Teacher(s)

Klimis Emmanuel;

Language

English

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

Content

The students will familiarize with the institutional characteristics of the Belgian political system (federal system, regional system, representation of Belgium at the EU, …), the historical development of Belgian Institutions and the Belgian party system.  The students will also be able to apply theories of comparative politics to the Belgian case. Specific policy sectors will be presented. 

1. The world: other federations and federal States; other kingdoms and parliamentary monarchies; other bi- or multi-lingual States. 
2. An introduction to comparative politics.
3. The Belgian federal system, the institutional levels of the Belgian lasagna, and the institutional architecture of the country.
4. Electoral system, elections, government(s) formation and coalitions.
5. Political parties, social democracy, left and right ideology in Belgium, public opinion and pillars.
6. Political History of Belgium: a European crossroad; the Flemish question, the social question and the road to centrifugal federalism. 
7. A cultural perspective: linguistic and translation issues; teaching foreign languages in Belgium; religion and laicity. 
8. Belgium and the world: large ambitions for a small country (Belgium and the EU; Belgium and NATO; Belgium and the UN).

Teaching methods

Classes will be taught in person. Lessons will include presentations by students on the specificities of their own country, as compared to Belgium. 
A lot of different maps will be used to help visualize the various levels of the Belgian reality; other support documents will be used (e.g. a comparison of the Flemish- and French-speaking media coverage of remarkable facts and events). 
If possible, one or more sessions will be dedicated to actual tours in Brussels to see historical and/or institutional buildings and locations. 

Evaluation methods

Part of the note will be determined by ongoing evaluation along the different classes (oral presentations, reading press articles and writing comparative notes, presentation of Brussels buildings and locations, etc.); part of the note will be determined by the writing (and the subsequent oral presentation) of a report on a subject related to the student’s orientation, in a comparative perspective with their own country. The report will be realised by pairs of students. 
Due to the specific audience, the oral presentation for students who have to retake the exam might be organized remotely (visio conference), if authorised by the administration.
As this is an English-language course, the only language accepted for the final exam will also be English.
NB: Generative artificial intelligence (AI) must be used responsibly and in accordance with the practices of academic and scientific integrity. This implies that anyone using generative AIs in a way that is not consistent with their intended use is committing an irregularity within the meaning of art. 107 of the RGEE (non-personal production by the student as part of an assessment). Permitted uses of AI will be specified in class and on the course Moodle page. In all cases, those using generative AI will be required to make explicit mention of it in the terms and conditions communicated in this respect, and to keep an accessible verbatim record of the requests made to the AI and the responses given, as well as the date on which the exchange took place.

Faculty or entity

TIMB