Globalisation and Democratic Politics: the End of the Nation State?

Module title	Globalisation and Democratic Politics: the End of the Nation State?
Module code	POL3132
Academic year	2022/3
Credits	30
Module staff	Dr Dario Castiglione (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	30

Module description

In this module you will study the contemporary transformation of democratic institutions and democratic politics from the nation-state to the global context. This transformation will be studied first by looking at the values and principles of democracy (liberty, equality, self-government); at the forms of democracy (representative: participatory, deliberative, and constitutional); at the institutions and mechanisms (the majority rule; parliaments, parties; democratic rights and constitutions); and at its conditions (trust, civil society; civic culture). You will l then explore how the transformation of modern societies into multicultural and global interconnected states affects the various aspects of democracy, from its principles to its forms; from its institutions to its conditions. Finally, you will investigate the feasibility of more global, regional, or international forms of democracy, where ideas of borders and of the democratic community become more fluid and undetermined. Is there democracy without the nation state? This is a question that we increasingly confront in real politics all the time. What does it mean, and how we deal with it? This is the main rationale of this module.

There are neither pre- or co-requisite for this module. No specific knowledge is required. A familiarity with the more theoretical literature in politics and social theory is an advantage. This module is suited for interdisciplinary pathways

Module aims - intentions of the module

To study the transformation of the principles, institutions and conditions of democratic politics from the nation-state to the global context. To explore the effects that this transformation has on our idea of politics and democracy, and how this affect how conception of the political community. To investigate the feasibility of more fluid and global ideas and practices of democracy.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. demonstrate substantive knowledge of the theories and developments considered during the course; the significance of these theories and the major critical positions adopted towards them..
2. identify and discuss the key concepts deployed in theories of democracy and globalisation, and their argumentative articulation.
3. identify clearly the contention made by the different theories of globalisation and engage in reasoned criticism of the either theories supporting or opposing global democracy.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

4. demonstrate critical and analytical skills in relation to this body of literature.
5. criticise and construct arguments with regard both to their logical rigour and political plausibility.
6. exercise informed judgement concerning the policy implications of abstract political principles.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

7. present complex arguments with clarity and concision
8. identify spurious conclusions and distinguish rigorous from merely persuasive argument.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following

Principles and Types of Democracy

Democracy in history
Minimalist conceptions of Democracy
Democracy: Ideals and values
Political Equality
The Majority’s Rule
Representative Democracy
Participative Democracy
Deliberative Democracy and Public Reason
The conditions and the transformation of democracy

Self-government: territory and nation
Populism

Democracy and the civic community
Democracy and Multiculturalism
Democracy and Globalisation
Peoples and Borders: Cosmopolitan Democracy?
International and transnational Democracy

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
44	256	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and teaching activity	44	2-hour weekly seminars with a mix of formal lecture, student-led seminar, collective discussion
Guided Independent study	256	A variety of private study tasks directed by module leader including Independent research and writing for presentation, for class engagement and for assessed essays.

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
One Outline in preparation of final assessment	400 words	1-8	Written and oral

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Assignment 1: Two short essays on pre-circulated questions	25	1,800 words in total	1-8	Written and oral
Assignment 2: One essay on topics covered in second part of module	50	3,500 words	1-8	Written
Assignment 3: Class Participation, comprising (a) oral class presentation (b) a record of contributions on class topics discussion in the form of brief summaries to be provided to the module convenor by email	25	(a) Two presentations of 5 minutes each (b) 4 short class contributions of c.200 words each	1-8	Written

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Assignment 1	Written Assignment: 2 short essays on pre-circulated questions (1,800 words in total)	1-8	August/September reassessment period
Assignment 2	Written Assignment: 1 essay on pre-circulated questions (3,500 words)	1-8	August/September reassessment period
Assignment 3	Written Assignment: a review piece of one of the core texts in place of class participation (1,800 words)	1-8	August/September reassessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Albert Weale, Democracy (Macmillan, 1995);

David Held, Models of democracy (OUP, 1997);

Anthony Smith, The Ethnic origins of nations (Blackwell, 1986);

David Miller, On nationality (OUP, 1995);

S. Caney, D. George and P. Jones (eds) National Rights, International Obligations (Westview Press, 1996);

Andrew Linklater, The Transformation of Political Community (Polity, 1997);

Amy Gutman and Charles Taylor, Multiculturalism (Princeton UP, 1992);

Alan Patten, Equal Recognition (2015);

Hannah Pitkin, The Concept of Representation (1967);

Michael Saward, The Representative Claim (2012);

Immanuel Kant, Political Writings (CUP, 1970);

Margaret Canovan, The People (2005);

Jan-Werner Müller, What is populism (2017);

I. Shapiro and C. Hacker-Cordon (eds) Democracy's Edges (CUP, 1999);

D. Archibugi, D. Held and M. Kohler (eds), Re-imagining political community (Polity, 1997);

C. Brown (ed), Political restructuring in Europe (Routledge, 1994);

Philippe Schmitter, How to democratize the European Union (Rowman and Littlefield, 2000)

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

Online videos, documentaries, conference papers and online material

Key words search

Globalisation, Democratic, Politics, Nation State

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	6
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	01/10/2003
Last revision date	28/02/2022