This course involves a conceptual and theoretical exploration of multilateralism and global governance which are key orientating literatures within the field of international organization.  Multilateralism has been understood as an institutional form, a particular type of diplomatic process and as a particular sub-type of negotiation theory, among others.  Global governance focuses on the authoritative rules, norms, institutions and practices of the international community as it manages its common affairs in the absence of global government. The course involves deep consideration of both concepts and how they have evolved, probing for areas of overlapping concern and distinctive approaches.  In individual research projects and presentations, students use the concepts and theories of multilateralism and global governance to assess a specific policy domain.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP01 Introduction to International Relations

This course reviews recent developments in the use and understanding of violence within contemporary understandings of what security is and how it comes about. It introduces the debates around different understandings of security through the Copenhagen, Paris and Welch ‘schools’ and reviews how the theories of securitization, security bureaucracy and emancipatory security has developed. We also look at more recent research programmes on risk, security technologies, feminist security studies, new materialism in international security, and aesthetic approaches to international relations and security.

Throughout we ask how theories understand contemporary developments in violence and war, with a new case being in focus at each class. We analyze cases from recent conflicts such as the Syrian civil war, the war in Ukraine, international terrorism.

Students are expected to participate actively in analyzing cases and in presenting a theoretical framework of their own choice.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOLP01 Introduction to International Relations

The course focuses on several key dimensions of the member states’ involvement in EU policymaking. The three selected dimensions explored in the course are: 1) the institutional set-up of member states’ participation in EU affairs (executive coordination and parliamentary control  in other words, how ministries, cabinets, and national parliaments take part in EU affairs); 2) formulation and articulation of national preferences and positions at the EU level; and 3) implementation of EU law at the domestic level (and the subsequent compliance with this law).  

The course structure consists of the following sections:

A. National executives and parliaments and EU affairs
B. Member states’ preferences in the EU
C. Implementation of EU law in the member states

Registration by email to Jan Karlas (jan.karlas@fsv.cuni.cz) by 15 September.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science

After completing the course, students will understand the unique characteristics of American political system and the role of Congress in it, as well as understand the limits of presidential power in American domestic and foreign policy. Students will have a sound understanding of the evolution of American political institutions, the Constitution, electoral politics, and legislative-executive relationship in forming American foreign policy, including the use of American military power. Special attention will be paid to the upcoming presidential election in November 2016. 

Structure:

• Evolution of American political institutions and the Constitution
• Electoral politics, campaigning and gerrymandering
• How Congress works: decision making and formal/informal rules and procedures
• American presidency
• Congress, the President and American foreign policy

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science

Voting is the cornerstone of American political life. As such, the act of voting has attracted

considerable attention from scholars and policymakers. This course addresses the field of voting

behavior in the United States in roughly four parts. First, we'll discuss general questions in the field and

introduce the major sociological, psychological, and rational choice interpretations of voting. Second,

we'll look at common heuristics used to simplify the vote decision and ways in which campaigns

mobilize voters. In the latter part of the semester we will turn our attention toward voting in

congressional and presidential contexts. The last portion of the course addresses special electoral

conditions: local elections, direct democracy, and the effects of certain electoral reforms.

Course Schedule:

September 2: Introduction

September 9: Representation and Turnout in the United States

September 16: The United States in Comparative Perspective

September 23: Two Voting Models

September 30: Party Affiliation ASSIGNMENT #1 DUE

October 7: No class this week

October 14: Issue Voting and Public Opinion

October 21: Candidate Evaluation

October 28: Political Advertising

November 4: Congressional Elections and Decision Making ASSIGNMENT #2 DUE

November 18: Voter Mobilization and the 2016 Elections

November 25: Predictive Models

December 2: Presidential Elections

December 9: Other Electoral Contexts: Direct Democracy and Local Elections

December 15: Final papers are due

The course can also be taken within the Degree Programme in Politics, when it will compensate one of the following Political Science study

units: POLVOA31 Political Institutions and Processes (https://www10.uta.fi/opas/opintojakso.htm?rid=9457&idx=0&uiLang=en&lang=en&lvv=2015),

or POLVOA41 Parties, Elections and Political Participation (https://www10.uta.fi/opas/opintojakso.htm?rid=9452&idx=0&uiLang=en&lang=en&lvv=2015).

Course contents:

• The course consists of introductory lectures   and four thematic parts: 1) War and conflict - preventing violence; 2 Abolishing  modern slavery; 3) Environment – harm prevention; 4) Development – ending suffering

Global Health and Development (GHD)-ohjelman järjestämä kurssi, jonka toteuttavat julkisoikeus ja politiikan tutkimus.

