Citizenship and Political Participation 2102-ANG-M-D3CPPA
Course Structure with Literature
Week 1-2: Citizenship as Democratic Institution
Topics: Citizenship as democratic institution, understanding of citizenship, theories of citizenship (liberal, republican, communitarian)
Literature:
- Isin, E. F., & Turner, B. S. (Eds.). (2002). Handbook of citizenship studies. SAGE Publications.
- Kymlicka, W., & Norman, W. (1994). Return of the citizen: A survey of recent work on citizenship theory. Ethics, 104(2), 352-381.
- Marshall, T. H. (1950). Citizenship and social class. In T. H. Marshall, Citizenship and social class and other essays (pp. 1-85). Cambridge University Press.
- Myers, J. (2019). The good citizen: The markers of privilege in America. Routledge.
Practical Exercises:
• Citizenship mapping activity: Students create personal citizenship profiles
• Comparative analysis of citizenship theories through case studies
• Workshop: Analyzing citizenship definitions across different political systems
• Group discussion: "What makes a good citizen in different theoretical frameworks?"
Week 3: Forms of Citizenship
Topics: Different forms of citizenship - national, post-national, cosmopolitan, urban, (multi)cultural and ecological citizenship
Literature:
- Beck, U. (2006). Cosmopolitan vision. Polity Press.
- Ho, J. (2015). Nation and citizenship in the twentieth-century British novel. Cambridge University Press.
- Young, I. M. (1990). Justice and the politics of difference. Princeton University Press.
Practical Exercises:
• Identity mapping exercise: Students explore multiple citizenship identities
• Case study analysis: EU citizenship as post-national model
• Urban citizenship simulation: Local community membership scenarios
• Workshop: Designing multicultural citizenship policies
• Ecological citizenship project: Environmental responsibility frameworks
• Debate: "Can cosmopolitan citizenship coexist with national loyalty?"
Week 4: Rights and "Right to Have Rights"
Topics: Civil, political, and social rights; Hannah Arendt's "right to have rights"; citizenship and statelessness
Literature:
- Arendt, H. (1951). The origins of totalitarianism. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
- Marshall, T. H. (1950). Citizenship and social class. In T. H. Marshall, Citizenship and social class and other essays (pp. 1-85). Cambridge University Press.
Practical Exercises:
• Rights hierarchy exercise: Ranking and debating fundamental rights
• Case study analysis: Stateless persons and refugee rights
• Simulation: International court hearing on citizenship rights
• Workshop: Analyzing rights expansion throughout history
• Group project: Designing rights protection mechanisms
Week 5-6: Electoral Systems and Voting Behavior
Topics: Electoral systems, voting behavior, election campaigns
Literature:
- Carter, E., Farrell, D. M., & Loomes, G. (2024). Electoral systems: A global perspective. Bloomsbury Publishing.
- Dalton, R. J. (2019). Citizen politics: Public opinion and political parties in advanced industrial democracies (7th ed.). CQ Press.
- Farrell, D. M. (2025). Democratic innovation without political parties should be unthinkable. Party Politics, 31(4), 13540688251319517.
Practical Exercises:
• Mock election simulation with different voting systems
• Campaign strategy workshop: Create campaign materials
• Analysis of election data and polling results
• Debate: "Should voting be mandatory?"
Week 7: Theories on the Nature of Political Participation
Topics: Classical and contemporary theories of political participation (pluralist, elite, participatory democracy theories)
Literature:
- Norris, P. (2002). Democratic phoenix: Reinventing political activism. Cambridge University Press.
- Verba, S., Schlozman, K. L., & Brady, H. E. (1995). Voice and equality: Civic voluntarism in American politics. Harvard University Press.
Practical Exercises:
• Theory application workshop: Analyzing real political events through different theoretical lenses
• Comparative analysis: Political participation theories across cultures
• Case study: Direct vs. representative democracy models
• Workshop: Measuring and defining political participation
• Debate: "Is political apathy rational or problematic?"
