Good governance, the rule of law and religious freedom as approaches to sustainable development in the Global South

Course dates

7 March 2024 – 25 April 2024

Registration period

1 January 2024 – 28 February 2024

Coordinating university

University of Eastern Finland

Instructors

Dawid Bunikowski

Credits

5 ECTS

Course dates: 7.3.-25.4.2024
Registration dates: 1.1.-28.2.2024
Coordinating university: University of Eastern Finland
Responsible teacher: Dawid Bunikowski (if.feu@ubdiwad)
Credits: 5 ECTS
Course offered: 2/3

Course summary

The course covers the underestimated topic of good governance, the rule of law and religious freedom as approaches to sustainable development in the Global South. The thesis is that there is neither good governance nor the rule of law if there is no religious freedom. All these three approaches are about sustainable development in the Global South then. The most fundamental objective of the course is to understand the links between the mentioned approaches to sustainable development (good governance, the rule of law and religious freedom) in chosen societies in the Global South. The objective of the course also is to take a closer look at practical issues of good governance, the rule of law and religious freedom in the Global South. The attitude to the phenomena is critical but objective.

Learning outcomes

• The student should understand the importance of good governance, the rule of law and religious freedom in sustainable development of societies in the Global South.
• The student should be aware of the links between these three approaches to sustainable development (good governance, the rule of law and religious freedom) in the Global South.
• The student should define good governance and the rule of law as well as describe their contents.
• The student should understand the concept of religious freedom and its content.
• The student should present the situation in chosen countries of the Global South in the field of good governance, the rule of law and religious freedom.

Learning methods

The course includes online lectures, group assignments and final essay.

Teaching methods and pedagogical approach

• The course is split into seven one-week sections online in Teams. Each section requires analysing materials and writing a short (one-page) assignment on a given topic. This is to be made in 3-4-person international groups. Each assignment must be passed. Discussions with the lecturer or questions from the students are allowed and appreciated also at this stage.
• In the end of the course, the student also should write a seven-page essay (with footnotes and bibliography) on a topic agreed with the lecturer. The topic of the essay will be chosen after three weeks of the course.
• The student is encouraged to contact the lecturer, if she or he has some comments, opinions, questions or problems concerning the course. The lecturer will convince the students to discuss chosen topics or problems at forum on Moodle.

Evaluation criteria

Grades: 0-5. All the weekly assignments should be done and passed on the time (on the last day of the week) as well as the final essay should present a good level and be ready two weeks after the last lecture. There are weekly assignments in different groups (3-4 persons from different regions). Also, there are mandatory discussions and commenting each other's view at the Moodle forum. Final essays are written individually. Both assignments and essays are assessed for grades from 1 to 5. And, 0 is a negative grade.

The final grade consists of these two partial grades (per 50%): one is for all the assignments together (1-5) and the second is for the essay (1-5). Timing and, especially, quality are taken into consideration while giving grades. Individual and collective feedback will be given after completing both each assignment and essay.

Study materials

1. PP presentations, (scientific and popular) articles, learning materials, international reports (like from the United Nations), and video lectures as well as films. All is available on Moodle.
2. Publications (chosen smaller parts of them will be on Moodle):

• Haroon A. Khan, “The idea of good governance and the politics of the global south: An analysis of its effects”, Routledge, New York 2015.
• Dawid Bunikowski, Katalin Miklóssy & Heino Nyyssönen (editors), the special edition “Erosion of the Rule of Law in East Central Europe”, Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 2018, issue 3, vol. 26, DOI: 10.1080/14782804.2018.1498774, pp. 253-345.
• Special Issue "Religious Freedom in the Global South". A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444), MDPI.

Course schedule

The course sessions will be held weekly on Thursdays at 11:00-13:00 (Finnish time), starting on 2.3.2023.

Week 1 (7.3.)	a) Introduction to good governance, the rule of law and religious freedom as approaches to sustainable development in the Global South, b) Good governance and the Global South: idea, content, challenges.
Week 2 (14.3.)	The rule of law as a Western standard, and the rule of law in the Global South.
Week 3 (21.3.)	a) Religious freedom in the Global South – towards a sustainable (or an unsustainable) society?, b) Choosing essay topics.
Week 4 (4.4.)	State church relations globally and in the Global South.
Week 5 (11.4.)	Case studies. Egypt, Nigeria, Sudan, Kenya, South Africa.
Week 6 (18.4.)	Case studies. The Philippines, Indonesia, other Asian countries.
Week 7 (25.4.)	a) Case studies. Other chosen countries (e.g. Poland, Russia, Israel, the Persian Gulf, India), b) Discussing the essays.

Additional information

Maximum number of students: 100.
Background knowledge: basic knowledge of law or political science/sociology/anthropology/ theology etc.
The course requires no prior knowledge on the subject.

Photo credits: Dawid Bunikowski, 2013

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