![]() ![]() We will outline the main positions in the debate, focusing especially on the notions of ¿agonism¿ and contestation. This session covers proponents of radical democracy. Theme 7: Radical and Agonistic Democracy. One of the main voices we will listen to in this debate is Jürgen Habermas¿s. Theorists of deliberation claim that minimalist models of democracy fundamentally misconstrue the nature of democratic agency: only by acknowledging the legitimating role of speech and debate can we recuperate the essence of democracy. We will concentrate on the philosophical justifications and political consequences of this idea. This session discusses the proposal to re-conceive democracy in deliberative terms. What democracy actually means is the organized and peaceful competition for leadership between elites. Genuine self-government in the stronger sense must remain an illusion, they argue. Some political theorists, such as Joseph Schumpeter, claim that democracy has a rather limited scope in that it simply offers the best way to aggregate and coordinate individual preferences about the distribution of social goods. We will rehearse the main positions and outline possible objections. Shifting to the contemporary landscape, this session deals with one of the most prominent accounts of democratic theory: minimalism. Theme 5: Minimalist Democracy and Social Choice Theory. What we consider today the essence of democracy ¿ the casting of the vote to elect representatives ¿ is in fact a rather novel development that is intimately connected to ideas such as popular will and sovereignty. Under conditions of modernity, democracy becomes a different set of political practices that sometimes barely resembles its historical precursors. We will focus on key concepts such as representation and natural rights. This session deals with the historical evolution of democratic thought in the early modern and Enlightenment period. Theme 4: Modern Mass Democracy: Representation and Constitutionalism. Protective republicans, on the other hand, stress the need for institutions to shield the citizen from arbitrary domination, either at the hands of the state or of private powers. Developmental republicans, such as Hannah Arendt, emphasize the importance of active citizenship for the flourishing of human capabilities. Republicans come in at least two kinds: developmental and protective. In this session, we discuss the republican heritage of democratic theory. Theme 3: Republicanism: The Citizens Rule. Particular attention will be paid to the varieties of democratic agency in ancient Greece ¿ and to why so many philosophers thought rather lowly of democracy. We will debate some of the pre-conditions as well as the mechanisms of political organization in the polis. This session grapples with the historical origins of democracy in the ancient Greece. Theme 2: Historical Origins: Democracy, Isonomia and Sortition. We will also cover formal aspects regarding successful course completion and substantive introductory ideas that will run through the semester. ![]() This session will introduce students to the main themes of the course. Theme 1: Introduction: Outline, Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes. The precise order of weekly topics might change from year to year, so please check the course handbook for the correct and up-to-date information. The following outline summarizes the themes covered by the course. The course will in particular focus on four central issues: (1) the historical origins of democracy in ancient Greece, and later developments in the Western hemisphere that have led to modern mass democracies (2) the state of the contemporary debate in political theory, with positions ranging from minimalist to radical democracy (3) recent changes in democratic practices, from new forums that exceed the nation state to novel mechanisms to reach inclusive and representative decisions and (4) crucial challenges with which democracies around the globe are currently confronted, including the ever-expanding reach of market forces and the place of religion in the public sphere. What is democracy? Where does the idea of democracy come from? Has the idea one or many origins? Can democracy be justified, and if so, on what grounds? What are the limits of democracy? These, and many more, questions lie at the heart of democratic theory. Its purpose is to provide students with a systematic overview of the complex discourses on democracy today. This course offers an introduction to the histories, theories and practices of democracy. ![]() Undergraduate Course: Democracy and its Discontents (PLIT10096) Course Outline SchoolĬollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Social and Political Science : Politics
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