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The course European Comparative Politics and Society will concentrate on the analysis of the pursuits of democracy in Europe. Firstly, the conception of Europe will be explored in its historical perspective and different perceptions: territorial, political, spiritual, cultural etc. Secondly, the characterizing social cleavages of Europe will be introduced: territorial, economic, religious, national, ethnic etc. Furthermore, we will discuss how these cleavages get expressed in the formation of different social interests and lead to the organization of interests groups, political parties and NGOs and the contemporary challenges. Thirdly, turning towards the institutional structures of European parliamentary democracies, we will address the existence of political party systems, as well as the executive and legislative powers represented by government and parliament. Fourthly, we will explore the rules and outcomes of different electoral systems, which ensure regular rotation of political elites at power – however, under different principles. Finally, we will assess the enrichment of the classical models of government in Western Europe, which have in the last 20 years been supplemented by additional players participating in the decision making processes on different levels (local, regional, national and European) – leading to new political conceptualization of ‘governance’. Also, while European states remain core units of European integration, the EU leading to their Europeanization also influences them. The new challenges facing Europe, such as populism, immigration, globalization, financial crisis, continuing European integration, regionalization, restructuring of social welfare systems and the issues of identity, will be discussed.
The course will be taught online using ZOOM. Before the first class please enroll in the Moodle using the following link: https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=10198 Poslední úprava: Váška Jan, Mgr., Ph.D. (22.09.2020)
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Please see the syllabus; further reading will be suggested during the classes. Poslední úprava: Váška Jan, Mgr., Ph.D. (31.08.2020)
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European Comparative Politics and Society Fall 2014
Lecturer: Prof. PhDr.Lenka Rovná, CSc., Jean Monnet Chair Ad Personam
Tuesdays 14:30 - 15:30 Rectorate, Ovocný trh 3 - 5, Praha 1, room 307 (Please confirm in writing)
Course description:
The course European Comparative Politics and Society will concentrate on the analysis of the pursuits of democracy in Europe. Firstly, the conception of Europe will be explored in its historical perspective and different perceptions: territorial, political, spiritual, cultural etc. Secondly, the characterizing social cleavages of Europe will be introduced: territorial, economic, religious, national, ethnic etc. Furthermore, we will discuss how these cleavages get expressed in the formation of different social interests and lead to the organization of interests groups, political parties and NGOs. Thirdly, turning towards the institutional structures of European parliamentary democracies, we will address the existence of political party systems, as well as the executive and legislative powers represented by government and parliament. Fourthly, we will explore the rules and outcomes of different electoral systems, which ensure regular rotation of political elites at power - however, under different principles. Finally, we will assess the enrichment of the classical models of government in Western Europe, which have in the last 20 years been supplemented by additional players participating in the decision making processes on different levels (local, regional, national and European) - leading to new political conceptualization of ‘governance’. Also, while European states remain core units of European integration, they are also influenced by the EU, leading to their Europeanization. The selected problems of political systems of Great Britain, France and Germany as case studies will be examined. The new challenges facing Europe, such as globalization, financial crisis, continuing European integration, regionalization, restructuring of social welfare systems and the issues of identity, will be discussed.
Every student will be responsible for: 1) Class Participation Each student will prepare for class by doing the designated readings, designated oral presentations and actively participating in class discussions. Two unexcused absences can be tolerated.
2) Paper (December 9) Each student will write an 8page (double-spaced) research paper. "Right of Left, Who is Best?" Each student will select one parliamentary political party belonging to the "right" or "left" side of political spectrum in one European country according to the assignment done in the class. The program of the party will be examined and the question dealing with the recent developments in European politics will be done. Detailed instructions will be given during the class. Quotations and the complete list of sources are compulsory. The paper will be sent electronically to the address euro@prorektor.cuni.cz
4) Final exam The final exam will be cumulative and will consist of short answer identification questions and essay questions.
