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Political Systems and Media

Code 13350
Year 1
Semester S2
ECTS Credits 6
Workload OT(15H)/TP(45H)
Scientific area Sociology
Entry requirements -- None.
Mode of delivery -- Face-to-face.
Work placements -- None.
Learning outcomes This course explores how political systems and media institutions interact in democratic and non-democratic contexts, with special attention to major topics such as mass media, public sphere and democracy, political communication, disinformation and digital platforms, media power, ownership and regulation. By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Distinguish between major political system types.
2. Compare media systems across countries.
3. Critically analyze media coverage of political events.
4. Apply theoretical frameworks to real-world cases.
5. Engage in structured debate using sociological arguments.
6. Produce a short analytical paper using course concepts.
Syllabus 1. Political Systems and democratic theory
2. Media Systems in comparative perspective
3. Public Sphere and Media Influence
4. The Political Economy of Media
5. Political Communication
6. Populism and Disinformation
7. Digital Platforms and Media Regulation
Main Bibliography Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1995). The Crisis of Public Communication: Routledge.
Clark, W. R., Golder, M., & Golder, S. N. (2013). Principles of Comparative Politics (2nd ed.). CQ Press.
Hallin, D. C., & Mancini, P. (2004). Comparing Media Systems: Three Models of Media and Politics. Cambridge University Press.
Heywood, A., & Laing, M. (2025). Politics (6th ed.). Bloomsbury Academic.
McCombs, M. (2004). Setting the Agenda: The Mass Media and Public Opinion. Polity.
McLean, I., & McMillan, A. (2009). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
McNair, B. (2018). An Introduction to Political Communication (6th ed.). Routledge.
Street, J. (2011). Mass Media, Politics and Democracy (2nd ed.). Macmillan Education UK.
Teaching Methodologies and Assessment Criteria Theoretical-practical teaching.
Article - 50%
Class presentation - 2 (25 each)
Language Portuguese. Tutorial support is available in English.
Last updated on: 2026-05-12

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