The course is divided into two parts. The first part deals with some of the classic themes of political science, handling necessary theoretical skills and methodological issues: the phenomenology of power and authority, the empirical analysis of political power in nation states and local communities, the relevance of ideology and violence in the relationship between the rulers and the ruled. In the second part, the course focuses on a deep analysis of modern political regimes, with particular reference to the development of democracies. More specifically, it focuses on three areas: the first area examines the main organizative actors of political participation (political parties, interest groups, collective movements); the second area outlines the relationship among parliamentary institutions, cabinets and bureaucracies in different forms of government; the third area describes the processes of formulation and implementation of public policies.