ASPO 12A00 - Introduction to Political Science

This introductory course provides a comprehensive overview of Political Science. It covers the fundamental concepts of the discipline and aims to enhance students' knowledge and analytical skills in politics. It addresses key topics such as the State, the government, parties, public opinion, and participation and goes through a variety of theories, approaches, and methodologies essential for understanding these subjects.

The course is structured to develop students' knowledge, analytical abilities, and critical thinking in relation to contemporary political phenomena. By examining issues central to power and society, the course strives to foster a critical understanding of politics and provide in-depth analysis of recent theoretical and political debates in politics. Lectures will for example address broad questions pertinent to contemporary politics, such as: In what sense are states and nations historical constructs? Is democracy in crisis? Why so few people vote in contemporary democracies? Why are some issues prioritized on the mediatic and political agenda while others are not?

The course is structured around main lectures, specific lectures on Asia and methods seminars that are heavily integrated. Each week, there is a common theme and a single compulsory academic text to read (see DETAILED OUTLINE AND REQUIRED READING below). This reading will be the basis of the discussion and oral presentation in the methods seminar (see COURSE GRADING SYSTEM below). It might also be discussed during the lecture. Students are expected to have read this academic text before the start of each week. All the texts are available on Moodle. Note however that there will also be some extra optional reading for each week.

The main lecture consists of 12 sessions of 2 hours each. The specific lecture on Asia consists of 3 sessions of 4 hours on specific weeks (see below). The methods seminar consists of 12 sessions of 2 hours. The main lecture covers basic knowledge in the discipline, the specific one complements it with a specific focus on Asia, whereas the methods seminar aims at developing analytical, argumentative, and critical skills. They are indeed based on discussions and debates between students. Students are thus expected to actively participate in methods’ seminar (see COURSE GRADING SYSTEM below).

To validate the course, the student is expected to pass the following assignments:

1°) A final sit-in exam: 33.33% of the grade

2°) Continuous assessments: 66.66% of the grade

Continuous assessments include a sit-in exam (worth 40% of the grade WITHIN continuous assessments), one oral presentation (40%) and active participation in the seminars (20%).

The final exam (3 hours) and the mid-term exam (3 hours) will consist of three question-based essays, two about the main lecture (out of three options) and one about the specific lecture on Asia (out of two options). They will take place in person in the Sciences Po – Le Havre campus during the usual midterm and final exam periods (exact date to be confirmed by the administration). The questions are substantive questions about the course content and students are expected to answer in an international essay format (NO French-dissertation style answers). Examples of exam questions are available on Moodle. The methods seminar will include a specific training on how to answer such questions on Week 5, and some specific feedback on the mid-term exams on Week 12.

The oral presentation and the active participation assessments take place during the methods seminars. Participation in the methods seminar will be evaluated every week by the seminar instructor who will give students their evaluation criteria on Week 1. The instructor will also clarify how the oral presentation works and the schedule of presentation on Week 1.

At the end of the course, the student is expected to:

1°) Identify and explain the core concepts of Political Science, such as the state, government, political parties, public opinion, and political participation, and understand their place within major theoretical perspectives.

2°) Mobilize basic political science concepts and frameworks to analyse contemporary political phenomena and to contribute thoughtfully to class discussions and oral presentations.

3°) Develop the ability to read and discuss political science literature, by recognizing key arguments and approaches and engaging with them in an informed and reflective manner.