6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4022129ENR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Political Science
Educational team
Dimokritos Kavadias (course titular)
Gide Van Cappel
Activities and contact hours
26 contact hours Lecture
12 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
141 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

This module focuses on the idea of active citizenship. Active citizenship includes both a notion of democratic society and of participation to bring about social change. In the first instance, we are looking for the origins of the idea of citizenship. Although there is a consensus on the desirability of citizenship, the concept itself remains complex and subject to change. This is due, among other things, to the fact that ideas of democratic citizenship are often based on different theoretical and empirical perspectives. What is democratic citizenship and what characterises 'the good democratic citizen'? What is the relationship between active democratic citizenship and social change? How can active citizenship be reconciled with the consequences of major divides in our societies? These are questions that are central to the course. We will discuss the social, political, philosophical-legal, and international dimensions of citizenship. In addition, we will discuss the empirical findings on participation.

The first part of the module explores the concepts of citizenship and participation in relation to social change.

In the second part, the issue of citizenship, participation and social change is explored on the basis of case studies.

Additional info

All documents (texts and slides) will be made available via Canvas.

 

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

After following this course, students must have achieved the following objectives:

  1. Students can independently follow the developments within the sub-domains of citizenship studies;
  2. Students can independently understand social developments and problems in political and biological terms and translate them into a concrete policy question;
  3. Students can position themselves critically with regard to the international political literature on citizenship;
  4. Students can independently reflect analytically, nuanced and critically on current problems and policy developments that affect citizenship;
  5. Students can independently report on their research in writing and explain it orally to their peers in a scientifically sound manner and answer questions about it;
  6. Students can develop a nuanced argumentation independently and on the basis of their own research, and formulate and defend a reasoned point of view;
  7. Students can reflect critically on their research and deal constructively with critical comments from their peers;
  8. Students shall not be guided in their research by political or ideological dogmas;
  9. Students deal conscientiously with the intellectual property of others;
  10. Students can use their political insights to critically question stereotypes, platitudes and hasty generalisations.

 

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 50% of the final mark.
Other Exam determines 50% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written Exam with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral Presentation with a relative weight of 20 which comprises 20% of the final mark.

    Note: Presentation of a text during classes
  • Oral Discussion with a relative weight of 5 which comprises 5% of the final mark.

    Note: Role of Discussant during classes
  • Blog with a relative weight of 15 which comprises 15% of the final mark.
  • Media Diary with a relative weight of 10 which comprises 10% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Students will be evaluated in five ways:

  1. A blog (15%): The student has to create a blog around the theme of citizenship/participation of about 800 words.
  2. A media diary (10%): The student has to comment on 3 other students' blogs, of approximately 750 words in total.
  3. Presentation (20%): The student must give a presentation of a text on the topic of citizenship/participation..
  4. Discussion (5%): Each student should take on the role of discussant at least once, in which the presentation of a fellow student is critically examined.
  5. Examination (50%): Students take a written exam in which the substance is tested by means of open questions.

Note: students cannot pass if they did not write a blog, hand in a media diary, give a presentation or act as a discussant.

Only the exam, the blog and the media diary can be retaken in the second session.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Political Science: Democracy and Leadership (only offered in Dutch)