Democracy and Democratization
Undergraduate course
- ECTS credits
- 10
- Teaching semesters
- Autumn
- Course code
- SAMPOL116
- Number of semesters
- 1
- Teaching language
- English
- Resources
- Schedule
Course description
Objectives and Content
Students in this course will acquire a broad and sophisticated knowledge of democratic and non-democratic political systems as well as the processes which result in changes in the type of political system. They will approach these topics theoretically (through a survey of concepts and theories of democracy), historically (they will read a large variety of articles and book chapters that study individual countries' experiences from around the world in a comparative analytic framework), and scientifically (they will be exposed to classic research questions and hypotheses, and study classic and contemporary research that presents findings to answer these questions). Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed upon key elements of research design as applied to the study of democracy and democratization: conceptualization, causality, varieties of types of data and methods for analyzing data, the case study method, the comparative method, and the statistical method. Most of the readings are professional (yet accessible) journal articles and book chapters, organized by theme and pedagogical value, supplemented by selections drawn from intermediate-level texts.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:
Knowledge
The student
- possesses a broad knowledge of central concepts (democracy; political regime; democratization; regime consolidation; civil society), theories (democratic theory, theory of regime change, survival and breakdown; the role of civil society), research questions and research traditions in the study of democracy and democratization, scholarly tools (how to conceptualize democracy; varieties of data) and methods for analyzing qualitative and quantitative data in the study of political regimes and regime change.
- is familiar with foundational literature (classic and contemporary research) as well as cutting-edge developments in the scholarly literature within the field of study concerning democracy and democratization;
- can update and extend existing knowledge (building upon introductory Sampol courses) in the study of democracy and democratization via advanced scholarly literature, data, and research methods;
- has knowledge concerning the impact of democracy and democratization throughout history as well as trends in political regimes around the world in contemporary societies studied cross-nationally
Skills
The student
- can apply knowledge from the study of democracy and democratization and relevant findings in the scholarly literature on these topics to analyze related political issues on a global scale and formulate prognoses of their potential consequences;
- can reflect over issues related to democracy and democratization and build upon them to formulate innovative research questions and research agendas;
- can build upon knowledge and literature studied in order to develop advance research in the area of democracy and democratization, applying theories, concepts, data, and methods studied in this course;
- can build upon the written course assignments for more advanced, sophisticated research into the study of democracy, democratization, and political regimes more generally.
General Competence
The student
- has developed insights into the key issues regarding political regimes, democratization, and regime stability that are relevant for understanding and consulting on political systems in the world today;
- can disseminate and effectively convey central issues in the study of democracy and regime change, including key concepts and theories, empirical patterns, and findings from the scholarly literature;
- is familiar with new ways of studying and understanding political regimes and the institutional design of new democracies from past as well as contemporary history.
ECTS Credits
10 ECTS
Level of Study
Bachelor
Semester of Instruction
Autumn
First time: autumn 2025
Required Previous Knowledge
Fulfilment of general admission requirements
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Overlaps 100 % with Sampol115
Access to the Course
Open for all students at the University of Bergen
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures and seminars
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
Obligatory assignment 1500 words
The approval of compulsory assignments has no time limit
Forms of Assessment
3-day take-home final examination, maximum 3500 words
The exam will be given in the language in which the course is taught.
The exam can be submitted in English. It is also possible to submit in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish.
Grading Scale
Grading A-F
Assessment Semester
Assessment in teaching semester
Re-take exams are arranged for students with valid absence according to § 5-5 of the Study Regulations at UiB. If a retake exam are arranged for students with valid absence, students with the following results can also register:
- Interruption during the exam
- Fail/Not passed
If you qualify for the retake exam and a retake exam is arranged for students with valid absence, you can register yourself in Studentweb after January 15th.
Reading List
The reading list will be ready before 1 July for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester.
Course Evaluation
All courses are evaluated according to UiB's system for quality assurance of education
Programme Committee
The Programme Committee is responsible for the content, structure and quality of the study programme and courses.
Course Administrator
The Department of Comparative Politics at the Faculty of Social Sciences has the administrative responsibility for the course and the programme.