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Course, academic year 2024/2025
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Measuring Democracy and Democratic Quality - JPM039
Title: Measuring Democracy and Democratic Quality
Guaranteed by: Department of Political Science (23-KP)
Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
Actual: from 2024
Semester: summer
E-Credits: 7
Examination process: summer s.:
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/1, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unlimited / unlimited (25)
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Teaching methods: full-time
Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan
enabled for web enrollment
priority enrollment if the course is part of the study plan
Guarantor: doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr. Petra Guasti, Ph.D.
Teacher(s): doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr. Petra Guasti, Ph.D.
Incompatibility : JPM792
Annotation
What is a democracy, and how can we measure it? Which conceptual tools are necessary to measure the dynamics of democratic quality? What data resources and methods can we use to assess the path towards democratic consolidation or – in turn – democratic backsliding? This course critically engages with the core literature on (measuring) democracy and democratic quality and existing indices. We will cover both classical literature and contemporary debates. The course has a theoretical and applied component. The theoretical component aims to provide a thorough understanding of the purposes, benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of comparing democratic quality over time and across countries. We will familiarize ourselves with several key democratic indexes (Freedom House, Bertelsmann Transformation Index, Varieties of Democracy), review literature that applies these indices and familiarize ourselves with their online analytical tools. In combination, the two components aim at improving theoretical knowledge of democratic quality, data literacy, and the ability to assess the nonlinear dynamics of democracy.

Last update: Guasti Petra, doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr., Ph.D. (21.01.2025)
Aim of the course

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

The course combines active and passive, individual and group learning forms, and is designed to develop:

  1. knowledge and understanding of democracy, democratic quality, and their measurement. 
  2. information processing skills and analytical skills - students should be able to identify democracy and its measurement. Key is the linkage between conceptualization and measurement, as well as the ability to compare dynamics of democratic quality over time and across countries.
  3. communication skills – students will improve their communication and argumentation skills discussing various issues – developing ways to debate using theoretically informed and factual arguments. 

writing skills – during the semester, students will improve the ability to summarize academic texts, identify and elaborate on the key points, and work with resources according to academic standards (i.e., proper citation of various types of texts, in

Last update: Guasti Petra, doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr., Ph.D. (21.01.2025)
Literature

see syllabus + 

Additional readings:

Alexander, A. C., Inglehart, R., & Welzel, C. (2012). Measuring effective democracy: A defense. International Political Science Review, 33(1), 41-62.
Bönker, F. (2020). Democracy, Policy-Making and Policy Performance in the Czech Republic in the Light of International Democracy and Governance Indices. In Czech Democracy in Crisis (pp. 19-38). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Bustikova, L., & Guasti, P. (2017). The Illiberal Turn or Swerve in Central Europe?. Politics and Governance, 5(4), 166-176.
Gagnon, J. P., & Fleuss, D. (2020). The case for extending measures of democracy in the world “Beneath," "Above," and "Outside" the national level. Political Geography, 83, 102276.
Giebler, H. (2012). Bringing methodology (back) in Some remarks on contemporary democracy measurements. European Political Science, 11(4), 509-518.
Levitsky, S., & Way, L. (2015). The myth of democratic recession. Journal of Democracy, 26(1), 45-58.
Lührmann, A., & Lindberg, S. I. (2019). A third wave of autocratization is here: what is new about it?. Democratization, 26(7), 1095-1113.
Mayne, Q., & Geissel, B. (2016). Putting the demos back into the concept of democratic quality. International Political Science Review, 37(5), 634-644.
Sabl, A. (2015). The two cultures of democratic theory: Responsiveness, democratic quality, and the empirical-normative divide. Perspectives on Politics, 345-365.
Steiner, N. D. (2016). Comparing Freedom House democracy scores to alternative indices and testing for political bias: Are US allies rated as more democratic by Freedom House?. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 18(4), 329-349.

Last update: Guasti Petra, doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr., Ph.D. (21.01.2025)
Teaching methods

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

·       The communication platform for this seminar will be Moodle, where all readings will be available; tasks uploaded and group projects discussed.

·       Required readings are to be completed by every student for the given session of the seminar BEFORE the class. 

·       The recommended reading aims to encourage students to obtain a more profound understanding of the presented topics.

·       Students are also encouraged to use the library and other resources available at the university. You are welcomed to ask for a recommendation in a specific direction during consultations.

 

 

1.     QACQs: one-page reading summaries. A summary is a passive form of learning - you repeat information contained in the text. The QACQ model is different - it focuses on engaging you with the material.

 

 

QACQ:

 

Q choose a quote from the text, 

A explain its argument, 

C connection to the overall text, and 

Q formulate a question.

 

Length cca 300 words. 

 

Students whose surname starts with A-K are to complete QACQs in weeks 5 and 8. 

Students whose surname starts with letters M-S are to complete QACQs in weeks 6 and 9. 

Students whose surname starts with letters Š-Z are to complete QACQs in weeks 7 and 10. 