Week 8: Social Predictors of Political Participation
Topics: Analysis of social predictors (causes) of political participation - socioeconomic status, education, age, social capital
Literature:
- Dalton, R. J. (2019). Citizen politics: Public opinion and political parties in advanced industrial democracies (7th ed.). CQ Press.
- Verba, S., Schlozman, K. L., & Brady, H. E. (1995). Voice and equality: Civic voluntarism in American politics. Harvard University Press.
- Holloway, S. L., Holt, L., & Mills, S. (2019). Questions of agency: Capacity, subjectivity, spatiality and temporality. Progress in Human Geography, 43(3), 458-477.
Practical Exercises:
• Data analysis workshop: Examining participation statistics and demographics
• Case study analysis: Participation gaps in different societies
• Workshop: Resource mobilization and political engagement strategies
• Group project: Designing participation enhancement programs for underrepresented groups
Week 9: Changing Patterns and New Forms of Political Participation
Topics: Exploration of changing patterns and new forms of political participation - digital activism, lifestyle politics, issue-based participation
Literature:
- Castells, M. (2015). Networks of outrage and hope: Social movements in the Internet age. John Wiley & Sons.
- Norris, P. (2002). Democratic phoenix: Reinventing political activism. Cambridge University Press.
- Gerbaudo, P. (2019). The indignant citizen: Anti-austerity movements in southern Europe and the anti-oligarchic reclaiming of citizenship. In Resisting austerity (pp. 41-55). Routledge.
Practical Exercises:
• Timeline creation: Evolution of participation forms over decades
• Digital participation analysis: Social media activism case studies
• Workshop: Designing innovative participation mechanisms
• Simulation: Online deliberative democracy platforms
• Project: Creating new forms of civic engagement for specific issues
Week 10: Gender and Political Participation
Topics: Gender dimensions of political participation, intersectionality, women's political representation, feminist approaches to citizenship
Literature:
- Young, I. M. (1990). Justice and the politics of difference. Princeton University Press.
- Lavrinenko, O. (2024). Fragmentation of women's transnational social movement organizations and women's political empowerment worldwide, 1990–2021. International Journal of Comparative Sociology. Advance online publication.
- Lavrinenko, O. (2024). WINGOs as conduits of world culture, their relationships with emancipative values, and women's political empowerment worldwide, 1981–2020. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 65(5), 561-578.
Practical Exercises:
• Gender participation audit: Analyzing local/national political representation
• Case study analysis: Women's movements and political change
• Workshop: Designing gender-inclusive participation strategies
• Debate: "Quotas vs. merit in political representation"
• Project: Gender-sensitive civic engagement campaign design
• Intersectionality mapping: Multiple identities and participation barriers
Week 11: Political Parties and Interest Groups
Topics: Party systems, interest group politics, lobbying, collective action
Literature:
- Dalton, R. J. (2019). Citizen politics: Public opinion and political parties in advanced industrial democracies (7th ed.). CQ Press.
- Herrnson, P. S., Deering, C. J., & Wilcox, C. (Eds.). (2013). Interest groups unleashed. CQ Press.
- Farrell, D. M. (2025). Democratic innovation without political parties should be unthinkable. Party Politics, 31(4), 13540688251319517.
Practical Exercises:
• Create a political party: Platform development exercise
• Lobbying simulation: Students represent different interest groups
• Mapping stakeholders in policy issues
• Workshop: How to contact elected representatives effectively
• Collective action problem-solving exercise
Week 12: Civil Society and Social Movements
Topics: NGOs, social movements, protest politics, civil disobedience, collective identity formation
Literature::
- Castells, M. (2015). Networks of outrage and hope: Social movements in the Internet age. John Wiley & Sons.
- Davies, T. R., & Peña, A. M. (2021). Social movements and international relations: A relational framework. Journal of International Relations and Development, 24(1), 51-76.
