Bertrand Russell famously claimed that “the fundamental concept of social science is Power, in the same sense in which Energy is the fundamental concept in physics.” As with energy, he would later argue, power has many forms. What are these forms? What does it mean to have power? Is power opposed to freedom? This course aims to bring clarity to these and related questions. Throughout the course, we will aim to distinguish between contrasting dimensions and types of power (e.g., power to, power-with, power over). The work of key authors will be explored and discussed, from Hobbes and Arendt to Foucault and Aníbal Quijano. At the end we will have conceptual tools to deepen our understanding of power dynamics and to partake in contemporary conversations around it.


Literatur zur Vorbereitung [preparatory literature]:

The following are some helpful resources, reading at least one would be advantageous.

Lukes, S. (2021). Power: A radical view. Red Globe Press. (First chapter)
Pansardi, P., & Bindi, M. (2021). The new concepts of power? Power-over, power-to and power-with. Journal of Political Power, 14(1), 51–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/2158379X.2021.1877001
Scott, J. (2001). Power (1. publ). Polity Press. (First chapter)
Stewart, A. (2001). Theories of power and domination: The politics of empowerment in late modernity. SAGE. (First chapter)

Art der Prüfungsleistung (CP) [credits and exams]:

For 3 CP: Essay 5-8 pages.

For 6 CP: Term Paper. 15-20 pages.

In a time defined by the urgent call for environmental stewardship, China emerges as an important player in shaping global climate action. This seminar offers an in-depth examination of the domestic and international dimension of Chinese environment and climate politics. In the first part of the seminar, participants will learn about the overarching political framework for decarbonization in China. Participants will analyze the factors shaping domestic climate policies, including socio-economic influences and political dynamics. They'll investigate the relationship between central and local environmental agendas, uncover the balance between national directives and regional autonomy and discuss issues that have defined China's environmental trajectory in recent years. These range from carbon emissions targets to fossil fuel and renewable energy investment. In the seminar, students will be exploring the roles of various stakeholders and ministries involved, from the powerful National Development and Reform Commission to grassroots environmental organizations, understanding their roles in driving or impeding progress. Based on this domestic perspective, students will gain insights into what Chinas role in international climate governance looks like and study its evolving positions in international negotiations. Students will engage in debates surrounding contentious issues that have defined China's environmental trajectory in recent years, may it be its relations and interactions with other major emitters, China’s continued reliance on coal power or its huge investments in renewable energy capacity.

This course explores the politics of the Third World/Global South from an International Relations perspective. We will situate the various issues, events, and topics within a global political and economic context. Discussions will center on global political and economic processes that have shaped the current contours of the Global South, such as colonialism, the Cold War, development narratives, foreign aid and humanitarian intervention, neoliberal globalization, and the rise of BRICs as a global challenge to the North. The preceding provides students with a critical lens to examine the ambiguities of the identity of the Global South. For whether referred to as the “Third World,” or other variants such as the “Developing World,” the “G-77,” the “Non-Aligned Movement,” or the “Post-colonial World,” a certain unity has long been assumed for the multitude of societies ranging from Central and South America, across Africa to much of Asia. Is it valid to speak of a Global South? The course begins with an investigation of the epistemological implications of studying the Global South/Third World. Therefore, an important part of the course will address the notion of an epistemology of the Global South: how do we know/study the Global South/Third World? What are the political implications of knowledge production about the Global South? Next, the course investigates the impact of several global political and economic processes, briefly outlined above, such as colonialism and decolonization processes, the rise of Third World internationalism, modernization and development narratives, neoliberal globalization, security discourses (such as Cold War security politics, and the rise of humanitarian intervention and human security), the challenges posed by the changing current geopolitical framework with the emergence of BRICs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has recently triggered volatile times all around the world, reminding us of the highly multidimensional nature of global health. Beyond the pandemic management, the world faces multifaceted health issues, such as governing communicable diseases and reducing health inequalities. Global health governance, populated by multiple actors including states, international organizations, and NGOs, has long put the efforts to cope with such issues.

Against this backdrop, this course introduces the fundamental ideas, issues, actors, and policies currently debated in global health governance. In the first half of the semester, we examine the role of (inter-)governmental as well as private actors in shaping global health agendas. In the second half of the semester, we explore multiple policies to govern various global health problems. This course relies on case-based teaching and utilizes a comparative lens. The desired outcomes of this course include that students can critically appraise a wide range of global health controversies and challenges and identify main actors and competing priorities.

Literature

Kay, A., & Williams, O. (2009). Global Health Governance: Crisis, Institutions and Political Economy. Palgrave Macmillan London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230249486

McInnes, C., Lee, K., & Youde, J. (2018). The Oxford Handbook of Global Health Politics. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190456818.001.0001

Credits and Assignments

6 CP: Presentation on one of the course topics + final paper (10 pages) + active participation

3 CP: Presentation on one of the course topics + active participation

Reproductive rights refer to the composite of human rights that address matters of sexual and reproductive health. Reproductive rights are protected through the application of human rights in guidelines, national laws, constitutions, and regional and international treaties. (…) [They] consist of three broad categories of rights: (1) rights to reproductive self-determination, (2) rights to sexual and reproductive health services, information, and education, and (3) rights to equality and nondiscrimination” (Erdman and Cook 2008).

