EVSb2086 EU Elections and Public Opinion

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2024

The course is not taught in Spring 2024

Extent and Intensity
1/1. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Zuzana Ringlerová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Zuzana Ringlerová, 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
! EVS186 EU Elections and Public Op. && ! NOW ( EVS186 EU Elections and Public Op. )
None
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 20 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/20, only registered: 0/20
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 23 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
It is the aim of this course to achieve that students are able to do the following:
Explain why citizens participate in elections and why they vote they way they do.
Discuss the main facts about European Parliament elections and European referendums.
Describe how citizens participate in a political system.
Empirically analyze voters' behavior in European Parliament elections.
Deliver a short presentation of their seminar paper.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to do the following:
Explain why citizens participate in elections and why they vote they way they do.
Discuss the main facts about European Parliament elections and European referendums.
Describe how citizens participate in a political system.
Empirically analyze voters' behavior in European Parliament elections.
Deliver a short presentation of their seminar paper.
Syllabus
  • Course description:
  • Political participation by citizens and representation of citizens' views by policy makers is at the heart of the notion of a democratic society. Are European Parliament elections about "Europe" at all or are they just about domestic politics? Why do so few citizens turn out in European Parliament elections? How do we explain why citizens vote in European Parliament elections the way they do? To what extent are citizens' views represented at European level of government? In this course we will seek answers to these and other questions about citizen participation and representation in the European Union. Throughout the course, students will have an opportunity to learn how to critically read academic literature. In addition, as a part of this course, students will write a short seminar paper and learn how to deliver a good presentation of their work.
  • Course outline:
  • 1) Citizens and democracy
  • 2) How do citizens participate? How are they represented in a political system?
  • 3) Elections and referendums in the EU
  • 4) Explaining voting behavior in European Parliament elections I. Sociological and psychological explanations.
  • 5) Explaining voting behavior in European Parliament elections II. Second-order national elections or elections about Europe?
  • 6) Taking one step further: If citizens' voting behavior is explained by their views of the EU, how do we explain citizens' views of the EU?
  • 7) No class. Easter Monday (national holiday).
  • 8) Midterm exam.
  • 9) Workshop: How to write the seminar paper.
  • 10) Media and elections.
  • 11) Quality of representation I. Do policy makers represent citizens' opinions?
  • 12) Quality of representation II. Democratic accountability and democratic deficit in the EU.
  • 13) Paper presentations.
Literature
    required literature
  • Hooghe, L., and G. Marks. 2004. "Does identity or economic rationality drive public opinion on European integration?" Ps-Political Science & Politics 37 (3): 415-20.
  • Clawson, R. and Z. Oxley. Public Opinion: Democratic Ideals and Democratic Practice 2nd edition, CQ Press, 2013
  • Hix, Simon and Michael Marsh. 2007. Punishment or Protest? Understanding European Parliament Elections, The Journal of Politics, Vol 69, No. 2.
  • Chapters 3 and 4 from Russel Dalton's Citizen Politics 6th edition, CQ Press, 2014
  • Hix, Simon and Michael Marsh. 2011. Second-Order Effects Plus Pan-European Electoral Swings: An Analysis of European Parliament Elections Across Time. Electoral Studies, Vol 30
  • Hobolt, Sara B. 2016. "The Brexit vote: a divided nation, a divided continent." Journal of European Public Policy. 23(9): 1259-77.
  • All required or recommended readings will be available online or in the library.
Teaching methods
In this course, you will be learning new knowledge and skills in multiple ways:
• you will practice critical reading skills and acquire factual knowledge during your preparation for class (through critical reading of the assigned material and preparing discussion questions)
• you will practice discussion skills and critical analysis skills in class discussions
• you will learn additional empirical knowledge and analytical skills in your seminar papers
• you will practice presentation skills in your class presentation
Assessment methods
The final grade has the following components
Participation 15%
Quizzes 10%
Seminar paper 35%
Midterm exam 20%
Final exam 20%
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
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