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70654-01 - Seminar: Politics of Ukraine - Political Actors and Institutions (3 KP)
| Semester | Herbstsemester 2024 |
| Angebotsmuster | unregelmässig |
| Dozierende | Olena Rybiy (olena.rybiy@unibas.ch, BeurteilerIn) |
| Inhalt | This seminar offers an opportunity to discuss recent and ongoing political processes as well as main institutions in modern Ukraine. Seminar covers a broad range of topics with the aim to present the comprehensive picture on how Ukraine is undergoing major political and social changes over time by means of the promotion of reforms and gradual breaking the post-Soviet legacy. Emphasis in seminar literature and lecture part is placed on the neo-institutional paradigm which argues that both formal and informal institutions act as “rules of the game” and shape behavior and preferences of political actors. The practical side of the seminar comprises the case study of democratic transition in Ukraine, in particular, its de facto rather than de jure institutional settings. One may find interesting to explore Ukraine as an example of a post-Soviet state with a "heavy" institutional legacy which strives for a democratic rule. Ukraine is undergoing constant institutional change, nevertheless, it makes progress in democracy over time by means of revolutions, rigorous civil society’s oversight, reforms’ deployment (and prevention of their backsliding), and support from international partners. Format: two academic hours (90 min) weekly, splitting between an introductory talk and follow-up discussion. |
| Lernziele | The purpose of the course is not an in-depth overview of historical events, facts, and political figures, but rather an active discussion of general trends in post-communist transition and optimal ways for further institutional design in young democracies amidst Ukraine’s controversial politics. Seminar participants will be informed about recent and ongoing political processes in Ukraine including current reforms, anti-corruption measures, authorities’ informal practices and routines, post-Soviet legacy, political and ideological struggles, civil society development and consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine on world order. Students will complete readings and assignments before class and in a discussion-based format explore Ukrainian political and social institutions in their transition to more advanced democratic forms. The knowledge acquired during the seminar will contribute to the students’ ability to analyze the background, driving forces and main features of political processes in Ukraine, as well as assess the prospects for the democratic transition in post-communist countries. |
| Literatur | Session 2. Political system of Modern Ukraine: Breaking Post-Soviet Path Dependence and Moving Away from Post-Colonial Legacy 1. Johnson, J. 2001. "Path Contingency in Postcommunist Transformations." Comparative Politics 33(3): 253-263. 2. Mikloš, I. 2021. "Three Models of Post-Communist Transformation and Lessons Learned." Central European Business Review: 43-56. 3. D'Anieri, Paul J. Understanding Ukrainian Politics: Power, Politics, and Institutional Design, 4-17. Session 3. Parliament: Setting the Stage for Rules of the Game 1. Whitmore, Sarah. 2019. "Disrupted Democracy in Ukraine? Protest, Performance, and Contention in the Verkhovna Rada." Europe-Asia Studies 71(9): 1474-1507. 2. Whitmore, S. 2023. "Ukraine’s Parliament: One Year at War." Hansard Society Blog, February 23. https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/blog/ukraines-parliament-one-year-at-war. Session 4. Presidency: A Compromiser, a Firm Hand, Mr. Disenchantment, a Traitor, and a Hero 1. Sedelius, T. 2012. "Towards Presidential Rule in Ukraine: Hybrid Regime Dynamics under Semi-Presidentialism." Baltic Journal of Law and Politics 5(1): 20-45. 2. Demydova, V. 2020. "2019 Presidential Elections in Ukraine: How Zelensky Was Elected?" Karadeniz Araştırmaları XVII/67: 581-603. Session 5. Electoral System and Conscious Choice: “30 Years in the Desert” or in Search for Optimal Voting Rules 1. Rybiy, O. 2013. "Party System Institutionalization in Ukraine." Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization 21(3): 401-423. 2. Birch, S. 2003. "Electoral Systems and Political Transformation in Post-Communist Europe." In One Europe or Several?, edited by H. Wallace, Palgrave Macmillan: 3-17, 21-25, 140-142. Session 6. Politics, Politicians and Parties: Structure vs Agency 1. Umland, A., K. Fedorenko, and O. Rybiy. 2016. "The Ukrainian Party System before and after the 2013–2014 Euromaidan." Europe-Asia Studies 68(4): 1-25. 