DSPO 25A88 - Emergency Politics

From the 9/11 attacks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the “politics of emergency” have moved from the periphery to the center of governance. This course examines how the state of exception, no longer a rare response to crisis, became a recurring technique used to justify extraordinary measures, expand executive authority, and suspend normal legal and democratic processes. Students will examine how this logic operates across regimes, from liberal democracies to authoritarian states, and investigate its contrasting applications to current issues such as climate change or migration. Drawing upon political theories and comparative case studies, students will explore how emergency politics fundamentally transform political practice and challenge democratic norms.

None

The course will be based on three components: an individual presentation of a case study (50% of the final

grade); a written group essay (40%), and class participation, including preparation of the assigned

readings 10%