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| Semester | fall semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Olena Rybiy (olena.rybiy@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This seminar offers an opportunity to discuss recent and ongoing political process 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’s 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 shapes 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 can 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 watchdogging, reforms’ deployment (and prevention of their backsliding), and support from international partners. Format: 2 academic hours (90 min) weekly, splitting between an introductory talk and follow-up discussion. |
| Learning objectives | 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 controversial Ukraine’s politics. The seminar’s 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 the 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. |
| Bibliography | Session 2. Political system of Modern Ukraine: Breaking Post-Soviet Path Dependence and Way Away from Post-Colonial Legacy Reading: 1. J. Johnson. Path Contingency in Postcommunist Transformations // Comparative Politics, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Apr., 2001). - p. 253-263. 2. Mikloš, I. Three Models of Post-Communist Transformation and Lessons Learned // Central European Business Review, 2021. - p. 43-56. 3. Paul J. D'Anieri, Understanding Ukrainian Politics: Power, Politics, and Institutional Design, p.3-17. 4. H. Hale, Regime Cycles: Democracy, Autocracy, and Revolution in Post-Soviet Eurasia // World Politics 58 (October 2005). - p.133-135. Non-mandatory reading: 1. Wilson A., The Ukrainians. Unexpected Nation, Yale University Press, 2015. // Chapter 9. Politics: Developing the Rules of the Game. - p. 172-174. 2. M. Schneiberg. What’s on the path? Path dependence, organizational diversity and the problem of institutional change in the US economy, 1900–1950. - p.50-52. 3. S. Kudelia, G. Kasianov. Ukraine’s Political Development after Independence. From “the Ukraine” to Ukraine: A Contemporary History from 1991-2021//Wilson Center. - p.9-55 4. Ukraine's Many Faces: Land, People, and Culture Revisited// O Palko, M. Férez Gil (eds.). - Timeline of Ukrainian History. - p.20, 21-22. Session 3. Parliament: Setting the Stage for Rules of the Game Reading: 1. Whitmore, S. (23 February 2023), Ukraine’s Parliament: One year at war (Hansard Society blog). 2. S. Whitmore. Disrupted Democracy in Ukraine? Protest, Performance and Contention in the Verkhovna Rada. Europe-Asia Studies, 2019. - p.1474-1507. 3. On the way to parliamentary reform [Infographics] // Reanimation Package of Reforms, 2023. 4. "Portrait" of the newly elected IX convocation of Ukrainian Parliament// Civil Network OPORA, 2019 5. Two Years of Operation of the Verkhovna Rada of 8-th Convocation: Legislative Capacity and Law-Making Process// Civil Network OPORA, 2021 Non-mandatory reading: 1. S. Whitmore. Performing Protest and Representation? Exploring Citizens' Perceptions of Parliament in Ukraine. East European Politics, 2020. - p.86-106. Session 4. Presidency: A Compromiser, a Firm Hand, Mr. Disenchantment, a Traitor, and a Hero Reading: 1. T. Sedelius. Towards Presidential Rule in Ukraine: Hybrid Regime Dynamics under SemiPresidentialism // Baltic Journal of Law and Politics, 5(1), 2012. - p.22-41. 2. S. Kudelia. The sources of continuity and change of Ukraine’s incomplete state // Communist and Post-Communist Studies 45 (2012). – p. 417–427. 3. H. Hale, Regime Cycles: Democracy, Autocracy, and Revolution in Post-Soviet Eurasia // World Politics 58 (October 2005). - p.149-156 4. V. Demydova. 2019 Presidential Elections in Ukraine: How Zelensky was Elected? - p.582- 589. 5. B.Acheson. 