Hofstra University Department of Political Science
European Politics: PSC 132 (WI)
Fall 2024
MW: 2:40-4:05
Location: Brower 201
Dr. Carolyn M. Dudek
Phone: 463-5621
Carolyn.M.Dudek@hofstra.edu
office hours: M/W10:00-11:00; or by appointment
Course Description:
Europe in the 21st century has been a continent in crisis. The euro and sovereign debt crisis (2008), the migrant crisis (2015), terrorism, Brexit (2016), the continued rise of the far right and far left, illiberal democracies, covid (2020) and war in Ukraine have reshaped the politics of the continent. New political parties and movements have formed, as well as the continuation of older parties and political forces in Europe. Moreover, the European Union has forever re-shaped how states function in Europe and Europe’s global presence.
The purpose of this course is to examine not only the contemporary changes, challenges and current events of Europe, but also to obtain a better understanding of how the politics of Europe have been reshaped. We will examine in greater depth the political history and contemporary politics of several European countries as well as how crises, and issues of the day, have shaped the political landscape. We will examine several countries across Europe to demonstrate the differences and similarities across the continent, as well as political changes that have occurred within European countries. We will also discuss the European Union, since it is an integral part of the changing nature of Europe.
Required Texts:
Kubicek, Paul, European Politics 3rd edition, Routledge Press, 2021.
Daily reading:
Politico – Europe. Daily reading. https://www.politico.eu/
Students should read The New York Times regularly. The New York Times online is free to Hofstra Students
BBC https://www.bbc.com/
Additional resources can be found at: “Staying Current on the EU” at https://ieuss.buffalostate.edu/staying-current-eu
Additional readings for the course will be posted on Canvas.
Laptop Requirement:
Students must have a laptop to take exams. Students may use a computer to take notes but are not allowed to be on social media or surfing the web during class. Classes are not to be recorded or posted on social media. Students who do not utilize their laptops according to class rules will be banned from bringing their laptop until there is an exam.
Course Evaluation:
Midterm
Writing Workshop Assignments: Total: 20% (5% each)
Annotated Bibliography
Thesis Statement
New Thesis and Outline
First Draft (5 pages)
Research Paper (10 pages): 25%
Current Events Presentation: 10%
Participation/Attendance: 10%
***Students must complete all assignments in order to pass the course.***
Attendance Policy: Students should email the professor to explain any absences. More than 3 unexcused absences will result in a zero-participation grade. Excused absences are only allowed for medical reasons (ie illness or quarantine) or special circumstances. If you are ill, please contact the professor in the morning to attend class remotely if able. Remote access to class will not be offered on a regular basis.
Grades
93%-100%: A
89%-92%: A-
86%-88%: B+
84%-85%: B
80%-83%: B77-79%: C+
74-76%: C
70-73%: C-
67-69%: D+
65-66%%: D
Below 65%: F
Course Outline:
Introduction: September 4-9: Topical Issues from Summer 2023
Readings on Canvas:
EU Parliament Elections:
Lynch, Suzanne, “Europe Lurches Right,” POLITICO, June 10, 2024 https://www.politico.com/newsletters/global-playbook/2024/06/10/europe-lurches-right00162465
The Economist, “Beyond France, the European elections will deliver more of the same.” June 13, 2024 (PDF)
UK Elections
Mackenzie, Lucia and Cokelaere, Hanne “How Britain voted: Charts and maps”, https://www.politico.eu/article/united-kingdom-general-election-maps-results-chartsseats-how-britain-voted/, POLITICO, July 06, 2024
French Elections
Guerout, Carine and Moyer, Jason C, “French Parliamentary Elections 2024: Macron Faces Reality Check and Limits to His Vision” https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/french-parliamentary-elections-2024-macron-facesreality-check-and-limits-his-vision, The Wilson Center, July 8, 2024.
The Economist, “Who will control the National Assembly?”, last updated August 26, 2024 (PDF)
German elections
Angelos, James, “Is Germany’s rising superstar so far left she’s far right?”, POLITICO, August 26, 2024
https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-superstar-sahra-wagenknecht-far-left-far-right/
Topic 1: September 11th: Historical Overview: What is Europe?