 

Each student will have to do 2 QACQs during the course – on a text of their choice from the list of recommended readings

 

The QACQ are to be submitted electronically at the latest 48 hours before the relevant session as they serve as a basis for our discussion (the second ‘Q’ in QACQ.). The QACQ submission is via Moodle upload, only PDF format accepted

 

2.     Group project

Depending on number of participants, students will form groups of 2-4 members. 

 

Each group will select one country included in all three indices (Freedom House/Nations in Transit, Bertelsmann Transformation Index, and Varieties of Democracy). 

 

Using available data, country reports, and additional information, each group will assess the process of democratization in a given country along the criteria AND structure stipulated in Moodle.  

 

The group project is to be uploaded into Moodle at the latest by May 30, 2025.

 

 

3.     Final exam

During the exam period, the students will sign up for a final test. This test will be composed of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Completion of readings for session 2-12 is expected for successful completion of the test.  

 

 

Logic:

The idea behind these assignments is that you familiarize yourself with a number of different questions and issues at the forefront of measuring democratic quality. This should train students to think along theoretical lines and allow them to see democracy from a theoretically- and empirically informed perspective. In-class active participation is expected –sessions 5-10 will include a section dedicated to discussing selected questions from the submitted QACQs.

 

Grade composition:

QACQs (30%)

Group project (40%)

Final test (30%)

 

PLAGIARISM AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of someone else’s work as your own, even if unintentional. It can involve copying text, paraphrasing without citing the source, undisclosed collaboration with others, or using AI. To avoid plagiarism, students must always properly cite their sources, mark quotations, and acknowledge contributions from others and AI. The responsibility always lies with the student—if you work with AI and plagiarism is found, it is considered your plagiarism. (AI is a language model that generates text for you from other texts.)

 

To detect plagiarism, FSV UK uses Turnitin, which is automatically integrated into Moodle, and I also privately use Copyleaks. Both tools can identify plagiarism and AI generated texts.

 

Plagiarism and unacknowledged AI use are reported, investigated and have serious consequences as per Dean’s provision 18/2015. https://fsv.cuni.cz/en/deans-provision-no-18/2015  

 

CONSULTATIONS: 

The students are encouraged to approach me individually if they need assistance with any aspect of the course, course readings, and course requirements.  Consultations will take place via book AND email confirmed consultation via the Konzultace platform.

Last update: Guasti Petra, doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr., Ph.D. (21.01.2025)
Syllabus

BLOCK I. DEMOCRACY – DEMOCRATIC QUALITY - DEMOCRATIZATION

Session Date Topic
1. 18.2.2025 Introduction

Course Overview
Course Requirements

Recommended reading:
Saward, Michael. 1994. Democratic Theory and Indices of Democratization. In Defining and Measuring Democracy, edited by D. Beetham. London: Sage.


2. 25.2.2025 What is Democracy and How to Measure it

Required reading:
Collier, D., & Levitsky, S. (1997). Democracy with adjectives: conceptual innovation in comparative research. World Politics, 430-451.

Recommended reading:
Munck, G. L., & Verkuilen, J. (2002). Conceptualizing and measuring democracy: Evaluating alternative indices. Comparative Political Studies, 35(1), 5-34.
Levitsky, S., & Way, L. A. (2024). The Resilience of Democracy’s Third
Wave. PS: Political Science & Politics, 1-4

3. 4.3.2025 Democratic Quality

Required reading:
Munck, G. L. (2016). What is democracy? A reconceptualization of the quality of democracy. Democratization, 23(1), 1-26.

Recommended reading:
Diamond, L., & Morlino, L. (2004). The quality of democracy: An overview. Journal of Democracy, 15(4), 20-31.
Berg-Schlosser, D. (2004). The quality of democracies in Europe as measured by current indicators of democratization and good governance. Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, 20(1), 28-55.

4. 11.3.2025 Democratic Consolidation

Required reading:
Schedler, A. (1998). What is democratic consolidation?. Journal of Democracy, 9(2), 91-107.

Recommended reading:
Linz, Juan and Alfred Stephan (April 1996): "Towards Consolidated Democracies." Journal of Democracy, 7(2), 34-51.
Schedler, A. (2001). Taking uncertainty seriously: the blurred boundaries of democratic transition and consolidation. Democratization, 8(4), 1-22.


5. 18.3.2025 Democratic Backsliding

Required reading:
Bermeo, N. (2016). On democratic backsliding. Journal of Democracy, 27(1), 5-19.
Bermeo, N. (2022). Questioning backsliding. Journal of Democracy, 33(4), 155-159.

Recommended reading:
Croissant, A., & Haynes, J. (2021). Democratic regression in Asia: introduction. Democratization, 28(1), 1-21.
Greskovits, B. (2015). The hollowing and backsliding of democracy in East Central Europe. Global Policy, 6(S1), 28–37.


