Borders, barriers and protest culture

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Subtitle: 
The new politics of social movements in Central and Eastern Europe

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Borders, Barriers and Protest Culture. The New Politics of Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe. Borders, Barriers and Protest Culture. The New Politics of Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe. Borders, Barriers and Protest Culture. The New Politics of Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe. Borders, Barriers and Protest Culture. The New Politics of Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe. Borders, Barriers and Protest Culture. The New Politics of Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe. Borders, Barriers and Protest Culture. The New Politics of Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe. Borders, Barriers and Protest Culture. The New Politics of Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe.

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The course aims to examine comparatively, through the analysis of cultural variables, the social conflicts and the international political disputes around major protest movements, taking as a point of departure specific cases in Central and Eastern Europe. The focus will be on the ideological clashes or identity dilemmas that are defining the political boundaries and barriers between social groups in the region. General objectives of the course • To encourage the students to use conceptual tools derived from cultural theory and discourse analysis in order to better understand the changes in European politics since the first years of the economic recession until now (2008-2016) • To construct an interdisciplinary framework where the theories and methods of cultural anthropology, social history, and cultural studies complement the traditional institutionalist approaches, thus making the students more sensitive to the diversity of social groups, cultures and counter-cultures that come into contact in the broader context of globalization • To raise the interest in studying and communicating the social memory of peripheral communities from Central and Eastern Europe Particular objectives of the course • To improve the ability to deal critically with political discourse by simultaneously considering national and local sensibilities, social inequality and the effects of globalization • To approach in a particular way, by observing artistic practices, protest statements or the media discourse the “cultural wars” that accompany political decisions at national and international level, the xenophobic or nationalist reactions generated by migration, as well as various forms of social conflict • To critically analyze the public discourse promoted by the supporters of various social movements, paying particular attention to the ways in which it is confronted or diverted by the dominant political actors
Indicative reading: 
Gherasim-Proca, Ovidiu (ed.), Borders, Barriers and Protest Culture, Editura Universității "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" din Iași, 2018. Open Access publication available here: https://www.fssp.uaic.ro/departamente/stiinte-politice-relatii-internationale-si-studii-europene/publicatii-cu-acces-deschis
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