- Gerbaudo, P. (2019). The indignant citizen: Anti-austerity movements in southern Europe and the anti-oligarchic reclaiming of citizenship. In Resisting austerity (pp. 41-55). Routledge.
- Lavrinenko, O. (2024). Fragmentation of women's transnational social movement organizations and women's political empowerment worldwide, 1990–2021. International Journal of Comparative Sociology. Advance online publication.
Practical Exercises:
• Design a social movement campaign
• Case study analysis: Successful and failed social movements
• Workshop: Organizing community action
• Simulation: Town hall meeting on local issues
• Ethics debate: When is civil disobedience justified?
• Identity formation exercise: How movements create collective identity
Week 13: Media, Technology, and Political Communication
Topics: Political communication, social media, fake news, digital democracy
Literature::
- Enli, G. (2015). Mediated authenticity: How the media constructs reality. Peter Lang.
- Farkas, J., Schou, J., & Neumayer, C. (2018). Cloaked Facebook pages: Exploring fake Islamist propaganda in social media. New Media & Society, 20(5), 1850-1867.
- Farkas, X. (2023). Visual political communication research: A literature review from 2012 to 2022. Journal of Visual Political Communication, 10(2), 95-126.
Practical Exercises:
• Create political content for different media platforms
• Fact-checking workshop: Identifying misinformation
• Digital campaign simulation
• Analysis of political messaging and framing
Week 14: Local Government and Global Citizenship
Topics: Local governance, participatory budgeting, global citizenship and international participation
Literature::
- Beck, U. (2006). Cosmopolitan vision. Polity Press.
- Purcell, M. (2014, September 1). Public participation in new local governance spaces: The case for community development in local strategic partnerships. The International Academic Forum (IAFOR).
- Davies, T. R., & Peña, A. M. (2021). Social movements and international relations: A relational framework. Journal of International Relations and Development, 24(1), 51-76.
Practical Exercises:
• Participatory budgeting simulation
• Community needs assessment project
• Workshop: Connecting local action to global challenges
• Project: "Glocal" citizenship initiative design
Week 15: Capstone Projects and Reflection
Topics: Integration and application of course concepts
Practical Exercises:
• Student presentation of civic engagement projects
• Course evaluation and future action planning
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Learning outcomes
The classes will serve to achieve the following learning outcomes defined in the study program:
K_W05 - knows and understands dilemmas related to political activity
K_U01 - is able to use possessed knowledge to understand political processes, formulate observed problems and find innovative solutions for them
K_U06 - is able to debate on topics related to political science with awareness of the significance of conveyed content and the manner of its delivery
K_K01- is ready for critical evaluation of political processes, their causes, course and effects
K_K02 - is ready to recognize the importance of knowledge in solving political science problems concerning the state and society
K_K03 - is ready to act for the benefit of local communities, society and humanity in accordance with ethical principles of the profession
K_K04 - is ready to be responsible in professional activity and aware of its effects and consequences, in accordance with the highest standards of professional ethics
Assessment criteria
25% Participation & Engagement: Active participation in discussions,
simulations, and group activities.
30% Practical Assignments: Completion of weekly exercises
campaign materials, policy briefs.
45% Final Project: Civic/Democractic Issue Analysis and Presentation. Students will research a contemporary civic or democratic issue, analyze multiple stakeholder perspectives, evaluate citizen participation mechanisms, and present evidence-based policy recommendations.
Course Policies
Attendance Policy. Since this is a practical course which presumes active involvement of students, regular attendance is essential. Students may have a maximum of 1 unexcused absence. More than 1 absence requires documented justification and make-up. The maximum number of absences allowed is 4. More than 4 absences will cause automatic no credit and the necessity to retake the course next year.
Late Arrivals to Class. Due to the active nature of the class, which involves simulations and exercises, late arrivals are not tolerated. All students are expected to be in class on time. If students have a serious reason to be late, they should notify the instructor in advance. After 15 minutes from the course start, the door will be locked and latecomers will be considered as non-attendees. This measure is necessary to ensure uninterrupted involvement of students in exercises.
Late Assignment Policy. Late submissions will be penalized a 5% decrease in grade per day unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor.
Participation Ethics. Students are expected to engage respectfully in discussions, particularly when addressing controversial political topics. Personal attacks or discriminatory language will not be tolerated.
Artificial Intelligence Usage
This course follows an AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) Level 2: AI Idea Generation and Structuring. Artificial intelligence may be used for brainstorming, creating structure, and generating ideas for improving work, as well as for basic research assistance (finding sources, fact-checking) and technical support (formatting, citation, proofreading). No AI-generated content may appear in the final version of the work. All arguments, analyses, reflections, and conclusions must be student's original thinking and demonstrate student's own understanding of civic and political issues.
Bibliography
Arendt, H. (1951). The origins of totalitarianism. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Beck, U. (2006). Cosmopolitan vision. Polity Press.
Carter, E., Farrell, D. M., & Loomes, G. (2024). Electoral systems: A global perspective. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Castells, M. (2015). Networks of outrage and hope: Social movements in the Internet age. John Wiley & Sons.
Dalton, R. J. (2019). Citizen politics: Public opinion and political parties in advanced industrial democracies (7th ed.). CQ Press.
Davies, T. R., & Peña, A. M. (2021). Social movements and international relations: A relational framework. Journal of International Relations and Development, 24(1), 51-76.
Enli, G. (2015). Mediated authenticity: How the media constructs reality. Peter Lang.
Farkas, J., Schou, J., & Neumayer, C. (2018). Cloaked Facebook pages: Exploring fake Islamist propaganda in social media. New Media & Society, 20(5), 1850-1867.
Farkas, X. (2023). Visual political communication research: A literature review from 2012 to 2022. Journal of Visual Political Communication, 10(2), 95-126.
Farrell, D. M. (2025). Democratic innovation without political parties should be unthinkable. Party Politics, 31(4), 13540688251319517.
Gerbaudo, P. (2019). The indignant citizen: Anti-austerity movements in southern Europe and the anti-oligarchic reclaiming of citizenship. In Resisting austerity (pp. 41-55). Routledge.
Herrnson, P. S., Deering, C. J., & Wilcox, C. (Eds.). (2013). Interest groups unleashed. CQ Press.
Ho, J. (2015). Nation and citizenship in the twentieth-century British novel. Cambridge University Press.
Holloway, S. L., Holt, L., & Mills, S. (2019). Questions of agency: Capacity, subjectivity, spatiality and temporality. Progress in Human Geography, 43(3), 458-477.
Isin, E. F., & Turner, B. S. (Eds.). (2002). Handbook of citizenship studies. SAGE Publications.
Kymlicka, W., & Norman, W. (1994). Return of the citizen: A survey of recent work on citizenship theory. Ethics, 104(2), 352-381.
Lavrinenko, O. (2024). Fragmentation of women's transnational social movement organizations and women's political empowerment worldwide, 1990–2021. International Journal of Comparative Sociology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207152241279299
Lavrinenko, O. (2024). WINGOs as conduits of world culture, their relationships with emancipative values, and women's political empowerment worldwide, 1981–2020. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 65(5), 561-578.
Marshall, T. H. (1950). Citizenship and social class. In T. H. Marshall, Citizenship and social class and other essays (pp. 1-85). Cambridge University Press.
Myers, J. (2019). The good citizen: The markers of privilege in America. Routledge.
Norris, P. (2002). Democratic phoenix: Reinventing political activism. Cambridge University Press.
Purcell, M. (2014, September 1). Public participation in new local governance spaces: The case for community development in local strategic partnerships. The International Academic Forum (IAFOR). https://core.ac.uk/outputs/30730585/
Verba, S., Schlozman, K. L., & Brady, H. E. (1995). Voice and equality: Civic voluntarism in American politics. Harvard University Press.
Young, I. M. (1990). Justice and the politics of difference. Princeton University Press.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: