The student will learn to discuss and analyse conflicts in the Eastern European and post-Soviet countries over the interpretation of historical events, most notably over the history of the Soviet Union. Taking the region of Eastern Europe as a case study, this course explores the nexus between Foreign Policy Analysis/International Relations and politics of memory. In Memory Studies, scholars study how various political actors compete over the meaning of past events embodied in various memory sites such as monuments, commemorations, museums, and history textbooks. Scholars of International Studies, on the other hand, study the external relations of a state. Therefore, we will learn how the foreign policy of a state is enacted through the memorialization of particular historical events. The production of historical narratives often serves as a mechanism of national identity construction that defines the relation of a state to other national or supranational entities.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

Why do some issues receive political attention and some do not? Replying to this question is the purpose of agenda-setting. This is central not only to understand policy making but also political struggles. Studies progress building on early discussions of the power of keeping items on the agenda, path dependency and bounded rationality. Recent studies explore how the agenda changes after long periods of stability.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the agenda-setting classic and recent literature. Students will use the knowledge gained in the class to analyze policies that interest them through a final essay. The course makes use of demonstrations and data from the Comparative Agendas Project including 18 European and 2 North American countries, Australia and the European Union.

Email registration to the teacher is essential by 28/08/2018

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

5 ECTS for Bachelor's level completion (POLVOA31 & POLVOA32)
10 ECTS for Master's level completion (POLVOS26 & POLVOS27)

Further information from the teacher at the beginning of the course.

The current situation in the world politics and economy is very unstable, where the superpowers are engaged in various conflicts and rivalry. This development is apparent in trade wars with tariffs, creation of trade blocks, rivalry over global currency, creation of new development banks, new arms race, new military alliances and direct engagements to wars. At the same time, the acknowledged global challenges of climate change, poverty, population growth, etc., are pushed aside in the current power struggle, and are accumulating and threatening the lives of ours and the future generations’.

The course handles these current and future challenges of world politics and economy. The future aspect demands taking a holistic look at the development of past and present trends, to extrapolate their future. This happens through a systems approach, where the development of world politics and economy and their challenges are analysed through structures and functions of world system, its norms, values and legitimacy. The future challenges and structural and functional possibilities are last discussed relating them to the functional needs of the world system.  

Learning outcomes: The course will enhance student’s knowledge on the current and future challenges of world politics and economy. It empowers students in holistic analysis of the current and future challenges of world politics and economy. The methodical skills of future research of students will develop in the essay task. 

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

5 ECTS for Bachelor's level completion (POLVOA31)
10 ECTS for Master's level completion (POLVOS21)

Further information from the teacher at the beginning of the course.

The course has been cancelled!

Please see an alternative course by Frank Möller in the PEACE programme: https://www10.uta.fi/opas/opetusohjelma/marjapuuro.htm?id=39903.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

Course description: The phenomenon of military and security outsourcing has consequences in both the practices and politics of security. It has also been argued that it challenges the monopoly states have on war. In the post-Cold War era, the role of commercial actors has increasingly grown in the planning and execution of state foreign and security policy. While private military and security companies operate in conflict areas, other businesses provide services ranging from training to intelligence gathering.

This course will provide an overview of current topics in the research of military and security outsourcing. Beyond discussing the recent history and current situation related to the phenomenon, military and security outsourcing will also be used as examine larger themes in security studies, such as the changing nature of warfare, the relationship between war, state and citizens, and related norms and international laws.

Learning goals: Following the course, students will understand the role commercial actors have come to play in the execution of foreign and security policy. They will also be able to critically examine the consequences of these developments and place them in the larger context of changes in warfare and international security.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

Across the Western world, representative democracy is party-based. Parties provide the essential link between the people and politicians and between parliament and government. At the same time, public confidence in parties as institutions is low to very low and anti-party sentiment has spawned protest parties of both right and left. Accordingly, this course adopts a thematic approach to the political science debate about political parties. Is the party over for political parties? The approach is theory-driven and the illustrative material will draw on a range of European systems.

Indicative Content

1. Classifying Political Parties

Can we speak of party types and, if so, on what basis – their origins, ideology, cross-national links? How can we understand the diversity of new parties, the likes of ethnic parties, anti-immigrant parties and regionalist parties?

2. Assessing Party Change

How and why do parties adapt and change? Can we enumerate a range of party change strategies? Have the historic class/denominational parties succeeded in becoming catchall parties?

3. Assessing Party Decline

Is there a sustainable case for party decline? Do parties really represent the people? Memberless parties; ‘registered supporters’; state subsidies; ‘cartellisation; the normative challenges to party democracy: personalisation, mediatisation, digitalisation.

4. Classifying party systems

What is a party system? Electoral and legislative party systems. Party system change. How great are the differences between modern party systems? Are they all moderate multi-party systems à la Sartori?

Lecture topics

23 October:  Parties: The Debate in Headlines

25 October Party Decline or Party Adaptation?

November 1 Protest Parties, ‘Anti’-Parties and APES

November 6:  How can we classify political parties?

November 8: From Party Politics to Personalized Politics?

November 13: Party Systems and Pariahs

November 15: There are fewer of them, but do parties need members?

November 20: Revisiting the debate about the ‘crisis of party’

Email registration essential by 11 October.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

Students will write an essay (maximum 8 pages of A4) in English or Finnish analysing the pros and cons of the ‘party decline’ thesis in a country of their choice.

5 ECTS for Bachelor's level completion (POLVOA41)
10 ECTS for Master's level completion (POLVOS28)

Further information from the teacher at the beginning of the course.

The course has been cancelled!

Please see an alternative course by Frank Möller in the PEACE programme: https://www10.uta.fi/opas/opetusohjelma/marjapuuro.htm?id=39903.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

The course has been cancelled!

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

The series of lectures is dealing with the initial construction and further transformation of the image of Finland in the Russian professional history writing, as well as in social and political journalism, from the beginning of the 19th century up to the present.

The course addresses the role of history-based narratives and discourses in the ideology and political practices in Imperial Russia, looks at research schools and master narratives, identifies and discusses the use of history for political purposes. Finally, several “long lines” in the process of molding of the image of Finland will be recognized and discussed, applying the break and continuity paradigm to interpret the instrumental role and meanings of the Other in Russian scholarly texts and public mindset.

The covered topics are as follows:

• Historiography on Finland up to 1917.
• Historiography on Finland during the Soviet Period.
• Winds of Changes: the years of Perestroika, Post-Perestroika and after.
• Case I: The Winter War as a touchstone for the Russian historians.

Case II: Karelian History as a political argument: space for alarmism and the image of menace?

Email registration to the teacher is essential by 14.02.2019.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

N.B. This course accounts for 2 ECTS for the study unit POLKVA22. The remaining 3 ECTS of the study unit POLKVA22 can be taken by means of enrolling for an electronic exam (and answering to the question on the book by Gegout or alternatively Whitman).

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

Human rights are often violated and at the same time international community is attempting to protect them as the international human rights regime is well developed and gives the normative and legal bases for protection. This course provides an understanding of the meaning of human rights and the problems of human rights protection from the point of view of both politics and law. The questions are how and why human rights violations occur and what can be done to fight against them?   The course is divided in four parts.

After the introduction part of the course, the second part discusses human rights form the point of view of international relations, the third part from the international law perspective and in the fourth part these insights are put together in order to have a comprehensive understanding on the means to provide human rights protection. Human rights and fighting against their violations are studied in two cases which involve two assignments. 

Part I   Introduction to the course (Tarja Seppä and another teacher to be informed lated)

Part II   Human Rights in international society (Tarja Seppä)

Students understand different interpretations of the human rights concepts and their meaning in international relations. Students are able to analyze different human rights practices and understand human rights both as a conceptual issue of international relations and as a manifestation of human rights policies and practices. Thus, they also understand why human rights are not always respected but also know how to protect them. 

Part III Human rights and international law (to be informed later)

Students understand the main legal aspects of international protection of human rights and the role of supervisory mechanisms. Students are able to analyze different human rights related concepts and understand human rights as part of international and national legal order. They understand how human rights law can enhance protection of rights of individuals.  

Part IV   Fighting Against Human Rights Violations

Students have two different case studies involving both political and legal aspects of human rights protection. During these assignments students are able to apply in practice their acquired knowledge from parts II and III and understand interrelated nature of political and legal human rights discourse. The assignments are chosen to provide comprehensive understanding of both regional and universal protection systems. The idea is also to bring together at the same time both intergovernmental and non-governmental systems and the possibility for individuals to make a difference in the fight against human rights violations.

Study objective: After completing the course students understand and can critically analyse how politics and law are related in the practices of human rights.

Compulsory preceding studies: HALJUA42 Human Rights Law 5 op and POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations 5 ECTS or POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science 5 ECTS

The course as a web-based course is organized on a weekly basis meaning that students are working during each week of the course. 

Please, take this into consideration when planning your study program for the spring term.

The concept of politicization features prominently in the discussions on the future of democracy in Europe and the developments of European Integration. Prominent examples of politicization include Brexit, the euro crisis, the rise of variety of populist parties and questions concerning immigration and asylum policies.

The course will analyze the phenomenon of politicization from a variety of viewpoints. What does politicization actually mean and how should we define it? How broad a phenomenon is politicization? Is politicization a new or an old phenomenon? What causes politicization and what are its’ potential consequences? Is politicization a positive or negative development from the point of view of democracy or European integration?

Enrolment happens through contacting the teacher responsible via email from December 1st 2018 to January 7th 2019. Students majoring in political science will have priority access to the course, but students from other subjects or faculties can enroll in the course if places are still available.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

To pass the course the students are required to participate actively in the classroom, to participate in the group work and present it and to write a short lecture diary and essay. Each lecture will discuss one central theme. The seminar will consist of presenting the results of the group work and discussing their results. The aim is to debate the ethical and political aspects of politicization.

5 ECTS for Bachelor's level completion (POLVOA21 & POLVOA22)
10 ECTS for Master's level completion (POLVOS22)

Further information from the teacher at the beginning of the course.

Popular music has played a significant role in western societies since the 1950’s. One of the main features of popular music is that it normally identifies to a certain performer or musician. Because of this identifying process, musicians themselves have become very well-known public figures. During the years, many musicians have used this publicity in order to influence to political processes and to support different political movements.

In this course, we are looking at the ways in which popular music and musicians affect politics. We are focusing on both historical and present context as we try to understand what is the role and meaning of popular music (and popular culture in more general terms) in the modern societies.

After the course, students will have a broad understanding of the different ways how alternative political action works. After the course students also have a comprehensive understanding of different political uses of popular music.

The lectures are open to anyone without registration but registration for the seminar part is mandatory and should be done via email to Aki Luoto (aki.luoto@uta.fi) by 2nd of January. In the seminar part there is room for only 24 students, and by completing the seminar part students don't have to write a learning diary. Seminar part includes deeper examining of different ways for popular music and musicians to be political. This is done weekly basis with "hands-on" methods of listening songs, studying historical events and discussing about political aspects of popular music.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

5 ECTS for Bachelor's level completion (POLVOA42 & POLVOA52)
10 ECTS for Master's level completion (POLVOS23)

Further information from the teacher at the beginning of the course.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

Human rights are often violated and at the same time international community is attempting to protect them as the international human rights regime is well developed and gives the normative and legal bases for protection. This course provides an understanding of the meaning of human rights and the problems of human rights protection from the point of view of both politics and law. The questions are how and why human rights violations occur and what can be done to fight against them?   The course is divided in four parts.

After the introduction part of the course, the second part discusses human rights form the point of view of international relations, the third part from the international law perspective and in the fourth part these insights are put together in order to have a comprehensive understanding on the means to provide human rights protection. Human rights and fighting against their violations are studied in two cases which involve two assignments. 

Part I   Introduction to the course (Tarja Seppä and another teacher to be informed lated)

Part II   Human Rights in international society (Tarja Seppä)

Students understand different interpretations of the human rights concepts and their meaning in international relations. Students are able to analyze different human rights practices and understand human rights both as a conceptual issue of international relations and as a manifestation of human rights policies and practices. Thus, they also understand why human rights are not always respected but also know how to protect them. 

Part III Human rights and international law (to be informed later)

Students understand the main legal aspects of international protection of human rights and the role of supervisory mechanisms. Students are able to analyze different human rights related concepts and understand human rights as part of international and national legal order. They understand how human rights law can enhance protection of rights of individuals.  

