Democracy and Democratization Syllabus

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Course-Unit Outline Form DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIZATION PRELIMINARY READING This course examines issues relating to democracy and democratization in a variety of historical and contemporary settings. It begins by reviewing contending model and definitions of democracy developed by political theorists (‘democratic theory’) and political scientists concerned with measuring and assessing democracy in real world situations. It next considers (failed and successful) democratisation in a range of historical and geographical settings, including 19th century and inter-war Europe, post-colonial Africa, Southern Europe in 1970s and Eastern Europe, progressively introducing key concepts and debates through these case studies. It also considers which factors promote democratic consolidation in new democracies. The course concludes by reviewing recent debates, which challenge traditional notions of democratisation: the question of whether established Western democracies need undergo ongoing democratisation to improve ‘democratic quality’; the possibility that democratic political forms can (or should) be established at international level; and the use by authoritarians of democratic forms to achieve non-democratic ends through ‘competitive authoritarianism’, ‘illiberal democracy’ or ‘managed’ democracy. Chandler, D. Bosnia: Faking Democracy After Dayton, Pluto Press, 2000. Dahl, R. Democracy and its Critics, 1989 (2nd edition) Dawisha, K and B Parrot (eds.), The Consolidation of Democracy in Eastern-Central Europe, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Diamond L, Democracy in Developing Countries, London: Adamantine Press 1997 Diamond L. and M. F. Plattner (eds.), The Global Resurgence of Democracy, Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1996 (second edition). L Diamond and M. F. Plattner (eds.), Communism and Democracy, John Hopkins University Press 2004/ Gill, G. Dynamics of Democratization: Elites, Civil Society and the Transition Process Elites, Civil Society and the Transition, Palgrave Macmillan, 2000 Gunther R, N Diamandouros and H Puhle, (eds.) The Politics of Democratic Consolidation: Southern Europe in Comparative Perspective, John Hopkins University Press: Baltimore and London 1996 Haynes J, Democracy in the developing world : Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East 2001 Held, D. Models of Democracy, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2006 (2nd edition) J Linz and A Stepan, Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America and Post-Communist Europe, Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1996.

Transcript of Democracy and Democratization Syllabus

Course-Unit Outline Form

DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIZATION

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PRELIMINARY READING

This course examines issues relating to democracy and democratization in a variety of historical and contemporary settings. It begins by reviewing contending model and definitions of democracy developed by political theorists (‘democratic theory’) and political scientists concerned with measuring and assessing democracy in real world situations. It next considers (failed and successful) democratisation in a range of historical and geographical settings, including 19th century and inter-war Europe, post-colonial Africa, Southern Europe in 1970s and Eastern Europe, progressively introducing key concepts and debates through these case studies. It also considers which factors promote democratic consolidation in new democracies. The course concludes by reviewing recent debates, which challenge traditional notions of democratisation: the question of whether established Western democracies need undergo ongoing democratisation to improve ‘democratic quality’; the possibility that democratic political forms can (or should) be established at international level; and the use by authoritarians of democratic forms to achieve non-democratic ends through ‘competitive authoritarianism’, ‘illiberal democracy’ or ‘managed’ democracy.

Chandler, D. Bosnia: Faking Democracy After Dayton, Pluto Press, 2000. Dahl, R. Democracy and its Critics, 1989 (2nd edition) Dawisha, K and B Parrot (eds.), The Consolidation of Democracy in Eastern-Central Europe, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Diamond L, Democracy in Developing Countries, London: Adamantine Press 1997 Diamond L. and M. F. Plattner (eds.), The Global Resurgence of Democracy, Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1996 (second edition). L Diamond and M. F. Plattner (eds.), Communism and Democracy, John Hopkins University Press 2004/ Gill, G. Dynamics of Democratization: Elites, Civil Society and the Transition Process Elites, Civil Society and the Transition, Palgrave Macmillan, 2000 Gunther R, N Diamandouros and H Puhle, (eds.) The Politics of Democratic Consolidation: Southern Europe in Comparative Perspective, John Hopkins University Press: Baltimore and London 1996 Haynes J, Democracy in the developing world : Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East 2001 Held, D. Models of Democracy, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2006 (2nd edition) J Linz and A Stepan, Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America and Post-Communist Europe, Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1996.

