Course: Liberal Democracy in Times of Crisis

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Course title Liberal Democracy in Times of Crisis
Course code KPOL/K002
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Seminary
Level of course Master
Year of study 1
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 3
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)
  • Maškarinec Pavel, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. What is democracy and what is (yet) not. Theoretical reflection of the concept of democracy in history and the present. 2. Democratic transformations (R. A Dahl) and waves of democratization (S. P. Huntington). 3. Historical types of undemocratic regimes. 4. Theory and practice of totalitarianism. 5. Theory and practice of authoritarianism. 6. Transitions to democracy in theory and practice. 7. Factors of successful and unsuccessful democratization. 8. Consolidation and (de) consolidation of democracy. 9. Modern types of undemocratic regimes. 10. Problems of classification of modern undemocratic regimes. 11. Hybridization of political regimes. 12. Hybridization of political regimes in the Central European area. 13. Current alternatives to the liberal-democratic model.

Learning activities and teaching methods
unspecified, unspecified, unspecified, unspecified, unspecified
Learning outcomes
The course is devoted to the problems facing the liberal-democratic model of governance. It focuses on the definition of democracy and various types of undemocratic regimes. Emphasis is also placed on the processes of transition to democracy and the criteria for consolidating democracy. It also seeks to introduce the phenomenon of hybridization of political regimes and alternatives to the liberal-democratic model of governance.
The student is able to use professional terminology. The student distinguishes between different types of undemocratic regimes. The student is able to characterize the specifics of different types of transitions to democracy. The student knows various criteria for the consolidation of democracy. The student is familiar with the issue of hybridization of political regimes and alternatives to the liberal-democratic model of governance.
Prerequisites
None

Assessment methods and criteria
unspecified
To successfully complete the course, the presentation of a paper, submission of a seminar paper in the range of 8 to 10 standard pages and active participation in seminars is required.
Recommended literature
  • Balík, St., Kubát, M. Teorie a praxe totalitních a autoritativních režimů. Praha, 2004.
  • Huntington, S. P. Třetí vlna: demokratizace na sklonku dvacátého století. New York, 1996.
  • LEVITSKY, S. ? ZIBLATT, D. How Democracies Die. What History Reveals About Our Future. New York, 2018.
  • LINZ, J. ? STEPAN, A. Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America, and Post-Communist Europe. Baltimore, 1996.


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