FTR-FIPPSB209
Counter-Democracy: Case Studies
Course infoSchedule
Course moduleFTR-FIPPSB209
Credits (ECTS)5
Category-
Language of instructionEnglish
Offered byRadboud University; Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies; Opleiding Filosofie;
Lecturer(s)
Examiner
dr. G. Treiber
Other course modules lecturer
Lecturer
dr. G. Treiber
Other course modules lecturer
Contactperson for the course
dr. G. Treiber
Other course modules lecturer
Academic year2022
Period
PER3  (30/01/2023 to 09/04/2023)
Starting block
PER3
Course mode
full-time
Remarks-
Registration using OSIRISYes
Course open to students from other facultiesYes
Pre-registrationNo
Waiting listNo
Placement procedure-
Aims

After completing this course, you will:
  • have an improved theoretical understanding of democracy and democratic theory in general, and various theorizations of ‘counter-democracy’ in particular (see the Education and Examination Regulations (EER) art. 6.1a);
  • have gained insight in the political thought of both canonical and state-of-the-art political philosophers (EER art. 6.1a);
  • have a broader and more profound knowledge of various forms of ‘counter-democracy’ (EER art. 6.1c);
  • be able to make a well-argued assessment of particular forms of counter-democratic politics, and of its various theorizations that are offered in the contemporary philosophical literature (EER art. 6.3);
  • be able to plan, prepare, and implement a collective research project that develops a case study of counter-democracy in practice, in collaboration with a group of peers (EER art. 6.2a and 6.4b);
  • be able to present the findings of your research in a poster presentation (EER art. 6.4a);
  • be able to plan, prepare, and implement an individual research project and present the findings of this project in a short paper (EER art. 6.2a and 6.4a).
 
Content
When we use the term ‘democracy,’ we often think of a particular form of government, or a set of institutions or representative bodies (e.g. parliaments, city councils, and political parties) and electoral or juridical procedures. But arguably, ‘democracy’ can also refer to a much wider range of practices. Protest movements, unions, NGO’s, and other citizens’ initiatives that serve to check, contest, and sometimes even disrupt said institutions or procedures also play an elementary democratic role. This is what the French political historian Pierre Rosanvallon calls ‘counter-democracy,’ which he defines as “a form of democracy that reinforces the usual electoral democracy as a kind of buttress, a democracy of indirect powers disseminated throughout society [...] which complements the episodic democracy of the usual electoral-representative system.”

In this course, students get acquainted with various theorisations of counter-democratic practices and their democratic role and potential. Next to Rosanvallon, we will discuss Hannah Arendt’s writings on civil disobedience, Judith Butler’s study of assembly movements, Jacques Rancière on the democratic function of the politically excluded, etc. Students will develop their own case study of a specific counter-democratic practice or movement, the findings of which will be presented in a short research paper (individually) and an academic poster presentation (in groups). What exact vision of democracy is implied in this particular form of counter-democracy? In what ways does it either challenge or complement the electoral-representative form of democracy or its public institutions? And what particular concept of the ‘dèmos’ or ‘people’ do these counter-democratic practices convey?
Level

Presumed foreknowledge

Test information
The exam for this course consists of two parts: a collaborative research poster assignment and an individual paper assignment.

The collaborative research poster assignment consists of two parts: 1) making a research poster and 2) presenting the poster/research findings in a poster presentation session. Working groups will be made during the first class meeting. Working groups are free to establish a particular division of labour (based, for instance, on the skills and preferences of each individual group member). However, all students are expected to invest a similar amount of time and energy into this assignment. For this reason, and to safeguard the collaborative character of this assignment, each member of a working group will receive the same grade for this assignment.
 
The individual paper assignment is written by students individually. Its aim is similar to that of the research poster assignments: students are free to either expand on the case study developed in the poster assignment, or to choose a different subject. In any case, this individual paper must provide a thorough introduction to, and contextualization of the case study, and engage with philosophical literature in order to show how, why, or under what conditions this particular example may be regarded as a relevant and/or legitimate form of counter-democratic politics. For this assignment, students are required to seek, process and reference additional (philosophica/academic) sources, in addition to the reading material that is discussed in the course. 

Students will receive a grade for both assignments, which together make up the final grade for this course. The collaborative research poster assignment makes up 40% of the final grade; the individual paper will count for 60%.

 
Specifics
This course is part of a module of three courses in the Philosophy, Politics and Society bachelor programme. You can only take this course if you also take the two associated courses during the same semester. If you want to register for the three courses in this module, you must FIRST register for the module itself via the 'Minor' tab in Osiris, and THEN register for the courses themselves. For an overview of modules and their associated courses, see the course guides on the website of the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies.
Required materials
Literature
Apart from Rosanvallon's book, all required readings for this course will be provided on Brightspace.
Book
Title:Counter-Democracy Politics in an Age of Distrust
Author:Rosanvallon, Pierre and Goldhamer, Arthur
Publisher:Cambridge: Cambrige University Press, 2008
Costs:21.99

Instructional modes
Lecture and seminar

Tests
Paper
Test weight1
Test typePaper
OpportunitiesBlock PER3, Block PER4