ASTK15486U SEMINAR: Democratisation
Elective course in the specialization "International Relations, Diplomacy and Conflict Studies"
Elective course IV at "Security Risk Management"
The course is open to all master students
Is the world becoming a more democratic place? In three waves, Western Europe and North America (until WWI), former colonies (after 1945), and Southern Europe, Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe (after 1974) have experienced the transition towards democracy.
The causes and the patterns of the political transition, as well as the features of the newly emerging democracies have changed over time. While in the 19th century, democracy was restricted to upper classes and men, today almost all countries conduct elections with universal suffrage, although often everything else than free and fair. Regional diffusion of patterns of democracy and of political transitions has played a role throughout history – reaching from the wave of liberal protests in Europe in 1848 until the Arab Spring in 2011. Recently, international actors, such as the EU, the USA and the OSCE, have become engaged in the active external promotion of democracy.
This seminar offers a theoretical and empirical insight into political transitions and the consolidation of democracy. It looks at both domestic and international actors, at elite-driven and mass-driven processes.
Knowledge
- Theories and empirical knowledge on political transitions and democratisation.
- Distinction of historical periods of democratisation.
Skills
- Critically discuss and reflect on conflicting theories of democratisation
- Throughout the seminar, the students develop their skills (and get support) in writing an empirical research paper
Competences
- Apply concepts and theories from comparative politics to a new research field.
- Empirical analysis of democratising countries
Overall 1000 pages
Overview and introductory readings:
Bueno de Mesquita, B. and Smith, A. (2011). The Dictator's Handbook. Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics. New York (NY): Public Affairs.
Haerpfer, C. W., Bernhagen, P., Inglehart, R. F. and Welzel, C. (2009). Democratization. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Linz, J. J. and Stepan, A. (1996). Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation. Southern Europe, South America, and Post-Communist Europe. Baltimore/London: John Hopkins University Press.
Lipset, S. M. (1959). Some Social Requisites of Democracy: Economic Development and Political Legitimacy. American Political Science Review 53(1), 69-105.
Ross, M. L. (2001). Does Oil Hinder Democracy? World Politics 53(2), 325-361.
Weyland, K. (2012). The Arab Spring: Why the Surprising Similarities with the Revolutionary Wave of 1848? Perspectives on Politics 10(4), 917-934.
Students are familiar with quantitative methods of analysis and comparative case study design (methods 2).
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 28
- Total
- 28
Students will be provided feedbacks on their presentations, on their expert roles (presentations), and on exercises.
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written assignmentIndividuel written assignment
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Criteria for exam assesment
- Grade 12 is given for an outstanding performance: the student lives up to the course's goal description in an independent and convincing manner with no or few and minor shortcomings
- Grade 7 is given for a good performance: the student is confidently able to live up to the goal description, albeit with several shortcomings
- Grade 02 is given for an adequate performance: the minimum acceptable performance in which the student is only able to live up to the goal description in an insecure and incomplete manner
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- ASTK15486U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 1
- Schedule
- .
- Study board
- Department of Political Science, Study Council
Contracting department
- Department of Political Science
Course Coordinators
- kwg496 kwg496 (2-72704e7774813c79833c7279)