Universität Wien

210093 SE BAK15: East European Studies (2020S)

Opposition, Change and Stability in the Post-Soviet Region

6.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 21 - Politikwissenschaft
Continuous assessment of course work

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Studierende, die der ersten Einheit unentschuldigt fern bleiben, verlieren ihren Platz in der Lehrveranstaltung.

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Plagiierte und erschlichene Teilleistungen führen zur Nichtbewertung der Lehrveranstaltung (Eintragung eines 'X' im Sammelzeugnis).
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 45 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 10.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 17.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 24.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 31.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 21.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 28.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 05.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 12.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 19.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 26.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 09.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 16.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 23.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock
  • Tuesday 30.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 1 (H1), NIG 2.Stock

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

To have an opportunity to choose their representatives in decision-making assemblies is usually seen as the ultimate symbol of democracy. In this regard the presence of a political alternative, e.g. ‘opposition,’ is important, if not crucial. The roles of both elections and opposition in non-democratic contexts, however, have proven to be different from those in democracies. This course explores what role(s) these institutions play in non-democracies and how this deviation affects regime stability or change.

The aim of the course is to develop the students’ knowledge about the roles and functions of opposition and elections in the post-Soviet states and provide them tools to independently analyze and evaluate ongoing developments in the area. During the seminar they will be familiarized with relevant social science concepts and theories, primarily related to research on ‘electoral authoritarianism’ and ‘electoral revolutions’. Looking at cases such as post-Soviet Azerbaijan, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine the students will be critically engaging with the literature discussing different ways in which elections in these types of context can serve either as an instrument of democratization or autocratic consolidation. Special emphasis will be put on problematizing the role of ‘opposition’ in these processes. To this end the seminar it also serve to deepen the students’ general knowledge about the regional and domestic political situation in the post-Soviet context.

The seminar will mainly consist of discussions and exercises in smaller working groups, and sometimes in the class as a whole, with the purpose of supporting the students to reflect and elaborate on the content of the assigned literature. Prior to each session the students are provided one or two mandatory texts and different tasks in order to prepare for class.

Assessment and permitted materials

The seminar builds on the students’ active partaking. They are required to have completed the readings before class and come prepared to engage in the activities of each session. The final grade will reflect active participation (10% of the grade). It also includes two written assignments á 1500-2000 words (each 40% of the grade) demonstrating the student’s understanding of the course’s major topics as well as one. Moreover, students are expected to briefly review (200 words) the first written assignment submitted by one of their colleagues (10%).

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

To pass the course all the written assignments should be successfully completed. Active participation in the seminar is required. The maximum number of accepted absences is two seminar sessions.

Examination topics

Reading and seminar discussions.

Reading list

Selected readings (Full list will be announced on Moodle before the start of the seminar):

Ash, K. (2015) The Election Trap: the Cycle of Post-Electoral Repression and Opposition Fragmentation in Lukashenko's Belarus,” Democratization 22 (6): 1-24

Bedford, Sofie (2017) ”The Election Game:" Authoritarian Consolidation Processes in Belarus. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization 25 (4): 381-405.

Beissinger, Mark R.”Structure and Example in Modular Political Phenomena: The Diffusion of Bulldozer/Rose/Orange/Tulip Revolutions." Perspectives on Politics 5.2 (2007): 259-276.

Bunce, V. and S. Wolchik (2011) Defeating Authoritarian Leaders in Post Communist Countries (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).

Engvall, Johan (2012) Against the Grain: How Georgia Fought Corruption And What It Means, Washington, D.C. & Stockholm, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program.

Grigoryan, Armen (2019) “Armenia’s Path To Democratization By Recursive Mass Protests, Caucasus Survey,” 7 (2): 157-175.

Hale, Henry E. (2006) ”Democracy or Autocracy on the March? The Colored Revolutions as Normal Dynamics of Patronal Presidentialism." Communist and Post-Communist Studies 39 (3): 305-329.

Kalandadze, Katya and Mitchell A. Orenstein. (2009) “Electoral Protests and Democratization beyond the Color Revolutions,” Comparative Political Studies 42 (11: 1403-1425.

Lindberg, S. (ed) Democratization by Elections. A New Mode of Transition. (Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press)

Matsiyevsky, Y. (2018) ‘Revolution without Regime Change: The Evidence from the post-Euromaidan Ukraine.’ Communist and Post-Communist Studies 51(4): 349-359. (3): 122-135.

Roessler, P., And M. Howard (2009).”Post-Cold War Political Regimes: When Do Elections Matter?.” In Lindberg, S. (Ed) Democratization by Elections. A New Mode of Transition, The John Hopkins University Press: 101-27.

Schedler, Andreas (2002)”Elections Without Democracy: The Menu of Manipulation.” Journal of Democracy 13(2): 36-50.

Valiyev, Anar (2006) “Parliamentary Elections in Azerbaijan: A Failed Revolution,” Problems of Post-Communism 53 (3): 17-35.

Way, L. (2008): ‘The Real Causes of the Color Revolutions’, Journal of Democracy 19(3): 55-69.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:21