Different aspects of reproductive rights are studied by political science, medicine, public health, law and (bio)ethics. Reproductive rights remain strongly contested, access to information and services continues to be restricted and individuals are “denied freedom to manage their lives” in many world regions (Kulczycki 2017), including a number of European countries. On the other hand, advances are made in response to cultural and societal changes. Moreover, developments in medical technology require continuous adjustments of the respective regulations, both at national and regional (e.g. EU) level.

In the seminar we will focus on sexual education and contraception, abortion, assisted reproduction technologies (including surrogacy) and address the question of how reproductive rights are defined by law and exercised in practice in European countries. In particular, we will focus on the following issues:

1. regulatory frameworks and their practical implementation affecting, among other, the provision of sexual education, access to abortion, contraception, and assisted reproduction technologies.

2. cross-border mobility in pursuit of reproductive health needs: we will look at reproductive flows of individuals seeking abortion abroad, as well as those seeking access to medically assisted reproduction, including surrogacy.

3. reproductive justice: limitations that sexual minorities, individuals with different family status (singles and couples), and with different ethnic and racial background are facing while pursuing their reproductive rights.

The seminar is organized in block meetings.


Art der Prüfungsleistung (CP) [credits and exams]:


Depending on their needs, individual students can earn 3 or 6 ECTS for the seminar. The course requirements will be adjusted accordingly.

Gender-based violence is a phenomenon deeply rooted in gender inequality, and continues to be one of the most notable human rights violations within all societies. (…) Gender-based violence and violence against women are terms that are often used interchangeably as it has been widely acknowledged that most gender-based violence is inflicted on women and girls, by men. However, using the ‘gender-based’ aspect is important as it highlights the fact that many forms of violence against women are rooted in power inequalities between women and men.” (EIGE 2023)

In the seminar, we will discuss gender-based violence, focusing on violence against women and violence because of sexual orientation and gender identity. We will start by defining different forms and emanations of violence and analyzing how combating discrimination of women and violence against women has been codified by international organizations (e.g., United Nations, Council of Europe, European Union).

We will look at the prevalence of different forms of violence in Europe, consider their consequences, and examine how EU countries approach the issue of gender-based violence in terms of national politics and policies. Among other things, we will look into the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in selected European countries.

While doing so, the students will have a chance to acquaint themselves with different analytical perspectives and conceptual frameworks that can be applied to analyzing the above-mentioned issues.

The seminar is organized in block meetings.

Art der Prüfungsleistung (CP) [credits and exams]:

Depending on their needs, individual students can earn 3 or 6 ECTS for the seminar. The course requirements will be adjusted accordingly.

Political parties are central actors in democracies. In recent decades, established party systems have been re-shaped by the effects of globalisation, de-industrialisation and demographic change, and by the actions of political parties both old and new. This seminar deals with the origins and development of parties and party systems in democracies, as well as changes over time. We discuss connections between parties and citizens, changing lines of conflict, and dynamics of political competition. The aim is to deepen understanding of the role and behaviour of political parties, and enable participants to compare parties and party systems among countries and over time.

Literatur zur Vorbereitung [preparatory literature]:
Carter N, Keith D, Sindre GM, & Vasilopoulou S (eds). The Routledge Handbook of Political Parties. Routledge, 2023 (1st edition). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429263859.

Art der Prüfungsleistung (CP) [credits and assignments]:
6 CP: 15-20 page term paper or 30-minute oral exam
3 CP: 8-10 page term paper or 15-minute oral exam

Democratic backsliding can be observed in many liberal democracies around the world. Backsliding processes in different countries thereby display both characteristic patterns and country-specific particularities. The legal, political, and social context of the European Union provides a distinct set of conditions and dynamics with regard to backsliding in member states that we will explore in this seminar. We will begin by discussing different concepts and methods to identify and study backsliding with a focus on the specificities of backsliding in the EU. Subsequently, we will focus on how (inter-) institutional dynamics and public legitimization strategies work in relation to measures and processes seeking to either entrench or counter democratic backsliding in the multi-level setting.

Who decides which social problems are addressed by public policy? How are policy solutions chosen? Why are some public policies harder to implement than others? This seminar introduces the field of policy process analysis. The focus is on theories of the policy process, with substantive examples taken from a range of policy areas, and to be adapted to the interests of the group. The aim is to enable participants to identify and compare the key actors and institutions shaping public policy from different theoretical perspectives.

