Understanding the Politics of the Digital
Digitalisation is a critical issue in today’s global and European politics. The fast spread of the internet to 63% of global population today and the increased use of digital tools for politics and policy-making bring about new opportunities and challenges. While it was hoped that the internet and digital tools would reduce barriers leading to more collective, democratic and borderless collaboration inducing positive social and political change, more recently the internet became to be seen to more likely reinforce existing barriers and even as rising threat to individuals, society, (democratic) governments. Thus, this master brings together students from different backgrounds to study various political, legal and social problems of the today’s digitalisation processes and explore new solutions to address them.
The master’s programme Digital Politics and Governance examines the ways in which digitalisation affects states, politics, government, diplomacy and society. It explore how public authorities (regional bodies, nation states, European institutions, UN agencies) and private actors (individuals, organisations, transnational businesses, NGOs, etc.) shape the digital transformation of politics. The Master discusses opportunities and challenges as well as the negative and positive externalities of such digital transformations for states, societies, organisations and individuals.
Because these questions require political, legal and technical knowledge, the master’s programme in Digital Politics and Governance is organised in close collaboration with practitioners and expert from related disciplines such as law and computer science. It includes a partnership with FLD Lille Paris Campus, the Law department of Lille Catholic University; numerous interventions from digital technology professionals; and field trips to key European Agencies and digital-related policy events.
Introduction to Digital Democracy | 24h | 6 ECTS |
E-Government and E-Governance | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Digital Diplomacy | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Workshop: Academic Writing | 12h | 3 ECTS |
Introduction to Political Science* | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Comparative Politics | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Wikifactory project | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Digital Politics in practice (EN) | 12h | 3 ECTS |
Social Media Communication | 12h | 3 ECTS |
One-day field trip (Lille) | 8h | / |
French (FLE) or English ** | 16h | 2 ECTS |
Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) | 16h | / |
Digital Political Communication | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Law and Digital Society | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Methods for digital analysis | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Introduction to Research & Epistemology | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Regulating Digital Politics | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Cybersecurity | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Shared optional course with other MA | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Studytrip Tallin | 30h | 2 ECTS |
Career talks | 4h | / |
French (FLE) or English ** | 16h | 2 ECTS |
Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) | 16h | / |
Digital sociology | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Privacy and data protection law | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Political Science Research Methods | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Work-in-progress document | / | 2 ECTS |
Statistics and the Political Sociology of Quantification | 18h | 4 ETCS |
Digital political marketing | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Smart Cities | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Shared optional course with other MA | 18h | 4 ECTS |
Advanced research methods | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Professionalization workshops | 4h | / |
One-day field trip (Brussels) | 8h | / |
French (FLE) or English ** | 16h | 2 ECTS |
Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) | 16h | / |
Contemporary issues in digital politics | 24h | 6 ECTS |
Master’s dissertation | / | 14 ECTS |
Internship | 8 ECTS |
French (FLE) or English ** | 16h | 2 ECTS |
Optional extra language course (non-compulsory) | 16h | / |
* Compulsory option for students without a background in political sciences
** French (FLE) compulsory for non-francophone students. English compulsory for francophone students. In case the student is a native FR/EN (to be checked by Clarife), replace with other language of choice.
The course schedules are not contractual and are subject to change at any time by the teaching staff.