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Comparative politics and transnational civil society mobilization from the left to the radical right

Periodo di svolgimento
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Info sul corso
Ore del corso
20
Ore dei docenti responsabili
20
CFU 3
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Modalità esame

Seminar-based course with student presentations, discussants, and group discussion.

Note modalità di esame

Teaching methods and assignments:

  • The course will follow a seminar format. At the beginning of each class, I will provide an introduction to the substantive and theoretical topic of the session. After that, each meeting will be student-led: all students will be responsible for presentations according to the schedule provided below. Specifically, in each seminar, students will take the lead in the discussion by debating the papers suggested in the reading list. For each seminar, we will have some students acting as paper-givers, that is, they will summarize the content and the methodology of the assigned article. Another student will serve as a discussant, identifying the strengths and the contributions of the papers that will be presented and raising comments and criticisms. Paper-givers will be assigned up to 20 minutes and Discussant 10-15 minutes. After that we will have a further round of Q&A and open discussion. 

Registro delle lezioni

Accedi al registro

Prerequisiti

All phd students from the first to 4th year. Master students

Programma

Recent crises in Europe—including the 2008 financial crisis, the refugee crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic—have fostered new forms of transnational political and civil society mobilization. This course examines these developments through a comparative European perspective, exploring both progressive and reactionary actors, from left-libertarian movements to radical-right organizations and networks.

The course introduces key concepts, theories, and methods for studying transnational contention, focusing on the causes, dynamics, and consequences of cross-border mobilization. Topics include globalization, Europeanization, anti-austerity protests, radical-right transnationalism, digital activism, anti-system mobilization, climate and feminist activism, and contemporary challenges to democracy.

Combining theoretical debates with comparative case studies from Europe and beyond, the course provides students with the analytical tools needed to understand the changing landscape of transnational collective action and civil society.

Obiettivi formativi

  • Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the main theories of collective action, social movements, and transnational civil society from a comparative politics perspective.
  • Critically assess the factors driving the emergence and development of transnational political mobilization across different contexts.
  • Analyze the impact of economic, political, migration, and health crises on contemporary forms of collective action and political participation.
  • Evaluate the role of globalization, Europeanization, and digitalization in shaping transnational activism and contentious politics.
  • Distinguish between progressive and reactionary forms of transnational mobilization and assess their implications for democracy and political change.
  • Apply key theoretical concepts and analytical frameworks to empirical case studies involving social movements, civil society organizations, and radical-right actors.
  • Develop advanced skills in critically engaging with and evaluating the international scholarly literature on social movements and contentious politics.
  • Design and conduct comparative research on transnational mobilization using appropriate theoretical and methodological approaches.
  • Formulate original research questions and identify suitable research strategies for investigating contemporary political mobilization.
  • Strengthen their ability to present, discuss, and receive feedback on research projects in an international and interdisciplinary academic environment.

Riferimenti bibliografici

Selected Bibliography

  • Caiani, M., Susánszky, P., & Saridakis, N. (2024). Radical Right and Anti-Vax Protests Between Movements and Parties: A Comparative Study. Acta Politica. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41269-024-00339-5
  • Castells, M. (2015). Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Polity Press.
  • della Porta, D. (2015). Social Movements in Times of Austerity: Bringing Capitalism Back into Protest Analysis. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  • della Porta, D., Andretta, M., Mosca, L., & Reiter, H. (2006). Globalization from Below: Transnational Activists and Protest Networks. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
  • della Porta, D., & Diani, M. (2020). Social Movements: An Introduction (3rd ed.). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
  • della Porta, D., & Lavizzari, A. (article to be selected). Protest and social mobilization in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Partecipazione e Conflitto (PACO).
  • Earl, J., & Kimport, K. (2011). Digitally Enabled Social Change: Activism in the Internet Age. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  • Fraser, N. (2019). The Old Is Dying and the New Cannot Be Born: From Progressive Neoliberalism to Trump and Beyond. London: Verso.
  • Gerbaudo, P. (2012). Tweets and the Streets: Social Media and Contemporary Activism. London: Pluto Press.
  • Keck, M. E., & Sikkink, K. (1998). Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
  • Kriesi, H., Grande, E., Lachat, R., Dolezal, M., Bornschier, S., & Frey, T. (2008). West European Politics in the Age of Globalization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Mudde, C. (2019). The Far Right Today. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  • Tarrow, S. (2005). The New Transnational Activism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Tilly, C., & Tarrow, S. (2015). Contentious Politics (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Additional Readings (Topic-Specific)

  • One selected reading on climate activism and transnational environmental movements.
  • One selected reading on transnational feminist mobilization and intersectional activism.
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