5 Leadership Lessons - from Ukraine's President Zelensky. Non-mandatory reading: 1. A.Wilson, The Ukrainians. Unexpected Nation. p. 182-184, 193-197, 316-318, 343-344 2. T.Kuzio. From Kuchma to Yushchenko: Ukraine’s 2004 Presidential Elections and the Orange Revolution 3. O. Mashtaler. The 2019 Presidential Election in Ukraine: Populism, the Influence of the Media, and the Victory of the Virtual Candidate. - p.127-142. Session 5. Electoral System and Conscious Choice: “30 Years in Dessert” or in Search for Optimal Voting Rules Reading: 1. Rybiy O. Party System Institutionalization in Ukraine // Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, Vol. 21, Issue 3, Summer 2013. - p. 401-412. 2. S. Birch. Electoral Systems and Political Transformation // One Europe or Several? [ed. H. Wallace]. – p. 3-17, p.21-25, 140-142. 3. O. Rybiy. 2012 Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine: Balancing on the Edge [online article] 4. OPORA Report on 2019 Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine. - p. 176-185. Non-mandatory reading: 1. S. Bowler. Expert opinion on electoral systems: So which electoral system is “best”? // Journal of Elections Public Opinion and Parties, 2005. II. Political Struggle, Informal Practices and Civil Oversight Session 6. Politics, Politicians and Parties: Structure vs Agency Reading: 1. O. Rybiy. Party System Institutionalization in Ukraine // Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, Vol. 21, Issue 3, Summer 2013. - p. 412-423. 2. A. Umland, K. Fedorenko, O. Rybiy. The Ukrainian Party System before and after the 2013– 2014 Euromaidan. – p.609-628. 3. S. Whitmore. Political party development in Ukraine [Research Report], 2014. – p. 1-6. 4. K. Odarchenko. The Map of Political Forces in Today’s Ukraine // Wilson Center, 2020. Non-mandatory reading: 1. Ukraine’s party system evolution: 1990-2017// Razumkov Centre. - p.57-62 Session 7. Informal Institutions, Grand and Petty Corruption: Shadow Theatre of Ukrainian Politics Reading: 1. G. Helmke. Informal Institutions and Comparative Politics : A Research Agenda / Gretchen Helmke, Steven Levitsky // Perspectives on Politics, 2012. – p.725-731. 2. I. Amundsen. Political Corruption: An Introduction to the Issues // Development Studies and Human Rights, 1999. - p.1-14, 21-26. 3. S. Kudelia. Corruption in Ukraine: Perpetuum Mobile or the Endplay of Post-Soviet Elites // Beyond the Euromaidan. – p. 65-74. 4. Corruption Perceptions Index-2023// Transparency International Ukraine Non-mandatory reading: 1. S. Kudelia. The Constitutional Change and the Breakdown of Elite Cooperation in Ukraine after 2004 [Paper prepared for 2010 World Convention of the Association for the Study of Nationalities]. – p.2-31. 2. H. Pleines. Oligarchs and politics in Ukraine // Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Politics, 2016. Session 8. Civil Society: Atlas Bearing Up the Vault of the Heavens Reading: 1. S.Kudelia. Society as an Actor in Post-Soviet State-Building // Demokratizatsiya. - p. 149- 156. 2. O. Burlyuk, N. Shapovalova, K. Zarembo. Civil Society in Ukraine: Building on Euromaidan Legacy // Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal, 2017. – p. 2-9. 3. K. Zarembo, E. Martin. Civil society and sense of community in Ukraine: from dormancy to action // European Societies, 2023. – p. 1-23. 4. M.Minakov. Democratization and Europeanisation in 21st century Ukraine. - p.1-4 5. I. Gerasimov, Ukraine’s Postcolonial Revolution and Counterrevolution [conference paper] // Revolution and War: Ukraine and the Great Transformation of Modern Europe. - p.1-11. Non-mandatory reading: 1. The 2021 CSO Sustainability Index for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. - p.231-239. 2. Defining Civil Society of Ukraine. UNDP [infographics] 3. M. Gatskov. Civil Society in Ukraine // Ukraine in Transformation: From Soviet Republic to European Society. - p.123-141. Session 9. CSO networks and coalitions: Make Peoples’ Voice Heard Reading: 1. O. Rybiy. Coalitions of Civil Society Organizations in Ukraine: Role, Types, and Impact // Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization. - Volume 32, Number 1, Winter 2024. Non-mandatory reading: 1. S. Worschech. New Civic Activism in Ukraine: Building Society from Scratch? // Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal 3, 2017. Session 10. Recovery and Reconstruction: Key Principles and Digital Tools Reading: 1. World Bank report on Ukraine. Third Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA3). February 2022 – December 2023. – p. 24-27, 32, 36-38, 42-43, 50-52 2. BRDO report. Kyiv’s Mobilization for Restoration: A Landscape Analysis of Ukrainian Government Authorities Organizing for a Marshall Plan. - p. 16, 23-25. 