6 ECTS credits
152 u studietijd
Aanbieding 1 met studiegidsnummer 1022156BNR voor alle studenten in het 1e semester met een verdiepend bachelor niveau.
The aim of the “Democratic Theory and Practice” course is to question the notion of democracy through conceptual and empirical analysis. From a theoretical point of view, scholars continue to quarrel over the most appropriate definition, understanding and operationalization of the concept of democracy. From an empirical point of view, we have witnessed the raise of illiberal democracies, a distrust of citizens in traditional institutions (e.g. parliaments, governments) and increasing demands for more direct participation of citizens to policy-making. At the same time, new technologies have facilitated new forms of political engagement and participation (e.g. civictechs and e-participation projects). In this context, it is important to understand what democracy is and how it translates into practice. Is it an institution, a practice, a value, a virtue, an unattainable ideal? Does it rely on pluralism, representation, direct political participation?
The course builds on concepts introduced in the first and second year, such as state, representation, parties etc., while introducing new ones, such as authority, representation, accountability, legitimacy, equality, participation, inclusiveness, deliberation. It is designed for students who are interested in making and analyzing political arguments about democracy and understand the real life of our democratic societies. It is not a course about the history of democracy. It is about practical political issues.
The course blends online and face-to-face learning – a teaching method known as blended learning. It reduces face to face lecture time and increases the active learning of students. It consists of a combination of ex cathedra-lectures, online activities (videos, readings and exercises) and interactive seminars where students take the lead.
The lectures will be kept at a very basic level and will mainly be focused on the theoretical concepts of democratic theory. The weekly assigned online activities and reading materials provide the crucial groundwork to supplement the lectures. Thus, before each lecture, students must complete the online activities (read the assigned texts, do the quizzes, drag and drops etc.). During the second part of the semester, students will watch a plenary sitting of the European Parliament and will afterwards write a short note, which will take the form of a blog post. For each seminar, a group of maximum 5 students will deliver a presentation on a predefined topic linked to the lecture. A list of topics will be provided beforehand, and students will choose their presentation topic on Canvas. The seminars seek to strengthen student’s ability to make oral presentations, while making effective use of theoretical concept in a way that adds to scientific and societal debate.
Below is a rough approximation of the expected study load of this course.
After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
De beoordeling bestaat uit volgende opdrachtcategorieën:
Examen Schriftelijk bepaalt 60% van het eindcijfer
Examen Andere bepaalt 40% van het eindcijfer
Binnen de categorie Examen Schriftelijk dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:
Binnen de categorie Examen Andere dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:
The written exam will consist of a ‘closed book’ exam of 3 hours. This means that no study resources such as books, treaties, study notes, internet access via smartphone or tablet etc. can be used. Students will have the choice between an essay question related to the notions, concepts, theories exposed during lectures and a text commentary. The aim of the exam is to test the ability of the students to link different aspects of the course and basic knowledge of the key ideas discussed throughout the lectures and in the reader.
The oral presentations. Students have 15 minutes to make their presentation and they will afterwards engage in a 15 minutes discussion with the lecturer and the class. The evaluation will consider both the content and the form of the presentations. An evaluation scheme will be made available on Canvas.
The blog post will analyze the plenary debate students watched online, based on the on the concept(s) discussed throughout the lectures and in the reader. It shouldn’t be longer than 1000 words (+/- 10%).
Online activity, oral presentations and blog posts are specific to the first session and cannot be redone in the second session. Grades will, irrespective of fail/pass results, be transferred to the second session. More specific details will be provided in the course’s “study guide”.
Deze aanbieding maakt deel uit van de volgende studieplannen:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)