EUP406 Czech Politics

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2007
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. JUDr. PhDr. Marek Čejka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. JUDr. PhDr. Miroslav Mareš, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Dana Prudíková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
PhDr. Pavel Pšeja, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: prof. JUDr. PhDr. Miroslav Mareš, Ph.D.
Timetable
Mon 14:00–15:40 U34
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 (in Czech)
This course is intended to present the Czech Republic as a model of the political and other social problems that can be encountered in the region of Central Europe, thus in a form of a microanalysis enabling the students to understand the processes of transformation from a country-specific point of view.
Syllabus (in Czech)
  • 1. Introduction Basic overview of the course, related topics and assignments. Information about the structure and logic of lectures, scientific and teaching approaches as employed in the course. Selection of the topics for position papers and the statement of terms for their elaboration. A brief excursus into the nature of the issues that are to be discussed in the course, and some examples. 2. Precursors of Czechoslovakia Social and political background of the general public notion of the Czech(oslovak) statehood; various historical processes as sources of societal cohesion and/or discord (e.g. Reformation and Counter-Reformation); some key moments in the development of historical Czech statehood (e.g. Hussite Movement, elimination of the independent Czech kingdom after Thirty Years War); cultural influences (e.g. German settlement) etc. 3. History of Czechoslovakia 1918-1992) Background of the emergence of Czechoslovakia as a new state; political system of the so-called First Republic; the Munich Treaty and its consequences; the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia 1939-1945; Czech exile during WWII; the communist regime in Czechoslovakia 1948-1989; the fall of communism in 1989; new democracy and the end of Czechoslovakia. 4. Political Culture and Democracy in the Czech Republic The establishment of the Czech Republic as an independent state; the dissolution of Czechoslovakia as a source of (counter)identification; traditions of the Czech democratic thinking; human rights in the Czech Republic; political culture, its sources and civic democracy; communist past and it consequences for the Czech politics and society; regime support and public opinion as a political variable; etc. Assigned readings: 5. Constitutional and Institutional Framework of the Czech Republic Division of powers; Constitution as a source of legitimacy; Parliament and legislative power; government and governmental proceedings; President; governance and self-government; etc. 6. Party System of the Czech Republic Birth of the system and political partisanship as a peculiar phenomenon in the Czech society; stages and constituent features of the system development; an overall analysis; major actors and their positions in the system; relation of the parties to the political representation in the Czech environment; changes in electoral support and consequences for public perceptions of political parties; etc. 7. System of Organized Interests Organized interests as sources of the political system formation and mediation of particular wills within society; lobbies and their relationships to the official political representation; trade unions; churches; groupings of various civic initiatives; examples of civic disobedience; etc. 8. Media in the Czech Politics Public and private domains; TV and radio stations as transmitters of political influence; system of regulation; press; new media; etc. 9. Policies in the Czech Republic 10. Foreign Policy of the Czech Republic Traditions of the Czech(oslovak) foreign policy; new directions, visions and conceptions after 1989; various conceptions of foreign policy in 1990s; general framework; relationship of the Czech Republic towards international organizations, EU and NATO; (un)importance of the Central Europe in the foreign policy conceptions in the Czech Republic; position of the Czech Republic in global system; etc. 11. Czech republic and the EU 12. Political Science in the Czech Republic Historical determinants; contemporary trends; most relevant teaching and research institutions; major researchers; areas of key interests; methodological and teaching foci of various institutions; scientific outputs; etc. 13. Course Synthesis and Review for Final Test
Literature
  • The literature is available on the Internet or in the Information system of the MU.
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Course Requirements: 1. Students are expected to read the required reading(s) for each seminar. If there are two or more required readings rather than one, students are expected to read all of them. 2. Students are encouraged to actively participate in the seminars by posing questions of clarification or bringing up problems for discussion. 3. Students are expected to write six short position papers (300-600 words each) on six different seminar topics. The papers should include a summary of the main points of the required reading(s), a critique of these readings, questions of clarification, and possible questions for discussion. To enable the organization of the in-class discussion, papers must have three clearly identified sections: 1) a summary section entitled Summary; 2) a critique section entitled Critique; 3) a section containing questions for discussion entitled Questions. Papers that do not have this structure and contain different points scattered throughout the text will be rejected and will not count towards the students grade. The position papers should be sent via e-mail to the lecturer responsible for the respective seminar. The papers should be submitted no later than 1 p. m. of the day before the seminar for which the paper is written. 4. At the end of the semester students should submit a 10-page long final paper on a topic relevant to the course. 5. There will be a final in-class written exam, consisting of four questions based on the required readings and the discussions in class. Grading: The final grade will be calculated as a composite evaluation consisting of three parts: 1) evaluation on the six position papers 2) evaluation on the final paper 3) evaluation on the final exam Students will be awarded 18 points for the submission of six position papers of acceptable quality, in compliance with the required structure of position papers, and in the specified deadline. The points are awarded as a bulk evaluation for the submission of all papers; separate papers do not get points. This means that no points at all will be awarded for the submission of less than six position papers. Late submissions and submission of papers that do not meet the minimal requirements of quality and structure are not acceptable. Students will be awarded 18 points for the submission of a final paper of acceptable quality. Each final-exam question gets between 0 and 6 points (max. 24 points overall for the final exam). The grade will be calculated on the basis of the number of points collected. In order to complete the course, students must collect at least 36 points (60% of the max. points for all parts, i.e. 60 points). Notes: 56-60: A 51-55: B 46-50: C 41-45: D 36-40: E 0-35: F
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2007, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2007/EUP406