2. Whitmore, S. 2014. "Political Party Development in Ukraine." Helpdesk Research Report. Session 7. Informal Institutions, Grand and Petty Corruption: Shadow Theatre of Ukrainian Politics 1. Helmke, G., and S. Levitsky. 2012. "Informal Institutions and Comparative Politics: A Research Agenda." Perspectives on Politics 10(4): 725-740. 2. Amundsen, I. 1999. "Political Corruption: An Introduction to the Issues." Development Studies and Human Rights 1: 1-14, 21-26. 3. Kudelia, S. 2016. "Corruption in Ukraine: Perpetuum Mobile or the Endplay of Post-Soviet Elites." In Beyond the Euromaidan, edited by A. Wilson, 65-74. Session 8. Civil Society: Atlas Bearing Up the Vault of the Heavens 1. Zarembo, K., and E. Martin. 2023. "Civil Society and Sense of Community in Ukraine: From Dormancy to Action." European Societies 25(1): 1-27. Session 9. CSO networks and coalitions: Make People’s Voice Heard 1. Rybiy, O. 2024. "Coalitions of Civil Society Organizations in Ukraine: Role, Types, and Impact." Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization 32(1): 61-84. Session 10. Recovery and Reconstruction: Key Principles and Digital Tools 1. World Bank report on Ukraine. 2023. Third Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA3). February 2022 – December 2023. – p. 24-27, 32, 36-38, 42-43, 50-52. 2. BRDO report. 2023. Kyiv’s Mobilization for Restoration: A Landscape Analysis of Ukrainian Government Authorities Organizing for a Marshall Plan. - p. 16, 23-25. Session 11. Reforms and Approximation to EU: How to Get to the “Promised Land” 1. Kralikova, M. 2022. "Importing EU Norms: The Case of Anti-Corruption Reform in Ukraine." Journal of European Integration 44(6): 735-750. Session 12. Russia’s war against Ukraine: What the Postwar Balance of Power Might Be 1. Kotoulas, I., and W. Pusztai. 2022. "Geopolitics of the War in Ukraine." Report. Foreign Affairs Institute. 2. Snyder, T. 2022. "The War in Ukraine Is a Colonial War." The New Yorker, April 28. https://www.newyorker.com/news/essay/the-war-in-ukraine-is-a-colonial-war. Session 13. Democracy as a Gift? How to Get Ukraine on the Right Track 1. Kudelia, S., and G. Kasianov. 2021. "Ukraine’s Political Development after Independence." In From 'the Ukraine' to Ukraine: A Contemporary History from 1991-2021, edited by Wilson Center, 9-49. 2. Freedom House. 2023. "Nations in Transit 2023: Ukraine." |
| Bemerkungen | Attention: All Seminars will be graded in the Department of Political Science. Grading scale 6.0 to 1.0, whereupon 4.0 is a pass. The number of participants is limited. The places are assigned according to date of enrollment and subject of study. Priority will be given to students of Political Science. |
| Teilnahmevoraussetzungen | Attention: All Seminars will be graded in the Department of Political Science. Grading scale 6.0 to 1.0, whereupon 4.0 is a pass. The number of participants is limited. The places are assigned according to date of enrollment and subject of study. Priority will be given to students of Political Science. |
| Unterrichtssprache | Englisch |
| Einsatz digitaler Medien | kein spezifischer Einsatz |
| Intervall | Wochentag | Zeit | Raum |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Montag | 14.15-15.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
Einzeltermine
| Module |
Modul: Regionaler Fokus B.A. (Bachelor Studienfach: Politikwissenschaft) Modul: Vertiefung Politikwissenschaft B.A. (Bachelor Studienfach: Politikwissenschaft) |
| Prüfung | Lehrveranst.-begleitend |
| Hinweise zur Prüfung | Students are allowed to miss class twice a semester. In case of skipping more than 2 sessions for a valid reason, please contact me for an individual solution. Performance assessment: • Learning journal* (25%) • Individual Ignite presentation** (5 min) (30%) • 2-3 pages essay or article review*** (45%) The lowest passing grade – 60%. * a written commentary on the readings (min. 450 words per for three sessions of your choice). ** Ignite Presentations use 20 PowerPoint slides that automatically advance every 15 seconds for a total presentation time of just 5 minutes. Ignite slides tend to incorporate excellence in slide design in support of a very clearly articulated message. *** List of topics and articles for review will be provided. |
| An-/Abmeldung zur Prüfung | Anmelden: Belegen; Abmelden: nicht erforderlich |
| Wiederholungsprüfung | keine Wiederholungsprüfung |
| Skala | 1-6 0,5 |
| Belegen bei Nichtbestehen | beliebig wiederholbar |
| Zuständige Fakultät | Philosophisch-Historische Fakultät, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Anbietende Organisationseinheit | Fachbereich Politikwissenschaft |