ZURb1425 Muncipality communications with citizens

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Ing. Rudolf Burgr, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
PaedDr. David Holman (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Ing. Rudolf Burgr, Ph.D.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Boris Rafailov, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce communication platforms and tools for communication between municipalities and citizens and the levels, methods and forms of civic participation. It will include analysis of concrete solutions and dormant opportunities and practical exercises of civic participation.
Together we will take a journey from cities that resembled mysterious castles, through Potemkin villages towards the ideal of a truly transparent city. Along the way, we will study examples of good practice and discover opportunities for improving the status quo.
Finally, we will try to put the suggestions for improvement into practice. Students will experience first-hand how civic participation works in the practice of their own city.
The course prepares students for future professions: journalist, communication specialist or public administration official. But also for the role of an active citizen involved in the governance of their community.
Learning outcomes
Students will learn:
(1) identify and address the causes of problems in citizen-government dialogue,
(2) use tools of municipal communication analysis,
(3) use communication platforms and tools of municipal communication,
(4) assess current municipal communication practices, propose improvements or solutions, and
(5) create their own communication campaign to advocate for this change in the city's practice.
Syllabus
  • 1. Participatory methods in contemporary urban practice (participation levels and techniques, examples of good practice, analysis of examples from cities selected by students).
  • 2. Communication platforms of the modern city (examples of good but also controversial practices, SWOT analysis of selected platforms, city communication strategies, open data).
  • 3. Transparent decision-making (introduction to local government decision-making processes and their presentation to the public, public procurement, examples of "town hall cases").
  • 4. Run cities like businesses? Differences in communication between companies and cities (promotion vs. two-way communication, marketing vs. community planning, gatekeeping vs. transparency).
  • 5. Preparing a city's information campaign (brief, brainstorming, creative concept design, mediaplan, approximate budget).
  • 6. Presentation and evaluation of the practical assignment.
Literature
  • HAKEN Roman, HAVLÍN František, MAREK Ondřej, MIČKA Pavel, NAWRATH Martin, VACHŮNOVÁ Zuzana: Metodika participace aneb jak zapojit občany do rozhodování. Druhé vydání. Praha: Agora CE, o.p.s., 2016. 79 stran. ISBN 978-80-906397-1-3
  • ČERNÍK Vojtěch: Metodika tvorby participativního rozpočtu. První vydání. Praha: Agora CE, -o.p.s., 2016. 46 stran. ISBN 978-80-906397-4-4-
  • CHALUPOVÁ Lenka, PAVLÁT Jiří a kolektiv: Zapojování veřejnosti. První vydání. Přerov: Centrum pro komunitní práci, CpKP střední Morava, 2008. 42 stran. ISBN 978-80-86902-54-8
  • KAMENÍK Martin, KUŽÍLEK Oldřich: Komu slouží radniční noviny? Analýza radničních periodik, 2014. První vydání. Praha: Oživení, z.s., 2015. 58 stran. ISBN 978-80-88100-02-7
  • ROSECKÝ Daniel, ORINIAKOVÁ Pavla: Komunitní plánování sociálních služeb, První vydání. Plzeň: CpKP ČR, 2008. 46 stran.
  • CpKP, kolektiv autorů, editor Mgr. MAREK Ondřej: Zapojování veřejnosti nástroj správy věcí veřejných, Přerov 2008, ISBN: 978-80-86902-54-87
  • KAMENÍK Martin: Informační kampaně krajů a měst. První vydání. Praha: Oživení, o.s., 2016, 43 stran. ISBN 978-80-88100-07-2
  • HAKEN Roman, HAVLÍN František, MAREK Ondřej, MIČKA Pavel, NAWRATH Martin, VACHŮNOVÁ Zuzana, Ziegler Aleš: Analýza občanské participace v ČR. První vydání. Praha: Agora CE, o.p.s., 2016. 79 stran. ISBN 978-80-906397-3-7
  • MAREK Ondřej a kolektiv: Občané a veřejná prostranství, příklady zapojení veřejnosti do plánování veřejných prostranství. První vydání. Přerov: Centrum pro komunitní práci, 2005. 32 stran. ISBN 80-86902-27-7
  • MÜLLER, Karel B. Dobré vládnutí ve veřejném nezájmu : lokální politické elity jako klíčoví aktéři demokratizace? Vydání první. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON), 2018. 286 stran. ISBN 9788074192715.
  • KAMENÍK Martin, KUŽÍLEK Oldřich: MANUÁL pro dobré radniční periodikum, 2015. První vydání. Praha: Oživení, z.s., 2015. 27 stran. ISBN 978-80-88100-06-5
  • JEŽKOVÁ Lenka, ZELENKA Marek, KAMENÍK Martin, TRUNKATOVÁ Šárka, KOHOUTKOVÁ Andrea: Správná radnice, manuál transparentní samosprávy 2017. První vydání. Praha: Oživení, z.s., 2017. 84 stran.
Teaching methods
Lecture, seminar, project-oriented teaching, teamwork, case study, consultation, presentation, evaluation.
Assessment methods
Active participation in class (attendance of at least 75 percent), submission of the project and its presentation and evaluation at the colloquium is a condition for receiving credit.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Teacher's information
The subject will be implemented in the form of block teaching and consultations.

In the 2nd week of the semester, there will be an introductory meeting where students will be introduced to the content and requirements of the subject and the way of work. It will include creating teams and assigning projects.

The next part of the teaching takes place in the 4th, 8th and 12th weeks of the semester. During the semester, there will be individual / team consultations as needed. The majority will then consist of work on assigned projects.

During the exam period, a colloquium will take place with the presentation and evaluation of the created projects.

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/ZURb1425