POLS 303: Democracy and Democratization

Transcription

1 1 POLS 303: Democracy and Democratization 2018 Winter Semester Monday and Friday, 11:30-12:50 Room: LIB Professor Dr. Michael Murphy Office: Admin (Tel) Office hours: Monday 9-10am; Thursday 9-10am OVERVIEW This course introduces students to the study of democracy and democratization in the modern world. The course is divided into six parts. Part one examines the theoretical and institutional dimensions of democracy, and compares different indices which measure the level of democracy achieved in different countries. Part two focuses on the intrinsic value of democracy, the relationship between democracy and human development, and the impact of democratic institutions on peace and conflict. Parts three and four look at the factors contributing either to democratization or to the persistence of authoritarianism, and the controversy surrounding the practice of democracy promotion. Part five reviews the current state of democracy worldwide, and analyzes the factors which contribute to the decline of democracy in different countries, focusing particularly on recent developments in the United States. Part six considers the democratic implications of globalization and both the problems and prospects of a more cosmopolitan democratic future. STRUCTURE We will meet every Monday and Friday for approximately 1.5 hours. The course includes both formal lectures and seminars in both cases, significant emphasis is placed on student discussion and debate led by the instructor. Regular attendance and active participation in class is essential, and will count for a substantial portion of your final grade. READINGS An essential part of your course preparation is the completion of the assigned readings. The readings are important as a means of preparing yourself both for class discussions and for the successful completion of the mid-term and final exams. Texts Students are not required to purchase any texts. All of the assigned readings have been placed on 3 hour reserve at the library. Please inform me immediately if you are having difficulty accessing any of the reserve material. EVALUATION This course is designed to improve your skills in writing, debating, research, and critical analysis. Students will therefore be assessed in each of these areas. A specific breakdown of the course work is as follows: Research Essay (35%) You are free to choose your own essay topic, but all topics require my approval. Please consult with me on a topic no later than Monday, January 29. Essay topics approved after this date

2 2 will be assessed a 5% penalty. Essays must be approximately 2,500 words in length, and must be typed, double-spaced, using regular margins (one inch), and fonts no smaller than 12pt. Proper references (footnotes or endnotes) and a bibliography are essential please consult Lester Faigley, Roger Graves, and Heather Graves, The Brief Penguin Handbook, or a political science Journal (e.g. Canadian Journal of Political Science) for guidance. Completed essays are due no later than 4pm on Monday, March 26. *Important* To guard against the possibility of lost or missing papers, students are required to keep backup copies of their work (digital and/or hard copy). Late essays will face a penalty of 5% per day. Papers that are late by more than one week without an extension will not be graded. Extensions will be granted for documented medical and emergency reasons only no exceptions. Cases of suspected plagiarism will be pursued, and, if confirmed, will be handled in accordance with the UNBC Policy on Academic Offences (see sections of the Undergraduate Calendar). Essays will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria: Style (grammar, spelling, clarity of expression, organization) Critical analysis: students are expected to accurately describe the arguments under consideration, and to subject these arguments to critical evaluation Research: students should consult between 8-12 published sources. These should primarily be made up of academic books and journal articles. Some of these materials may be obtained on the Internet, but only if they are from reputable, peer-reviewed sources (if in doubt, please consult with me) Proper references and a bibliography. I will accept any of the styles used in current Political Science journals (e.g. the Australian Journal of Political Science or the Canadian Journal of Political Science) or in Lester Faigley, Roger Graves, and Heather Graves, The Brief Penguin Handbook. Mid-Semester Examination (20%) 80 minutes in class, on Friday February 23. The exam will include both longer essays and shortanswer questions. Students will be given plenty of options from which to choose. Participation (10%) The grade for participation will be calculated on the basis of the following criteria: Regular attendance Participation in class discussions and the structured class exercises The quality of your preparation for class, including a demonstrated familiarity with the assigned readings Final Exam (35%) The final exam will be comprised of longer essay questions. Students will be given plenty of options from which to choose. Key Dates Essay Topics Approved by Instructor January 29 Mid-Semester Break February Mid-semester Examination February 23 Research Essay Due March 26 Note: If there are students in this course who, because of a disability, may have a need for special academic accommodations, please come and discuss this with me, or contact staff at the Access Resource Centre (arc@unbc.ca) located in the Teaching and Learning Centre, Room on the main campus. Students can also call the ARC at (250) Regional students can call the Centre toll-free at 1(888)