This course offers a way of analysing European integration as a process, and offers a deepened knowledge of the most important theories of European integration as well as of disintegration. Particular emphasis will be put on the consequences of integration and disintegration on the external relations of the EU and international relations more widely.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOLP01 Introduction to International Relations

3.11 The de-carbonising energy transition in a historical-institutional context

10.11 Energy policy and the complex dimensions of energy transitions

17.11 Reading circle: energy transitions in the EU 

24.11 Reading circle: energy transitions in the Nordic countries

1.12. Reading circle: energy transitions in Asia

8.12 Workshop: student presentations

15.12 Workshop: student presentations 

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOLP01 Introduction to International Relations

The course addresses Russia’s foreign policy from Gorbachev’s New Thinking until 2016. Students will learn about key events, phenomena, actors, and classifications of foreign policy schools, and other concepts to interpret them. The course will also encourage students to pay attention to interaction between the domestic and foreign policy in the Russian context.

In order to pass the course, students should actively take part in the lectures, study the required materials for each lecture and prepare a public group presentation  (3 ECTS). In order to get 5 ECTS, students will write an essay on Russia’s foreign policy – the title to be specified and agreed on with the teacher -  in addition to the above mentioned requirements.

Please enroll in NettiOpsu by 17 October. Enrolment starts 19 September. A maximum of 50 students will be accepted to the course (RES and Politics students will be given priority, otherwise on the basis of first come, first served). The first lecture will take place 27 October and the last one 8 December. You cannot take this course unless you are able to come to our last meeting 8 December when a conference with your presentations will be organized.

Please enroll in NettiOpsu by 10 October. Enrolment starts 19 September.  A maximum of 50 students will be accepted to the course (RES and Politics students will be given priority, otherwise on the basis of first come, first served). The first lecture will take place 27 October and the last one  8 December. You cannot take this course unless you are able to come to our last meeting 8  December  when a conference with your presentations will be organized.

This course reviews recent developments in the use and understanding of violence within contemporary understandings of what security is and how it comes about. It introduces the debates around different understandings of security through the Copenhagen, Paris and Welch ‘schools’ and reviews how the theories of securitization, security bureaucracy and emancipatory security has developed. We also look at more recent research programmes on risk, security technologies, feminist security studies, new materialism in international security, and aesthetic approaches to international relations and security.

Throughout we ask how theories understand contemporary developments in violence and war, with a new case being in focus at each class. We analyze cases from recent conflicts such as the Syrian civil war, the war in Ukraine, international terrorism.

Students are expected to participate actively in analyzing cases and in presenting a theoretical framework of their own choice.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOLP01 Introduction to International Relations

On June 23 2016 the British were asked to respond to a simple referendum question which read: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union? Until the murder of the Labour MP Jo Cox on the street in her Batley constituency a week before the vote, the campaign was lively and hard-hitting. The ‘Britain Stronger in Europe’ campaign focused on the damaging economic consequences of a Brexit whilst the ‘Vote Leave’ campaign concentrated on the immigration question, adding that “instead of subsidising French farmers, we should take control back and spend our money (never the euro!) on our priorities like the National Health Service”. Sophie from Peterborough had other things on her mind: “If we leave the EU does it mean we would be banned from the Eurovision Song Contest?” The course will represent a detailed portrait of a decision from the origins of the referendum to the campaign, an in-depth analysis of the result and a discussion of its likely consequences

Lecture/seminar topics

October 25 ‘How come the ‘Battle for Britain’? The Background to Brexit

October 27 ‘Project Fear’ versus ‘Project Hate’: The Campaign

November 1 Polish bakeries on the High Street: Euroscepticism or Immigration Scepticism?

November 3 Did the north and the poor cause Brexit? Analysing the Result

November 8 “Get ready for indy ref 2”: the Future for Scotland and Northern Ireland? BREXIT5.pdf

November 10 “If Labour stays at home, Britain leaves” Was it Labour’s fault? BREXIT6.pdf

November 15 ‘So what the hell happens now?’ (Daily Mail). The Challenges Ahead BREXIT7.pdf

November 17 A prime minister who lives by the referendum must ultimately day by the referendum. The wider lessons of the referendum.

Email registration by October 1 essential

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science

Contemporary forms of representative democracy have been facing transitional challenges, which have prompted the rise of ‘democratic innovations’ discourse over the last decades. Participatory and deliberative democracy have challenged the elitist model of representative democracy based on the formalistic concept of electoral representation. A variety of democratic experiments from participatory budgeting programmes, deliberative polling, consensus conference, citizens’ assembly, to ‘crowdsourced’ legislation have been tried worldwide to expand unconventional forms of citizen participation. These experiments have also facilitated new approaches in democratic theory towards the concept of political representation itself. This course addresses the frontier issues of contemporary democratic theories and practices. Students examine various forms of democratic innovations and their real-life effects, discuss different theoretical perspectives, and reflect on their extensive implications for the future of representative democracy.

