COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

CEP352

[ Reading material , Instructor , How to Obtain Credits ]

The purpose of this course is to examine, on a comparative basis, the transitions to democracy and the problems of democratic consolidation, formation of the new state institutions and the role of particular actors in these processes.

Content:

Examines the historical background of Central and Eastern Europe and the former communist world. Explores the different models of communism and the main ethnical and religious cleavages. Analyzes political culture, the role of particular actors in politics. Main topics: challenges to democratic transition - nationalism, "triple transition", formation of the political systems in Central and Eastern Europe, the character and the role of the policical parties, civil society. Introduces current issues and main events in respective countries.

  1. Introduction to the Course

  2. The parameters of East Central Europe I

  3. The parameters of East Central Europe II

  4. The Character of the Communist Regime: The Case of Czechoslovakia

  5. The Character of the Communist Regime: The Case of Poland and Hungary

  6. The Character of the Communist Regime: The Case of Russia

  7. TEST

  8. The Character of the Communist Regime: The Case of Yugoslavia

  9. The Character of the Communist Regime: The Case of Bulgaria

  10. Communism in Comparative Perspective, 1989 - the Year of Miracles

  11. Introduction to Politics I

  12. Introduction to Politics II

  13. Transition to Democracy in Theory and Practice

  14. The Politics of Transition: The Case of Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic

  15. The Politics of Transition: the Case of Poland and Hungary

  16. Actual Problems of Central and Eastern Europe

  17. TEST

  18. The Politics of Transition: The Case of Russia

  19. The Politics of Transition: The Case of Yugoslavia

  20. The Politics of Transition: The Case of Bulgaria

  21. Challenges to Democratic Transition: Political Culture, Legacy of the Past, Political Parties and Social Movements

  22. Challenges to Democratic Transition: Nationalism

  23. Towards the New System - Between Parliamentary Democracy and Semi-presidentialism in Central and Eastern Europe, Democratic Consolidation

  24. Seminar - Political Parties

  25. FINAL TEST

Reading material:

Obligatory:
OLSON, D. M., NORTON, PH. (eds.) The New Parliaments of Central and Eastern Europe, Frank Cass, 1996 (chapters). ISBN 071464715-2

MATYNIA, E. (ed.), Grappling with Democracy. Deliberations on Post-Communist Societies /1990-1995/, SLON, Prague 1996 (chapters). ISBN 80-85850-13-3

Selective:
AGH, Attila et al., The Emergence of East Central European Parliaments: The First Steps, Hungarian Centre of Democracy Studies, 1994. ISBN 963 7415 96 3

AGH, Attila et al., Parliaments and Organised Interests: The Second Steps, Hungarian Centre of Democracy Studies, 1996. ISBN 963 503 078 9

TISMANEANU, V., Reinventing Politics, Eastern Europe from Stalin to Havel, The Free Press 1993. ISBN 0-02-932606-0

Prerequisities:

Introduction to Politics; Basic Geographical and Historical Knowledge of Europe.

Instructors:

Prof. PhDr. Vladimira Dvorakova, CSc.
Department of Political Science University of Economics Prague

Graduated from Charles University Prague Philosophical Faculty with a Ph.D. degree in History. Has been teaching Comparative Government, European Political Systems, Transitions to Democracy in Comparative Perspective. Author, co-author and editor of several books, textbooks and articles concerning transitions to democracy and comparative government.

How to Obtain Credits

Midterm test I - 30%
Midterm test II - 30%
Final test - 30%
Activities in the course - 25%

Grading:

Grading:

93 - 100%  A  (Excellent)
85 -  92%  B  (Very Good)
77 -  84%  C  (Average)
69 -  76%  D  (Below Average)
61 -  68%  E  (Failure)
55 -  60%  Fx (Fail - possible to retake the exam)
54% - less F  (Fail)