Wilfrid Laurier University
POLITICAL SCIENCE 497m(2)
National Self-Determination
Term: Winter 2016
Class Time: T, 11:30-14:20
Classroom: BA 307
Office Hrs: Mon, 10:00-12:00, or by apt.
Instructor: Dr. Dejan Guzina
Office: DAWB, 4-154
Phone: 884-0710/2225
Email: [email protected]
COURSE OVERVIEW
This course examines territorial and non-territorial disputes over national self-determination
and justice in plural societies. Students will explore the following questions: Why some
regionally based ethno-cultural groups are asking for a state on their own, and others do not?
What is the role of international law and international organizations in settling territorial and
non-territorial disputes over self-determination? What makes some territorial and nonterritorial disputes over national self-determination intractable and others open to peaceful
resolution? What are approaches available to democratically managing ethno-national
differences and conflict over state sovereignty and self-determination? And, finally, what is
the relationship between minority claims and social justice in plural societies.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. By the end of the course, students will become familiar with local, regional and
international mechanisms through which national claims for self-determination in different
parts of the world intersect with or undermine the principles of democratically managing
ethno-national differences and conflict over territorial sovereignty in multination states.
2. Students will also learn about the issues of non-territorial recognition and selfdetermination as they relate to claims of religious groups, cultural minorities and
indigenous peoples.
3. Finally, students will develop transferable skills in textual analysis, writing, and the
presentation of coherent argument in discussion and in their written work.
REQUIRED TEXTS (the books are available in the University bookstore)
Karlo Basta, John McGarry, and Richard Simeon (eds.), Territorial Pluralism: Managing
Difference in Multinational States (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2015).
Avigail Eisenberg, Jeremy Weber, Glen Coulthard, and Andree Boisselle (eds.), Recognition
versus Self-Determination (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press: 2014).
Note: a number of academic e-articles and e-book chapters are assigned as required and
complementary reading as well. They can be accessed through the university library’s
website, or through the Scholars Portal - http://www.scholarsportal.info/. Also, students
should regularly check the course’s online website on https://mylearningspace.wlu.ca/.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The grading scheme for PO 497m is:
o Class participation and seminar presentation
20%
(participation 10%; presentation 10%)
o Two response papers (10% each)
20%
o Essay proposal
10%
o Final essay
50%
Class participation and seminar presentation
Class participation. This is a fourth year seminar that offers a small-group discussion setting.
Thus, students are expected to read and participate actively and regularly in seminar
discussions. I will review every student with the following in mind:
1. Substance: was the answer correct? Did the response clearly address the question with
information from the readings? Does the student understand the readings? And, does the
student link information with other readings?
2. Critical listening: does the student link comments with points made by other students? And,
does the comment advance the discussion or pull it back?
3. Creativity and critical thinking: does the student take the discussion to a new unexplored
and unexpected area? And, has the student considered all relevant perspectives?
4. Clarity: is the response clear, concise and understandable? And, did the student use
appropriate and polite language?
Seminar presentation will be an exercise in a critical examination of the required readings.
Each week, two students will be in charge of class seminars. Please keep in mind that you
should prepare your presentations with the assumption that your classmates have read the
weekly readings. Thus, the group should spend no more than 15 to 20 minutes introducing and
reviewing the course material. In other words, your job as tutorial leaders is not to regurgitate
the required readings. In principle, the seminar presentations should be geared toward a
discussion and debate of the readings for the week. Please take the opportunity to be creative
in relation to the course material. You may divide up the class time in any way you wish. For
example, you might include an additional list of issues for open discussion, show a short film
or documentary, or present a short piece of additional reading to be discussed in class, etc.
You can also divide the class up for a debate or role-play if you wish. On MyLS, you will also
find a handout on effective presentation tips and marking criteria that all students will be using
in the evaluation of the seminar presentations.
Written assignments
Response papers. The course is divided into three parts. First response paper should be linked
to one of the topics that are discussed in Part One of the seminar (national self-determination
and secession). Second response paper will deal with one of the issues that will be introduced
in Parts Two and Three of the seminar (territorial pluralism, and the politics of recognition).
Each of the 2 response papers is worth 10% of the final grade, and it should be no more than 3
to 4 pages in length (800-1000 words). An effective analytical summary of the readings
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represents a critical overview of the required readings of the week. Each commentary should
also include certain questions or a thoughtful commentary that could be raised and further
discussed in class.
