16085
Advanced seminar
WiSe 22/23: An Anatomy of Democratization: With Particular Reference to China and Extensive Discussion of Elias and Habermas
Stefan Gosepath
Information for students
Das Hauptseminar wird in Zusammenarbeit mit em. Prof. Jiwei CI (University of Hong Kong, Gastprofessor, FU Berlin) gehalten.
Comments
The object of this course is democratization rather than democracy. Democratization is a complex and messy process yet some essential elements can be identified with a view to general, theoretical exploration and application to particular cases. We are going to discuss three such elements: spillover, equalization, and valorization. Spillover, as applied to democratization, is the idea that if and when a state has acquired the features of a more or less democratic society, this will generate a strong momentum toward the development of a political regime befitting the nature of the new society. Equalization is the idea that such a democratic society tends, in the first instance, to come about behind the backs of human agents, via the equalizing effects of growing division of labor and increasing functional differentiation. Valorization is the idea that de facto equalization will not suffice for full-fledged democratization unless it is consciously affirmed and promoted (as part of, or prelude to, struggles for democratization). We will address each of these moments and will attempt to organize them into a coherent, materialist account of democratization that attends equally to will and chance. We will draw extensively on Norbert Elias and Jürgen Habermas, taking care to identify their respective blind spots and to combine their respective insights. Although we are chiefly engaged in general, theoretical exploration, we will give special attention to China both for illustrative purposes and in its own right. close
16 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Tue, 2022-10-18 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-10-25 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-01 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-08 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-15 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-22 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-11-29 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-12-06 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2022-12-13 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-03 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-10 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-17 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-24 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-01-31 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-02-07 10:00 - 12:00
Tue, 2023-02-14 10:00 - 12:00