Theories on Democracy and Globalization (e-learning)

Recommended Prerequisites

Linguistic competencies in English language in terms of reading, speaking and writting.

Teaching Methods

Blended-learning regime, with recourse to hybrid methodologies. The Moodle platform will be used for the presentation of lessons and debate of contents with resource to the forum and to the pedagogical material. Three in-class moments allow the presentation of contents and the discussion of themes.

Learning Outcomes

Know the main contemporary debates on different models of democracy;

Understand the current meaning and main theories on governance;

Show familiarity with the concept and the main theoretical debates on globalisation and understanding of the complexity of globalisation processes;

Show capacity to critically discuss the dimensions of globalisation from its implications to the models of democracy;

Demonstrate an understanding on the current challenges posed to democracy and governance by globalisation processes and structures;

Make use of conceptual tools and theories for critically analysing governance from the perspective of democracy;

Demonstrate capacity to apply concepts and theories on globalization, democracy and governance in the interpretation of current phenomena at local, national and global scales;

Widen critical reading skills;

Widen presentation and argumentation skills;

Increase autonomy in the context of online distance learning.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

The course explores the variety of current theoretical and political debates on governance, democracy and globalisation. It explores the concepts of democracy and governance to understand the current challenges posed by globalisation(s) to the articulation between democracy, nation state and civil society. The concept of globalisation is analysed having regard of the different perspectives and its multidimensional and multi-scalar expressions. As synthesis the debates on the possibilities of the extension of democratic control beyond and below the nation state are considered, focusing the local and global dimensions of democracy and governance and the complex ways they relate.
1. Models of democracy in the XXI century;
2. The current meanings of the concept and practice of governance;
3. Theoretical debates on globalisation;
4. Heterogeneous dimensions of globalisation(s);
5. Democratic governance and the new local democratic spaces;
6. Global governance and global democracy.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Students active participation in the face-to-face sessions and the on-line debates through the Moodle: 20.0%
Resolution Problems: 30.0%
Synthesis work: 50.0%

Bibliography

BEVIR, M. The SAGE Handbook of Governance. Sage, 2010.
ELLIOTT, C.M. (ed.) Civil Society and Democracy: a Reader. Oxford University Press, 2003.
HELD, D., Models of Democracy. Cambridge: Polity, 3 ed, 2006.
HOLDEN, Barry. 2000. Global democracy: key debates. Routledge.
HOPPE, R. The Governance of Problems: Puzzling, Powering and Participation. Policy Press, 2011.
LEMERT, C.; A. Elliott; D. Chaffee; E. Hsu (eds.). Globalization: A Reader. London: Routledge, 2010.
RITZER, G. Globalization: A Basic Text. West Sussex: John Wiley and Sons, 2009.
SANTOS, B. S. (org.), Democratizing Democracy: Towards New Manifestos. London: Verso, 2007.
SCHOLTE, J. A., Globalization: a critical introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2000.
STOKES, G. and A. Carter (eds.) Democratic Theory Today: Challenges for the 21st Century. Cambridge, Polity Press, 2002.
TÖRNQUIST, O., Webster, N., Stokke, K., Rethinking popular representation.Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.