AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at analysing the contemporary political change, with particular attention to the evolution of democratic systems. On the one hand, the economic, social and cultural factors that favour the democratic processes will be examined, especially in the emerging countries and those that has just come out from a civil war. On the other, the events - economic crisis, globalization, technological innovation, migrations – that can threaten the stability of consolidated democracies and reduce their quality will be studied.

The course aims to sharpen knowledge concerning the process of democratization, the crisis of liberal democracies, and the role of comparative methods,  focusing on specific issues and case studies (first of all Turkey)

TEACHING METHODS

Teaching activities will be based also on active learning, role-playing (simulations) and seminars with scholars and experts in order to foster debates and a constant involvement of students. Movies, documents, blogs, papers will be adopted. The course will be entirely provided in English

The course is "in person" but it can be given online. However, in accordance with the rules for access to university premises adopted to combat the spread of the COVID pandemic, the lessons can possibly be carried out on TEAMS. The TEAMS code will eventually be communicated via aulaweb

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course will focus on:

1) drivers, features, and consequences of democratization

2) causes and patterns of democratic backsliding

4) democracies, hybrid regimes and competitive authoritarianism

5) Some  case studies: Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The textbook is : J. Teorell, "The Deterninants of Democratization", Cambridge UP.

In addition, for the monographic part, material will be delivered during the course of the lectures.