Universität Wien

210126 SE M6: Austrian Politics (2021S)

The politics of identity

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

Die Lehre wird im SoSe 2021 zu Beginn voraussichtlich digital stattfinden. Je nach Lage wird auf hybride oder Vor-Ort-Lehre umgestellt. Die Lehrenden werden die konkrete Organisationsform und Lehrmethodik auf ufind und Moodle bekannt geben, wobei auch mit kurzfristigen Änderungen gerechnet werden muss.

Eine Anmeldung über u:space innerhalb der Anmeldephase ist erforderlich! Eine nachträgliche Anmeldung ist NICHT möglich.
Studierende, die der ersten Einheit unentschuldigt fern bleiben, verlieren ihren Platz in der Lehrveranstaltung.

Achten Sie auf die Einhaltung der Standards guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis und die korrekte Anwendung der Techniken wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens und Schreibens.
Plagiierte und erschlichene Teilleistungen führen zur Nichtbewertung der Lehrveranstaltung (Eintragung eines 'X' im Sammelzeugnis).
Die Lehrveranstaltungsleitung kann Studierende zu einem notenrelevanten Gespräch über erbrachte Teilleistungen einladen.

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. 50 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes

Digital; DI wtl von 09.03.2021 bis 29.06.2021 15.00-16.30


Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Identity politics is at the core of political contestation today, and it plays a major role at the ballot box. But how and why do identities become politicized and mobilized for political ends? How do they affect political behaviour and shape political attitudes?

This course will cover a range of issues that are at the core of contemporary politics of identity. We will focus on the role of identity in elections and voting, to protest politics from below (left and right), public opinion, political representation and political parties, as well as current disputes about identity politics and counter movements in higher education. Identity categories and issues of identity politics that will be discussed during the course include migrant status, race and racialization; social class (as identity); national identities and nationalism; gender, sexual identity and queer politics; ethnic minorities and indigenous identity politics; religion and identity politics; as well as post-national identity politics and cosmopolitanism. During the course we will discuss recent phenomena and manifestations of identity politics such as Black Live Matters, Decolonizing protests at universities, or Brexit. While the course provides a comparative perspective, and introduces concepts and a wide array of theories that allow us to explore manifestations and dynamics of identity politics, a special focus will be put on identity politics in Austria.

THE SEMINAR WILL BE HELD PARTLY DIGITALLY via LIVE-VIDEOCONFERENCING. We will use the tool Collaborate. You can find instructions here: https://wiki.univie.ac.at/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=101484831

Assessment and permitted materials

Final Essay (3000 words) (40%)
Other written and oral assignments (40%)
Participation in class (20 %)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The grade will be based on the following criteria:

Submission of a two page reflection on the question of identity politics for the first session of the course (submission: at day of session 1 until 2 pm to moodle, n.B. submission on time is a precondition to particpate in this course): Identity politics: Enabling inclusion or triggering division? Perspectives on Austria.

Summary of the assigned readings ahead of every session
[Per text half a page to a maximum of one page of summary is requested addressing the following questions: What is the main argument of the text? What is particularly interesting about this text? Which open/critical questions did it stimulate when reading it? Do not forget to name the title, author and source of the piece in your summary. Do not rewrite the original piece, but use your own words to briefly describe the main ideas of the text. Respect the deadlines for submitting these summaries to moodle!]

Submission of a final essay on the question: The role of identity in contemporary politics in Austria. Why, how, and which perspectives for the future to overcome divisions?

[In order to be marked with the highest grade (1) essays are required to exhibit a clear, academic, and relevant research question; a high degree of analytical skill of answering the research question; an excellent critical understanding of the relevant literature & evidence of wide reading around the question; the ability to develop a well, clear structured, and logical answer to the question and the ability to write according to the rules of standard English]

An oral, individual discussion of the essay (online or in person) with the course convenor after submission (10 minutes, summarizing the major arguments) might be requested in cases in which the line of argument of the essay is unclear

Oral assignment (presentation or group discussions depending on the final number of students)

Acting as a discussant for a colleagues presentation or discussion input

Acting as a peer reviewer of the draft essay of a colleague [Questions: What are the strengths of the essay? What are areas of improvement? Is the colleague in line with the guidelines for the essay given by the course convenor (e.g. correct citation, length, clear argument, and correct English…)?
Comments should be appropriate and constructive. Be respectful and considerate to your colleague. Make sure that your comments are clear and specific.]

Submission of each assignment (on time) is mandatory/a precondition to be marked positively. Students who do not submit the first assignment (reflection exercise) will be deregistered from class.

Regular attendance is mandatory

Examination topics

Students are expected to engage with the inputs provided by the course convener and are required to engage independently with the literature in the field. The list of core readings below and the reading list for the teaching sessions provided in the syllabus offer a range of core readings whilst giving a flavor of the breadth and scope of the literature, but other additional sources are available. In preparation for coursework, students will need to supplement the readings listed by the course convener.

Reading list

Anderson, B. (2013) Us and Them? The Dangerous Politics of Immigration Controls, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Brubaker, R. (2016) Trans: Gender and Race in an Age of Unsettled Identities Princeton: Princeton University Press

Eddo-Lodge, R. (2017) Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race. Bloomsbury Publishing

Yuval Davis et al (2019) Bordering. Polity Press

Association in the course directory

Last modified: We 21.04.2021 11:26