Note: You are expected to submit your written responses a day before a particular topic is
being discussed in class (Monday at 5pm). Late submissions (that is, after the class) will not
be accepted.
Essay outline with annotated bibliography. The outline should be no more than 2 singlespaced pages, while the bibliography should be no more than one page in length. The proposal
should indicate what the essay will be arguing, how it will anticipate and respond to critique,
and what sources have been identified to date. You should include short descriptions of the
material you have read (i.e., annotate your bibliography). You will be graded on the
coherence, feasibility, and thoroughness of the proposal. Further details on exactly what
should be included in the essay outline will be discussed the second week of class. The essay
outline is due on March 4/11.
Final essay. It should be 12 to 14 double-spaced pages (3500 to 4000 words) in length.
Students are expected to write an essay that will link a country study to one of the themes that
have been theoretically explored in class (national self-determination; territorial pluralism;
emancipatory politics of recognition). I will not accept essays that have not been cleared first
through the essay outline exercise, so plan ahead and don’t start writing until your topic has
been approved. The essay is due on April 8.
For the final essay, students are expected to explore additional sources. The rule of thumb is
two references per page (minimum of fifteen to twenty references). Students must complete
all course requirements to receive a passing grade.
The essay submitted in the course may not have been submitted in another course. This or any
other type of plagiarism leads to an F mark for the assignment. The essay submitted in the
course may not have been submitted in another course. Late submission will be penalized one
grade per day (for example, A becomes A-, B+ turns into B, etc.).
NOTE: Students do not need to hand in hard copies of their written assignments. Instead, they
should post all their written work on PO 497m webpage (which can be accessed through
https://mylearningspace.wlu.ca/).
Dates to remember:
February 15-19 (Reading Week): no classes
Essay outline – March 4/11
Final essay – April 8
Note: dates for response papers vary. They depend on the weekly readings a student has
chosen to comment upon.
Academic Misconduct: Students are required to familiarize themselves with the University policies on Plagiarism and
Academic Dishonesty. According to the student calendar (2006-2007) plagiarism “is the unacknowledged presentation, in
whole or in p art, of the work of others as one's own, whether in written, oral or other form, in an examination, report,
assignment, thesis or dissertation...” Further information can be found at www.wlu.ca/academicintegrity.
Students with disabilities or special needs are advised to contact Laurier's Accessible Learning Office. For information
regarding its services and resources, check the web www.mylaurier.ca/accessible, call 519 884 0710 Ext. 3086, or TDD 519
884 1141
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CLASS SCHEDULE
Week 1, January 5
Course Overview
Part I: National Self-Determination and Secession – Context and Key Concepts
Week 2, January 12 – Nationalist Puzzles and the Demand for Sovereignty
Reading:
- Michael Hechter, Containing Nationalism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000),
chs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 (pp. 1-36; 56-113).
- Rogers Brubaker, “Myths and misconceptions in the study of nationalism,” in
Margaret Moore (ed.) National Self-determination and Secession (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1998), chapter 11.
Week 3, January 19 – The Question of National Self-Determination
Reading:
- Benyamin Neuberger, “National self-determination and democracy,” in Andre Lecours
and Luis Moreno (eds.) Nationalism and Democracy (Routledge: London and New
York, 2010), 52-80.
- Christian Tomuschat, “Secession and self-determination,” in Marcelo G. Cohen (ed.)
Secession: International Law Perspectives (Cambridge” Cambridge University Press,
2006), 23-45.
- Allen Lynch, “Woodrow Wilson and the principle of ‘national self-determination: a
reconsideration,” Review of International Studies 28 (2002): 419-436.
- Margaret Moore, “On national self-determination,” Political Studies XLV (1997): 900913.
- Simon Caney, “National self-determination and national secession,” in Percy B.
Lehning (ed.) Theories of Secession (London/New York: Routledge, 1998), 149-178.
Week 4, January 26 – National Self-Determination and Secession
Reading:
- Ronald S. Beiner, “National self-determination: some cautionary remarks concerning
the rhetoric of rights,” in Margaret Moore (ed.) National Self-determination and
Secession (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998), chapter 8.
- Donald L. Horowitz, “Self-determination: politics, philosophy and law,” in Margaret
Moore (ed.) National Self-determination and Secession (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1998), chapter 9.