Reading: Kubicek, Chapter 1
Topic 2: September 16-25: General Trends and Concepts in European Politics
Reading: Kubicek, Chapter 2
*September 23rd: Special Event: Meet in Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater for Presidential Symposium, “Global Perspectives on the 2024 US Presidential Election”
Panelists:
Profs. Simon Doubleday; Carolyn Dudek; Takashi Kanatsu; Benita Sampedro Vizcaya; Conrad Herold
https://www.hofstra.edu/president/presidential-symposium-2024.html
Wednesday, September 25th: Library Overview During Class TimeBring a Laptop
Topic 3: The European Union: September 30th-October 2
Reading: Chapter 3
Topic 4: October 9th: Past and Present Reflections: The Holocaust, Immigration and WWII narratives
Wednesday, October 9th: Online asynchronous assignment in lieu of class
“A Kind of Permanent Battle” NPR on the Media, Anne Applebaum, August 7, 2020
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/episodes/on-the-media-a-kind-ofpermanent-battle
A Conversation with Anna Holtzman, Holocaust survivor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHdiRpaOIoU
Friday, October 11-Annotated Bibliography Due
Topic 4: October 18-25th: Parliamentary Politics, Executives and Political Parties
Reading: Chapter 4, 5, 7
Friday, October 18th: Thesis Statement
MIDTERM EXAM-Wednesday, October 30th ****
Friday, November 1: Revised Thesis and Outline
Topic 5: November 4-13: Populism and the Rise of the Far Right Readings on CANVAS:
Far Right Parties: “Europe and right-wing nationalism: A country-by-country guide”, May 24, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36130006
Adler, Katya, “Far-right parties on the rise across Europe.” June 30, 2023 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66056375
Illiberalism and Populism
View Videos:
Michael Ignatieff on the Challenge of Illiberal Democracy and Capitalist
Authoritarianism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU5RujpqJcI
Michael Ignatieff: Liberal vs. Illiberal Democracies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b62rK4WthE
Read Articles:
Zakaria, Fareed. “The Rise of Illiberal Democracy.” Foreign Affairs, vol. 76, no. 6, 1997, pp. 22–43. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/20048274.
Mudde, Cas “Populism in the Twenty-First Century: An Illiberal Democratic Response to Undemocratic Liberalism”, The Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. https://amc.sas.upenn.edu/cas-mudde-populism-twentyfirst-century
Prentoulis, Marina. “The Politics of Left Populism after the Global Financial Crisis.” In Left Populism in Europe: Lessons from Jeremy Corbin to Podemos, Pluto Press, 2021.
Topic 6: November 18-25: Judicial Politics, Regionalism: Brexit and Catalan Separatists
Reading: Chapter 6
Friday, November 15: 1st Draft-5 pages
Topic 7: December 2-9: Immigration
Reading: Chapter 10 Monday, December 9: Term Papers Due
Final Exam: Monday, December 16, 1:30-3:30
Summary of Assignment Due Dates
Wednesday, September 25th Library Visit During Class Time
Monday, October 11th: Annotated Bibliography Due
Friday, October 18th: Thesis Statement Due
Wednesday, October 30th: Midterm Exam
Friday, November 1st: Revised Thesis Statement and Outline Due
Friday, November 15th: 1st Draft Due
Monday, December 9th: Term Papers Due
Monday, December 16th: Final Exam 1:30-3:30
Professor’s Class Policy:
Students are required to attend class sessions and to actively participate in class. You are responsible for all readings listed in the syllabus or announced during class sessions or posted on Canvas. This means that students are responsible for material in texts even if they is not discussed in class. Likewise, students are responsible for material covered in class that is not in the text(s).
Promptness is important. Please keep late entrances and early exits to a minimum, it is deemed impolite to walk in and out of class during lectures or discussion.
Cell Phone Policy: cell phones should not be out. Mobile phones are a distraction from you learning the material. So “disconnect” while you are in class. If you are caught using your mobile phone during class for non-class purposes you will be asked to put it away. The 2nd time will result in a 5% final grade reduction
Computer Etiquette: Your computers should be used to take notes and look up information when appropriate. Students should not be surfing the internet or using social media. Taping of classes and posting on social media is prohibited. Students who do not utilize their laptops according to class rules will be banned from bringing their laptop until there is an exam.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is required for the course. Three absences without a rationale, will result in a zero participation grade. Chronic lateness, sleeping, making no attempt to answer direct questions, showing disrespect to the instructor or fellow students and/or creating any disturbances in class will result in a zero grade for class participation, and could, under certain circumstances, warrant further disciplinary action.
Ethics: Students will be held accountable to standards of ethical academic behavior. Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. Please be advised that I check for plagiarized papers. Whatever you submit should be in your own words. Direct copying of a text, or even changing a few words here and there, constitute plagiarism. Be sure to cite all sources that you use, not just for direct quotations but also for ideas, facts, and “borrowed” ideas.
