DSPO 25A74 - Introduction to the sociology of radical left parties
This course offers an in-depth exploration of the sociology of radical left parties, analyzing their historical trajectory, the evolution of their organizational strategies, and their impact on the contemporary political landscape. We will examine how these often marginalized parties have managed to gain power in various socio-historical contexts, as well as the dynamics that led them to occupy dominant political positions, only to often return to more marginal roles.
Throughout the different sessions, we will address the social, organizational, and ideological foundations of the radical left, studying their relationships with protest movements as well as with extreme and moderate left, centrist, and right-wing political parties. The course will also cover the contemporary challenges faced by the radical left, including the environmental crisis and the management of national economies that are deeply integrated into international financial markets. By examining concrete examples of parties that gained power in the early 21st century in Europe and Latin America, the course will aim to understand the reasons for their rise, and, in many cases, their return to the margins of power.
Modestos SIOTOS
Séminaire
English
None. This course is open to undergraduate students from all fields of social sciences.
Spring 2024-2025
The evaluation of students will be based on participation, an oral presentation, and two written assignments (4-5 pages each).
- Participation (10%): Active participation in class discussions will be assessed, encouraging students to engage critically with the course material and their fellow students.
- Oral Presentation (30%): Students will prepare and deliver an oral presentation on a topic related to the themes of the course.
- First Written Assignment (30%) - (4-5 pages): In this assignment, students are required to focus on a specific political party and analyze it through a topic covered in class. Their paper should integrate theoretical concepts discussed during lectures with relevant empirical evidence.
- Second Written Assignment (30%) - (4-5 pages): For the second assignment, students may either build on their previous case study, deepening their analysis, or choose a comparative approach by examining a different political party in another national context.
- Roca Beltrán, Martín Díaz Emma, Díaz Ibán (eds), Challenging austerity: radical left and social movements in the south of Europe, London, Routledge, 2018.
- Florence Haegel, « Parties and Party Systems: making the French sociocultural approach matter », dans Robert Elgie, Emiliano Grossman, Amy G. Mazur (dir.), The Oxford Handbook of French Politics, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 373–393.
- Brandon Van Dyck, « The Paradox of Adversity: The Contrasting Fates of Latin America's New Left Parties », Comparative Politics, vol. 49, no. 2, 2017, pp. 169–89.
- David Swartz, Symbolic power, politics, and intellectuals: the political sociology of Pierre Bourdieu, Chicago, The University of Chicago press, 2013 (Chapter 3: Capitals and Fields of Power).