Political Science

The course focuses on the fundamental issues of the political and social history of contemporary Africa. Emphasis is placed on the colonial period, decolonization paths, and the processes and dynamics involved in independent state formation. Using an appropriate methodological apparatus, the course highlights the formation of the main political systems on the African continent, and especially the relationship with international politics and the political and developmental crises of the last decades. The course addresses the evolution of African political systems from the last phases of the pre-colonial period up through the contemporary period. Particular attention is placed on sub-Saharan Africa. The first part of the course focuses on Africa's history in the 19th and 20th centuries. The first part discusses topics including the end of the slave trade, the development of international trade, the colonial penetration, and the scramble for Africa by European powers; the main characteristics of the various colonial administrations and the impact of colonial domination on African societies; the decolonization process in the changing international context after World War II; the independences of African states, the nation-state, and the different policies and ideologies of the independent governments; the debate on the heritage of the colonial State; and the crises of the African State and economic development policies. The second part focuses on Africa's political systems and discusses topics including the political and economic reforms of the 1980s and 1990s; democracy, the fight against poverty, and conflicts in post-cold war Africa; the challenges of the third millennium; and recent and current events. The course includes weekly lectures and in class discussions of pertinent issues related to the topics presented. A special introductory section is devoted to the use of internet in the study of African history and its political systems. Slides and maps are also included. Assessment is based on a final oral examination.

This course explores how the internet has facilitated echo chambers and conspiracy theorist groups such as QAnon, specifically focusing on its effects on the 2016 American presidential election and the elections since. It examines contemporary American politics through the development of different digital tools, notably social networks, and the progressive digitalization of politics and American public politics. The course first covers the state of historical art and technology, then the different cognitive concepts that allow a better understanding of our relationship to the internet and digital technology. It considers the impact this has on the production of US public politics, the polarization in the country, and the presidencies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Authoritarian populist parties hold power in Hungary and Poland and have gained significant support in countries as diverse as France, Italy, and Germany. But what is populism? Is it part of a historical trend or is it markedly new? Does populism speak for "the people" or is it a danger to democracy? Is the rise of populism irresistible or can liberal democracies react to this challenge? The course takes a look at competing ideas of populism before evaluating the causes of the recent growth of populism in Europe and the United States. The course analyzes explanations which highlight economic causes, cultural backlash, and elite manipulation. The course concludes by looking at strategies which liberal democracies might use to respond to populism.