Democracy and Civil Movements

This course explores the relationship between democracy and civil movements from historical, theoretical, and contemporary perspectives. It is structured into three interrelated modules. The first module introduces key concepts and theories of democracy, focusing on democratic institutions, norms, and recent global patterns of democratic backsliding. The second module examines the origins, structures, strategies, and typologies of civil movements, from grassroots mobilization to transnational networks. The final module investigates how civil movements defend or transform democracy in moments of crisis, whether through protest, resistance, advocacy, or alternative institutional formations. Students will analyze cases from around the world, integrating perspectives from political science, sociology, and critical theory.