SPS606 Governance and Democracy
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Social and Political Sciences
Emel Topcu
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The primary objective of this doctoral course is to survey the major theoretical perspectives and issues studied in governance and democracy theories. The course will lead students to examine both important historical foundations and more recent theoretical and empirical contributions to the topic.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Becker P. and Raveloson J.-A. A. (2008), What is Democracy, KMF-CNOE & NOVA STELLA. Whitehead, L. (2002), Democratization: Theory and Experience, Oxford University Press. Poguntke, T. and van Deth, J. W. (2006), Governance and Democracy Comparing National, European and International Experiences, Routledge.
Additional Literature
Gomez, P-Y. and Korine, H. (2008), Entrepreneurs and Democracy A Political Theory of Corporate Governance, Cambridge University Press. O'Donnell, G. (2010), Democracy, Agency, and the State: Theory with Comparative Intent, Oxford University Press. Magen, A., Risse, T., and Mcfaul, M. A. (2009), Promoting Democracy and The Rule of Law, Palgrave. Eriksen, E.O. (2009), The Unfinished Democratization of Europe, Oxford University Press. Brownlee, J. (2007), Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization, Cambridge University Press. Pevehouse J.C. (2005), Democracy from Above Regional Organization, Cambridge University Press. Marchhetti, R. (2008), Global Democracy: For and Against, Routledge.Teaching Methods
The methods include lectures (which may involve PowerPoint presentations
Video
And audio aids)
Student presentations
Research papers
And class discussions.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Introduction / What is Democracy | Becker P. and Raveloson J.-A. A. (2008), Page: 4-23 |
| 2 | Democracy and Democratization | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:1 |
| 3 | The Drama of Democratic Transitions | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:2 |
| 4 | On Civil Society | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:3 |
| 5 | On Accountability and Institutional Design | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:4 |
| 6 | On Political Corruption | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:5 |
| 7 | On Monetary Authority | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:6 |
| 8 | MID-TERM WEEK | |
| 9 | On Citizen Security | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:7 |
| 10 | On Comparing Democratization Processes | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:8 |
| 11 | On Theory and Experience in Democratization Studies | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:10 |
| 12 | Democracy and Political Change in the Third World | Poguntke, T. and van Deth, J. W. (2006), CH:21 |
| 13 | Democracy without Borders | Poguntke, T. and van Deth, J. W. (2006), CH:10 |
| 14 | The Transformation of Governance in the European Union | Poguntke, T. and van Deth, J. W. (2006), CH:12 |
| 15 | Review of the Semester |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam(Research Paper)
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
Mid-Term Exam(Research Paper)
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
Student Presentation 1
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
Student presentation 2
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
Class Participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
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
56 hours ⏳ (14 week × 4 h)
Home Study
56 hours ⏳ (14 week × 4 h)
Presentation
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Research paper 1
12 hours ⏳ (6 week × 2 h)
Research paper 2
14 hours ⏳ (7 week × 2 h)
Final Exam Study
10 hours ⏳ (5 week × 2 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 [SPS606] 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
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS606 | Governance and Democracy | 3 | 0 | 6 | Monday 17:00-19:50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Emel Topcu | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Currently not available |
|||||||
| etopcu@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The primary objective of this doctoral course is to survey the major theoretical perspectives and issues studied in governance and democracy theories. The course will lead students to examine both important historical foundations and more recent theoretical and empirical contributions to the topic. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Becker P. and Raveloson J.-A. A. (2008), What is Democracy, KMF-CNOE & NOVA STELLA. Whitehead, L. (2002), Democratization: Theory and Experience, Oxford University Press. Poguntke, T. and van Deth, J. W. (2006), Governance and Democracy Comparing National, European and International Experiences, Routledge. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | The methods include lectures (which may involve PowerPoint presentations, video, and audio aids), student presentations, research papers, and class discussions. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Online | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course Introduction / What is Democracy | Becker P. and Raveloson J.-A. A. (2008), Page: 4-23 | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Democracy and Democratization | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:1 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | The Drama of Democratic Transitions | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:2 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | On Civil Society | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:3 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | On Accountability and Institutional Design | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:4 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | On Political Corruption | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:5 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | On Monetary Authority | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:6 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MID-TERM WEEK | |||||||||
| Week 9 | On Citizen Security | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:7 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | On Comparing Democratization Processes | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:8 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | On Theory and Experience in Democratization Studies | Whitehead, L. (2002), CH:10 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Democracy and Political Change in the Third World | Poguntke, T. and van Deth, J. W. (2006), CH:21 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Democracy without Borders | Poguntke, T. and van Deth, J. W. (2006), CH:10 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | The Transformation of Governance in the European Union | Poguntke, T. and van Deth, J. W. (2006), CH:12 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Review of the Semester | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam(Research Paper) | 1 | 35 | Not Allowed | ||
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Mid-Term Exam(Research Paper) | 1 | 30 | Not Allowed | ||
| Student Presentation 1 | 1 | 10 | Not Allowed | ||
| Student presentation 2 | 1 | 10 | Not Allowed | ||
| Class Participation | 1 | 15 | Not Allowed | ||
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 4 | 14 | 56 | Home Study | 4 | 14 | 56 | |||
| Presentation | 2 | 1 | 2 | Research paper 1 | 2 | 6 | 12 | |||
| Research paper 2 | 2 | 7 | 14 | Final Exam Study | 2 | 5 | 10 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||