Requirements for the class:
Paper (8 pages) 30% Final exam 30% Participation in the class 40%
Lesson 1 September 30 Introduction Europe: perception of Europe, European values, a continent in the making, in: Tim Bale, European Politics, A Comparative Introduction, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 2005, pp. 1 - 31
Lesson 2 October 7 Cleavages in Europe, religious, ethnic, economic, social…, in: Jan Eric Lane and Svante Ersson, Politics and Society in Western Europe, Sage Publication, London, 1999, pp. 37 - 75
Lesson 3 October 14 NO CLASSES!!! Readings for home: Political System of Great Britain, Britain and Europe, in: Gabriel A.Almond, Russel J.Dalton, G.Bingham Powell, Jr., Kaare Strom, European Politics Today, Pearson Longman, New York, 3rd edition, 2006, pp.84 - 133 Political System of France, in: Gabriel A.Almond, Russel J.Dalton, G.Bingham Powell, Jr., Kaare Strom, European Politics Today, Pearson Longman, New York, 3rd edition, 2006, pp. 134 - 189 Political System of Germany, in: Gabriel A.Almond, Russel J.Dalton, G.Bingham Powell, Jr., Kaare Strom, European Politics Today, Pearson Longman, New York, 3rd edition, 2006, pp.190 - 245
Lesson 4 October 21 Political Parties, in: Jan Eric Lane and Svante Ersson, Politics and Society in Western Europe, Sage Publication, London, 1999, pp. 76 - 108 Inside Western European Political parties, in:Michael Gallagher, Michael Laver, Peter Mair, Representative Government in Modern Europe, Institutions, parties and Governments, Boston, McGraw Hill, 4th edition, 2005, pp. 307-339
Lesson 5 November 4 Elections and Electoral systems, Formation of the Parliament, in:Michael Gallagher, Michael Laver, Peter Mair, Representative Government in Modern Europe, Institutions, parties and Governments, Boston, McGraw Hill, 4th edition, 2005, pp. 340-380 in: Edited by Paul Heywood, Erik Jones and Martin Rhodes, Developments in West European Politics 2, Palgrave, Basingstoke, 2002, pp. 94 - 114
Lesson 6 November 11 Building and Maintaining the government, in:Michael Gallagher, Michael Laver, Peter Mair, Representative Government in Modern Europe, Institutions, parties and Governments, Boston, McGraw Hill, 4th edition, 2005, pp. 381-421 in: Gabriel A.Almond, Russel J.Dalton, G.Bingham Powell, Jr., Kaare Strom, European Politics Today, Pearson Longman, New York, 3rd edition, 2006, pp.62 - 83 Politics outside Parliament, in:Michael Gallagher, Michael Laver, Peter Mair, Representative Government in Modern Europe, Institutions, parties and Governments, Boston, McGraw Hill, 4th edition, 2005, pp. 441-461
Lesson 7 November 18 From Government to governance, in: Edited by Paul Heywood, Erik Jones and Martin Rhodes, Developments in West European Politics 2, Palgrave, Basingstoke, 2002, pp. 151 - 183 Territorial Politics and the New Regionalism, in: Edited by Paul Heywood, Erik Jones and Martin Rhodes, Developments in West European Politics 2, Palgrave, Basingstoke, 2002, pp. 201 - 220
Lesson 8 November 25 European Integration and the nation state, in:Simon Bulmer and Christian Lequesne, The Member States of the European Union, Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 25-69 Politics in the European Union from the member state point of view, in: Gabriel A.Almond, Russel J.Dalton, G.Bingham Powell, Jr., Kaare Strom, European Politics Today, Pearson Longman, New York, 3rd edition, 2006, pp.457 - 509
Lesson 9 December 2 The Policy Process, in: Rod Hague and Martin Harrop, Comparative Government and Politics, 8th edition, Palgrave, 2010, pp. 367 - 384
Lesson 10 December 9 Case Studies, Recent General Elections in comparative perspective, in The Economist and the election webpages
Lesson 11 December 16 Case Studies, Centralization and Regionalism (The United Kingdom, Spain, ….) The End of the Nation State?, in: Tim Bale, European Politics, A Comparative Introduction, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 2005, pp. 32 - 46
Poslední úprava: Rovná Lenka, prof. PhDr., CSc. (27.09.2014)
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