The role of the State in the 21st century

Seminar 1952

Chair: CLACSO
Coordination: Juan Carlos Monedero (UCM, Spain)
Home: 22 / 08 / 2019 | Registration: 04/02/2019 al 20/08/2019

Workload: 12 weeks – 90 hours.

Payment methods
If you have a link with a CLACSO Associated Center:

Paying in one payment: USD 95 (includes issuance and shipping costs of the digital certificate).

If you have a link with a Network or Institution Associated with CLACSO:

Paying in one payment: USD 140 (includes issuance and shipping costs of the digital certificate).

If you do NOT have a link with a CLACSO Associated Center:

Paying in one payment BEFORE 12/08/2019: USD 150 (includes issuance and shipping costs of the digital certificate).
Paying in one payment: USD 190 (includes issuance and shipping costs of the digital certificate).

Course presentation:
In the 1980s, discussions about the role of the state in what was beginning to take shape as neoliberalism gave rise to insightful proposals such as that of Nikos Poulantzas, who defined the state as “a social relation.” This definition broke with liberalism, for which the state, following Weber's line of thought, was a neutral sphere, and also went beyond those who understood the state as a tool of the bourgeoisie and, therefore, useless in terms of emancipation. It also emphasized that the state was not a clean instrument that could be used by whichever social class seized control of it. But the truth is that neoliberalism, while imposing itself through what Gramsci called the “extended state” (church, pressure groups, media, entertainment industry), achieved its greatest advances through control of the state apparatus. This was the case from the 1973 coup against the government of Salvador Allende onward. How does the state operate today? Is it still true that left-wing governments win the presidency but not the power? Can the quality of democracy be measured? Is there a non-state public sector? Is the separation of powers still valid in the current party-based state?

FAQ

What do I need to take a CLACSO virtual seminar?

The basic requirements for taking a seminar are:

Availability of at least 4 hours per week to dedicate to the seminar course.
Internet access.
Reasonable handling of communication and computer tools.
Language proficiency in the language in which the course will be taught. The official languages are Spanish and Portuguese.

What is the length of a CLACSO virtual seminar? What is the total number of hours?

The seminars last 12 weeks, plus the completion of a final project. A total of 90 hours of dedication will be credited.

What is the work modality and dynamics?

A course consists of twelve classes, each accompanied by required readings, supplementary readings, discussion forums, and learning activities proposed by the teaching team, as well as partial submissions and a final project. The course is delivered online and asynchronously. Some instructors may propose synchronous activities. In these cases, the time and date will be agreed upon in advance between the teaching team and the students to ensure everyone's participation. To pass the seminar, students must participate in at least 80% of the discussion forums and activities proposed by the instructors, complete all scheduled partial submissions, and pass the final project.