Entry requirements

90 credits in Political Science (A+B+C) or equivalent and 30 credits in Social Science, or 90 credits in Social and Political Studies (A+B+C) and 60 credits in Political Science. Proof of skills in Swedish to a level corresponding to Swedish B in the Swedish secondary school. Proof of skills in English to a level corresponding to English B in the Swedish secondary school. Master's students within the Social Science Faculty are prioritised. Students within the Master Programme in Politics and International Studies, the Master Programme in Development Studies or the Master Programme in Political Science are required to have obtained at least 15 credits within the programme.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:

1. Understand, summarise and discuss different concepts, theories and characteristics of the state, and the challenges posed to them by new wars and migration
2. Know and evaluate different normative and empirical positions on the state in relation to new wars and migration
3. Analyse a particular normative or empirical problem in relation to the state and its challenges
4. Present and discuss scholarly work in the field with their peers

Content

The state is perhaps the most central concept in political science. But what is the state? While the state serves as a background condition to numerous discussions in political science, it is seldom examined as a topic in its own right. This course focuses on different theories of the state, and examines their limits and potentials in light of new political challenges, such as the changing character of war and the growing migration of people across territorial borders. The course consists of three parts. The first part focuses on the state itself, both in a historical and contemporary perspective. What is the state? What different theories are there about the state? Is it possible to move beyond the state? The subsequent two parts focus on two traditional characteristics of the modern state – its monopoly on violence and its claim to sovereignty – and asks if, and if so how, these characteristics are challenged by new wars and increasing migration between different countries. Questions to be addressed include: Who wages war against whom, and for whom is it done? When can one say that a particular state has failed in its capacity as a state? How can and should one combat aggressors that are neither states nor conform to the laws regulating war, such as terrorists? In what way do movements operating across borders, as well as the development of military technology such as drones, pose a threat to states and nations? Moreover, what is the connection between state sovereignty and migration? What does the increasing number of “illegal” migrants, “undeportable” asylum seekers and de facto stateless persons around the world tell us about sovereignty as the guiding principle in domestic and international politics? Does the attempt to protect these groups through what Hannah Arendt calls “the right to have rights” challenge or confirm the state as the guarantor of human dignity? Should the nature and task of the state be rethought in light of these new political challenges?

Instruction

The course consists of three parts dedicated to 1) different theories about the state 2) the challenge of migration, 3) the challenge of new wars. Each block consists of a combination of lectures and seminars. The teaching will mainly be based on seminars, which means that all participants are expected to take active part in seminar discussions. In addition, the course includes the writing of a short weekly paper and/or an oral presentation, as well as a final paper. At the end of the seminar blocks, one session will be dedicated to the final papers, in which all students will discuss a final paper of one of their fellows. The language of instruction is English.

Assessment

Examination is based upon participation in lectures and seminars, which are compulsory, and upon the assessment of a written seminar paper. The seminar paper should be 10-12 pages long, font 12, 1 ½ line. The following grades will be applied: passed with distinction (VG), passed (G) and failed (U). The course grade will reflect a combination of all requirements. For passing the course all students are required to participate actively at seminars and hand in all assignments. The course paper will be decisive for the final grade. However, all contributions made during the course will be taken into account.

When assessing the students’ performance of the final paper, the most important criteria for grading are: 1) relating the normative or empirical problem to the positions in the literature, 2) independent and critical analysis, 3) the design, structure and clarity of the analysis. A typical VG does not only include a correct and thorough presentation and reflection on the relevant literature, but also includes an independent and advanced analysis of a chosen topic. A straightforward design where a research question guides the entire essay and is consistently and critically assessed in relation to the course literature is also a typical feature of a VG paper.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.