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Semester | spring semester 2025 |
Course frequency | Irregular |
Lecturers | Magdalena Breyer (magdalena.breyer@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
Content | This seminar deals with the changing class structure and its implications for how social classes vote or choose not to vote. A special focus will be on the working class, which has changed markedly since the mid-20th century and is now made up of more service sector workers and fewer production workers. This change went along with an increasing share of women and ethnic minority workers, which is why intersecting inequalities of class, race and gender will be central for the course. Over the course of the seminar, we will first deal with fundamental theories of class voting. Second, we will discuss explanations for non-voting, as there has been a trend towards lower turnout among the working class in recent years. Third, a topical block will cover the descriptive, symbolic and substantive representation of the working class by political parties and assess whether these developments can help explain increases in abstention. All blocks will include theoretical and applied empirical analyses. This means that applications of quantitative analyses of survey data in R are integrated throughout the course. Knowledge of quantitative methods (multivariate regressions) and basic knowledge of R/RStudio are required. The geographical focus will be on Western Europe. |
Learning objectives | By the end of the course, students will be able to: • Contrast the social class structure today compared to the one in the mid-20th century • Examine mechanisms for class (non-)voting patterns • Analyse existing survey data using R/RStudio • Design and implement an empirical analysis of class (non)voting |
Bibliography | Ares, Macarena. 2020. “Changing Classes, Changing Preferences: How Social Class Mobility Affects Economic Preferences.” West European Politics 43 (6): 1211–37. Evans, Geoffrey, and James Tilley. 2017. The New Politics of Class: The Political Exclusion of the British Working Class. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Savage, Michael, Niall Cunningham, Fiona Devine, Sam Friedman, Daniel Laurison, Lisa Mckenzie, Andrew Miles, Helene Snee, and Paul Wakeling. 2015. Social Class in the 21st Century: A Pelican Introduction. Vol. 10. Pelican Books. London: Penguin. |
Comments | Prior Knowledge: Basic knowledge of R and RStudio and quantitative methods is required. 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 will be limited. The places are assigned according to date of enrollment and subject of study. Priority will be given to students of Political Science. |
Admission requirements | Prior Knowledge: Basic knowledge of R and RStudio and quantitative methods is required. 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 will be limited. The places are assigned according to date of enrollment and subject of study. Priority will be given to students of Political Science. |
Language of instruction | English |
Use of digital media | No specific media used |
Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
---|---|---|---|
wöchentlich | Tuesday | 14.15-15.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Kleiner Seminarraum 02.001 |
Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Regionaler Fokus M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Vertiefung Politikwissenschaft M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Module: Methods for Analyzing Changing Societies (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) |
Assessment format | continuous assessment |
Assessment details | • Active class participation • Written response paper about a text on the syllabus, 2-3 pages • One homework assignment on survey data analysis • In groups: implementation of an empirical analysis to answer a research question of student's own choice |
Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
Offered by | Fachbereich Politikwissenschaft |