[OPERA MUSIC]
MAURO CALISE: Welcome to our
course on Concept Analysis.
My name is Mauro Calise.
I am a professor of political science
at the University of Naples Federico II.
We shall analyze together the
basic vocabulary of the discipline,
and such keywords as party,
bureaucracy, public opinion, democracy,
constitution, the legislature.
The main aim of our course
is to try and disentangle
the complexity, variety of
definitions, and empirical cases which
these concepts encompass.
And we'll do so by using an
interactive tool, a web platform which
is both a written book
but also a new tool that
will contribute to your
understanding of the concept,
and to your own making of this
concept that we shall be explaining.
This book has been written by me with
Professor Ted Lowi, one of the founding
fathers of the discipline.
And unfortunately he's
not able to join us.
But I am very happy to welcome Professor
Werner Patzelt a German colleague
from the University of
Dresden, who is going
to be with us all along in this
new very challenging enterprise.
So Werner, what is this
hyperpolitics platform all about?
WERNER PATZELT: Well, the
hyperpolitics platform
and the whole approach of hyperpolitics
is about conceptual analysis.
So what can you expect from
this class on hyperpolitics?
First of all, you get an introduction
into conceptual thinking.
What it is about, why it is important,
what its most important tools are.
And then you, of course, get
a very in-depth introduction
into the guiding ideas of hyperpolitics.
That is, what are the dictionaries out
of which its core vocabulary is taken,
and why are these the
important dictionaries,
and how was this vocabulary assembled?
And the core element of
hyperpolitics is the matrix,
a matrix around one central concept
around which you collect and give
order to 12 additional
concepts which allows
you to integrate theoretical
thought out of the literature
into your own reflections.
And because theory is one thing
and practice is a different thing,
you will see some discussions between
my colleague Mauro Calise and myself
which show you how this approach of
hyperpolitics is put into practice,
and what the standards
for good quality are.
You will have seen that
both of us are really
enthusiastic about hyperpolitics.
But Mauro, why are we so
enthusiastic about hyperpolitics?
MAURO CALISE: The reason
why we are so enthusiastic
is because this is a
way that we can empower
your mind in political understanding
and conceptual theory building.
And as Ted Lowi would
say, this is the best way
to make yourself become
your own Aristotle.
So be bold.
Be innovative.
Be trustful that your
theories can come true
and become something new for
yourself and for political science.
[OPERA MUSIC]
