POLITICS ON THE MOVE – SPRING 2011

The course explores theoretical and methodological perspectives to politics, local and global forms of social movements, civic activism, and participation. Perspectives are illustrated by results of the ongoing case studies conducted in Finland and elsewhere by the instructors.

ETS CREDITS: 4 or 8 credits

4 credits: An essay of a topic of a lecture of your choosing. The essay should, first, shortly reproduce the main points of the lecture (50% of the final grade of the essay), and second and more importantly, provide your own critical reflections about the themes discussed (50% of the final grade). For this purpose you should also use complementary material on the themes, not discussed in class, to broaden the treatment of the subject.

To that material you should refer following scholarly reference practices, e.g., (Tilly 1987); at the end of the essay you should give the detailed bibliographical information. The first line of the essay must contain your complete name and your student number. Your essay must have a title, and be at least 10 double-spaced typewritten pages long but not exceed 14 pages. Send the essay as an e-mail attachment (virus-scanned Word 2007 file) to docent Markku Lonkila (markku.lonkila[ata]helsinki.fi) not later than May 5, at 16.00. Essays arriving later will not be evaluated without a preceding permission by e-mail from Markku Lonkila

8 credits: An essay (see above) and an exam that will cover the required readings (the reading list is given below). Note: You must attend at minimum 11 out of the 13 class meetings. In case of an absolute necessity for a non-attendance more than twice, you have to ask permission by e-mail from Markku Lonkila. Note also that the course cannot be completed by taking the exam only.

PREREGISTRATION (OBLIGATORY):

In Web Oodi between 1.11.2010 - 27.1.2010

TIME AND LOCATION:

Time: 20.1.2011 - 5.5.2011, Thursdays at 12-14. Note: there is no lecture on 10.2, 10.3. (intermission) and 21.4. (Easter break)

Location: Metsätalo, Unioninkatu 40, lecture hall 2 (2nd floor).

COMPENSATIONS:

Fields of Specialization in Sociology I, Unit 75433 (Research on Social Structure, Social Conflicts and Inequality), or

Fields of Specialization in Sociology II, Unit 75833 (Research on Social Structure, Social Conflicts and Inequality), or

Post Graduate Studies in Sociology

SCHEDULE:

Click on the lecture titles to download presentations (links to be added)

20.01. Course introduction.

27.01. Laura Lyytikäinen: Youth civic activism and protest movements in Moscow

03.02. Marjo Kolehmainen: Approaches to political humour and citizenship

17.02. Sampo Villanen: Demonstration dynamics in Helsinki and Berlin

24.02. Samu Lindström: The public debate concerning the gatecrasher movement.

03.03. Sofia Laine: Young people's political participation in transnational political meetings, PART 1. PART 2.

10.03. INTERMISSION

17.03. Mika Rönkkö: Associations and public space in Brazil

24.03. Markku Lonkila: Social network sites and civic activism

31.03. Eeva Luhtakallio and Tuomas Ylä-Anttila: Public Justifications Analysis

07.04. Markku Lonkila: The role of Facebook and Vkontakte for urban protest in Helsinki and St. Petersburg

14.04. Veikko Eranti: Not In My Backyard! (NOTE: DATE HAS CHANGED)

21.04. EASTER BREAK

28.04. Suvi Salmenniemi: Researching activism in Russia: notes on power and paradigms

05.05. EXAM & DEADLINE FOR ESSAYS

12.05. -

19.05. REPEAT EXAM

READINGS:

Readings are available for copying in the course folder at the University Library for Social Sciences, ask at the counter. Papers marked with an asterisk are also available through the university library´s e-journal collection.

• *Alapuro, Risto. 2005. “Associations and Contention in France and Finland: Constructing the Society and Describing the Society”. Scandinavian Political Studies 28, 377-399.
• della Porta, Donatella & Mario Diani. 2006. “The study of social movements: recurring questions, (partially) changing answers” In della Porta & Diani: Social Movements. An Introduction. Malden, Oxford & Carlton: Blackwell Publishing, 1-31.
• *Fung, Archon. 2003. “Associations and Democracy: Between Theories, Hopes, and Realities”. Annual Review of Sociology 29, 515-539.
• *Marx Ferree, Myra, William Gamson, Jürgen Gerhards & Dieter Rucht. 2002. “Four models of the Public Sphere in Modern Democracies.” Theory and Society 31: 289-324.
• *Merry, Sally Engle. 2006. “Transnational Human Rights and Local Activism: Mapping the Middle. American Anthropologist 108 (1), 38-51.
• *Salmenniemi, Suvi. 2005. “Civic Activity - Feminine Activity? Gender, Civil Society and Citizenship in Post-Soviet Russia”. Sociology 39, 735-753.
• Thévenot, Laurent, Michael Moody and Claudette Lafaye. 2000. “Forms of Valuing Nature: Arguments and Models of Justification in French and American Environmental Disputes”, in Michèle Lamont and Laurent Thévenot (eds), Rethinking Comparative Cultural Sociology: Repertoires of Evaluation in France and the United States. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 229-272.