| Academic year: | 2007-2008 |
| Course code module | 1BPSW-11 |
| Semester: | 2nd semester |
| Credits: | 6 |
| Study load (hours) | 168 |
| Theory (hours): | 45,00 |
| Practice/Exercises(hours): | |
| Other (hours): | |
| Part-time program: | 1 |
| Instructor(s) | Petra Meier
|
| Language of instruction: | Dutch |
| Semester exam information: | semester exam in June |
| Contract restriction information: | |
1. Prerequisites
*Algemene competenties
A sound interest in politics (following the news)
*Sequentiality
2. Objectives (expected learning outcomes)
Students gather insights in:
the main political actors and institutions in Belgium;
the structures and processes of Belgian politics;
the main trends and debates in Belgian politics.
They learn how to adopt a political science perspective of politics and how to apply abstract concepts to political reality.
3. Course content
This course's aim is to introduce core actors, institutions, processes and debates of Belgian politics. This should enable students to develop a frame analysing and understanding Belgian politics and to achieve a better understanding of concepts and theories of political science. This aim is achieved by systematically studying current issues in Belgian politics. Politics is the organisation and management of society, but society undergoes change and so does its organisation. There is a shift and transformation of politics, with respect to the levels where it can be found and the actors involved in it. The course studies this evolution and its consequences for the Belgian society, treating among others: multi-level governance, decentralisation and federalisation, relations between government and parliament, asymmetric coalitions and the relations between communities, regions and the federal level, the impact of Europe, consociational vs. majoritarian democracy, partitocracy and the role of parties, pillarization, electoral evolutions and volatility, changes in political participation, living in an ethnically diverse society, ...
4. Teaching method
Direct contact: Lectures
5. Assessment method
Exam: Written, without oral presentationClosed bookOpen questions
6. Compulsory reading – study material
Marc Hooghe (red.) (2006) Op zoek naar politiek. Democratie en de verplaatsing van de politiek. Leuven: Acco.
The following articles from West European Politics volume 29, nummer 5 (november 2006):
Swenden, W. & Jans, M.T. (2006), ‘Will it stay or will it go ?’ Federalism and the sustainability of Belgium, West European Politics 29(5), pp.877-894.
De Winter, L., Swyngedouw, M. & Dumont, P. (2006), Party System(s) and Electoral Behaviour in Belgium: From Stability to Balkanisation, West European Politics 29(5), pp.933-956.
Billiet, J., Maddens, B. & Frognier, A.-P. (2006), Does Belgium (still) exist? Differences in political culture between Flemings and Walloons, West European Politics 29(5), pp.912-932.
Brans, M., De Visscher, C., & Vancoppenolle, D. (2006), Administrative reform in Belgium: Maintenance or modernisation?, West European Politics 29(5), pp.979-998.
De Rynck, S. & Dezeure, K. (2006), Policy convergence and divergence in Belgium: Education and health care, West European Politics 29(5), pp.1018-1033.
De Winter, L., & Dumont, P. (2006), Do Belgian Parties Undermine the Democratic Chain of Delegation ?, West European Politics 29(5), pp.957-976.
Deschouwer, K. (2006), And the peace goes on? Consociational democracy and Belgian politics in the twenty-first century, West European Politics 29(5), pp.895-911.
Beyers, J. & Bursens, P. (2006), The European rescue of the federal state: How Europeanisation shapes the Belgian state, West European Politics 29(5), pp.1057-1078.
7. Recommended reading - study material
none
8. Tutoring