EGOn4005 Comparative Politics of EU countries

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 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
Timetable
Mon 12:00–13:40 U41, except Mon 16. 2., except Mon 23. 2. ; and Thu 26. 2. 10:00–11:40 U23
Prerequisites (in Czech)
(! EGO405 Comparative Politics of EU )&&(! VISn5011 Comparative Politics of EU )&&(! IREn5016 Comparative Politics of EU )&&!NOWANY( EGO405 Comparative Politics of EU , VISn5011 Comparative Politics of EU , IREn5016 Comparative Politics of EU )
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
Abstract
The course focuses on comparative analysis of political systems of West European countries. The topics are selected to allow students first to obtain the introductory survey and comparative methodological basis about political systems, political institutions, and processes typical for European highly developed democracies. Students are encouraged to think and deliberate about the topics from the point of view of political science, learning to think in terms of research questions, concepts, research designs, and persuasiveness of scientific conclusions.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the students will become familiar with the following:

  • basic outline of methods used in analysing political systems, institutions, and processes typical of developed European democracies. 
  • the conceptual debates and empirical results regarding key topics in current European comparative politics (for example, ideology, political parties, representation, populism,...)

In addition, students will improve their critical readings skills and advanced conceptual thinking. 

Students will develop research skills by drafting their own research proposal.

Students will improve presentation skills by presenting a chosen scientific article and by presenting their own research proposal.


Students get a basic introduction to the system-comparison of democratic states, including basic classification and typology of democratic systems (parliamentary, presidential, semi-presidential democracies). 

Key topics

  1. Methods in comparative politics
  2. Democracy
  3. Ideology and issues
  4. Voting decisions
  5. Electoral systems
  6. Representations
  7. Parties and party competition
  8. Direct and deliberative democracy
  9. Populism
  10. Presenting and giving feedback 
Study resources and literature
    required literature
  • Scudder, M. F. (2021). Deliberative Democracy, More than Deliberation. Political Studies, 71(1), 238-255. https://doi.org/10.1177/00323217211032624 (Original work published 2023)
  • Abou-Chadi, T. (2024). A gendered far-right wave among young voters in Western Europe?. European Journal of Politics and Gender (published online ahead of print 2024). Retrieved Feb 12, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1332/25151088Y2024D000000065
  • Graziano P, Quaranta M. Studying Democracy in Europe: Conceptualization, Measurement and Indices. Government and Opposition. 2024;59(2):605-631. doi:10.1017/gov.2022.39
  • Curato, N., Sass, J., Ercan, S. A., & Niemeyer, S. (2020). Deliberative democracy in the age of serial crisis. International Political Science Review, 43(1), 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192512120941882
  • Elsässer L and Schäfer A (2023) Political Inequality in Rich Democracies. Annual Review of Political Science 26(Volume 26, 2023): 469-487. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-052521-094617
  • Costello, R., & Robinson, N. (2024). Comparative European politics : distinctive democracies, common challenges (Second edition). Oxford University Press.
  • O'GRADY, T. (2023), Is ideological polarisation by age group growing in Europe?. European Journal of Political Research, 62: 1389-1402. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6765.12575
  • Emanuele, V., & Marino, B. (2024). Party system ideological polarization in Western Europe: data, trends, drivers, and links with other key party system properties (1945–2021). PRX, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2474736X.2024.2399095
  • DEVRIES, Catherine; Sara Binzer HOBOLT; Sven-Oliver PROKSCH and Jonathan B. SLAPIN. Foundations of european politics : a comparative approach. Second edition. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2025, xxi, 397. ISBN 9780198888925. info
  • Comparative politics. Edited by Daniele Caramani. Sixth edition. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2023, xxxii, 588. ISBN 9780192846051. info
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Students improve critical reading skills in their home preparation for class meetings. All class meetings take the and interactive form and students participate actively. This enhances their discussion skills and critical thinking skills. Students develop their research skills in coming up with and drafting their own research proposal. They practice presentation skills in presenting a scientific journal article and in presenting their own research design. Students practice the skill of giving constructively critical feedback in seminars focused on student research-design presentations.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Students are evaluated based on the following:

  • active participation in class
  • presentation of a journal article in class
  • research-design paper
  • presentation of a research-design paper
  • final exam

Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
Teacher's information
https://is.muni.cz/predmet/fss/jaro2026/EGOn4005
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2027.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2026/EGOn4005