Literatur zur Vorbereitung [preparatory literature]:
Weible, CM (ed). Theories of the Policy Process. Routledge, 2023 (5th edition). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003308201.

Art der Prüfungsleistung (CP) [credits and assignments]:
6 CP: 15-20 page term paper or 30-minute oral exam
3 CP: 8-10 page term paper or 15-minute oral exam

This seminar focuses on the importance of notions of history and social time for political and social theories. Moreover, it explores how time experience is related to ideas of political agency and social identity. Starting with the concept of modernity, we discuss how specific concepts of historical time have shaped political ideas and global politics over the past centuries. We interrogate the idea of progress and discuss its connections to colonial expansion and contemporary global politics. Moreover, we ask whether the idea of emancipatory politics is bound up with concrete notions of the future. Finally, based on our discussion of the roles time measurements, rhythms and speeds have played in industrial and post-industrial societies, we explore ideas about the importance of establishing other time-regimes for more sustainable, caring and democratic societies.

Literatur

Adam, Barbara. 1994. Time and Social Theory.

Allen, Amy. 2016. The End of Progress

Hassan, Robert. 2009. Empires of speed: Time and the acceleration of politics and society

Hutchings, Kimberly. 2008. Time and World Politics: Thinking the Present

This seminar will examine the themes, actors and topics of the contemporary far-right in Europe, the USA, and Central and Latin America. The seminar aims to provide a comparative perspective to a major sub-field in social and political sciences and aspires to familiarize the students with the major issues that are prevalent in far-right research. Topics of discussion will include genealogical and theoretical foundations of the far-right, the main contemporary cases of the far-right in Europe and the Americas, in party, leader or movement form, the far-right’s connection to democracy, its perception of gender, religious and national identities, the alternative far-right and its presence in online media, how other actors mainstream far-right ideas as well as its relationship with the environmental issue.

By the end of the seminar, the students are expected to be able to define the constitutive ideological elements of the far-right and its main characteristics, to understand and recognize major themes and actors of the far-right sub-field, and critically assess cases, either separately or comparatively, using methodological tools that are related to far-right research.


Literatur zur Vorbereitung:

Mondon, A., & Winter, A. (2020). Reactionary democracy: How racism and the populist far right became mainstream. Verso Books.
Mudde, C. (2019). The far right today. John Wiley & Sons.
Wodak, Ruth. 2020. The Politics of Fear: the shameless normalization of far right discourse. London: Sage.

Art der Prüfungsleistung (CP):

The assignments in ‘Far-Right in Europe and the Americas’ consist of a seminar presentation, a position paper or text expert role, and a final paper due to be submitted at the end of the semester. Combined the student will acquire 6 credit points at the end of the semester

This course includes a comprehensive examination of educational inequality which combines theoretical and empirical eivdence while taking a global perspective. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the systemic and individual causes, consequences, and possible solutions to educational inequality. The course will analyze and discuss various factors that contribute to unequal educational opportunities such as socioeconomic status, origin, gender, and geographic location. Through discussion of empirical evidence and the application of systems thinking, students will develop a holistic understanding of the complex nature of educational inequality.
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Dieser Kurs beinhaltet eine umfassende Diskussion der Ungleichheit im Bildungswesen, die theoretische und empirische Erkenntnisse diesbezüglich kombiniert und dabei eine globale Perspektive einnimmt. Die Studierenden erlangen ein vertieftes Verständnis der systemischen und individuellen Ursachen, Folgen und möglichen Lösungen für Bildungsungleichheit. Im Kurs werden verschiedene Faktoren die zu ungleichen Bildungschancen beitragen wie sozioökonomischer Status, Herkunft, Geschlecht und geografische Lage analysiert und diskutiert. Durch die Diskussion empirischer Belege und die Anwendung eines systemischen Denkens werden die Studierenden ein ganzheitliches Verständnis für die komplexe Natur von Bildungsungleichheit entwickeln.

After two decades of democratization, some states in Europe have seen a decline in the democratic quality of their political systems. This seminar deals with these processes of democratic backsliding. The research papers to be read will empirically map processes of democratic backsliding and account for these with theories emphasizing different explanatory factors. In addition to research focusing on domestic factors, we will also discuss research that investigates the EU (in-)ability to stop processes of democratic backsliding in EU member states. After having actively attended the seminar, you will be familiar with empirical trends and specific cases of democratic backsliding and with theories that political scientists use to explain these. With the knowledge acquired in the seminar, you should be able to conduct your own research on the topic, for example in your term paper.

In a first step, we discuss different texts on the variety of capitalist development in relation to welfare state development.
The second step is to highlight challenges of welfare capitalism as we know it.
Finally, we discuss some concepts on how to develop welfare state capitalism in the future.

preparatory literature:

Literature will be provided in Stud.IP

Art der Prüfungsleistung (CP) [credits and exams]:
You can achieve both 3 and 6 CP for the Master in Social Policy.
The seminar will be held as a block seminar on Fridays