[1 Q. • 4 ECTS - credits]
| Lecturers :
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Delchambre Jean-Pierre, Majastre Christophe, Xhardez Catherine |
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| Language of instruction :
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French and English (readings)
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| Learning outcomes :
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This is the third seminar out of the four planned for students in political sciences. It pursues the general objectives, namely an initiation to essential texts for the concerned disciplines and a reinforcement of methodological skills.
More specifically, based on the communal study of political texts and key-concepts that have been identified, the students should be able to apply their problematization to a contemporary political issue they have chosen in agreement with the professor.
From a methodological point of view, the students should be able to master the oral communication rules of a scientific presentation and discussion |
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| Prerequisites :
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Besides the methodological skills acquired in the two previous seminars, a passive knowledge of English is required.
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| Course contents :
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The course will focus on a critical study of representative democracy. Through the study of texts, we will seek to understand its genesis, principles, metamorphoses as well as the criticism it has drawn and that still accompanies it.
Planned common readings (non exhaustive list): excerpts from Plato's Protagoras; verbo 'power' in the blackwell Encyclopedia of political thought; excerpts from “De la démocratie en Amérique” by Alexis de Tocqueville; “De la liberté des Anciens comparée à celle des Modernes” by Benjamin Constant, two conceptions of freedom by Isaiah Berlin, excerpts from “Principes du gouvernement représentatif” by Bernard Manin.
Suggestions of contemporary questions relating to the theme: multiculturalism, the issue of minorities, post national citizenship, media regulation, the role played by NGO's and associations, gender equality, affirmative action...
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| Mode of delivery :
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The seminar is composed of work subgroups who prepare (1h30 per week) the collective lecture sessions (8-9 sessions). A file of shared texts is handed out. The following sessions, still prepared by subgroups, will be devoted to the oral presentation (visual aids advised) followed by a discussion (introduced by appointed debaters) about identified contemporary issues.
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| Assessment methods and criteria :
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The seminar is assessed regularly and we will refocus the process is at the end of the collective sessions. Attendance and active participation are taken into account for the summative assessment. The summative assessment will include a mark for the methodological quality of the oral presentations and will check, at the final oral examination, the understanding and correct application of the key-concepts in the treatment of the chosen subject, as well as the sufficient magnitude of the arguments selected.
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| Recommended or required reading :
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A general bibliography is provided with the file of texts. |
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| Other information :
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The students have at their disposal a collection of shared texts and a bibliography.
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