The aim of this course is to allow students to acquire:
- Knowledge of the origins, development and effect of institutions on a specific historical theme at an advanced level
- The ability to analyze the origins, development and effect of these institutions by applying appropriate theories, concepts and methods
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This course shall provide students with a critical and historical perspective on the concept and evolvement of ‘civil society’, which is often thought of as the 'ham in the sandwich' between the private sphere and the state. The aim of this course is to discuss historical formations and transformations of ‘civil society’, particularly in Europe over the 19th and 20th century, and to explore some closely related social and political categories (such as public sphere and counter public-sphere; nationalism, liberalism and democracy; middle class and Bürgertum, social movements and participation).
After discussing possible definitions and limitations of ‘civil society’ we will study its supposedly modern and western origins, and the ways historians and social scientists have historicized transformations of civil society over time. The course concludes with a contemporary and global perspective: to what extent are civil society organisations still relevant in today’s global, urban and digital societies, and how does civil society differ to its past appearances?
Career orientation: Writing a newspaper article for a general audience is part of the course. Students thus hone their skills in forming and expressing a well-founded opinion and in communicating research results to non-specialists.
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