k84932 Party Systems in Western Europe

CEVRO University
winter 2011
Extent and Intensity
0/0. Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Miloš Brunclík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Department of Political Science and International Relations – Departments – President – CEVRO University
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
Course objectives
Course description: The course is focused on West European party systems and their developments that have occurred since 1960s. The core of the course lies in presenting methodological and theoretical approaches to party systems. The aim of the course is to provide students with basic theoretical tools and a framework for the party system analysis. The concepts introduced in the course result from a decades-long analysis and political science literature, which is to be gradually presented during the term. The reason for laying stress on the theoretical level of analysis is abundance of empirical facts and a lack of a wider insight, which would help students analyze party systems from the comparative perspective. The empirical facet of party systems is also emphasized especially as regards examples of different issues connected with the key topic of the course.Even though parties and their developments are presented, they are not the focus of the course. Party systems in Sartori’s sense (system of interactions), parameters (e.g. format, polarization) as well as factors of stability and change (e.g. cleavages, volatility, socio-economic factors, patterns of cooperation and competition) lie at the centre of the course. There was a scholarly consensus on stability of West European party systems until the mid 1970s. Since then, however, many scholars have found evidence of change of the “frozen” party systems. There has been a long discussion among scholars on the nature, extent, causes and consequences of the change. Yet, some argue that party systems continue to be stable. Thus, continuity and change are key terms in the analysis of contemporary West European party systems.
Syllabus (in Czech)

  • Contents:
    October 4: Introduction – course presentation
    Organization, formal requirements and course description
    Introduction to the study of political parties
    October 11 - : Political parties – definition, typology and developments
    Compulsory reading 1: Katz, Mair 1995
    Compulsory reading 2: Mair, Mudde: 1998
    Optional reading: Krouwel 2003
    October 18 - Party systems and party system typology
    Compulsory reading: Wolinetz 2004
    Optional reading 1: Bardi, Mair 2008
    Optional reading 2: Blondel 1968
    October 25– Sociological approach – cleavage theory, socio-economic factors, freezing hypothesis
    Compulsory reading: Lipset, Rokkan 1967/1991
    Optional reading: Lybeck 1985
    November 1- Institutional approach – impact of institutional settings and electoral systems on party systems
    Compulsory reading 1: Duverger 1972
    Compulsory reading 2: Sartori 1986
    Optional reading: Benoit 2006
    November 8 - Quantitative approach – indicators of party system stability and change: electoral volatility, effective number of parties, fragmentation index
    Compulsory reading: Pedersen 1979/1991
    Optional reading1: Laakso, Taagepera 1979
    Optional reading 2: Drummond 2002
    November 15 - Concepts of party - voter relationship: partisan identification, realignment, dealignment, voter turnout
    Compulsory reading: Dalton et al. 2002
    Optional reading 1: Beyme 2001
    Optional reading 2: Manza et al. 1995
    November 22 - Patterns of cooperation and conflict – electoral alliances, government formation, coalitions and types of government
    Compulsory readings 1: Mair 1998: chapter 9
    Compulsory readings 2: Müller, Strom 2003
    Optional reading: Herman, Pope 1973
    November 29 - Party system change: concept of party system change
    Compulsory reading 1: Mair 1998: chapter 3 and 4
    Compulsory reading 2: Smith 1989
    Optional reading 1: Laver 1989
    December 6 - Challenges to “frozen” party systems I- “silent revolution” postmaterial values, new issues, new political parties: green parties.
    Compulsory reading 1: Mair 1998: chapters 2,3 and 4
    Compulsory reading 2: Inglehart 1971
    Compulsory reading 3: Warnock 2007
    Optional reading: Müller-Rommel 1994
    December 13 - Challenges to “frozen” party systems II: Extreme right parties
    Compulsory reading 1: Ignazi 2003
    Compulsory reading 2: Rydgren 2005
    Optional reading: Mudde 2010
    December 20 – Final test
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Formal requirements and other information: 1) Students should have basic knowledge in party politics of Western Europe. 2) Students are expected to attend class regularly. 3) The course is ended by an exam, i.e. short test based on questions concerned with the key facts presented in lectures. 4) Electoral note of about 8 pages. 5) A final paper of about 10-15 pages long on a topic chosen by the student with the teacher’s approval. 6) Note that in order to end the course, students need both to pass the test and write a good paper. Failure in either of requirements does not qualify students to end the course successfully. 7) Since nearly all readings are in English, this is the general classroom language as well. Participants are therefore expected to know enough English to be able to participate actively. Perfection is not required, students need to understand, speak and write at a satisfactorily level.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
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