Political Theory and Practice of Neoliberalism - JPB553

• Title: Political Theory and Practice of Neoliberalism
• Guaranteed by: Department of Political Science (23-KP)
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Actual: from 2023
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:1/1, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unlimited / unlimited (20)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment; priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
• Guarantor: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D.
• Teacher(s): Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D.
• Class: Courses not for incoming students

Annotation

Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (29.09.2021)

This course offers a critical perspective on the theoretical foundations and political practice of neoliberalism, which represents not only a school of economic thought, but also, and more importantly, a distinct political ideology, or political rationality, which has significantly influenced the development of Western democracies and broader world in the post-Cold War period. In this course, we will examine the following questions: What are the theoretical foundations of neoliberalism? How does the political practice of neoliberalism affect the functioning of democratic politics as well as our understanding of democracy? How did the quarter of a century long neoliberal hegemony prepare the ground for the current rise of right-wing populism across Europe and beyond?

Aim of the course

Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (29.09.2021)

Aims and purpose

The primary aims of this course are to make students familiar with the theoretical foundations of neoliberalism, its history as well as various critical reflections of its political practice in the context of democratic politics. Moreover, participation in the seminar should improve the students’ analytical and argumentative skills. 

Course completion requirements

Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (02.10.2023)

Assignments

All students are required to attend the classes and actively participate in the discussion. Each student will be required to write one short (5 pages/1250 words long) paper related to one of the weekly topics. These papers will be due two days before the class meeting devoted to the given topic. The students must be prepared to present their argument in class and/or answer the questions of the instructor and other students. NB: The short papers will be shared with all participants of the seminar.

Each student will also be required to write a 10-15 page / 2500-3750 words long term paper. Nonetheless, each student must first submit a 2-4 pages / 500-1000 words long thesis statement that should present the research question, outline the main argument of the research paper and present a preliminary list of bibliography.

 

 

 

Relative weight of individual assignments

Participation:    :           15%

Short paper:                  30%

Term paper:                  55%

COURSE GRADE:     100%

  

Grading scale

The Faculty of Social Sciences uses the following A-F grading scale:

A (excellent)                 = 91-100%

B (very good)               = 81-90%

C (good)                       = 71-80%

D (satisfactory)             = 61-70%

E (sufficient)                 = 51-60%

F (fail)                          =  0-50 %

Literature

Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (29.09.2021)

Literature

NB: All assigned texts will be available through the Moodle e-learning system. Additional texts may be assigned during the semester.

All students must register into this course in the Moodle during the first week of classes.

 

A. Barry, T. Osborne, R. Rose: Foucault and Political Reason.

W. Brown: “American Nightmare”.

W. Brown: Undoing the Demos.

G. Burchell et. al.: The Foucault Effect.

C. Crouch: Post-Democracy.

T. Frank: What’s the Matter with Kansas?

M. Foucault: The Birth of Biopolitics.

M. Foucault: “Governmentality”.

F. Fukuyama: “The End of History?”.

F. Fukuyama: “The Future of History”.

J. Gray: “F. A. Hayek on Liberty and Tradition”.

D. Harvey: A Brief History of Neoliberalism.

D. Harvey: The New Imperialism.

D. Harvey: “Neoliberalism as Creative Destruction”.

F. von Hayek: The Road to Serfdom.

F. von Hayek: Law, Legislation and Liberty.

F. von Hayek: “Why I am not a Conservative.”

W. Larner: “Neo-liberalism: Policy, ideology, governmentality”.

T. Lemke: “Foucault, Governmentality and Critique”

T. Judt: Ill Fares the Land.

T. Judt: “What is Living and What is Dead in Social Democracy”.

N. Klein: The Shock Doctrine.

J. Stiglitz: “Globalism's Discontents”.

Syllabus

Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (14.02.2023)

Course schedule

NB: For a more detailed description of the class topic and assigned reading, please see the course page on Moodle.

 

Week 1: Introduction: Course overview. What is neoliberalism?

Week 2: A brief history of neoliberalism.

Week 3: Intellectual roots of neoliberalism I: Freedom or socialism?

Week 4: Intellectual Roots of Neoliberalism II: Hayek's critique of mass democracy; Liberal versus conservative aspects of Hayek's thought.

Week 5: Marxist Critique of Neoliberalism I: Neoliberalism and Class Power.

Week 6: Marxist Critique of Neoliberalism II: Neoliberalism and Imperial Power.

Week 7: Michel Foucault’s Critique of Neoliberalism (i).

Week 8: Michel Foucault’s Critique of Neoliberalism (ii).

Week 9: Neoliberal governmentality and democracy (i).

Week 10: Neoliberal governmentality and democracy (ii).

Week 11: Neoliberalism and neoconservatism.

Week 12: Neoliberal hegemony and the current rise of right-wing populism.