The course comprises two distinct but inter-related parts. The first involves a methodological, theoretical, and thematic assessment of traditional forms of ‘comparative political analysis’ as it was developed after the Second World War. Within this framework special emphasis is given to the constitutive antinomy of the comparative approach in political science. Comparative politics attempts to combine a mapping of the particular political structures, discourses and practices pertaining to different countries, geographical locations and cultures, with the elaboration of a consistent conceptual and theoretical apparatus claiming universal validity and permitting a single interpretation of the complex relations between them. The course also presents a variety of recent attempts to overcome the difficulties produced by this antinomy in comparative research.
In its second part, the course shifts its focus onto the examination of a particular political phenomenon from a comparative perspective which changes each year. Thus, during past years the subjects discussed were among others:
• Religion, secularization and democracy in Europe
• The role of leadership in the world today,
• The role of direct democracy in legitimizing political systems
• Illiberal democracy
• migration

This academic year (2022-23) we will examine the changes in party systems in Europe and the US, and the consequences of those changes.

The ability to read fluently foreign-language scientific literature (especially in English) is essential.

The course will examine the break-up of existing party systems over the last twenty years, which has been identified in many political systems. We will examine the reshaping of party systems in Western Europe (with emphasis on the weakening of the major parties – Social Democrats and Christian Democrats – the emergence of new actors (Greens, populist parties, regionalist parties) and the (re)emergence of dominant parties in some party systems. At the same time, we will examine the survival or even return of bipartisan systems in countries such as the UK and the US and the role of the electoral system in this. At the same time we will examine the impact of these changes on the political system of the countries.

The main themes will be the following:
1. Party systems today
2. The new multipartyism in Germany
3. Post-Macron France
4. The collapse of the dominant parties in Scandinavia
5. The marginalization of the Left?
6. The new parties – Greens
7. The new parties – regionalist and separatist parties
8. The new parties – populists and nativists in government
9. US bipartisanship – limits and consequences
10. Are there any dominant parties today?

The course works in a dialogue character and presupposes the participation of students in the presentation and discussion of specific topics and in the preparation of relevant final papers. Indicative topics will be given during the course.

Following successful conclusion of the course, the students will:
Have a good overview of the literature in the various subfields of Comparative Politics;
Have acquired advanced knowledge of research questions, methodological approaches, and explanations and methodological and analytical skills of comparing political systems;
We have developed the basic conditions for reading and understanding scientific articles and will be able to prepare and complete an original scientific paper;
Will be able to understand, analyze and compare the key features of the political systems, to associate and to distinguish basic and secondary elements in a political system.

Grading and tasks The grading for the course is allocated on the basis of each student’s presence and participation in class (30%), response to the various tasks in class (30%), presentation of final paper (10%) and the content of the paper (30%). Students will select a topic in comparative politics from the thematic field that will be discussed during the course. All papers will be delivered by the end of the examination period of February and will be corrected and given a grade. Students who wish to improve their grade or failed will be able to resubmit it during the examination period of September. Attendance is compulsory. Each paper will be: 1. Printed (on computer) Word format. 2. In single-space, in Arial or TNR font. 3. In full alignment. 4. After each paragraph, there is a blank line. 5. Each paper will begin with the first page with the identity of the paper (course, instructor, date, student’s name and title), a second page with the table of contents and an insertion page describing the case Work, purpose, methodology and structure of work. 6. Referencing will follow one single system throughout (either the footnote system at the bottom of the page or the APA/Harvard system. In either case there will be a full list of bibliography at the end of the paper. A relevant training on references will take place at the University Library. 7. Each verbatim reference from another text is quoted with quotation marks. You may not list sentences above two lines (with or without quotation marks). 8. Any attempted plagiarism leads to a annulment of the paper. 9. It is not allowed to refer to texts (books/articles) that are simply quoted in other books or articles which the student has not read. 10. The paper is submitted through e-learning and in paper format without plastic bindings. A simple stapling is sufficient. 11. It is not permitted to use as bibliographic material from Wikipedia or other online encyclopedias. 12. Electronic resources must be reported not with their general address but with the complete e-address leading directly to the referenced article or text. Any reference to an online source must indicate the last access date. 13. Students are required to investigate voluntarily whether the electronic sources they invoke respect the principles of scientific accuracy and the objective recording of the events they mention. The final paper, which will include in the beginning of the work structure and an introduction with the hypothesis and methodology are uploaded on the e-learning platform no later than 2 days before the set deadline. There’s only one correction from the part of the instructor.

Additional bibliography for study

Ελληνική βιβλιογραφία:

Διαμαντούρος, Νικηφόρος, Πολιτισμικός δυϊσμός και πολιτική αλλαγή στην Ελλάδα της μεταπολίτευσης, Αθήνα: Αλεξάνδρεια, 2000.
Ζορμπάς, Κνωσταντίνος,  Πολιτική και θρησκείες, Αθήνα: Παπαζήσης, 2007.
Λυριντζής, Χρήστος, Σύγκριση και ερμηνεία: Η πορεία και οι προοπτικές στη σύγχρονη πολιτική ανάλυση, Αθήνα: Νήσος, 2001.
Meny, Yves, Συγκριτική πολιτική, 2 τόμοι, Αθήνα: Παπαζήσης, 1996.
Μοσχονάς, Γεράσιμος, «Η ‘λογική’ της συγκριτικής πολιτικής ανάλυσης», εισαγωγικό δοκίμιο στο Meny, Yves, Συγκριτική πολιτική, 2 τόμοι, Αθήνα: Παπαζήσης, 1996.
Sartori, Giovanni, Σημασιολογία, έννοιες, συγκριτική μέθοδος, Αθήνα: Παπαζήσης, 2004.
Σεφεριάδης, Σεραφείμ, «Πολιτική επιστήμη, συγκριτική πολιτική: Κρίση στην ‘κανονική επιστήμη’;», εισαγωγή στο Sartori, Giovanni, Σημασιολογία, έννοιες, συγκριτική μέθοδος, Αθήνα: Παπαζήσης, 2004.

Ξενόγλωσση βιβλιογραφία:

Almond, Gabriel & Powell, G. Bingham, Comparative Politics: A Developmental Approach, Βοστόνη: Little Brown, 1966.
Apter, David, Some Conceptual Approaches to the Study of Modernization, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1968.
Apter, David (επιμ.) The Legitimization of Violence, Λονδίνο: Macmillan, 1997.
Kopstein, Jeffrey & Lichbach, Mark (επιμ.) Comparative Politics: Interests, Identity and Institutions in a Changing Global Order, 2η έκδοση, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.
Landman, Todd, Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics: An Introduction, 2η έκδοση, Λονδίνο: Routledge, 2003.
Lewis, Paul, Potter, David & Castles, Francis (επιμ.), The Practice of Comparative Politics, 2η έκδοση, Λονδίνο: Open University-Longman, 1978.
McIntyre, Alasdair, ‘Is a Science of Comparative Politics Possible?’, Against the Self-Images of an Age, Λονδίνο: Duckworth, 1971.