Primer Semestre

The objective of this course is to analyze the democratic political process from the perspective of the “actors”, with a particular focus on political parties, interest groups and social movements. In order to achieve this objective, theoretical contributions from several of academic disciplines, including political science, sociology, economics, and history, will be integrated. The actors that promote collective action are central to the analysis of political systems, so the ways in which they exert influence and their impact on society and political decision-making process will be analyzed. Therefore, in order to understand the essential elements of collective action, the resources, windows of opportunity and challenges on its organization will be explored in depth. Likewise, we will analyze how actors interact and their changes over time, as well as their adaptation to new technological tools and mass media. Furthermore, the course aims to provide students with a practical understanding of actor’s organization and the work carried out by activist, including and analysis of their means and intermediation in political processes.