- Amitai Etzioni, “The evils of self-determination,” Foreign Policy 89 (Winter, 19921993): 21-35.
-
Monica Duffy Toft, “Self-determination, secession, and civil war,” Terrorism and
Political Violence 24:4 (2012): 581-600.
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- James Ker-Lindsay, “Understanding state responses to secession,” Peacebuilding
(2014) 2:1: 28-44.
Week 5, February 2 – Self-Determination, Secession and Recognition of States in
International Law and Practice
Reading:
- Richard Caplan, “Recognition of states: legal thinking and historic practice,” Europe
and the Recognition of the New States in Yugoslavia (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2005), 49-72.
- Richard Caplan, “International law, international relations and recognition of new
states,” Europe and the Recognition of the New States in Yugoslavia (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2005), 73-94.
- George Nolte, “Secession and external intervention,” in Marcelo G. Cohen (ed.)
Secession: International Law Perspectives (Cambridge” Cambridge University Press,
2006), 65-93.
- Photini Pazartzis, “Secession and international law: the European dimension,” in
Marcelo G. Cohen (ed.) Secession: International Law Perspectives (Cambridge”
Cambridge University Press, 2006), 355-373.
- Patrick Dumberry, “Lessons learned from the Quebec Secession Reference before the
Supreme Court of Canada,” in Marcelo G. Cohen (ed.) Secession: International Law
Perspectives (Cambridge” Cambridge University Press, 2006), 416-452.
Week 6, February 9 – International Court of Justice: Kosovo Advisory Opinion
Reading:
- Richard Caplan, The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Kosovo, United States Institute of
Peace, Peace Brief 55 (September 17 2010), 1-4.
- International Court of Justice, Summary of the Kosovo Advisory Opinion (22 July
2010), 1-31.
- Marko Milanovic and Michael Wood (eds.), The Law and Politics of the Kosovo
Advisory Opinion (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015), chapters by Marc Weller
(187-218), Tatjana Papic (240-267), James Crawford (280-290), and Richard Caplan
and Stefan Wolff (317-331).
- Nina Caspersen, “The South Caucasus after Kosovo: renewed independence hopes,”
Europe-Asia Studies 65.5 (July 2013): 929-945.
Reading Week (February 15-19) – No classes
Part II: Territorial Pluralism
Week 7, February 23 – Conceptual and Normative Evaluation of Territorial Pluralism
Reading:
- Basta, McGarry and Simeon, Territorial Pluralism, chs. 1-3 (pp. 13-98).
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Week 8, March 1 – Territorial Pluralism: Comparative Perspectives I
Reading:
- Basta, McGarry and Simeon, Territorial Pluralism, chs. 4-7 (pp. 99-196).
Week 9, March 8 – Territorial Pluralism: Comparative Perspectives II
Reading:
- Basta, McGarry and Simeon, Territorial Pluralism, chs. 9-11; conclusion (220-293;
316-329).
Part III: Dilemmas of Emancipatory Politics: Recognition and Self-Determination
Week 10, March 15 – Recognition and Self-Determination: Connections and Tensions
Reading:
- Eisenberg et al., Introduction and Part I (3-100).
Week 11, March 22 – The Practice of Recognition and Self-Determination
Reading:
- Eisenberg et al., Part 2: chs. 4, 5, 7, and 8 (101-146; 174-226).
Week 12, March 29 – Reframing the Issues of Self-Determination and Recognition
Reading:
- Eisenberg et al., Part 3 (227-306).
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Discussion Schedule
The following weeks, two or three students will be assigned a role of seminar leaders. Their
job will be not only to introduce students to the main arguments of the required readings for
this particular week, but also to prepare questions and commentaries that will be discussed in
seminars.
Week 3, January 19 – The Question of National Self-Determination
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Week 4, January 26 – National Self-Determination and Secession
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Week 5, February 2 – National Self-Determination in International Law and Practice
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Week 6, February 9 – ICJ ‘s Kosovo Advisory Opinion
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Week 7, February 23 – What is Territorial Pluralism?
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Week 8, March 1 – Territorial Pluralism: Comparative Perspectives I
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Week 9, March 8 – Territorial Pluralism: Comparative Perspectives II
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Week 10, March 15 – Recognition and Self-Determination
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Week 11, March 22 – The Practice of Recognition
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Week 12, March 29 – Self-Determination vs. Recognition
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