3. Electronic Democracy Module (eDem) in the DREAM ecosystem https://dream.gov.ua/special/eDem 4. Digital Restoration EcoSystem for Accountable Management https://dream.gov.ua/ Non-mandatory reading: 1. Sequencing & Prioritization for Ukraine’s Recovery Principles, approaches and cases from other reconstruction contexts III. Prospects for the Future, Reforms and Post-War Reconstruction Session 11. Reforms and Approximation to EU: How to Get to the “Promised Land” Reading: 1. Economist Impact. Ukraine Reform Tracker: Governance Reforms [Report]. - p.3-15. 2. New Europe Center. Candidate Check-4: Where Ukraine is in the implementation of 7 EU recommendations [Infographics], 2023. 3. P. Klimkin. Why Ukraine delayed integration and reforms. And why it’s high time to get serious // The Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), 2023. 4. M. Králiková. Importing EU norms: the case of anti-corruption reform in Ukraine // Journal of European Integration, 2022. - p.245-256. Non-mandatory reading: 1. Democratic Reforms for Ukraine’s EU Integration. Dialogue with Key-Reformers [Infographics] // Reanimation Package of Reforms, 2022. 2. Economist Impact. Ukraine Reform Tracker: Social Reforms. 3. A.Wilson. Survival of the Richest: How Oligarchs Block Reforms in Ukraine Session 12. Russia’s war against Ukraine: What the Postwar Balance of Power Would Be Reading: 1. Pabriks, A. Kudors. The War in Ukraine: Lessons for Europe // The Centre for East European Policy Studies, University of Latvia Press, 2015. - p.175-178. 2. I.Kotoulas, W.Pusztai. Geopolitics of the War in Ukraine [Report] // Foreign Affairs Institute, 2022. - p. 07-26, 32-40, 55-66. 3. Y. Hrytsak. Ukraine will become a new Central European tiger [interview] // Ukrainian Jewish Encounter, 2022. 4. T. Snyder. The War in Ukraine Is a Colonial War [article] // The New Yorker, 2022. Non-mandatory reading: 1. S.Smith &co. War in Ukraine lives and livelihoods lost and disrupted // McKinsey Quarterly, 2022. 2. O.White. War in Ukraine: Twelve disruptions changing the world // McKinsey Report, 2022. Session 13. Democracy as a Gift? How to Get Ukraine on the Right Track Reading: 1. Nations in Transit. 2023. Ukraine [Freedom House Report] All texts will be provided. |
| Comments | 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. |
| Admission requirements | 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. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|
No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Modul: Regionaler Fokus B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Vertiefung Politikwissenschaft B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | 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. 2 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 comment 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. Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and ghostwriting are strictly forbidden. To ensure that these rules are not violated, students will upload all written work via the Plagiarism software (Turnitin) on ADAM. Instances of ghostwriting and plagiarism will be instantly communicated to the University administration, which will make the final decision on the case. Possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) receiving the grade 1 (fail) to the assignment; (2) receiving the final grade 1 (fail) for the course; (3) receiving an official warning from the faculty; (4) being suspended for one semester from studying at the faculty. The usage of AI must be documented but is allowed. Please fact-check your AI generated texts since it tends to generate wrong facts and references. The lowest passing grade – 60%. *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. |
| 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 |