Course: Parties and party systems

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Course title Parties and party systems
Course code KPOL/B108
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study 2
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 5
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Šárovec Daniel, PhDr.
Course content
1. Definition, delimitation and characteristics of a political party. 2. Development types of political parties. Elite and mass party. 3. Developmental types of political parties. Catch all party and cartel party. 4. Organizational structure and functioning of political parties. 5. Financing of political parties. 6. Typology of political parties according to various criteria. 7. Political parties and their program orientations. 8. Klaus von Beyme and his typology of party families. 9. Other typologies of party families. 10. Typology of party systems. The approach of Maurice Duverger. 11. Typology of party systems. The approach of Jean Blondel. 12. Typology of party systems. Giovanni Sartori's approach. 13. Changes in political parties and party systems.

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified, unspecified, unspecified, unspecified, unspecified
Learning outcomes
The course introduces students to the importance of parties, partisanship and party systems in modern democratic political systems. It presents the parties in terms of their origin, development, function, deals with the theory of the parties and their typology. It acquaints students with the importance of party systems, with theories of party systems and with the factors that lead to their formation. Theoretical concepts are demonstrated in the course by practical examples from the real politics of European countries.
The student is able to use professional terminology. The student distinguishes individual approaches used in the study of political partisanship and party systems of comparative political science. The student is able to characterize the specifics of individual types of political parties and party systems and compare them. The student is able to understand current political developments in this area.
Prerequisites
None

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
To successfully complete the course, it is required to submit a seminar paper in the range of 8 to 10 standard pages and successful completion of the exam.
Recommended literature
  • CABADA, L., CHARVÁT, J. a STULÍK, O. Současná komparativní politologie: klíčové koncepty.. Plzeň: Aleš Čeněk, 2015. ISBN 978-80-738-0577-7.
  • DUVERGER, M. Politické strany. Praha, 2016. ISBN 978-80-246-25.
  • FIALA, P. - STRMISKA, M. Teorie politických stran. Brno, 1998.
  • Charvát, Jakub. Krize politického stranictví a noví straničtí aktéři v české politice. Praha, 2016. ISBN 978-80-87956-47-2.
  • KLÍMA, M. Volby a politické strany v moderních demokraciích. Praha, 1998. ISBN 80-86031-13-6.
  • Novák, M. (ed.). Úvod do studia politiky. Praha: SLON, 2011.
  • Novák, M. Systémy politických stran. Slon, Praha. 1997.
  • SARTORI, G. Strany a stranickésystémy. Schéma pro analýzu. Brno, 2005.
  • STRMISKA, Maxmilián, HLOUŠEK, Vít, KOPEČEK, Lubomír, CHYTIL, Roman. Politické strany moderní Evropy: Analýza stranickopolitických systémů. Praha: Portál, 2005. ISBN 80-7367-038-0.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester