B2996 - POPULIST POLITICS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Learning outcomes

The course aims at providing students with a thorough understanding of the changing nature of politics, institutional dynamics, and democratic participation in East Central Europe — focusing on the phenomenon of populism. Particular attention will be given to the cases of Hungary and Poland.

Course contents

The module aims at mapping, analysing, and discussing the populist politics in selected countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The main focus will be on populist rhetoric and policy-making during times of crisis (refugee crisis, covid-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine) observed in Poland and Hungary, as well as Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

Throughout the module, students will analyse the processes key to making of populist politics in Europe from a comparative perspective, taking into account the contextual factors that fuel that phenomenon in CEE.

Special attention will be given to the phenomena that are linked to populism such as Euroscepticism, anti-globalism, and the re-birth of nationalism. Due to the specificity of the region, we will analyse mainly the parties and movements from the mainstream, but radical arguments raised by fringe right- and left-wing populist parties and anti-establishment movements in the region will also be discussed.

Readings/Bibliography

TBD

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures, interactive seminars.

Assessment methods

Class attendance is mandatory. Students who do not attend at least 70% of the classes will not be allowed to take the final exam.

The overall grade for this module will result from: TBD

The overall grade will be expressed on a scale from 0 to 30 ('trentesimi'):

• grade 0-18: fail;
• 18: pass threshold;
• 30: best grade.

Teaching tools

Power point, videos, documents, in-class interaction, Virtuale.

Office hours

See the website of Natasza Maja Styczynska