15023

Foundations in Political Inquiry: Democracy and the Politics of Solidarity

Rouven Symank

Comments

What keeps democracies resilient under pressure? Which forms of solidarity sustain—rather than corrode—democratic commitment? This seminar introduces core approaches in political science, anchored in political theory and complemented by comparative and qualitative methods. Each session pairs a methodological lens with a focused problem. Topics include membership and the boundaries of political community; the tension between difference and social solidarity in the nation state; trade-offs among social policies, individual freedom, and democratic equality; obligations within and across generations; and transnational solidarity (with particular attention to European governance). Students engage with major frameworks in democratic theory—liberal, republican, and deliberative—along with their critics, and develop skills in conceptual and comparative analysis, genealogical and historical inquiry, normative argumentation, and the use of empirical evidence in theory building. close

Additional appointments

Fri, 2025-10-17 10:00 - 13:30