Democracy and Social Participation
Code: 101666 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2500260 Social Education | OT | 3 |
| 2500260 Social Education | OT | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Carlos-Eric Delclos Gomez-Moran
- Email:
- carlos.delclos@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for taking the course.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The subject aims to contribute to the degree in Social Education a vision of democracy and social participation that is useful for socio-educational work in various spheres, territorial and/or institutional contexts.
From a conceptual point of view, we will start from an understanding of democracy that goes beyond its formal and institutional aspects ("democracy" as a set of procedures and institutions linked to state power) and includes its social dimension (What is a democratic society and how is it built? What is the relationship between democracy and civil society? What is its relationship with social inequalities?), linking the analysis of democracy and the spheres of social inclusion (state, market and community). We will reflect on consolidated practices such as citizen participation in the local sphere promoted by public administrations, and emerging concepts such as the commons, social innovation, or the relationship between political action and ICTs.
We will emphasize the analysis of social participation as a socio-educational practice with transformative potential in diverse social contexts. We will also deepen our knowledge of strategies and practices that foster citizen participation in the public sphere.
Competences
- Social Education
- Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
- Contextualize educational action based on the different theoretical paradigms that have developed in science and education in accordance with the socio-historical context of individuals, groups and institutions.
- Design and develop processes for citizen participation and socio-community action.
- Maintain a respectful attitude to the environment (natural, social and cultural) to promote values, behaviour and sustainable practices that address gender equality, equity and respect for human rights.
- Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
- Master the theoretical and applied knowledge of Educational Sciences to develop the capacity for analysis and observation of the social and educational reality.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Work in teams and with teams (in the same field or interdisciplinary).
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse and apply critical reasoning to the understanding of representative versus participatory democracy. Understand power, government and governance.
- Analyse different types of communities and the main characteristics that define and shape them.
- Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
- Apply participatory techniques: Participatory Action Research (PAR), to community diagnosis.
- Design and develop participatory processes in social and community education.
- Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality and discrimination present in society.
- Identifying, describing and analysing didactic models, strategies and curricular material on political culture and civic culture.
- Maintaining an attitude of respect for practices and types of behaviour that address fairness and inclusion.
- Propose new ways to measure the success or failure of the implementation of innovative proposals or ideas.
- Propose projects and actions that are in accordance with the principles of ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and obligations, diversity and democratic values.
- Reflecting on, evaluating and applying the changes required in educational practice regarding the Concept of participation. Participation as an end and as a means for change.
- Reflecting on, evaluating and applying the changes required in educational practice with regard to the Social Participation from the perspective of social players: social movements and associations.
- Reflecting on, evaluating and applying the changes required in educational practice with regard to the participation of the public from the perspective of the administration: models and devices.
- Working in multidisciplinary teams, developing processes of social/community education.
Content
I. CONCEPTUAL BLOCK
- Democracy, politics, and participation: a preliminary approach
- Social structure and participation: democracy and inequality
- Types of participation: civic, community, and citizen participation
- Dimensions of democracy, the democratic trinity
- The dialogic dimension: participation ecosystem. Channels and guarantees
- Associations, myths, and challenges
- Community action
- The community in action
- Social infrastructures
- Digital transformation
II. METHODOLOGICAL BLOCK
- Sociograms
- Public debate: phases, actors, and results
- Synthesis methodologies. How to run a workshop in a participatory process.
- Community methodologies
- Assemblies by drawing lots and participatory budgets
- Has it done any good? Evaluating participation
III. CASES AND EXPERIENCES
- Citizens initiatives
- Community development
- Social infrastructure
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Presentations (and discussion) of the group projects | 15 | 0.6 | 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14 |
| Work assignments: Presentation and discussion | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Individual supervision | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 |
| Supervision in small group | 20 | 0.8 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Personal work | 40 | 1.6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 |
| Work assignments | 35 | 1.4 | 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14 |
Presentations by the teaching staff on the content and basic questions on the syllabus. This is carried out with the whole class and allows the main contents to be presented through open and active participation by the students. Specific seminar sessions supervised by the lecturers where, through analysis of documents, resolution of cases, and various activities, the contents and topics worked on are studied in depth.
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.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final presentation of the Workgroups | 35% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14 |
| Examination | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 |
| Participations in seminars | 15% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 |
Continuous evaluation will be based on the following items:
a) 50% of the final mark corresponds to a final exam on the theoretical contents of the program and the compulsory bibliography (13/01/2025).
Results will be returned within a period not exceeding 20 business days of the academic calendar. Students who request it will have an individual tutorial to review their test and ask for explanations about the correction criteria.
b) 35% of the mark corresponds to the completion and presentation of a group project. All group projects will be discussed by the teacher and the class group in a workshop. The papers will be delivered in paper format on 13/01/2025.
c) 15% of the mark corresponds to attendance and class participation. To pass the course, it will be compulsory to take all the tests, to have passed the exam (test A), and to have obtained a minimum of 4.5 (out of 10) in the group project. Both the exam and the group project (individual project, for those opting for the single evaluation) can be recovered on 27/01/2025 through a written exam.
Class attendance is considered an essential requirement to pass the subject.
Single evaluation will be based on the following:
- A written exam conducted on the same day as the final exam for continuous evaluation. This will determine 60% of the final mark.
- An individual project on any of the areas covered in class, to be presented on the same day as the final exam. This will determine 40% of the final mark.
WARNING: Plagiarism in individual papers and/or assignments will be considered a reason for failing the course.
IMPORTANT: The proposed teaching methodologyand evaluation may undergo some modifications depending on the restrictions imposed by the healthauthorities.
Bibliography
MANDATORY BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Software
No specific software is foreseen for this subject.
Language list
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 4 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |