Civil Society and Forms of Political Participation, Essay

After completing the course unit the student is familiar with social movements and citizens’ wide political action repertoire in modern civil societies. Students recognise the different avenues for expressing opinions and how they influence the political process. Students also learn to select appropriate modes of participation for advancing political objectives, and can critically examine questions of effectiveness and responsibility related to alternative channels of participation.

Participation in social movements; on-line participation; referendums
and other types of direct participation; deliberative forms of
participation; civil disobedience; illegal forms of participation.

An essay is an extended piece of (academic) writing on a particular topic or theme that you carefully analyze. You must always contact the responsible teacher of the study unit before starting to write the essay. With the responsible teacher you should discuss and agree on the theme and scope of the essay, the book(s) it will compensate for, and its length. Furthermore, the examiner must approve the bibliography before you can start writing. Citations, references and the bibliography need to be marked and listed in accordance with good scientific practice (see further instructions from the Politics’ Guide to Writing Academic Papers).

You can find the Guide to Writing Academic Papers here (detailed instructions for writing essays on page 7).

Compulsory Prerequisites

• Introduction to Political Science, POL.102, 5 cr

Theocharis & van  Deth, Political Participation in a Changing World: Conceptual and  Empirical Challenges in the Study of Citizen Engagement. Routledge 2017.  (3 ECTS)

Altman, Citizenship and Contemporary Direct Democracy. Cambridge University Press 2018. (3 ECTS)

Highfield, Social Media and Everyday Politics. Polity 2016. (2 ECTS)

Scheuerman, Civil Disobedience. Polity 2018. (2 ECTS)

Setälä, Demokratian arvo. Gaudeamus 2003. (2 ECTS)

General scale, 0-5

• POL.VO-M20 Intermediate Studies in Political Science, Open University Studies
• YHTOPPIOAY Social Studies for Subject Teachers, Open University Studies