FVP:UVSRPHP034 Comparison of Political System - Course Information

UVSRPHP034 Comparison of Political Systems

Extent and Intensity

13/13/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Lukáš Vomlela, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Lukáš Vomlela, Ph.D.
Institute of Public Administration and Social Policy – Faculty of Public Policies in Opava
Contact Person: JUDr. Marie Sciskalová, Ph.D.

Prerequisites (in Czech)

FAKULTA(FVP) && TYP_STUDIA(N) && FORMA(P)

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

• Public Administration and Social Politics (programme FVP, VSSP)

Course objectives

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the basic concepts of political science, theories and topics related to the comparison of political systems. The lectures will present an introduction to the comparative method, basic terminology and concepts of comparative method and changes in comparative approaches. Another focus are basic aspects of both modern democracies and undemocratic systems, and theoretical aspects of democratic transition and consolidation of political systems. The second part of the course introduces students to the development and character of contemporary political systems of selected European countries. The main part of the course focuses on identifying the main specifics of the political systems of selected countries and their comparison. Emphasis is placed on the development and structure of key political actors, the method of forming government coalitions and their stability.

Learning outcomes

Students are able to characterize the evolution of political and party systems in selected European countries from the point of view of both chronology and content, to describe and explain the main aspects, such as the nature of political actors, the profile of relevant parties, and their categorization in party families with regard to the specifics of party systems in European countries. Students are able to characterize main features of political systems and analyze specific aspects of contemporary political systems. Students demonstrate knowledge of political science theories. Students can independently apply theories of political systems and party systems to political systems of European countries, critically evaluate scientific literature in the field, identify and evaluate the key variables in the development of the political system and individual political parties and work with and evaluate current political events.

Syllabus

• 1. Comparative method in political science, evolution and transformation of the comparative approach
  2. Theory of modern democracies and undemocratic regimes
  3. Basic aspects of democratic political systems
  4. Political system of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
  5. Political systems of France and Switzerland
  6. Political systems of Germany and Austria
  7. Theory of democratic transition and democratic consolidation
  8. Transformation of post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe after 1989
  9. Political system of Poland
  10. Political systems of Hungary and Slovakia
  11. The political systems of the countries of the former Yugoslavia: Serbia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
  12. Political system of the Russian Federation
  13. Summary
  

Literature

required literature
• HANCOCK Donald M. (ed.). Politics in Europe. 7th Edition. Washington: CQ Press, 2018, 808 s, ISBN 9781506399096.
• LIJPHART, Arend. Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Contries. New York: London: University Press. 2012, ISBN 978-0-300-17202-7.

recommended literature
• COLOMER, Josep M. (ed). Comparative European Politics.London: Routledge, 2008, ISBN 978–0–415–43756–1.
• CABADA, Ladislav, CHARVÁT, Jakub, STULÍK, Ondřej. Současná komparativní politologie. Klíčové koncepty. Plzeň - Praha: Aleš Čeněk - Metropolitní univerzita Praha, 2015, 319 s. ISBN 978-80-7380-577-7.
• SARTORI, G. Parties and Party Systems: A Framework for Analysis. Oxford: ECPR Press, 2005 ISBN 978-0-9547966-1-7.

Assessment methods

Presentation at the seminar
written exam
active participation in seminar discussions

Language of instruction

English

Further Comments

The course can also be completed outside the examination period.

• Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  
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