POLS331 Самостоятелна работа: Черноморският регион: политика, потенциал, предзвикателства
Анотация:
The Black Sea region is characterized by both large disparities in the political development of the states in the region and significant convergence in terms of economic and political goals. Due to its geographical location the region is of significant importance in the context of changing security and geopolitical challenges. The course thus investigates the political development of the states and regional initiatives in the context of contemporary trends in International Relations while trying to predict future developments.
The course aims to build a theoretical framework for assessing the processes of political development and institution building in the region building on the transitional theories. The course develops the basic notions of transition, institutional building, the mechanics and processes within the Black Sea Regions.
Building on that framework the course comparatively investigates the countries in the region outlining the basic factors of influence and trends within the region in Global and European context. By doing so the course tries to predict the future perspectives for political development in the context of the different regional initiatives.
The course aims to give the students a comprehensive and complete theoretical instrument for critical assessment of the processes of institutional and political development in comparative perspective.
The students are encouraged to critically apply the theoretical framework, to build upon it and to hypothesize with regards problems within the topic of regional development, political systems and International Relation.
Преподавател(и):
гл. ас. Любомир Стефанов д-р
ас. Христо Панчугов
Описание на курса:
Компетенции:
SKILLS
Students who successfully complete the course:
1) know:
• Major trends in the development of political processes in the Black Sea region.
• The main problems associated with the political development of Black Sea region.
• Differences and similarities in the political development of the region.
2) are able to:
• Critically apply the developed conceptual framework of the course in the study of problems related to political development of the Black Sea region.
• To distinguish the different mechanisms in the analysis of processes of regionalization in the Black Sea region by comparing them with similar regional structures and organization
• To make reasonable assumptions about development processes in the Black Sea region.
Предварителни изисквания:
Форми на провеждане:
Редовен
Учебни форми:
Самостоятелна работа
Език, на който се води курса:
Английски
Теми, които се разглеждат в курса:
During the course the students will be divided into small groups ( up to 4 members each) that will carry out case studies from the subject area of Black Sea and its locale. After presenting the results of their teamwork, a discussion will follow aimed at establishing, if possible, geographic, economic, or historical patterns of transition to democracy by comparing different cases. Later, students will conduct an individual examination of a given country from "theirs" previous geographical area in the Black Sea region, trying to put into practice the knowledge acquired through collective discussion and teamwork .
Литература по темите:
Suggested Readings
1. George Castellane - "History in the Balkans XIV - XX Century."
2. G. Sartori, Comparative Constitutional Engineering. An Inquiry into Structures, Incentives and Outcomes (Houndmills: Macmillan Press, 1994)
3. Alfred Stepan (1986), „Paths Toward Redemocratization” in Guillermo O’Donnell, Philippe C. Schmitter & Laurence Whitehead, eds., Transitions from Authoritarian Rule. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 64-84.
4. Samuel P. Huntington (1991-92), „How Countries Democratize” Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 106. No. 4. Winter, 579-616.
5. Juan J. Linz (1990), „Transitions to Democracy” Washington Quarterly, Summer, 143-164
6. Samuel P. Huntington (1991), The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century. Norman: Oklahoma University Press
7. Sten Berglund, Tomas Hellen & Frank H. Aarebrot eds. (1998), The Handbook of Political Change in Eastern Europe. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar
8. Philippe C. Schmitter (1995), „Transitology: The Science or the Art of Democratization?” in Joseph S. Tulchin (ed.), The Consolidation of Democracy in Latin America. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 11-41.
9. „Juan J. Linz, Alfred Stepan & Richard Gunther (1995), „Democratic Transition and Consolidation in Southern Europe, with Reflections on Latin America and Eastern Europe” in Richard Gunther & Nikiforos Diamandouros, eds., The Politics of Democratic Consolidation: Southern Europe in Comparative Perspective. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 77-123.
10. Geoffrey Pridham (2000), The Dynamics of Democratization: A Comparative Approach. London: Continuum
11. Juan J. Linz & Alfred Stepan (1996), „Toward Consolidated Democracies” Journal of Democracy, Vol. 7. No. 2. April, 14-33.
12. Juan J. Linz & Alfred Stepan (1996), Problems of Democratic Transitions and Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America, and Post-Communist Europe. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press
Средства за оценяване:
Seminar discussions 50 %
Course project 50 %