EGOn4005 Comparative Politics of EU countries

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Vít Hloušek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Vít Hloušek, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
(! EGO405 Comparative Politics of EU )&&(! VISn5011 Comparative Politics of EU )&&(! IREn5016 Comparative Politics of EU )&&!NOWANY( EGO405 Comparative Politics of EU , VISn5011 Comparative Politics of EU , IREn5016 Comparative Politics of EU )
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 comparative analysis of political systems of West European countries. The topics are selected to allow students first to obtain the introductory survey and comparative methodological basis about political systems, political institutions, and processes typical for European highly developed democracies. In the second part, the course is organised as seminars devoted to contemporary European politics issues using selected country studies and conceptual discussions as examples and background for in-class discussion.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the students will become familiar with comparative methods in analysing political systems, institutions, and processes typical of developed European democracies. Students get a basic introduction to the system-comparison of democratic states, including basic classification and typology of democratic systems (parliamentary, presidential, semi-presidential democracies). The course focuses on party politics too as well as on the systems of multilevel governance in Europe. The position papers written in this course shall improve students’ abilities in comparative-oriented research and writing. At the end of the course, a student will apply comparative politics concepts to Western European political and party systems. The student will compare political institutions, political parties, and party systems. The student will also assess the main challenges and discuss key contemporary European political issues.
Syllabus
  • 1. What is democratic politics and why the multi-dimensionality matters 2. Supply versus demand: Ideologies and voter´s preferences 3. Electoral systems and representation 4. Party politics 5. The Crisis of Political Parties 6. Political systems and governments 7. Parliaments and law-making 8. Direct or Representative Democracy? 9. Constitutional courts, rule of law, and judicialisation of politics 10. Multilevel Governance of Communities and Regions 11. Professional Political Communication and Personalisation of Politics
Literature
    required literature
  • MAGONE, José M. Contemporary European politics : a comparative introduction. Second edition. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2019, xxxii, 557. ISBN 9781138895027. info
    not specified
  • DEVRIES, Catherine, Sara Binzer HOBOLT, Sven-Oliver PROKSCH and Jonathan B. SLAPIN. Foundations of european politics : a comparative approach. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2021, xix, 312. ISBN 9780198831303. info
Teaching methods
The course includes lectures and seminars. Students are expected to write three brief position papers and one seminar paper, including its presentation.
Assessment methods
The final exam will be based on oral discussion /up to 40 points/.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/EGOn4005