BLOCK II. MEASURING DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIZATION

6. 25.3.2025 Conceptualizing and Measuring Democracy

Required reading:
Collier, D., & Adcock, R. (1999). Democracy and dichotomies: A pragmatic approach to choices about concepts. Annual Review of Political Science, 2(1), 537-565.

Recommended reading:
Coppedge, M., Gerring, J., Altman, D., Bernhard, M., Fish, S., Hicken, A., ... & Teorell, J. (2011). Conceptualizing and measuring democracy: A new approach. Perspectives on Politics, 247-267.

7. 1.4.2025 Measuring Democratic Consolidation

Required reading:
Schneider, C. Q., & Schmitter, P. C. (2004). Liberalization, transition, and consolidation: Measuring the components of democratization. Democratization, 11(5), 59-90.

Recommended reading:
Altman, D., & Pérez-Liñán, A. (2002). Assessing the quality of democracy: Freedom, competitiveness, and participation in eighteen Latin American countries. Democratization, 9(2), 85-100.
Greene, S. R. (2020). Coups and the consolidation mirage: lessons for stability in new democracies. Democratization, 27(7), 1280-1300.

8. 8.4.2025 Measuring Democratic Backsliding

Little, A. T., & Meng, A. (2023). Measuring democratic backsliding. PS: Political Science & Politics, 1-13.
Knutsen, C. H., Marquardt, K. L., Seim, B., Coppedge, M., Edgell, A. B., Medzihorsky, J., ... & Lindberg, S. I. (2023). Conceptual and Measurement Issues in Assessing Democratic Backsliding. PS: Political Science & Politics, 1-16.

Recommended reading:
Miller, M. K. (2024). How Little and Meng’s Objective Approach Fails in Democracies. PS: Political Science & Politics, 1-6.
Little, A. T., & Meng, A. (2024). What We Do and Do Not Know about Democratic Backsliding. PS: Political Science & Politics, 1-6.

BLOCK III. DEMOCRATIC INDICES

9. 15.4.2025 Freedom House

Required reading:
Giannone, D. (2010). Political and ideological aspects in the measurement of democracy: the Freedom House case. Democratization, 17(1), 68-97.

Recommended reading:
Högström, J. (2013). Does the choice of democracy measure matter? Comparisons between the two leading democracy indices, Freedom House and Polity IV. Government and Opposition, 48(2), 201-221.
Vaccaro, A. (2021). Comparing measures of democracy: statistical properties, convergence, and interchangeability. European Political Science, 1-19.


10. 22.4.2025 Bertelsmann Transformation Index

Required reading:
Merkel, W. (2004). Embedded and defective democracies. Democratization, 11(5), 33-58.

Recommended reading:
Brusis, M. (2005). Assessing democracy, market economy and political management: the Bertelsmann Transformation Index and Southeastern Europe. (CAP Policy Research, 1/2005).
Lavrič, M., & Bieber, F. (2020). Shifts in Support for Authoritarianism and Democracy in the Western Balkans. Problems of Post-Communism, 1-10.

11. 29.4.2025 V-Dem Index

Required reading:
Teorell, J., Coppedge, M., Lindberg, S., & Skaaning, S. E. (2019). Measuring polyarchy across the globe, 1900–2017. Studies in Comparative International Development, 54(1), 71-95.

Recommended reading:
Møller, J., & Skaaning, S. E. (2010). Beyond the radial delusion: Conceptualizing and measuring democracy and non-democracy. International Political Science Review, 31(3), 261-283.
Lührmann, A., Marquardt, K. L., & Mechkova, V. (2020). Constraining governments: New indices of vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accountability. American Political Science Review, 114(3), 811-820.
Boswell, J., & Corbett, J. (2021). Democracy, Interpretation and the “Problem” of Conceptual Ambiguity: Reflections on the V-Dem Project’s Struggles with Operationalizing Deliberative Democracy. Polity, 53(2), 000-000.

12. 6.5.2025 Final Session: Comparing Indices

Required reading:

Graziano, P., & Quaranta, M. (2024). Studying Democracy in Europe: Conceptualization, Measurement and Indices. Government and Opposition, 59(2), 605-631.

Recommended reading:
Claassen, C., Ackermann, K., Bertsou, E., Borba, L., Carlin, R. E., Cavari, A., ... & Zechmeister, E. J. (2024). Conceptualizing and measuring support for democracy: A new approach. Comparative Political Studies, 00104140241259458.Munck, G. L., & Verkuilen, J. (2002). Conceptualizing and measuring democracy: Evaluating alternative indices. Comparative Political Studies, 35(1), 5-34.
Møller, J., & Skaaning, S. E. (2010). Beyond the radial delusion: Conceptualizing and measuring democracy and non-democracy. International Political Science Review, 31(3), 261-283.
Fleuss, D., & Helbig, K. (2020). Measuring Nation States’ Deliberativeness: Systematic challenges, methodological pitfalls, and strategies for upscaling the measurement of deliberation. Political Studies, 0032321719890817.

Last update: Guasti Petra, doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr., Ph.D. (21.01.2025)
 
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