SPS521 Social Movements, Democracy, and Cultural Identity
SPS521 Social Movements, Democracy, and Cultural Identity
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Political Science and International Relations
Mustafa Krupalija
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The course objective is to introduce key theoretical perspectives on democracy and social movements, focusing on their core principles and differences. It examines the historical, institutional, and cultural contexts shaping these theories and explores the challenges of democratic governance, using theoretical models to analyze social movements. The course engages with scholarly literature to explore the relationship between democracy, social movements, and broader theoretical debates. It also investigates the role of cultural identity in shaping social movements' objectives, strategies, and impact. Finally, the course develops critical thinking and academic writing skills through discussions and assignments on democracy, social movements, and identity politics.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Donatella della Porta, Mario Diani, Social Movements: An Introduction, John Wiley & Sons, 2009 David S. Meyer, Nancy Whittier, Belinda Robnett (Eds.) Social Movements: Identity, Culture, and the State, Oxford University Press, 2002
Additional Literature
Christian Welzel, Freedom Rising: Human Empowerment and the Quest for Emancipation, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, 2014Teaching Methods
Lecturing
Student presentations
Quiz
Class simulation and discussions
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Introduction | |
| 2 | Introduction to Social Movements: Concepts and Approaches | della Porta & Diani (2006) |
| 3 | Social Change and the Emergence of Social Movements | della Porta & Diani (2006), Welzel (2013) |
| 4 | Culture and the Symbolic Dimension of Collective Action | della Porta & Diani (2006), Meyer et al. (2002) |
| 5 | Collective Identity and Social Movements | della Porta & Diani (2006), Meyer et al. (2002) |
| 6 | Individual Participation and Social Networks | della Porta & Diani (2006) |
| 7 | Strategies, Repertoires, and Cycles of Protest | della Porta & Diani (2006) |
| 8 | MIDTERM WEEK | |
| 9 | Political Opportunities and State Responses | della Porta & Diani (2006), Meyer et al. (2002) |
| 10 | Collective Action and Civic Engagement | Welzel (2013), della Porta & Diani (2006) |
| 11 | Religion, Culture, and Social Movements | Meyer et al. (2002) |
| 12 | Internal Dynamics: Factions, Ideology, and Identity Formation | Meyer et al. (2002) |
| 13 | Global Trends in Social Movements and Democratization | Welzel (2013), della Porta & Diani (2006) |
| 14 | Contemporary Challenges and the Future of Social Movements | Welzel (2013), Meyer et al. (2002) |
| 15 | Review and Discussion |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F1.9 | |
| Friday | 13:00 - 14:00 | A F1.9 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5 6
Midterm exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Active participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Midterm exam
20 hours ⏳ (4 week × 5 h)
Presentation
10 hours ⏳ (5 week × 2 h)
Final exam
30 hours ⏳ (5 week × 6 h)
Individual learning
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [SPS521] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS521 | Social Movements, Democracy, and Cultural Identity | 3 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Mustafa Krupalija | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 12:00-15:00 Friday: 13:00-14:00 |
|||||||
| mkrupalija@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The course objective is to introduce key theoretical perspectives on democracy and social movements, focusing on their core principles and differences. It examines the historical, institutional, and cultural contexts shaping these theories and explores the challenges of democratic governance, using theoretical models to analyze social movements. The course engages with scholarly literature to explore the relationship between democracy, social movements, and broader theoretical debates. It also investigates the role of cultural identity in shaping social movements' objectives, strategies, and impact. Finally, the course develops critical thinking and academic writing skills through discussions and assignments on democracy, social movements, and identity politics. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Donatella della Porta, Mario Diani, Social Movements: An Introduction, John Wiley & Sons, 2009 David S. Meyer, Nancy Whittier, Belinda Robnett (Eds.) Social Movements: Identity, Culture, and the State, Oxford University Press, 2002 | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
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| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Lecturing, student presentations, quiz, class simulation and discussions | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course Introduction | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Introduction to Social Movements: Concepts and Approaches | della Porta & Diani (2006) | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Social Change and the Emergence of Social Movements | della Porta & Diani (2006), Welzel (2013) | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Culture and the Symbolic Dimension of Collective Action | della Porta & Diani (2006), Meyer et al. (2002) | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Collective Identity and Social Movements | della Porta & Diani (2006), Meyer et al. (2002) | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Individual Participation and Social Networks | della Porta & Diani (2006) | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Strategies, Repertoires, and Cycles of Protest | della Porta & Diani (2006) | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM WEEK | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Political Opportunities and State Responses | della Porta & Diani (2006), Meyer et al. (2002) | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Collective Action and Civic Engagement | Welzel (2013), della Porta & Diani (2006) | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Religion, Culture, and Social Movements | Meyer et al. (2002) | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Internal Dynamics: Factions, Ideology, and Identity Formation | Meyer et al. (2002) | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Global Trends in Social Movements and Democratization | Welzel (2013), della Porta & Diani (2006) | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Contemporary Challenges and the Future of Social Movements | Welzel (2013), Meyer et al. (2002) | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Review and Discussion | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Active participation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 1 | 10 | 1,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Midterm exam | 5 | 4 | 20 | |||
| Presentation | 2 | 5 | 10 | Final exam | 6 | 5 | 30 | |||
| Individual learning | 3 | 15 | 45 | 0 | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| 0 | 0 | |||||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 31/03/2026 | |||||||||