Basic Info

JKM002 Political Leadership in the Era of Social Media, summer semester 2023

Lecturer: 

Anna Shavit, anna.shavit@fsv.cuni.cz, 

Mazlum Dagdelen, mazlum.dagdelen@fsv.cuni.cz, 

special lecturer Silvija Vuković, silvija.vukovic@fsv.cuni.cz

Room: H112

Course Moodle: https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=8760

Credits: 6 ECTS

Date: Wednesday 14.00–15.20 

Knowledge Acquisition: Students will be required to keep up with the required readings (there will be specific literature assigned to lectures), actively participate in classes, write position papers, and engage in discussions. 

Requirements: The students will work on four short essays and present their conclusions. We expect students to consult the selected topics of their papers with the teacher. They will get detailed feedback on these essays, and in some cases, they may be obliged to re-write them. To complete the course, the student must hand in 4 out of 5 position papers (each paper is three pages, 1800 signs including spaces) and pass the final written exam (we will explain the style, the student will receive a specific topic and write an essay within 48 hours). Each paper is 15 points, and the final report is 40 points. The class's performance and active engagement represent 60 percent of the final score, and the exam represents 40 percent. Papers should be handed in the folders in course Moodle. 

Assignments: 4 papers (out of 5), a final written essay, and active class participation. 

Course Objectives: What makes a great leader? How do we define the leader and the leadership? The course will examine this issue from various perspectives. We will look at multiple historical examples and current leaders, and we will try to determine the qualities of their () leadership. 

Nelson Mandela, Alexander the Great, Martin Luther King, Wolodymyr Zelenskyy, Gandhi, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, AOC influential leader - too young? To extreme? Is it good or bad? There are modern and ancient leaders; we will look at texts such as Plato's Republic, Sun Tzu, The Art of War, and others. 

Additionally, we will analyze media relations and how social media determine current leadership. The coursework will hugely consist of reading study materials and writing papers on various issues. E.g., students will choose a natural leader and try to determine the qualities of their () leadership.