FVP:USESEA048 Electoral Systems in Central a - Course Information

USESEA048 Electoral Systems in Central and South-East Europe

Extent and Intensity

1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Lukáš Vomlela, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lukáš Vomlela, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Lukáš Vomlela, Ph.D.
Institute of Central European Studies – Faculty of Public Policies in Opava

Prerequisites

Expert Knowledge:
Students demonstrate the knowledge of basic source texts and study materials. They understand special politological terms, problems and concepts related to the research of elections and electoral systems. They are able to describe and characterize the typology of electoral systems. Students will acquire detailed knowledge of structure of the institutions in the examined countries, as well as the knowledge of basic elements that form particular electoral systems in a wider context and are related to the proces of transition and democratic consolidation of political systems in post-communist countries. They demonstrate a detail knowledge of electoral systems used in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and the countries of former Yugoslavia on various levels. They are able to describe and characterize existing electoral systems and understand their effects on the form of a party competition.
Expert Skills:
Students are able to look up and sort out relevant information and, on the basis of defined methodological, formal and content requirements, to write a specialized seminar paper on a given topic related to the research of electoral systems and their application on political environment of Central and South East Europe. They are able independently to plan the content and form of the basic quantitative and qualitative politological research of the effects of electoral systems on the form of a party competition. They are able to interpret the results of elections and the effects of electoral systems on the behaviour of political players in the countries of Central and South East Europe. Students are able to carry out a comparative assessment of electoral systems in particular countries, and to critically analyze their effects on the form of party competition; they are able to determine the extent of the political players´stability, to place the influence of received electoral rules in the examined countries into a wider context related to the process of transition of democratic political systems in postcommunist countries.

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

• Central European Studies (programme FVP, N6702-MTS)

Course objectives

The aim of the subject is to make students familiar with the basic aspects of elections and electoral systems. Students will be presented with theoretical backgrounds, the typology of electoral systems and their influence on party systems and party competition. The subject places the elections and electoral systems into the context of the proces of transition and democratic consolidation of political systems in Central European and Sout European countries in the post-Communist period. Further, students are made familiar with the the main parts, players and institutions of electoral systems of Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, former Yugoslavian countries and, partially, the Czech Republic the knowledge of which is expected. Within the study of Central European and South-East European countries, their elections and electoral systems used for local, regional, general and European elections will be analyzed. The subject also includes the topic of presidential elections in the countries of Central and South East Europe and deals with the issues related to the direct presidential election. Another subject objective is to analyze specific features of electoral systems and their effects on the party systems in the countries of Central and South East Europe. As part of the course, students will be required to follow current events and elections in the countries of Central and South East Europe. On the completion of the subject, students will be able to orient themselves in the Central and South European politics.

Syllabus

• 1. The elections and their functions in democratic society; electoral law. Basic term definitions.
  2. The elections and party systems, basic theories. The typology of electoral systems.
  3. Presidential elections in the countries of Central and South East Europe, the tradition of direct and indirect elections.
  4. Local and regional elections in the countries of Central and South East Europe.
  5. European elections and the referendums in the countries of Central Europe.
  6. The elections and election rules in Czechoslovakia and Slovakia. The comparison with the Czech Republic.
  7. The elections and election rules in Poland.
  8. Mixed election systems, elections and election rules in Hungary.
  9. Elections and election rules in Slovenia and Croatia.
  10. Elections and election rules in Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro.
  11. Elections and election rules in Macedonia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  12. The roles and effects of the election systems in postcommunist countries.
  

Literature

required literature
• CHYTILEK, R. a kol. Volební systémy. Praha: Portál, 2009. ISBN 978-80-7367-548-6. info
• GALLAGHER, M. a MITCHEL, P. (eds.). The Politics of Electoral Systems. Oxford, 2008. ISBN 97 801-992-5756-0. info
• ŠEDO, J. Volební systémy postkomunistických zemí. 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury (, 2007. ISBN 978-80-7325-137-6. info
• FIALA, P. a kol. Středoevropské systémy politických stran: Česká republika, Maďarsko, Polsko a Slovensko. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, Mezinárodní politol, 2003. ISBN 80-210-3091-7. info
• ÁGH, A. The Politics of Central Europe. Londýn: SAGE, 1998. ISBN 978-07-6195-032-5. info

recommended literature
• MALOVÁ, D. Neľahká inštitucionalizácia parlamentnej demokracie na Slovensku. Politologická revue, 1998, roč. IV., č. 1, s. 43. info
• VODIČKA, K., CABADA, L. Politický systém České republiky: historie a současnost. 3., aktualiz. a rozš. vyd. Praha: Portál, 2011. ISBN 978-80-7367-893-7. info
• CABADA, L. Politický systém Slovinska. Praha: Slon, 2005. ISBN 80-86429-37-7. info
• KOPEČEK, L. (ed.). Od Mečiara k Dzurindovi: slovenská politika a politický systém v prvním desetiletí samostatnosti. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, Mezinárodní politol, 2003. ISBN 80-210-3136-0. info
• KUBÍN, Ľ. Rola politických elít pri zmene režimu na Slovensku. Bratislava: Veda, 2002. ISBN 80-224-0721-6. info
• LUKŠIČ, I. The Political System of the Republic of Slovenia. Lublaň: Znanstveno in publicistično središče, 2001. info
• HOLZER, J. (ed.). Komunistické strany v postsovětských stranicko-politických soustavách. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, Mezinárodní politol, 2000. ISBN 80-210-2353-8. info
• ONDRUCHOVÁ, M. Organizácia politických strán a hnutí na Slovensku. Bratislava: IVO, 2000. info
• CABADA, L. Slovinsko. In: Komparace politických systémů III. Praha: VŠE, 2000. ISBN 80-245-0806-0. info
• STRMISKA, MAXMILIÁN (ed.). Postkomunistické stranické soustavy a politická pluralita. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, Mezinárodní polito, 1999. ISBN 80-210-2218-3. info
• DANČÁK, B. a kol. Integrační pokusy ve středoevropském prostoru II. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 1999. ISBN 80-210-2036-9. info
• RUPNIK, J. Jiná Evropa. Praha: Prostor, 1992. ISBN 80-85190-17-6. info

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course can also be completed outside the examination period.

Teacher's information

Credit requirements: During the term, students will write a seminar thesis on a selected topic. Besides regular reading assignments, active student participation in seminar discussions is required.

• Enrolment Statistics (Summer 2015, recent)
  
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