The course takes place in period

1 (2023-08-01 to 2023-10-22)

Level/category

Extension studies

Teaching language

English

Type of course

Optional

Cycle/level of course

First

Recommended year of study

3

Total number of ECTS

5 cr

Competency aims

In this study unit the focus lies on the following competencies: Theory and practice of democratic politics & communication; critical thinking and Bildung; political communication & propaganda; ideology& criticism.

Learning outcomes

KNOWLEDGE - In this course we will look at democracy in the 21st century, to the nature of the challenges facing democratic societies in Europe and elsewhere and to the nature of the responses that could address these challenges. The main knowledge competences of this course include the main theories and concepts of democracy, main issues and debates concerning the challenges and threats to democracy and the main methods associated with the use of available knowledge in the relevant debates.

SKILLS - Participants to the course will learn analytical and interpretative skills relating to the challenges facing democracy in the 21st century. The dissemination of these skills among citizens and through all professional domains is important to strengthen the resilience of democratic institutions and regimes in tackling these challenges and the crisis of democracy.

ATTITUDES - Participants to this course will be better equipped to resist propaganda and misinformation. They will develop competences and more effective strategies to defends their rights and perform their duties as democratic citizens. They will also develop resiliency against the influence of anti-democratic ideas and ideologies. In relation to the communicative dimension of democratic politics, participant to this course will learn to interpret and anticipate the impact of media texts; to recognize the influence of non-democratic ideologies in political communication, news and advertisement; to engage with the challenges facing democracy as these present themselves in their professional life.

Course contents

Session 1 ? Democracy: what is it & how does it work?
Session 2 ? Ideologies
Session 3 ? The media
Session 4 ? The challenges to democracy in the 21st century
Session 5 ? Strengthening democracy in the 21st century

Prerequisites and co-requisites

Fluency in English

Recommended or required reading

Nichols_2021_Our Own Worst Enemy The Assault from within on Modern Democracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Todorov, 2021. The Inner Enemies of Democracy. London: Polity

Study activities

  • Lectures - 20 hours
  • Individual- and group instruction - 5 hours
  • Individual studies - 110 hours

Workload

  • Total workload of the course: 135 hours
  • Of which autonomous studies: 135 hours
  • Of which scheduled studies: 0 hours

Mode of Delivery

Participation in tuition

Assessment methods

Essays, reports, productions and portfolio

Assessment requirements

To pass the course the student should pass the following examinations:
Essay, reports, productions and portfolio

Teacher

Stocchetti Matteo

Examiner

Stocchetti Matteo

Home page of the course

Group size

No limit

Assignments valid until

12 months after course has ended

The timetable of the course

To be confirmed later

Course enrolment period

2023-10-02 to 2023-10-10

Assessment methods

Date will be announced later - Reports and productions

Room reservations
Date Time Room Title Description Organizer
2023-10-10 13:00 - 16:00 A311 Democracy and its challenges in the 21st century Stocchetti Matteo
2023-10-24 13:00 - 16:00 A311 Democracy and its challenges in the 21st century Stocchetti Matteo

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