STV4302B - Nationalism and Ethnic Politics
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
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Course content
What are nations, how are they formed and what is the relationship between ethnicity and the state? The course focuses on the phenomenon of nationalism and the expressions of ethnicity in the political sphere. It combines theoretical and empirical inputs from comparative political science as well as political sociology, but also draws on social anthropology, sociology and history to provide a comprehensive introduction into the issue. It tries to strike a balance between teaching theories and anchoring them in empirical “selected issues” – contemporary manifestations of ethnic politics and influence of nationalist ideologies on political life.
The students will learn about the major theories of nationalism and the emergence of nations, which will then be applied to two empirical cases: Norway and Central Europe (the Visegrád states). The second half of the course discusses contemporary points of interest in which ethnicity and nationalism act both as conflict generators and potential tools of conflict resolution. Topics covered include modern nationalist political parties, ethnic violence and civil war, ethnic minorities (with an emphasis on Eastern Europe) and immigration (with a focus on Western Europe).
Learning outcome
Knowledge
The students will:
- become familiar with the main theories of nationalism, including primordialism, modernism, ethnosymbolism and postmodern approaches
- learn about the historical background of “the age of nationalism”
- be encouraged to use the theories they have learned to the empirical cases of Norway and Central Europe
- learn about contemporary nationalist and right-wing populist political parties in Europe
- discover the differences and similarities between two manifestations of the issue of ethnic minorities: the question of irredentist and historical minorities in Eastern Europe (e.g. Ukraine, the Baltic States or Romania), as well as the problems of immigration and integration in Western Europe (e.g. France, Germany or Britain).
- learn about the most violent sides of ethnic conflict, civil war and genocide, with their political, ideological, social and cultural roots.
Skills
The students will:
- learn to think in terms of theory and to evaluate competing theoretical approaches.
- develop the ability to employ theories in empirical research .
- enhance their skills in oral presentations.
Competences
The students will:
- enhance their capability to think critically about nationalist ideologies and politics.
- acquire a good theoretical background in an important area of politics.
- inquire in depth into some of the most important of today’s debates that engage scholars and intellectuals across Europe and beyond.
Admission
Students admitted to other Master programmes may be qualified to apply for the course. Please see the webpage on Admission to single master's courses.
For incoming students: All Master's courses in Political Science must be registered manually by the Department, they will not appear in Studentweb. Contact your international coordinator at UiO.
Prerequisites
Recommended previous knowledge
Overlapping courses
STV4302B - Nasjon, stat, nasjonalisme
Teaching
Lectures and seminars.
The lectures are held intensively for a period of 5 weeks, with the exam in the sixth week. In addition there will be student presentations.
Examination
6 hour written examination.
You must also submit a practice or qualification assignment well ahead of the written examination; this assignment will receive a pass or fail grade.
The qualification assigment on this course is an oral presentation. Presence at the student presentations is compulsory in order to be able to stand for the exam.
Examination support material
Students may use dictionaries at this exam. Dictionaries must be handed in before the examination. Please read regulations for dictionaries permitted at the examination.
Language of examination
It is possible to submit your response in Norwegian or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
- Explanation of grades - deadline and processing time
- Appeal about grades
- Complaint about formal exam errors
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
If you wish to withdraw from the exam you must do so in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the deadline. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit the exam.
Special examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.