A history of world political conflicts, with special emphasis on changes in concept and application of democracy and democratic principles in the present age of globalization. The course will present a critical reading of this history in the context of imperialism and liberation, with the aim of understanding the role of social movements of workers, women, and political parties viewed as providing ground for the growth and development of the will of the people to be represented in government. Other issues to be discussed are: the historical inauguration of democracy in association with economic systems and accompanying political philosophies; the normative turn of thinking about ideas of democracy in theory and practice; the development of Euro-centrism in the normative history of democracy; evolution of non- and anti-Eurocentric conceptions of democracy. Special attention will be accorded to democracy in countries of the South (Arab countries in particular).
