DSPO 22A11 - Institutional and Political Challenges to Citizenship Empowerment in the EU

As demands for more inclusive and participatory democracy grow, this course explores how to pragmatically empower citizenship within the European public sphere. It examines existing institutions (e.g., parliament, the media, or interest groups), interactions between stakeholders, ongoing political and social phenomena, and innovative approaches to European democracy. Citizenship empowerment is shaped by major transitions such as climate change, demographic shifts, and digitalization. This course invites students to analyze these trends, evaluate their impact, and reflect on potential solutions. By taking a step back, you will gain the tools to think critically, structure your ideas, and explore and elaborate upon what is, what should be, and why.y.

The student must pass the following assignments: presentations (40%), a two-page paper (30%), and a final exam (30%). The class average since 2020 is 14.5/20. At the end of the course, the student is expected to demonstrate critical thinking, EU-related skills, and the ability to structure and nuance a point of view.