Part IV   Fighting Against Human Rights Violations

Students have two different case studies involving both political and legal aspects of human rights protection. During these assignments students are able to apply in practice their acquired knowledge from parts II and III and understand interrelated nature of political and legal human rights discourse. The assignments are chosen to provide comprehensive understanding of both regional and universal protection systems. The idea is also to bring together at the same time both intergovernmental and non-governmental systems and the possibility for individuals to make a difference in the fight against human rights violations.

Study objective: After completing the course students understand and can critically analyse how politics and law are related in the practices of human rights.

Compulsory preceding studies: HALJUA42 Human Rights Law 5 op and POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations 5 ECTS or POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science 5 ECTS

The course as a web-based course is organized on a weekly basis meaning that students are working during each week of the course. 

Please, take this into consideration when planning your study program for the spring term.

Despite recent concerns about a crisis of democracy, parliaments are to be the central political arenas in any liberal democracies. They are the key linkages between government and civil society backbenchers. This course is designed to provide students with a policy-relevant and theoretically informed examination of parliaments in the Nordic Countries. It is therefore concerned with both the formal processes and the traditions and relationships that characterize these institutions. Students are however incited to situate these cases in a wider European context.

Students will develop a detailed knowledge of parliaments and they will situate this alongside wider concerns about scrutiny and democratic engagement. The course will include a visit of the Eduskunta (Parliament of Finland) as well as guest lectures.

Email registration by the teacher is essential by 19/02/2019. Early registration is needed in order to organize the visit of the Eduskunta. No late registration will be accepted.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

This course adopts a seminar format. There are no lectures. The evaluations of students is based on class attendance and participation (20%), reading assignments (30%) and the final essay based on theories covered in the course (50%).

5 ECTS for Bachelor's level completion (POLVOA32)
10 ECTS for Master's level completion (POLVOS27 & POMLFCS1)

It is a fair bet that on any day of the year there will be an election somewhere, whether at the local, regional, national or supranational level. Somebody whispered to me that there is a general election coming up in Finland. But what is the point of elections? What do they decide – if anything? Few candidates like them, many voters dislike them and they are expensive at public expense. This course offers a fundamental examination of the multiple aspects of elections and the electoral process, with primary reference to contemporary representative democracies.

Indicative Content

1. The framework of electoral rules. The impact of the voting system rules on candidate selection and candidate election. Plurality, preferential and mixed member systems
2. Election campaigns. How much do national party campaigns really affect voters? Has there been a ‘presidentialisation’ of election campaigns? Do candidate campaigns in the constituency really matter?
3. The mediatisation of elections. Are the media (print/broadcast) decisive electoral actors? Do the media determine the campaign agenda? What about the role of the so-called social media?
4. The digitalisation of elections. How far does this varying from one country to another? Voting Advice Application. Video blogs. How do individual candidates communicate digitally with prospective voters?
5. Electoral outcomes. Do elections decide who governs? If not, who does? If elections do not determine who governs, what do they decide? Descriptive representation. Can we distinguish between ‘decisive’ and ‘indecisive’ elections?

Course Schedule

March 5 Why hold elections?

March 7 What should elections seek to achieve?

March 12 Do electoral actors play by the rules?

March 14 Do campaigns matter?

March 19 Have elections become more personalised?

March 21 Are elections decisive?

March 26 Do elections change the direction of policies?

March 28 Concluding Discussion: So what else did you want to know about elections but have’nt dared to ask?

Email registration essential by 25 February

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

5 ECTS for Bachelor's level completion (POLVOA41)
10 ECTS for Master's level completion (POLVOS28)

Further information from the teacher at the beginning of the course.

Presidents of the Republic are crucial actors in both presidential and many (but not all) semi-presidential regimes. Despite the fact that those regime types represent the majority of all the world’s political systems, the role of the heads of state has only received more systematic attention. Particularly the presidential party remains understudied both theoretically and empirically. Drawing on comparative research and on illustrative examples from various countries, the course shows how the party of the president is a key political actor that affects presidential activity during her or his mandate and impacts on electoral and legislative outcomes.

Registration by email to the teacher before 31.3.2019.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science, or equivalent studies at sending institution (exchange students).

5 ECTS for Bachelor's level completion (POLVOA31 & POLVOA32)
10 ECTS for Master's level completion (POLVOS27)