperi (Voting Behavior and Identification of Vote in Albania). Tirana: Academia.edu. Krasniqi, A. (2008). Zgjedhjet në Shqipëri (Elections in Albania 1991-2008). Ceka, B. (2013, March). Marrëdhënia mes sistemeve zgjedhore, sistemit partiak dhe sjelljes zgjedhore në shqipëri (Relationship between electoral systems, party system and electoral behavior in Albania). Universiteti Tiranes.
Laboratory Work: N/A
Computer Usage: N/A
Others: No
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
1 At the end of the course, students should be able to demonstrate understanding of key theories in political behavior and explain some of the determinants of political attitudes and the processes through which people form their opinions
2 To develop an understanding of national and international political behavior, including the various governmental and non-governmental actors involved in these processes.
3 To gain knowledge of the different sorts of research methods that can help to identify and analyze political beliefs and behavior
COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES
(Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)
No Program Competencies Cont.
Master of Science in Political Science and International Relations Program
1 Having and using advanced knowledge and comprehension supported by textbooks including actual knowledge in political sciences and international relations literature, materials and the other scientific resources. 5
2 Analyzing data, ideas and concepts of current political issues and international relations, determining complex events and topics, making discussions and developing new suggestions in accordance with researches. 5
3 Having knowledge and thought about actual topics and problems together with their historical, social and cultural aspects. 5
4 Introducing those who are interested in politics and international events with the topics of Political Science and IR and teaching clearly the problems and the types of solutions. 4
5 Improving skills of working together with the main social science disciplines and other disciplines which are related to Political Science and International Relations. 4
6 Improving critical thinking and skills in making research independently. 4
7 Developing solutions about the problems and conflicts which are common in national and international arena. 5
8 Improving skills for leadership and research and analyze capacity of those who is responsible with national and international ones. 5
9 Knowing any foreign language enough to communicate with colleagues and understand actual researches and articles. 1
10 Gaining IT skills to use computer and technology) in order to reach actual knowledge. 1
11 Gaining skills to follow societal, scientific and ethic values during collecting, interpreting, conducting of data related to social and political developments. 3
12 Having consciousness about human rights and environment. 4
13 Gaining the skills to follow actual developments and pursue long-life learning. 4
COURSE EVALUATION METHOD
Method Quantity Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)
1
20
Project
1
30
Final Exam
1
50
Total Percent: 100%
ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)
Activities Quantity Duration(Hours) Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours) 16 3 48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) 16 2 32
Mid-terms 1 15 15
Assignments 1 20 20
Final examination 1 35 35
Other 0
Total Work Load:
150
Total Work Load/25(h):
6
ECTS Credit of the Course:
6