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Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (30.10.2021)
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Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (30.10.2021)
After finishing the course, students will understand some of the most influential trends in contemporary politics. To be more specific, they will learn about phenomena such as polarisation, populism or evidence-based policy-making and their role in today’s politics. All the concepts will not be only defined on a theoretical level but they will be also discussed from a perspective of their presence in different countries together with specific impacts on both politics and political science. Students will also learn about unique contemporary trends in their classmates’ countries, which does not only deliver new factual information but it will also give students a chance to practice their presentation skills. |
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Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (30.10.2021)
Students are strongly advised to attend all the lectures. Nonetheless, attendance is not mandatory, so students do not have to apologise for an absence. The final grade will be composed of three parts:
○ Four mini-tests will ask a few questions about assigned readings. The tests will take place after lectures no. 2, 4, 6, and 8, they will be open for a whole week, and students will have two hours to finish them.
○ Students will present contemporary trends that take place in their countries. The selection of a topic is the responsibility of students, who should identify it in the sixth week at the latest. The presentations will be approximately 20-minutes long.
○ Students will take the test via Moodle at school (it is possible to use their own notebooks or a PC at school). It is necessary to register for the final examination in SIS. Every student that starts to fulfil the course’s requirements will be graded at the end of a semester. The course uses the following grading scale of the Faculty of Social Sciences: ● 90.01–100.00% (A – excellent), ● 80.01–90.00% (B – very good), ● 70.01–80.00% (C – good), ● 60.01–70.00% (D – satisfactory), ● 50.01–60.00% (E – sufficient), ● 0.00–50.00% (F – fail). |
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Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (30.10.2021)
The course is based on the following literature: ● Beaufort, M. (Ed.) (2021). Digital Media, Political Polarization and Challenges to Democracy. Routledge. ● Bergmann, E. (2018). Conspiracy & Populism: The Politics of Misinformation. Springer. ● Bogenschneider, K., & Corbett, T. J. (2011). Evidence-Based Policymaking: Insights From Policy-Minded Researchers and Research-Minded Policymakers. Routledge. ● Greer, S. L., King, E., Massard da Fonseca, E., & Peralta-Santos, A. (Eds.) (2021). Coronavirus Politics: The Comparative Politics and Policy of COVID-19. University of Michigan Press. ● Hloušek, V., Kopeček, L., & Vodová, P. (2020). The Rise of Entrepreneurial Parties in European Politics. Springer Nature. ● Lees-Marshment, J., Conley, B., Elder, E., Pettitt, R., Raynauld, V., Turcotte, A. (2019). Political Marketing. Principles and Applications. Routledge. ● Mudde, C., & Kaltwasser, C. R. (2017). Populism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. |
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Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (30.10.2021)
We will meet at 12 lectures once a week. To share materials, we will use an electronic platform Moodle. Firstly, all required readings are available there. Additional interesting sources will be also shared via Moodle (links, articles etc.). Secondly, the teacher will use Moodle to assign mini-tests, and students will use the platform to do them. Thirdly, students will use Moodle to define a topic of their presentation and to submit the presentation. Last but not least, students will take the final tests there as well. Registration to the course page in Moodle is therefore required for every enrolled student of the course. |
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Last update: Mgr. Jakub Franěk, Ph.D. (30.10.2021)
1. Introduction, Changing Politics The course will be introduced, and the organisation of the semester will be presented. Besides this, the rationale and benefits of the course will be explained together with a debate on the recent changes in politics. 2. Polarisation Increasing polarisation is one of the most influential factors in today’s politics across the world. Thus, students will learn about polarisation’s definition, existence in different states and effects on political systems. 3. Conspiracy Theories Although conspiracy theories are not a new phenomenon, their importance in contemporary politics is rising due to easier spreading. Therefore, students will find out what the role of conspiracy theories in today’s politics is and what political science knows about them. 4. Populism Populism has been employed by not only minor but also mainstream political parties and politicians in different states in recent years, which makes it an influential political concept. Thus, students will understand populism together with its worldwide impacts. 5. Political Marketing Today’s politics is almost inseparable from political marketing. Thus, students will learn what the role of political marketing in contemporary politics is, and some relevant terms, such as permanent campaigning or politainment, will be discussed. 6. Changing Parties and Party Systems Contemporary politics witnesses new forms of political parties and transformations of party systems. Thus, students will reveal what the new party types are and in what manner party systems transform. 7. Evidence-Based Policy-Making Together with the increasing amount and accessibility of data, their role in the policy-making process is being discussed. Therefore, students will learn about an approach of evidence-based policy-making. 8. Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic The outbreak of COVID-19 has affected almost all aspects of life across the globe and the world of politics has been no exception. Thus, students will understand how the pandemic has influenced not only the content of politics but also the form of governing and policy-making. 9. Trends in Your Country I Students will present contemporary trends that take place in their countries. 10. Trends in Your Country II Students will present contemporary trends that take place in their countries. 11. Trends in Your Country III Students will present contemporary trends that take place in their countries. 12. Trends in Your Country IV Students will present contemporary trends that take place in their countries. |