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2021/2022

Theory of Democracy

Code: 106188 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2504216 Contemporary History, Politics and Economics FB 1 2
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Enrique Hernandez Perez
Email:
Enrique.Hernandez@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)
Some groups entirely in English:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

External teachers

Eva Doya Le Besnerais

Prerequisites

Most of the subjects are taught in English. A B2 level of English of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is required, although no specific test of English proficiency level is held to access the degree. 

Objectives and Contextualisation

The course has three main objectives:

  • That students know the basic elements that define democratic systems
  • That students know the different theories of democracy and understand their differences
  • That students use the different theories to critically analyze the different challenges to the democratic system

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Contrast the main contemporary political theories.
  • Explain and summarise knowledge acquired in English language at an advanced level.
  • Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Assessing the contribution of movements like feminism, environmentalism or various identity movements.
  2. Define the concepts of democracy and dictatorship, describe the different models and critically evaluate their functioning.
  3. Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
  4. Interpret the pre-existing political and social frameworks as explanatory background to the current ones.
  5. Propose projects and actions in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights, diversity and democratic values.
  6. Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
  7. Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  8. Use contemporary political theories and understand from them their analytical value for home-based and international case studies.
  9. Write a review of a publication, documentary video or event (conference or seminar) in English adapted to the content of one or more subjects on this course.

Content

1. Introduction to the concept of democracy and history of the main theories

2. From ancient Greece to medieval thinkers

3. Conflict and social contract

4. Freedom and human rights

5. The politics of reform and revolution

6. Deliberative democracy

7. Elitist, plural and participatory democracy

8. Contemporary liberalism and republicanism

9. Minorities, feminism and multiculturalism

10. The capillary power and the illusion of democracy

11. Global justice and the possibility of a supranational democracy

12. Economic crises and the transformation of democracy

13. Technological challenges and populism

Methodology

The teaching methodology and the evaluation proposed in the guide may undergo some modification subject to the onsite teaching restrictions imposed by health authorities.

The student’s dedication to the course is divided into different types of activities:  

Part 1. Master classes in which the teacher present the theoretical contents in interaction with students.

Part 2. Sessions of practical application of the theoretical contents in the usual classroom. Students work on an application of the knowledge acquired through readings and theoretical classes.

The total dedication of the student is distributed as follows:

  • The supervised activities are activities in the classroom with the presence of the lecturer. These activities include readings, debates and sessions oriented to practical questions related to the subject of the course. These activities represent around 35% of the total work required.
  • The supervised activities are activities carried out by the student outside the classroom in accordance with a work plan designed and subsequently tutored and evaluated by the lecturer. These activities will take the form of a short oral presentation and participation in debates. They represent 10% of the student's dedication.
  • The autonomous activities are all those that the student does on his/her own account such as basic and complementary readings, study of class notes or all those other activities that complement the learning process of the course. They represent 55%.

Towards the end of the semester 15 minutes will be devoted to the completion of the teaching evaluation. 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
The supervised activities are activities in the classroom with the presence of the lecturer. These activities include readings, debates and sessions oriented to practical questions related to the subject of the course 12.25 0.49 1, 2, 3, 9, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8
Type: Supervised      
Short oral presentation and participation in debates 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 9, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8
Type: Autonomous      
Reading basic and complementary readings, study of class notes 82.75 3.31 1, 2, 3, 9, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8

Assessment

The evaluation of this course consists of the following parts:

• 60%: Final paper. A question to be developed in 4000-5000 words must be chosen from a list of questions that will be sent on the exam day. The student must submit the work after the established period of time.

• 25%: Classroom exercises. Attendance and participation in debates.  This activity is not recoverable in any case.

• 15%: A short oral presentation. This activity is not recoverable in any case.

Additional information:

• In accordance with article 117.2 of the UAB Academic Regulations, the assessment of repeat students may consist of a single synthesis test. Repeating students who wish to take advantage of this possibility will need to contact the lecturer at the beginning of the course.

• If in the performance of some of the planned activities, especially in the performance of the work, any type of plagiarism is detected (with respect to work of other years, web pages, books, etc.), the subject will be globally suspended and it must be repeated in its entirety.

• A minimum overall grade of 5 will be required to pass the course.

Recovery

Students who do not obtain the minimum score will be able to submit a new final paper (answering a different question) on the date of the remedial evaluation exam.

If the work has not been submitted in due time and is presented directly on the day of the recovery, a penalty of -25% will be applied on final mark.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Classroom exercises: Attendance and participation in debates 25% 20 0.8 1, 2, 9, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8
Final paper 60% 10 0.4 1, 2, 3, 9, 4, 7, 6, 8
One brief oral presentation 15% 10 0.4 4, 7, 6

Bibliography

This basic bibliography could be modified in the teaching program of the subject, including new references. This teaching program will also include the specific required reading chapters.

  • F. Requejo, Las Democracias
  • Aristotle, Politics
  • Tomas de Aquino, De regimine principum
  • Machiavelli, The Prince and Discourses
  • Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
  • J. Locke, Second Treatise on Civil Government; A Letter Concerning Toleration
  • E. Burke. Reflections on the Revolution in France
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
  • B. Constant. The Liberty of Ancients Compared with that of Moderns
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • John Stuart Mill, Considerations on Representative Government; On Liberty
  • Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto
  • M. Bakunin On the Program of the Alliance
  • Ernest Renan What is a Nation?
  • C. Schmitt, The Concept of the Political
  • Jürgen Habermas, The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere
  • Joseph Schumpeter, Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy
  • Carole Pateman, Participation and Democratic Theory; Democracy, feminism, welfare
  • John Rawls, A theory of justice
  • G.A. Cohen, Why Not Socialism?
  • M. Foucault,  Microphysics of Power and Power/Knowledge
  • S. Okin, Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?
  • F. Fukuyama, State-Building: Governance and World Order in the 21st Century
  • P. Singer, The Life You Can Save. Acting Now to End World Poverty
  • Muhammad Asad, The Principles of State and Government in Islam

Software

None