Contemporary Democracy Issues
| Title | Σύγχρονα Θέματα Δημοκρατίας / Contemporary Democracy Issues |
| Code | ΚΕ0Ε42 |
| Faculty | Social and Economic Sciences |
| School | Political Sciences |
| Cycle / Level | 1st / Undergraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter |
| Coordinator | Alexandros Kioupkiolis |
| Common | Yes |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 100001509 |
Programme of Study: PPS Tmīma Politikṓn Epistīmṓn 2023-sīmera
Registered students: 0
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KORMOS | Elective Courses | Spring | - | 4 |
| Academic Year | 2023 – 2024 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Faculty Instructors | |
| Weekly Hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 39 |
| Class ID | 600241635
|
Course Type 2016-2020
- Scientific Area
Course Type 2011-2015
Specific Foundation / Core
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600241635
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
- English (Examination)
Learning Outcomes
Comprehension and assessment of key critical theories and issues of contemporary democracy in the political thought of our times.
Development of analytical and critical, argumentative skills in relevant topics.
Development of critical essay writing skills on the topics of the course and in contemporary political theory.
General Competences
- Make decisions
- Work autonomously
- Generate new research ideas
- Appreciate diversity and multiculturality
- Be critical and self-critical
- Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
The course is divided into two main sections. In the first section we analyse initially two contemporary theories of democracy, the models of deliberative democracy (J. Habermas, J. Rawls et al.) and of agonistic democracy (Ch. Mouffe, J. Rancière et al.) and we examine their critique of the theory and the practice of modern democracy: of the liberal, republican and aggregative model of democracy, as well as of contemporary democratic politics. We then engage with theories of post-democracy (C. Crouch, Ch. Mouffe) and biopower which offer theoretical frames for a critical understanding and assessment of the contemporary condition of democracy under circumstances of crisis.
In the second section we will explore contemporary thought on the different forms of collective subjects which undertake, or could undertake, political action in our times with a view to fostering democracy. We will focus: 1) On the conceptions of the people and the multitude in the thought of Ernesto Laclau and Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri; 2) On social classes under present conditions: how they are structured and which role can or should they play in political structure and mobilization; how social class is conceptualized in the classical sociology of modernity (Karl Marx and Max Weber), in contemporary political sociology (Goldthrope) and in the theories of the 'precariat' (Guy Standing); 3) On the nation and nationalism. The importance of the appeal to the nation for the construction of contemporary political communities and for the emergence of strong collective identities; We will look into basic problems of the definition of the nation, the analysis of nationalism as a political ideology, the relationship of the nation with democracy and justice.
Keywords
democracy, postdemocracy, deliberation, agonism, people, multitude, precariat, nation
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Book
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 99 | 3.6 | ✓ | ||
| Seminars | |||||
| Reading Assigment | 6 | 0.2 | |||
| Tutorial | |||||
| Written assigments | 5 | 0.2 | |||
| Total | 110 | 4 |
Student Assessment
Description
Understanding of basic theories and concepts of the political theory of contemporary democracy and the specific topics of the course.
Ability to develop critical arguments on the topics of the course, orally and in writing.
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Formative)
- Written Assignment (Formative)
- Oral Exams (Formative)
- Performance / Staging (Formative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
1) Μουφ Σαντάλ (2004) Το δημοκρατικό παράδοξο, ελλην. μτφρ. Α. Κιουπκιολής, Αθήνα: Πόλις.
2) Χαρντ Μάικλ, Νέγκρι Αντόνιο (2011) Πλήθος, ελλην. μτφρ. Γ. Καράμπελας, Αθήνα: Αλεξάνδρεια
Additional bibliography for study
Αγκάμπεν Τζιώρτζιο (2005) Homo sacer. Kυρίαρχη εξουσία και γυμνή ζωή, ελλην. μτφρ. Π. Tσιαμούρας, Αθήνα: Scripta
Βέμπερ Μαξ (2007) Οικονομία και κοινωνία. Β΄ Τόμος: Κοινότητες, ελλην. μτφρ. Θ. Γκιούρας, Αθήνα: Σαββάλας
Κράουτς Kόλιν (2006) Μεταδημοκρατία, ελλην. μτφρ. Α. Κιουπκιολής, Αθήνα: Εκκρεμές
Μαρξ Καρλ, Ένγκελς Φρίντριχ (1997) Μανιφέστο του Κομμουνιστικού Κόμματος, μτφρ. Γ.-Ι. Μπαμπασάκης, Αθήνα: Ερατώ
Standing, Guy (2011) The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class, Λονδίνο, Νέα Υόρκη: Bloomsbury Academic
Χάμπερμας Γιούργκεν (1996) Το πραγματικό και το ισχύον, μτφρ. Θ. Λουπασάκης, Αθήνα: Εκδόσεις Λιβάνη
Χόμπσμπαουμ E.Τζ. (1994) Έθνη και εθνικισμός από το 1780, ελλην. μτφρ. Χ. Νάτριτς, Αθήνα: Καρδαμίτσα.
Last Update
19-07-2023
