ZURn6509 Muncipality communications with citizens

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
Ing. Rudolf Burgr, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
PaedDr. David Holman (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Ing. Rudolf Burgr, Ph.D.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Boris Rafailov, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
TYP_STUDIA ( MN )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 5 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/5, only registered: 0/5, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/5
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce communication platforms and tools for communication between municipalities and citizens and the levels, methods and forms of civic participation. It will include analysis of concrete solutions and dormant opportunities and practical exercises of civic participation.
Together we will take a journey from cities that resembled mysterious castles, through Potemkin villages towards the ideal of a truly transparent city. Along the way, we will study examples of good practice and discover opportunities for improving the status quo.
Finally, we will try to put the suggestions for improvement into practice. Students will experience first-hand how civic participation works in the practice of their own city.
The course prepares students for future professions: journalist, communication specialist or public administration official. But also for the role of an active citizen involved in the governance of their community.
Learning outcomes
Students will learn:
(1) identify and address the causes of problems in citizen-government dialogue,
(2) use tools of municipal communication analysis,
(3) use communication platforms and tools of municipal communication,
(4) assess current municipal communication practices, propose improvements or solutions, and
(5) create their own communication campaign to advocate for this change in the city's practice.
Syllabus
  • 1. Participatory methods in contemporary urban practice (participation levels and techniques, examples of good practice, analysis of examples from cities selected by students).
  • 2. Communication platforms of the modern city (examples of good but also controversial practices, SWOT analysis of selected platforms, city communication strategies, open data).
  • 3. Transparent decision-making (introduction to local government decision-making processes and their presentation to the public, public procurement, examples of "town hall cases").
  • 4. Run cities like businesses? Differences in communication between companies and cities (promotion vs. two-way communication, marketing vs. community planning, gatekeeping vs. transparency).
  • 5. Preparing a city's information campaign (brief, brainstorming, creative concept design, mediaplan, approximate budget).
  • 6. Presentation and evaluation of the practical assignment.
Literature
    required literature
  • • JEŽKOVÁ Lenka, ZELENKA Marek, KAMENÍK Martin, TRUNKATOVÁ Šárka, KOHOUTKOVÁ Andrea: Správná radnice, manuál transparentní samosprávy 2017. První vydání. Praha: Oživení, z.s., 2017. 84 stran.
  • • KAMENÍK Martin, KUŽÍLEK Oldřich: MANUÁL pro dobré radniční periodikum, 2015. První vydání. Praha: Oživení, z.s., 2015. 27 stran. ISBN 978-80-88100-06-5
  • • HAKEN Roman, HAVLÍN František, MAREK Ondřej, MIČKA Pavel, NAWRATH Martin, VACHŮNOVÁ Zuzana: Metodika participace aneb jak zapojit občany do rozhodování. Druhé vydání. Praha: Agora CE, o.p.s., 2016. 79 stran. ISBN 978-80-906397-1-3
    recommended literature
  • • MAREK Ondřej a kolektiv: Občané a veřejná prostranství, příklady zapojení veřejnosti do plánování veřejných prostranství. První vydání. Přerov: Centrum pro komunitní práci, 2005. 32 stran. ISBN 80-86902-27-7
  • • KAMENÍK Martin, KUŽÍLEK Oldřich: Komu slouží radniční noviny? Analýza radničních periodik, 2014. První vydání. Praha: Oživení, z.s., 2015. 58 stran. ISBN 978-80-88100-02-7
  • • HAKEN Roman, HAVLÍN František, MAREK Ondřej, MIČKA Pavel, NAWRATH Martin, VACHŮNOVÁ Zuzana, Ziegler Aleš: Analýza občanské participace v ČR. První vydání. Praha: Agora CE, o.p.s., 2016. 79 stran. ISBN 978-80-906397-3-7
  • • KAMENÍK Martin: Informační kampaně krajů a měst. První vydání. Praha: Oživení, o.s., 2016, 43 stran. ISBN 978-80-88100-07-2
  • • ČERNÍK Vojtěch: Metodika tvorby participativního rozpočtu. První vydání. Praha: Agora CE, -o.p.s., 2016. 46 stran. ISBN 978-80-906397-4-4-
  • • ROSECKÝ Daniel, ORINIAKOVÁ Pavla: Komunitní plánování sociálních služeb, První vydání. Plzeň: CpKP ČR, 2008. 46 stran.
  • • CHALUPOVÁ Lenka, PAVLÁT Jiří a kolektiv: Zapojování veřejnosti. První vydání. Přerov: Centrum pro komunitní práci, CpKP střední Morava, 2008. 42 stran. ISBN 978-80-86902-54-8
  • • CpKP, kolektiv autorů, editor Mgr. MAREK Ondřej: Zapojování veřejnosti nástroj správy věcí veřejných, Přerov 2008, ISBN: 978-80-86902-54-87
  • MÜLLER, Karel B. Dobré vládnutí ve veřejném nezájmu : lokální politické elity jako klíčoví aktéři demokratizace? Vydání první. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON), 2018, 286 stran. ISBN 9788074192715. info
Teaching methods
Lecture, seminar, project-oriented teaching, teamwork, case study, consultation, presentation, evaluation.
Assessment methods
Active participation in class (attendance of at least 75 percent), submission of the project and its presentation and evaluation at the colloquium is a condition for receiving credit.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Teacher's information
The course will be implemented in the form of block teaching and consultations. In the first week of the semester there will be an introductory meeting where students will be introduced to the content and requirements of the course and the method of work. This will include the formation of teams and project assignments.

The main part of the course will then be delivered in week 7 of the semester from 28 March in the form of a twelve-hour block tutorial.

There will be individual/team consultations throughout the semester. A colloquium will then be held in the examination period with presentation and evaluation of the projects produced.

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
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