PSY315 Political Psychology
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Psychology
Faruk Obuća
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The course is dedicated to the study of the main concepts in political psychology such as personality and ideology, social identity, emotions, group processes, leadership, media influence, nationalism, conflict, and reconciliation. Understanding these concepts helps students gain insight into how psychological factors shape political behavior, intergroup relations, and democratic life, while also offering tools to critically examine contemporary challenges such as polarization, extremism, and global conflicts.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Cottam, M. L., Mastors, E., Preston, T., & Dietz, B. (2016). Introduction to Political Psychology (3rd edition). Routledge
Additional Literature
Osborne, D., & Sibley, C. G. (Eds.). (2022). The Cambridge Handbook of Political Psychology. Cambridge University Press.Teaching Methods
Class will entail lectures
Discussions
Practical exercises.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Introduction; Review of Syllabus& Class Organization | |
| 2 | Introduction to Political Psychology | Chapter 1 |
| 3 | Personality and Politics; Personality, Ideology and Political Behavior | Chapter 2 |
| 4 | Cognition, Social Identity, Emotions and Attitudes | Chapter 3 |
| 5 | Quiz 1+ Political Psychology of Groups | Chapter 4 |
| 6 | Study of Political Leaders | Chapter 5 |
| 7 | Mass Politics: Voting Behavior | Chapter 6 |
| 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | |
| 9 | Media in Politics | Chapter 7 |
| 10 | Race, Ethnicity, and Political Conflict | Chapter 8 and 9 |
| 11 | Nationalism | Chapter 10 |
| 12 | Quiz 2 + Social Movements | Chapter 11 |
| 13 | Terrorism, International Security and Conflict | Chapters 12 and 13 |
| 14 | Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation | Chapter 14 |
| 15 | Exam Review |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSY315.1 | Course | Thursday 09:00 - 11:50 | A F2.13 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Essay
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
Mid-term exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 4
Attendance & Active Participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Quiz
12 hours ⏳ (12 week × 1 h)
Short Essay
12 hours ⏳ (12 week × 1 h)
Mid-term exam study
24 hours ⏳ (8 week × 3 h)
Final exam study
60 hours ⏳ (15 week × 4 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [PSY315] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| PSY315 | Political Psychology | 3 | 0 | 6 | Thursday 9:00-11:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | PSY103 | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Faruk Obuća | Office Hours / Room / Phone | ||||||||
| fobuca@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The course is dedicated to the study of the main concepts in political psychology such as personality and ideology, social identity, emotions, group processes, leadership, media influence, nationalism, conflict, and reconciliation. Understanding these concepts helps students gain insight into how psychological factors shape political behavior, intergroup relations, and democratic life, while also offering tools to critically examine contemporary challenges such as polarization, extremism, and global conflicts. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Cottam, M. L., Mastors, E., Preston, T., & Dietz, B. (2016). Introduction to Political Psychology (3rd edition). Routledge | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Class will entail lectures, discussions, practical exercises. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course Introduction; Review of Syllabus& Class Organization | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Introduction to Political Psychology | Chapter 1 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Personality and Politics; Personality, Ideology and Political Behavior | Chapter 2 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Cognition, Social Identity, Emotions and Attitudes | Chapter 3 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Quiz 1+ Political Psychology of Groups | Chapter 4 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Study of Political Leaders | Chapter 5 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Mass Politics: Voting Behavior | Chapter 6 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Media in Politics | Chapter 7 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Race, Ethnicity, and Political Conflict | Chapter 8 and 9 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Nationalism | Chapter 10 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Quiz 2 + Social Movements | Chapter 11 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Terrorism, International Security and Conflict | Chapters 12 and 13 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation | Chapter 14 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Exam Review | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 35 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Essay | 1 | 10 | 1,2 | Not Allowed | |
| Mid-term exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 2 | 20 | 1,2,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Attendance & Active Participation | 1 | 5 | 3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 14 | 42 | Quiz | 1 | 12 | 12 | |||
| Short Essay | 1 | 12 | 12 | Mid-term exam study | 3 | 8 | 24 | |||
| Final exam study | 4 | 15 | 60 | 0 | ||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 02/03/2026 | |||||||||