Citizenship, Difference and the Politics of Belonging (2025/2026: Semester 2 – Spring)

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Cursusdoel

After completing this course students are able to:

  1. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of key concepts and theories surrounding questions of citizenship, difference and questions of belonging in the modern world;
  2. Critically analyze the ways in which ideas about citizenship, difference and belonging intersect with power relations and subjectivity in a late-capitalist world characterized by flux and insecurity;
  3. Demonstrate intellectual familiarity with different theoretical points fo view, ranging from modernist and structuralist approaches to postmodern, poststructuralist and postcolonial arguments;
  4. Integrate perspectives and insights from different disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, history and political philosophy, in thorough analyses of pivotal contemporary issues.
  5. Speak and write critically about citizenship, difference and the politics of belonging, using specialized terms and academic vocabulary.
  6. Develop and execute a small research project with other students - and write a thorough, critical paper on the basis of independent research.
Description of assignment Assesses which learning goals?
1. Research project development + group presentation
2. Mid-term paper
3. Final paper
4. Participation in class
1 to 6
1 to 5
1 to 6
1 to 5


Vakinhoudelijk

Counts towards SSC and HUM major.
In Spring 2026 only: track finisher for Sociology.

In this course, we discuss and develop critical social-scientific perspectives on citizenship, belonging, and difference in contemporary, late-capitalist societies. In a world characterized by flux and the transgression of geographic and symbolic boundaries, a great deal of effort is invested in fixing and freezing identities and controlling and regulating borders. This dialectic of flow and closure will be examined from a critical perspective that places contemporary social and cultural dynamics in the historical context of the rise of modern capitalism and nationalism, while taking into account 19th and 20th century experiences of colonialism, authoritarianism, and fascism.
The first part of the course will focus on theories of modernity, citizenship, and difference in the political and social sciences, political philosophy and the humanities.
In the second part, we will zoom in on a number of contemporary issues, including (the rise of) new forms of nationalism and the far right; debates about religious diversity and secularism; gender and sexuality; race and racism; and the transformation & politics of identity in neoliberal societies.

Format
The course will bring together perspectives from various fields, while especially focusing on on perspectives from the global south and from (relatively) marginalized academic fields, like queer studies, critical race perspectives, and postcolonial studies. Students develop and undertake a small research project on identity, on the basis of which they write a final paper.

Werkvormen

UCU INT 3 course

Toetsing

Participation in class

Verplicht | Weging 10% | ECTS 0,75

Midterm paper

Verplicht | Weging 35% | ECTS 2,63

Final paper

Verplicht | Weging 35% | ECTS 2,63

Research project and group presentations

Verplicht | Weging 20% | ECTS 1,5

*midterm FEEDBACK*

Niet verplicht

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Je moet minimaal 120 punten van het bachelor programma hebben behaald

Voorkennis

Er is geen informatie over benodigde voorkennis bekend.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Competenties

  • Academisch schrijven
  • Interdisciplinariteit
  • Kritisch lezen
  • Presenteren

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

  • READER
    Book chapters and articles from various journals, tba in the final syllabus

Aanbevolen materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de aanbevolen literatuur bekend

Opmerkingen

Counts towards HUM and SSC major. In Spring 2026 only: track finisher for SOC.

Coördinator

P.J.H. Mepschen p.j.h.mepschen@uu.nl

Docenten

P.J.H. Mepschen p.j.h.mepschen@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

Naar OSIRIS-inschrijvingen
Permanente link naar de cursuspagina
Laat in de Cursus-Catalogus zien