Email registration by 14 October essential.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science

Voting is the cornerstone of American political life. As such, the act of voting has attracted

considerable attention from scholars and policymakers. This course addresses the field of voting

behavior in the United States in roughly four parts. First, we'll discuss general questions in the field and

introduce the major sociological, psychological, and rational choice interpretations of voting. Second,

we'll look at common heuristics used to simplify the vote decision and ways in which campaigns

mobilize voters. In the latter part of the semester we will turn our attention toward voting in

congressional and presidential contexts. The last portion of the course addresses special electoral

conditions: local elections, direct democracy, and the effects of certain electoral reforms.

Course Schedule:

September 2: Introduction

September 9: Representation and Turnout in the United States

September 16: The United States in Comparative Perspective

September 23: Two Voting Models

September 30: Party Affiliation ASSIGNMENT #1 DUE

October 7: No class this week

October 14: Issue Voting and Public Opinion

October 21: Candidate Evaluation

October 28: Political Advertising

November 4: Congressional Elections and Decision Making ASSIGNMENT #2 DUE

November 18: Voter Mobilization and the 2016 Elections

November 25: Predictive Models

December 2: Presidential Elections

December 9: Other Electoral Contexts: Direct Democracy and Local Elections

December 15: Final papers are due

The course can also be taken within the Degree Programme in Politics, when it will compensate one of the following Political Science study

units: POLVOA31 Political Institutions and Processes (https://www10.uta.fi/opas/opintojakso.htm?rid=9457&idx=0&uiLang=en&lang=en&lvv=2015),

or POLVOA41 Parties, Elections and Political Participation (https://www10.uta.fi/opas/opintojakso.htm?rid=9452&idx=0&uiLang=en&lang=en&lvv=2015).

This course is an introduction to the Finnish Political System and Finnish Political History. The main focus of the course is on the development of the Finnish Political System from 1809 until the 21st century. This course provides an overview of the Constitution, political decision making and elections, political participation, tripartite agreements and welfare.  After the course, students are expected to understand the key features of Finnish political history, the political system and society, as well as able to perceive the political position and national identity of Finland in a wider context: Scandinavia, Russia and the EU.

This course provides an introduction and overview over the disciplines of political and critical discourse analysis. The course will focus on various approaches to political discourse analysis as a tool for analyzing power relations. There is no set single approach, as the field is quite porous. The related works of scholars will be made available for the students for reading, analysis, and reflection during the course.  After the course, the students are expected to better understand the various approaches to political discourse analysis and are better equipped to utilize these theories in their forthcoming work. The students will be more adept at spotting discursive practices in political speech and the media and evaluate possible underlying modes of discursive argumentation.  The course consists of two modules: lecture and seminar teaching in period II, and a practical analytic workshop in period III. Period II course is A42/S25/S33 for 5 ECTS, and period III is S25/S33 for 5 ECTS. Space permitting, however, intermediate level students can also attend the work shop. In addition, if you have previously attended the course for Intermediate studies (A42 5 ECTS), you can still attend the workshop for 5 ECTS for Advanced studies (S25/S33). Priority is given to students registering for both periods.  The language of the course is English, so students are expected to be reasonably proficient in reading and writing academic texts in this language.

Enrolment via email to teacher responsible by 30 September.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science (exchange students: equivalent studies at home university).

Course contents:

• The course consists of introductory lectures   and four thematic parts: 1) War and conflict - preventing violence; 2 Abolishing  modern slavery; 3) Environment – harm prevention; 4) Development – ending suffering

Global Health and Development (GHD)-ohjelman järjestämä kurssi, jonka toteuttavat julkisoikeus ja politiikan tutkimus.

Registering by email to eero.palmujoki(at)uta.fi.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOLP01 Introduction to International Relations (exchange students: equivalent studies at home university).

After completing the course students will be familiar with the formative moments and concepts of democracy in western societies: from demokratia in ancient Athens through Middle East and Italian republics to the American and French revolutions. The concept of representation will be introduced in relation to the revolutions and as an idea profoundly affecting our understanding of modern regimes today. During the course students will engage in intensive reading and discussing a variety of texts and writing summaries of them, thus learning how to read conceptually and summarize effectively.

