FSS:POL701 Introduction into Pol. Sc. - Course Information

POL701 Introduction into Political Science

Extent and Intensity

0/0/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

doc. Mgr. et Mgr. Vlastimil Havlík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Otto Eibl, Ph.D. (assistant)

Guaranteed by

prof. PhDr. Jan Holzer, Ph.D.
Division of Politology – Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Lucie Pospíšilová

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

there are 20 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

The unit attempts to: (1.) offer basic answers to key question of political science, i.e. what is politics; (2.) demonstrate a variety of ways how to understand political science. Emphasis is put on the following terms: state, society, constitution, power (and its division), authority, institutions, representation, system of checks and balances, absolutism, sovereignty etc. Some attention is given to terms on the edge between political science and sociology, such as participation, socialization, political culture, elections) to introductory information on political systems and regimes. A successful graduate of this unit can with confidence use basic terminology of political science.

Syllabus

• Week 1-3
• 1. Getting familiar with unit requirements and course plan
• 2. Gathering mandatory and recommended literature
• 3. First contact day: organization of the unit and requirements for successful completion; introduction to the unit contents and orientation in different topics; orientation in mandatory and recommended literature; lecture on academic writing in political science
• Week 4-6
• 4. Individual study--topics 1-3
• 5. Writing and submitting the first assignment
• Week 7-11
• 6. Individual study--topics 4-6
• 7. Writing and submitting the second assignment
• Week 12
• 8. Second contact day: assessment of the assignments and comments, consultation on topics, announcement of exam dates
• Week 13 and the rest of academic year
• 9. Re-submission of assignments (in case of low marks)
• 10. Study for exam

Literature

• BLACKWELL, Basil. Blackwellova encyklopedie politického myšlení. Edited by Janet Colemanová - William Connolly - Alan Ryan - David Miller, Trans. Vyd. 2., dotisk. Brno: Barrister & Principal, 2003, xiii, 560. ISBN 80-85947-56-0. info
• VOEGELIN, Erich. Nová věda o politice. Translated by Tomáš Suchomel - Ivo Lukáš. 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 2000, 170 s. ISBN 80-85959-67-4. info
• BERG-SCHLOSSER, Dirk and Theo STAMMEN. Úvod do politické vědy. Translated by Rudolf Kučera. Vyd. 1. Praha: Institut pro středoevropskou kulturu a politiku, 2000, xi, 372 s. ISBN 80-86130-09-6. info
• SCRUTON, Roger. Slovník politického myšlení. Translated by Petr Pithart. Vyd. 2., rozš. Brno: Atlantis, 1999, 187 s. ISBN 80-7108-184-1. info
• WEBER, Max. Metodologie, sociologie a politika. Translated by Miloš Havelka. 1. vyd. Praha: OIKOYMENH, 1998, 354 s. ISBN 80-86005-48-8. info

Assessment methods

Graduation requirements include two written assignments (500-700 words and 600-900 words respectively) and a written exam. A minimum of 60% of the exam questions have to be answered correctly. The written assignments include a review of a recent Czech publication in political science and an essay on either Eric Voegelin's or Max Weber's understanding of politics and political science. Assignments have to meet basic standards for academic texts as explained on the first contact day.

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.

• Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2010, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2010/POL701