Theory of Democracy
Code: 106188 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2504216 Contemporary History, Politics and Economics | FB | 1 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Eva Doya Le Besnerais
- Email:
- eva.doya@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
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.
Students have to demonstrate the necessary language skills to engage with texts, present them in open sessions and to critically discuss their contents.
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
- Assessing the contribution of movements like feminism, environmentalism or various identity movements.
- Define the concepts of democracy and dictatorship, describe the different models and critically evaluate their functioning.
- Demonstrating good writing skills in different contexts.
- Interpret the pre-existing political and social frameworks as explanatory background to the current ones.
- Propose projects and actions in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights, diversity and democratic values.
- 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.
- Use contemporary political theories and understand from them their analytical value for home-based and international case studies.
- 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. The transformation of democracy
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
Evaluation
The evaluation of this course consists of the following parts:
- 50%: Final paper. A question to be developed in 2000-2500 words must be chosen from a list of questions. There will be a time for individual work and a day established for submission. The student must submit the work after the established period of time. If the work has not been submitted in due time, a penalty of -25% will be applied on final mark. No paper will be accepted later than two days after the day established for submission.
- 15%: Attendance, participation in debates. This activity is not recoverable in any case.
- 10% Short oral presentation (in groups)
- 25% Mid-term exam. 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 teacher 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.
- Students will obtain a “Not assessed/Not submitted” course grade unless they have submitted more than 33% of the assessment items.
Recovery
Students who do not obtain the minimum score will be able to take a final exam on the day determined by the Faculty. This final examination will only allow passing (grade of 5) or failing (grade under 5) the course. This exam does not substitute in any case the rest of examinations.
To take part in this recovery exam students must have been evaluated for at least 2/3 parts of the total evaluation.
This exam will only be accessible to those with a minim average grade of 3,5 in a minimum of 66% activities.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance, participation in debates | 15% | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8 |
| Final paper | 50% | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 2, 3, 9, 4, 7, 6, 8 |
| Midterm exam | 25% | 5 | 0.2 | 1, 2, 3, 9, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8 |
| One brief oral presentation | 10% | 5 | 0.2 | 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