ASOA05051U Democracy, democratisation and Civil Societies in Comparative Perspective

Volume 2013/2014
Education
Elective course BA+MA

Please notice that the course is both offered as 5 ECTS and 10 ECTS (see under exam).
Content
The study of democracy and democratisation has a long history in the subfield of political sociology. Interest in this topic has expanded dramatically with “The Third Wave of Democratisation” that has swept much of Latin America, Southern Europe, East Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union during the past three decades. By the start of the 21st century, nearly two-thirds of the world’s states could reasonably be described as democracies. The prevalence of democracy today represents a significant advance from the early 1970s, when more than two-thirds of the world’s states were under authoritarian rule. That progress, however, should not be taken for granted. Many of the world’s newer democracies depart significantly from the liberal ideal, occupying an uneasy middle group or “illiberal democracies”—a governing system in which citizens elect their political leaders but freedom is curtailed by the government. Thus, their democratic prospects remain fragile and backsliding toward autocracy or suffer an outbreak of internal civil war. Furthermore, the Arab Middle East and countries like China, North Korea and Cuba have weathered all waves of democratisation during the past three decades. It remains the only region and countries in which genuine democratic change is absent.
Learning Outcome

Course aims 
To give a broad introduction to issues and ideas concerning democracy and democratisation. A central purpose of the course is to think comparatively about the problems, opportunities, conditions, and constraints for democratic development and consolidation around the world.  Concepts and theories will be examined in light of diverse empirical experiences from new democracies and to trace the source of Middle East and Chinese exceptionalism (the Robustness of Authoritarianism in the Middle East and China). Overall, this intensive summer course intended to provide students with a solid background in the study of democratization. The idea is to familiarize you with the key debates and concepts on this growing topic and to think critically about the literature in this area. As such, the assignments for this course will consist primarily of critical “think pieces” concerning literature on the reading list, rather than intensive investigations of particular case studies in which you are especially interested. Nonetheless, I encourage you to bring any case knowledge you possess into the class discussions and papers and to use it in making arguments about the democratisation literature.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this course module and having completed the essential reading and activities students should be able to

  • Describe and evaluate different theories and conceptualisations of democracy  and democratisation
  •  Discern and analyse key factors in facilitating democratisation
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the role of civil society and social capital in building and maintaining democracy
  • Demonstrate this detailed and critical knowledge and understanding in written and verbal form.
Literature

Required Texts

Jean Grugel, Matthew Louis Bishop(2014) Democratization: A Critical Introduction (Political Analysis)  Palgrave, 2nd edition

Richard Christian Haerpfer, Patrick Bernhagenm Ronald F. Inglehart and Christian Welzel. (2009)  Democratization. Oxford University Press.

In addition to these two books, important, additional and required readings are available via the internet or the course website Absalon (http://www.ku.dk/ KUnet (intranet) . All journals used in the course are also available online through www.kb.dk

The course is primarily intended for students of social sciences and humanities with Intermediate academic level: After completing this class, students will have a broader understanding of contemporary global changes, national politics and regimes and stronger analytical skills. This will enrich them intellectually and help prepare them for internationally oriented careers in government, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, business, and academia.

Prerequisites: None
The format of the course is primarily lectures and structured discussion. In order to foster a dialogical learning environment, students are required to attend all class meetings and to have read the course material prior to arriving in class. Students will also be required to lead the discussion of one session of their choice. Students will be encouraged to share their country and regional expertise and research in class discussions and presentations. If you are not already engaged in specific study of a particular case (or set of cases) you are encouraged to read and master one or more case studies or a comparable treatment of a (newly emergent) democracy selected in consultation with the instructor. In addition, students should follow regional events.
Kurset fungerer også som liniefag for specialiseringsretningen: Politisk sociologi

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  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 127,5
  • Exam Preparation
  • 127,5
  • Lectures
  • 20
  • Total
  • 275,0
Credit
5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Continuous assessment
The student has satisfactorily carried out a student presentation and course attendance (80%).
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiner
Criteria for exam assesment

See course aim

Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Size: A Free written take-home essay of maximum 15 pages of 2400 characters each page (incl. spaces). If written by a group, the essay may be 50 % of 2400 characters each page longer per additional student. <br>
Attention: When handing in as a group, the contribution of each student must be pointed out.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiner
Exam period
Handing in of papers: 12.00 o’clock in the secretariat (16.1.34) Submission date: August 28, 2014
Criteria for exam assesment
See course aim
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination
An oral exam based upon a topic chosen by the individual student
Group/individual: Individual
Size: A synopsis of maximum 3 pages of 2400 characters. The synopsis may be handed in as a group. However, the oral exam is on individual basis. The synopsis itself is meant as a discussion paper and does not enter into the assessment.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiner
Exam period
Handing in of papers: 12.00 o’clock in the secretariat (16.1.34) Submission date: August 21, 2014
Criteria for exam assesment
See course aim