Course content

"A spectre is haunting Europe," wrote Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels in their famous Communist Manifesto. And while the spectre is no longer communism, per se, it brings with it a similarly dangerous potential for re-igniting authoritarianism on the continent and beyond. That spectre is the decline in satisfaction with democracy, along with a waning desire to uphold the liberal international order. Recent public opinion surveys consistently show a deterioration of support for democracy in Europe, especially among younger age groups. The rise of populist, radical right parties, the proliferation of online conspiracy theories, and the spread of disinformation by both external and internal actors all pose a threat to good governance in the EU and weaken trust in governmental actors. Democracy, human rights, and rule of law are considered fundamental values that lie at the heart of the European project. The fact that some Europeans appear poised to reject these values paves the way for demagogues and authoritarians that seek power unconstrained by democratic rules and norms. Unpacking these public opinion trends, understanding how the EU has tried to tackle these grave developments, and generating solutions to these problems lies at the heart of this course.

This course examines how citizens perceive and engage with democracy, the role of political parties and EU institutions in shaping democratic norms, and the impact of external forces on democratic erosion in Europe. To understand the internal challenges facing EU members states, we analyze trends in Euroscepticism, the increasing support for populist parties, and democratic backsliding. Furthermore, we examine how conspiracy theories proliferate on social media and interrogate the sources of this misinformation and disinformation (e.g., Russia, China, the US).

Learning outcome

Knowledge

Candidates will be able to:

• Acquire deeper knowledge about the interconnected relationship between diffuse and specific support for political systems, and how these two concepts impact satisfaction with and support for democracy
• Understand the varieties of attitudes towards democracy in Europe and their grounding in political ideologies, psychological predispositions, group identities, and current events
• Trace the reasons for democratic backsliding in the EU, and identify the strategies the EU has used to combat this backsliding
• Provide insights into the role of populist, Eurosceptic, and mainstream parties in influencing democratic stability

Skills

Candidates will develop the ability to:

• Critically analyze public opinion data on democracy in the EU
• Utilize key theories of democratic legitimacy, backsliding, and authoritarianism in real-world case studies where democracy is on the decline in Europe
• Assess the effectiveness of EU pro-democracy initiatives
• Deliver oral presentations on key academic literature in study of democratic attitudes in the EU

Learning methods and activities

Lectures. It is expected that compulsories and examinations must be completed in English. Exceptions must be clarified with the lecturer responsible for the course.

Compulsory assignments

• Oral presentation

Recommended previous knowledge

Bachelor's degree in European Studies and Foreign Languages or equivalent approved education.

Required previous knowledge

None.

Course materials

Available at the start of the semester.