FVP:USESEC183 Inner Life and Functioning of - Course Information

USESEC183 Inner Life and Functioning of Political Parties

Extent and Intensity

1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Michal Kuděla (lecturer)
Mgr. Michal Kuděla (seminar tutor)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Michal Kuděla
Institute of Central European Studies – Faculty of Public Policies in Opava

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

• Central European Studies (programme FVP, B6702-MTS)

Course objectives

The aim of the course is to make the students familiar with an issue of arrangement and internal mechanisms of democratic political parties. The content of the course is focused on the functioning of relevant political parties active in the Czech Republic with a comparative overlap into other countries, especially the European. The aim of the international overlap will be to point out the differences between foundation, position and functioning of the parties in the countries with a long uninterrupted democratic tradition and in the countries from the so called the third wave of democratization, including the Czech Republic, as well as many states of Central and Eastern Europe. In the individual lectures, the attention is paid to areas of life of a political party, such as organizational structure of a party, membership in the political party, its funding or the matter of leadership of the party. Also, the selection process of candidates within the political parties will be analysed in detail. Although, this process determines significantly who becomes e.g. a member of parliament or a representative, it is situated completely out of scope of attention of the public as well as experts in political science. The influence of election campaigns, which are becoming more professionalized, on functioning of the political parties will be discussed too, as well as new trends in aiming and management of the political parties at present.

Syllabus

• 1. Introductory lesson. Introduction of the content and nature of course and means of its completion. Presentation of a practical part of the course and seminar tasks.
  2. Developmental types of political parties with regard to their internal arrangement.
  3. Foundation of the parties in new democracies - the Czech Republic and countries of the Central and Eastern Europe.
  4. Election campaigns and organizational structure of relevant political parties in the Czech Republic I.
  5. Election campaigns and organizational structure of relevant political parties in the Czech Republic II.
  6. Programmatics and its role in the contemporary political parties.
  7. Elections of party bodies, issue of "black souls".
  8. Primary elections and creation of a list of candidates I.
  9. Primary elections and creation of a list of candidates II.
  10. Stability as a headstone and prerequisite of functioning of political parties. Human resources management, turncoat, cohesion.
  11. Funding of political parties. Fundamental parameters and political consequences.
  12. New trends in the development of internal functioning of political parties in Europe and the USA.
  

Literature

required literature
• OUTLÝ, Jan:. Navrhování a výběr kandidátů. Politické strany v ČR a střední Evropě. Olomouc, 2013. info
• JANDA, Kenneth:. Political parties and democracy in the theoretical and practical perspectives - Adopting party law. Washington DC, 2005. info

recommended literature
• DUVERGER, Maurice:. Political parties: Their Organization and Activity in the Modern State. New York, John Wiley and Sons. info
• Matušková, Anna. Politický marketing a české politické strany. Brno, MPÚ. info
• WEBB, Paul - WHITE, Stephen (eds.):. Party Politics in New Democracies. Oxford, 2007. info
• SCARROW, Susan:. Political parties and democracy in the theoretical and practical perspectives - Implementing intra-party democracy. Washington DC, 2005. info
• MAIR, Peter - MÜLLER, Wolfgang C - PLASSER, Frit (eds.):. Political Parties and Electoral Change. London, 2004. info
• Van BIEZEN, Ingrid:. Political Parties in New Democracies. Party Organization in Southern and East- Central Europe. London, 2003. info
• MICHELS, Robert:. Political parties : a sociological study of the oligarchical tendencies of modern democracy. New York, The Free Press, 1968. info

Language of instruction

English

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course can also be completed outside the examination period.

Teacher's information

Active participation in the seminars (two missed-classes are allowed during a semester), study of assigned reading for the seminars, interest in the issue.

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