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Lecturer(s)
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Rasiński Lotar, DR HAB
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Dopita Miroslav, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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1. Ancient democracy (Plato, Aristotle). 2. Social contract and the beginnings of liberal democracy (Hobbes, Tocqueville). 3. Contemporary liberal ("deliberative") democracy (Habermas). 4. Critiques of liberal democracy: Radical (agonistic) democracy (Laclau and Mouffe). 5. The End of Politics? Post-socialist transition in Central Europe (Judt, Tismaneanu). 6. Populism and the challenge of illiberal democracy (Rosanvallon).
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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unspecified
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Learning outcomes
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This course aims to deepen our understanding of democracy and contemporary global politics. Democracy has been traditionally regarded as a uniquely valuable form of government. In the last decade, however, we have witnessed serious crises of democratic politics and institutions in Europe and other parts of the Western world. Immigration, economic, political and climate crises have contributed to the deepening of distrust towards elected political representatives and motivated the searching for new forms of politics, which would take into account people's passions, fears and frustrations (Brexit is one of the most obvious manifestations of these processes). The populist and anti-liberal backlash against liberal democracy calls for a reflection on the meaning and values of democratic politics today. We will draw on political philosophy and focus on discussing main formations and concepts of democratic theory and applying them to the current political situation.
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Prerequisites
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unspecified
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Assessment methods and criteria
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unspecified
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Recommended literature
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Flügel-Martinsen, O., Martinsen, F., Sawyer, S. W., & Schulz, D. (2019). Pierre Rosanvallon's political thought: Interdisciplinary approaches.. Bielefeld.
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Laclau, E., & Mouffe, C. (2014). Hegemony and socialist strategy: Towards a radical democratic politics.. London.
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Rosanvallon, Pierre. (2013). Counter-democracy: Politics in an age of distrust.. Cambridge.
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