To provide students with solid information on key concepts and the evolution of political institutions in Belgium in the contemporary period.
1. Understand the politics in the country where you live/study. 2. Identify the political cleavages that explain the structuring of contemporary Belgian politics, the institutional architecture of Belgium and its evolutions.
Part I traces the history of the main cleavages in Belgium (1789-1961). Part II presents the updated theory of cleavages and pillars (1961-2021). It presents the institutions of contemporary Belgium and the main actors in public life from a political perspective.
Written exam for part I (1/3 of the final grade) and for part II (2/3 of the final grade). The passing of a partim (minimum 10/20) in the first session allows to obtain an exemption for the second session.
Mabille X., 2011, Nouvelle histoire poli.que de la Belgique, Brussels, CRISP. Deschouwer K., 2012, The Poli.cs of Belgium: Governing a Divided Society, London, Palgrave Macmillan. Reading portfolio via WebCampus.