IMER Research Areas

During the Spring 2025, the following modules will be offered: **Populism and Democracy (15 credits)** Populism is often used in the public debate as an insult, a label you attach to someone you ultimately dislike and is short-time oriented in his approach to solve political issues. But is populism really the anti-thesis of democracy? Is populism an ideology, a style, a logic or a discourse? The first part of the course deals with the conceptual issues and how the concept can be used for empirical analysis. This section connects populism to societal processes and external events relevant for the reciprocal interaction between the political reproduction of national identities, the transformation of European welfare systems, and contemporary politics of migration. In the second part of the course feature case specific illustrations of the party-political environment, civil society mobilization, media representations and popular attitudes towards immigration, before and after the so-called refugee crisis. To instigate this further the course will dwell deeper into various empirical settings in Europe, but also beyond. The teaching techniques will employ a blend of lectures, regular seminar and role-play events. The course is examined in written form displaying the ability of applying the concept of populism analytically. The student will receive substantial feedback in written form. **Race, Privilege, and Social Justice** In this course, we engage in conversations on race, privilege, and social justice. Through readings, dialogue, and reflections, we develop our knowledge about how race is made and re-made through social and political relations. Together, we learn how to address and talk about race. Our goal is to shift our perspective from viewing racism and structural racism as static issues to understanding them as dynamics we all participate in and perpetuate, both consciously and unconsciously. From a multidisciplinary and multi-contextual perspective, we explore where race matters and why we cannot move “beyond race” in the face of persistent racisms, hierarchies, and inequality.