3 3 LECTURES AND READINGS I: Introduction (January 5) No PART I: DEFINING AND MEASURING DEMOCRACY (January 8, 12, 15, 19) What is democracy? What are the institutional requirements of democracy? What conditions favor democracy? What is the best way to measure democracy? Robert A. Dahl On Democracy. New Haven: Yale University Press, 35-43, 83-99, , Terry L. Karl and Philippe Schmitter, What Democracy is... and is Not, in The Global Resurgence of Democracy, eds., Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner, 2nd edition. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, Comparing electoral systems: 1) Electoral Reform Society; 2) FairVote (online: details TBA) Will Kymlicka Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights. Oxford: Clarendon Press, Ensuring a Voice for Minorities, Michael Coppedge and John Gerring Conceptualizing and Measuring Democracy: a New Approach. Perspectives on Politics (9)2: PART II: THE VALUE OF DEMOCRACY (January 22, 26, 29, February 2, 5, 9) **Essay Topics Due Monday, January 29** Why should we value democracy? Is democracy a universal value? What is the relationship between democracy and human development? Does democracy produce more or less economic inequality? Is democracy a solution to inter-state and intra-state conflict? Robert A. Dahl On Democracy. New Haven: Yale University Press, 44-61, Amartya Sen Democracy as a Universal Value, in Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner (eds) The Global Divergence of Democracies. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, John Gerring et al Democracy and Human Development. The Journal of Politics 74(1): Pippa Norris Making Democratic Governance Work: How Regimes Shape Prosperity, Welfare And Peace. New York: Cambridge University Press, 3-10, 23-39, Michael Ross Is Democracy Good For The Poor? American Journal of Political Science 50(4): Pippa Norris Driving Democracy: Do Power-Sharing Institutions Work? New York: Cambridge University Press,

4 4 John McGarry and Brendan O Leary Consociational Theory, Northern Ireland s Conflict and Its Agreement: Part 1. What Consociationalists Can Learn from Northern Ireland. Government and Opposition 41(1): Mid-Semester Break: February **Monday: February 19 (no class)** Listen to: CBC, Ideas. Islamist Persistence: The Rise and Reality of Political Islam, Part 1. Online: (54 mins.) Mid-semester Examination: Friday, February 23 PART III: DEMOCRATIZATION AND DEMOCRACY PROMOTION (February 26, March 2, 5, 9) What factors are conducive to democratization? What are the reasons for and against democracy promotion? What are the different means of promoting democracy and what are their strengths and weaknesses? Barbara Geddes What Causes Democratization? in Robert E. Goodin (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Political Science. Online: /oxfordhb/ Jan Teorell Determinants of Democratization: Explaining Regime Change in The World, New York: Cambridge University Press, Kopstein, Jeffrey The Transatlantic Divide over Democracy Promotion. The Washington Quarterly 29(2): Thomas Carothers The Backlash against Democracy Promotion. Foreign Affairs 85(2): PART IV: THE PERSISTENCE OF NON-DEMOCRACY (March 12, 16) Why does democracy take hold in some countries and not in others? Is there an inherent incompatibility between Islam and democracy? Is the Arab world uniquely resistant to democratization? What are the prospects for democratization in the Middle East? Lisa Anderson Arab Democracy: Dismal Prospects. World Policy Journal 18(3): Ronald Inglehart and Pippa Norris The True Clash of Civilizations? Foreign Policy. March/April: Jason Brownlee, Tarek Masoud, Andrew Reynolds Tracking the Arab Spring : Why The Modest Harvest? Journal of Democracy 24(4):

5 5 PART V: DEMOCRATIC DECLINE (March 19, 23) What is the state of democracy in 2018? What makes democracies endure? What factors contribute to democratic decline? Is democracy at risk in the United States? Valeriya Mechkova, Anna Lührmann and Staffan I. Lindberg How Much Democratic Backsliding? Journal of Democracy 28(4): Adam Przeworski et al What Makes Democracies Endure? in Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner (eds) The Global Divergence of Democracies. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, Robert Mickey, Steven Levitsky, and Lucan Ahmad Way Is America Still Safe for Democracy? Foreign Affairs 96(3): Optional Samuel P. Huntington Democracy for The Long Haul, in Larry Diamond et al. (eds) Consolidating the Third Wave Democracies. Themes and Perspectives PART VI: THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY (March 26, April 6) **Essay Due Monday, March 26** What is the impact of globalization on democracy? Is cosmopolitan democracy a viable or attractive solution to the challenge of globalization? What are the prospects for democracy in the 21 st century? David Held, D. (1999) The Transformation of Political Community: Rethinking Democracy in The Context Of Globalisation, in Ian Shapiro and C. Hacker-Cordón (eds) Democracy s Edges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Will Kymlicka (1999) Citizenship in an Era of Globalization: Commentary on Held, in Ian Shapiro and C. Hacker-Cordón (eds) Democracy s Edges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,