Course-Unit Outline Form

Title: Democracy and Democratization Course Code: SESS2105 Course-unit value: 0.5cu Availability: Spring Term Open to: The course is for second year students only. Students must have passed Introduction to Politics Course leader: Dr Sean Hanley Aims: 1. To give a broad introduction to issues and ideas concerning democracy and democratisation. 2. To study democratization in a range of historical and national contexts. 3. To use theoretical ideas to analyse democracy and democratisation in a range of cases. Objectives: By the end of the course, you will have acquired: 1. To discuss a range of definitions and models of democracy 2. To analyse why some countries have moved from undemocratic to democratic forms of government 3. To analyse the possible need for new forms of democracy in established democracies and/or at international level. 4. To analyse the use of democratic institutions for authoritarian purposes

Teaching & Learning Methods: Number of Hours: Lectures 10 hours Discussion classes 10 hours Private study (including revision) 130 hours Assessment: Coursework (25%) One 2500 word assignment analyzing a case study or studies Students also required write a weekly unassessed reflection of 300 – 400 words on readings prepared for classes as a condition of attendance. Examination (75%) Student will take a 2hr unseen examination in the normal spring/summer examination period. Affiliate assessment: Whole year affiliate students will be assessed as above. One-term only affiliates will be required to write two 2500 word assignments.

Course-Unit Outline Form

Outline syllabus Cases/areas covered

Key concepts introduced/discussed

1. Introduction to democratisation · models of democracy; defining and measuring democracy;

2. The first wave of democratisation - 19th century Europe Britain, France and Germany compared

· ‘Waves of democratisation’; · Structural theories of democratisation: · 1) modernisation; 2) class-based approaches; 3) cultural and religious factors

3. The first ‘reverse wave’ - the failure of new democracies in interwar Europe Poland, Germany,

· Structural theories of democratisation. · Theories for the breakdown of democracy (failure of ‘democratic consolidation’) · Types of non-democratic regime 1: totalitarianism; authoritarianism;

4. The second wave (and reverse wave) of democratisation - fragile democracies in post-colonial states and developing countries after 1945)

· Structural theories of democratisation revisited · Non-democratic regimes 2: military rule; personal dictatorships (‘sultanism’. ‘neopatrimonialism’)

5. The third wave of democratisation - negotiated transitions: - the cases of Spain (1975 - 8), Hungary (1989- 90) and South Africa (1994)

· ‘Transition’ theories of democratisation: 1) negotiated transition (pacted transition) · Non-democratic regimes 3: – ‘Post- Totalitarianism’ Communism After Stalin (1953-1991)

6. The third wave of democratisation - democratic transitions: - democratic revolutions in Portugal (1974-5), the Philippines (1985), Romania (1989) and Czechoslovakia (1989).

· ‘Transition’ theories of democratisation: 2) democratic revolutions (transition by ruptura)

7. Consolidating democracy · Democratic consolidation · ‘Weak’ forms of modernisation theory · Institutional/constitutional engineering · Democratic culture

8. Illiberal democracy - Czechoslovakia’s ‘People’s Democracy’ (1945- 8); Mexico; Ghana; contemporary post-Soviet cases and ‘coloured revolutions’

· ‘Illiberal democracy’, ‘managed democracy’, ‘sovereign democracy’, ‘semiauthoritarianism’, ‘ethnic democracy’, · Transitions from (and back to) semiauthoritarian rule

9. Democratising democracy? Is democratic reform needed in established democracies? Britain’s ‘democratic deficit’

· Democratic quality · Democratic auditing; ‘lean democracy’; cyber democracy

10. Global democracy? Democratisation in an era of globalisation

· Democracy in the EU · ‘global governance’ ‘cosmopolitan democracy’