Course schedule:

Jan 30: Introduction and instructions

Feb 2: Greek and eastern democracies (Hornblower, Pericles, Keane pp. 101–126)

Feb 6: Early parliaments and Italian city-republics (Keane pp. 169–188, Skinner)

Feb 9: American revolution (Wood, Madison)

Feb 13: French revolution (Fontana, Hobson)

Feb 16: Critical and radical democratic theory (Mendus, Rancière, Phillips)

Feb 20: Concept of representation (Pitkin, Urbinati 1998 & 2010)

March 2: Feedback

Compulsory preceding course: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science (exchange students: equivalent studies at home university).

Politics seems more and more concerned with the public and private lives and the ideas of politicians in leadership positions. Blair gave us Blairism, Reagan Reaganomics; Ed Miliband’s face did not fit; ‘alpha male’ Donald Trump groped women ‘like an octopus’; Bill Clinton lived a colourful extra-marital existence; the former French president François Mitterrand had a mistress throughout his period in office; and then there was Berlusconi! The media spotlight on leading politicians has appeared to elevate them above their party as well as exposing them to ruthless scrutiny regarding their capacity to lead. 

Lecture/seminar themes

1. The Presidentialisation of Politics

Have leaders become more prominent and powerful at the expense of parties, policies and parliamentarians?

2. The Mediatisation of Politics

Do the media effectively determine the outcome of elections?

Voting Advice Applications; Candidate videos; web television

3. Presidentialisation at the Grassroots?

Are election campaigns in the constituencies becoming more candidate-centred?

Electoral system and party incentives to ‘individualise’ campaigns

‘Decentralised personalisation’

4. Online personalisation

Do (and how do) candidates seek a cyber-space ‘relationship’ with voters – intimacy at distance?

E-campaigning, online candidate biographies, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Lecture Schedule

January 17 Personalisation: Exploring a multi-dimensional concept

January 19 The structural factors underpinning personalisation

January 24 ‘Centralised personalisation’: the ‘Presidentialisation of Politics’ thesis

January 26 The ‘personal party’: Glistrup, Lange, Wilders and Berlusconi

January 31 The mediatisation of politics: From Talk Shows to VAAs

February 2 ‘Decentralised personalisation’: the ‘Individualisation’ of candidate campaigns

February 7 Online personalisation

February 9 Personalisation and the Quality of Democracy 

Email registration essential by January 10, 2017

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science (exchange students: equivalent studies at home university).

PRELIMINARY ASSIGNMENT (submitted through Moodle by 9 January)

1.      Think of one theme of feminist world politics, which you would like to work with throughout the course. Write a short introduction to Moodle about your theme: why is it feminist world politics, and why did you choose this theme rather than something else.

2.      Read the preliminary reading for the course (announced in Moodle). We will discuss it during the first meeting.

COURSE SCHEDULE

11.1. Introduction to feminist International Relations (Särmä)

18.1. Perspectives on feminist International Political Economy (Vaittinen)

25.1. Feminist security studies/feminism and war (Särmä)

1.2.. Queer and crip approaches to global politics (Vaittinen)

8.2. Art based methods (Särmä)

15.2. Practicing feminist analysis of world politics through Mad Max (Vaittinen)

The completion of the course requires active participation in the lectures/seminars, completing the required exercises on the Moodle platform, and the course essay (3,000–3,500 words), submitted by 12 March 2017.

Registering by email to eero.palmujoki(at)uta.fi.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOLP01 Introduction to International Relations (exchange students: equivalent studies at home university).

The course critically examines the underlying structural and institutional causes of the Euro crisis. After completion, students will have a better understanding of the basic features of economic governance under the Economic and Monetary Union and the governance reforms implemented during the euro crisis. Students will be able to orient current developments within an appropriate historical context and understand the limitations this history imposes on the contemporary policy landscape.

Compulsory preceding studies: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science (exchange students: equivalent studies at home university).

Concepts structure the way we see and make sense of the world. They live and change in time, providing answers to problems which trouble people in each social and political era. In this course we take a close look into a group of concepts customarily used in the fields of political science and social movement studies to make sense of the world of democracy and citizenship but which have of late been questioned by a growing body of literature. In the face of late-modern socio-political and technological changes like individualisation, political polarisation, social-mediatisation, and the rise of self-initiated pop up-style of activism, many traditional concepts and theories related to representative politics, citizenship, and social movements have become outdated. This course engages in critical and innovative rethinking of such concepts based on and contributing to the lecturers' new book project 'Concepts in Movement'.

Upon completing the course, the student will be familiar with the central concepts used to describe and explain the relationship between citizens and democracy, and is able to critically evaluate today's political trends and developments along with the arising forms of civic participation and activism.

No pre-enrolment.

Compulsory preceding course: POLPOP02 Introduction to Political Science (exchange students: equivalent studies at home university).