I have the right to ask for rough drafts and notes used to write papers if I suspect plagiarism. If a student is unable to produce such information the student will be reported for plagiarism and will be dealt with according to Hofstra University standards.
Purchasing of papers will not be tolerated. Be advised that such activity is easily detectable and is not acceptable. Buying papers is unethical and also considered plagiarism.
Any student who plagiarizes will automatically receive a zero for the assignment and will be reported to the Office of the Provost for further disciplinary actions.
Exams: Make-up exams will not be scheduled unless a reasonable excuse is provided. Anyone caught cheating during an examination will be reported to the Provost in accordance with university procedures and will result in failure of the exam and/or course. Students are required to bring a laptop with appropriate software installed in order to take exams.
Essays: Papers are to be submitted via Canvas/Turnitin on the specified due date. Late papers will be penalized a half letter grade per day that I do not receive it, weekends are included in the counting of days. No papers will be accepted five days after the due date. Only email papers if you encounter issues with Turnitin/Canvas. The date stamp on Turnitin/Canvas will be considered the date it was received.
Seeking Help: Students are highly recommended to utilize my office hours. It is particularly important to talk to me if you are having problems following lectures, coping with the texts or having difficulty with an assignment. I would suggest starting assignments early since the due date is too late to bring problems to my attention. I am more than happy to help you understand material or to discuss other academic related concerns. Any problems not brought to my attention will not be considered as an excuse for poor performance.
Provost Office:
Academic Integrity:
Hofstra University places high value upon educating students about academic integrity. At the same time, the University will not tolerate dishonesty, and it will not offer the privileges of the community to the repeat offender. The academic community assumes that work of any kind--whether a research paper, a critical essay, a homework assignment, a test or quiz, a computer program, or a creative assignment in any medium-is done, entirely and without unauthorized assistance, by the individual(s) whose name(s) it bears. Students bear the ultimate responsibility for implementing the principles of academic integrity. For more information, please visit hofstra.edu/fps/11.html.
Use of AI tools prohibited. You may not use AI or ML tools, such as ChatGPT or Dall-E, or other similar tools on assignments, discussions, exams, and presentations in this course. You are expected to complete each assignment without assistance from others, including AI/ML automated tools. The use of ChatGPT or similar AI tools for work submitted in this course constitutes the receiving of “unauthorized assistance for academic work” and is a violation of the Hofstra University Honor Code. Click here for a definition of AI or ML.
About the Honor Code and Academic Dishonesty. In the spring of 2012, the University community affirmed a new expression of commitment by instituting the Hofstra University Honor Code. The Honor Code is a statement of shared values.
Hofstra University Honor Code: “As a member of the Hofstra community I pledge to demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior in all aspects of my life, both inside and out of the classroom. I understand that I am accountable for everything I say and write. I will not misrepresent my academic work, nor will I give or receive unauthorized assistance for academic work. I agree to respect the rights of all members of the Hofstra community. I will be guided by the values expressed in the P.R.I.D.E Values. I accept the responsibility to follow this Honor Code at all times.”
Honor Code Short Form: “I pledge on my honor that I have done this work with honesty and integrity, without giving or receiving unauthorized assistance.”
Turnitin for Textual Similarity Review: “Students agree that by taking this course all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Usage Policy stated in the Turnitin.com site.”
Academic Dishonesty: Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are serious ethical and professional infractions. For information regarding academic integrity, examples of violations, procedures for handling violations, as well as a student’s right to appeal a charge, see Faculty Policy Series #11 or Faculty Policy Series #11G.
Disability Accommodations:
Students who need accommodations for a disability should contact Student Access Services (SAS). In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, qualified individuals with disabilities will not be discriminated against in programs, or services available at Hofstra University. Individuals with disabilities are entitled to accommodations designed to facilitate full access to all programs and services. SAS is responsible for coordinating disability-related accommodations and will provide students with documented disabilities accommodation letters, as appropriate.
Please note that accommodations may require early planning and are not retroactive; contact SAS as soon as possible. All students are responsible for providing accommodation letters to each instructor and for discussing with the instructor the specific accommodations needed and how they can be best implemented in each course. For more information on services provided by the University and for submission of documentation, please contact Student Access Services, Room 107 Mack Student Center, SAS@hofstra.edu, 516-463-7075.
Additional Syllabus information can be found here:
https://www.hofstra.edu/provost/course-syllabi-information.html