International Relations MA(SocSci)
Challenges to Democracy POLITIC4190
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Social and Political Sciences
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
- Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course focuses on why countries democratize, when democracy consolidates or backslides, and what drives these processes. It considers a variety of challenges to democracy at the national and international levels such as corruption, discontent, economic inequality, globalization, legitimacy, authoritarian contestation, technological change, polarisation or populism.
Timetable
Lecture: one hour per week, for 10 weeks
Tutorial: one hour per week, for 10 weeks
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
Essay, 2,000 words (50%)
Policy brief paper, 1,500 words (30%)
Book review, 1,000 words (20%)
Course Aims
The aims of this course are to introduce key concepts and theories in the study of democracy, to foster an understanding of broader processes such as democratisation, democratic consolidation and backsliding around the world, to develop analytical skills necessary to identify and scrutinize the contemporary challenges to democracy.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
• explain and demonstrate a critical awareness of democratic challenges;
• apply relevant concepts and theories to address current debates about democratic challenges;
• advance reasoned, critically aware, and factually supported arguments about democratic challenges;
• evaluate and formulate responses to domestic and international challenges to democracy.