PMCb1006 Political and media systems

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 7 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Lucie Čejková (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Vlastimil Havlík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Martina Novotná, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Marek Rybář, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Klára Smejkal, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Andrei Kalavur (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Vlastimil Havlík, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
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
Course objectives
The course focuses on different political and media systems. More specifically, it explains the differences and consequences of different institutional settings (political regimes), party systems and media systems on politics and political communication. The course addresses questions about the relationship of different political systems and the media, the effects of party organizations on political communication, personalization of politics or multi-level governance including the European Union. The course also explores various possibilities of comparative media research, more particularly it encompasses selected approaches to the media systems’ typologies.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, a student will be able to identify, describe and summarize features of different political systems (presidential, parliamentary, semi-presidential), understand and explain the dynamics of the development of political parties and different types of party systems and its consequences on the relationship to the media and political communication. Also, a student will be familiar with different media systems including the rise of the new media and effects on politics.
Syllabus
  • 1. The systemic approach to politics and the role of the media
  • 2. Types of political systems (presidentialism, parliamentarism, semipresidentialism)
  • 3. Political parties and the media – an organizational perspective: from cadre parties to business-firm parties
  • 4. Political parties and the media – a systemic perspective, institutionalization and personalization of political parties, populism and political communication
  • 5. Politics and media in a multilevel governance – the political system of the European Union
  • 6. Media and journalism from a comparative perspective
  • 7. Reading week.
  • 8. Political journalism
  • 9. Typologies of the media systems I. – four theories of the press, the normative theory
  • 10. Typologies of the media systems II. – development and the current approach to the media systems’ typologies
  • 11. Media systems beyond the Western world
  • 12. Comparative research on the political systems and the media
  • 13. Final exam
Literature
    required literature
  • Caramani, D. (Ed.). 2017. Comparative politics. Oxford University Press.
  • Hallin, Daniel C. – Mancini, Paolo (eds.). 2012. Comparing Media Systems Beyond the Western World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Dobek-Ostrowska, B. et al. (eds.). Comparative Media Systems. European and Global Perspectives. Budapest, New York: Central European University Press.
  • Hallin, D. C., Mancini, P. 2017. Ten years after Comparing media systems: What have we learned? Political Communication 34(2), pp. 155–171.
  • Katz, R. S., & Mair, P. 1995. Changing models of party organization and party democracy: the emergence of the cartel party. Party politics, 1(1), 5-28.
  • Siebert, F. S., Peterson, T., Schramm, W. 1984. Four Theories of the Press. University of Illinois Press.
  • De Vreese, C., Esser, F., & Hopmann, D. N. (Eds.). (2016). Comparing political journalism. Routledge.
  • Aalberg T., Curran J. 2012. How media inform democracy. A comparative approach. New York, London: Routledge.
  • McQuail. D.2013. Journalism and society. London: Sage.
  • Dinan, D. (Ed.). (2014). Origins and evolution of the European Union. Oxford University Press.
  • de Burgh, H. (ed.). Making Journalists. Diverse Models, Global Issues. London – New York: Routledge.
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussion, position papers.
Assessment methods
Six position papers (3 pages) reflecting the literature (6 * 5 points), one seminar paper (10 pages, 20 points) and final exam based on the lectures and reading (50 points). 60 points out of 100 needed to pass.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/PMCb1006