Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
EU30744: Anti-politics and direct action |
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Honours |
| Period: | Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| CW 33%, ES 67% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| |
| Description: | Aims: This unit brings together dimensions of democratic theory and the analysis of changing forms of political articulation and mobilisation. It analyses the ambiguous role of social movement politics and radical grass roots activism as, on the one hand, agents of democratic emancipation and empowerment and, on the other hand, a challenge and indeed at times threat to liberal representative democracy. The unit's main emphasis is on European societies, yet the emergence of transnational and global action networks is also addresses. The main aims are: * to investigate the transformation of forms of political articulation and participation since the last third of the 20th Century; * to introduce students to various radical action debates in democratic theory; * to enhance a critical understanding of the inevitable limitations of liberal democratic systems; * to explore the transformation of democracy in the era of globalisation. Learning Outcomes: Students who complete the unit successfully will be able to demonstrate: * a clear grasp of the key problems of democracy and participation in a globalising world; * detailed knowledge of different types of anti-politics and radical action from the 1970s to the present; * familiarity with theoretical arguments surrounding the concepts of political alienation and democratic empowerment; * the ability to critically assess these arguments by reference to the academic literature as well as empirical cases. Skills: Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, teamwork and research methods are developed and assessed in this unit. Content: The unit will be divided into three main parts: * Political disengagement and democratic deficit * Social movements and democratic renewal * Radical action and its challenge to liberal democracy Each of these parts will consist of a number of lectures plus a series of student-centred seminars. More specifically, the unit will cover: * Political alienation in representative democracies * Varieties of anti-politics * The project of New Politics * Political mobilisation in the NSM-era: Case studies * Changing notions of political articulation and participation * Political mobilisation in the era of globalisation: Case studies * Radical action and the rule of law. |