In line with the goals and aims of EUTHPART, the undergraduate course PSIR 422 Comparative Democratic Practices introduces advanced topics in comparative politics, with a particular focus on the democratic practices in the European Union. We will address a number of important domains in comparative politics with particular attention to democracy and democratization in the EU. Whilst some of these topics stem from earlier discussions in the literature, particularly on the foundations of democracy, some other topics focus on recent events and changes that influenced democratic ideals across the globe.

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The course starts with basic definitions and conceptualizations and then moves on to the foundational debates of democracy and democratization. Among those debates are the economic and institutional foundations that function as the two main pillars of a healthy democratic regime. More important in this design are the differences between parliamentary and presidential systems which subject also applies to the ongoing debate in the case of Turkey. We will discuss both structural and sub-state level factors of democracy, with a specific interest in political participation and behavior that promote trust-building. That section entails a number of topics such as electoral processes, civil society, tolerance, perceived threat, and social mobilization tackled across different types of democratic environments. The course ends with a discussion of the contemporary challenges to democracy. Among those, we will pay attention to the surge in populism and conspiracy theory beliefs in Europe and beyond.

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Liberal democratic ideals are under challenge. Particularly in 2016, various political events, especially in democratically advanced countries, have challenged the understanding of liberal democracy. Across Europe, anti-EU and anti-immigrant parties have been gaining traction in the political system. From the Brexit vote in the UK to the Front National in France or AfD in Germany, almost every EU member country now faces the rise of far-right nationalist extremist leaders and parties. Trump Presidency in the polarized US was a significant addition to this tide of exclusive nationalist politics. In other developing states, such as Brazil, Hungary, and Poland, we have observed populist leaders turning to authoritarian measures to impose further limits on civil rights and democratic values. It is thus evident that several world leaders follow the same political rhetoric raising extremist views curtailing civil rights and freedoms, disregarding public opinion, limiting policies on minorities and immigrants, and pressuring opposition parties.

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Overall, this course will shed light on the foundations of liberal democratic behavior both at the elite and at the public level by comparative comparisons with an emphasis on Europe and contribute to the discussion of the future of democracy in association with the widening global inequalities. One important goal for the course will be to offer solutions to major global problems of today’s politics – such as the rise of populism, far-right extremism, and polarization – as we study and compare several countries at distinct levels including the electorate, political parties, and national institutions.

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The course uses the flipped classroom strategy which gives students greater control over their own learning. The foundational material, including instructor-recorded videos of lecture, readings and online quizzes will be provided to the students before the class. The online in-class time will be devoted to active learning activities.

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Students who successfully complete the course will be awarded:

• the right to participate in a joint workshop with non-governmental organizations at the end of the semester, which will allow them to interact with their peers and stakeholders while also learning EU democratic values through hands-on experience

• the right to take part in a three-day democratic participation simulation workshop at Yeditepe University

• a certificate of completion of the 5 ECTS course