|
|
|
||
Poslední úprava: doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr. Petra Guasti, Ph.D. (28.02.2024)
What is a democracy, and how can we measure it? Which conceptual tools are necessary to measure the dynamics of democratic quality? What data resources and methods can we use to assess the path towards democratic consolidation or – in turn – democratic backsliding? This course critically engages with the core literature on democracy and democratic quality and existing indices to measure and compare them. We combine classical literature and contemporary debates. The course has a theoretical and applied component. The theoretical component aims to provide a thorough understanding of the purposes, benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of comparing democratic quality over time and across countries. We will familiarize ourselves with several key democratic indexes (Freedom House, Bertelsmann Transformation Index, Varieties of Democracy), review literature that applies these indices and familiarize ourselves with their online analytical tools. In combination, the two components aim at improving theoretical knowledge of democratic quality, data literacy, and the ability to assess the nonlinear dynamics of democracy. |
|
||
Poslední úprava: doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr. Petra Guasti, Ph.D. (28.02.2024)
Additional readings: Alexander, A. C., Inglehart, R., & Welzel, C. (2012). Measuring effective democracy: A defense. International Political Science Review, 33(1), 41-62. Bönker, F. (2020). Democracy, Policy-Making and Policy Performance in the Czech Republic in the Light of International Democracy and Governance Indices. In Czech Democracy in Crisis (pp. 19-38). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. Bustikova, L., & Guasti, P. (2017). The Illiberal Turn or Swerve in Central Europe?. Politics and Governance, 5(4), 166-176. Gagnon, J. P., & Fleuss, D. (2020). The case for extending measures of democracy in the world “Beneath," "Above," and "Outside" the national level. Political Geography, 83, 102-276. Giebler, H. (2012). Bringing methodology (back) in Some remarks on contemporary democracy measurements. European Political Science, 11(4), 509-518. Levitsky, S., & Way, L. (2015). The myth of democratic recession. Journal of Democracy, 26(1), 45-58. Lührmann, A., & Lindberg, S. I. (2019). A third wave of autocratization is here: what is new about it?. Democratization, 26(7), 1095-1113. Mayne, Q., & Geissel, B. (2016). Putting the demos back into the concept of democratic quality. International Political Science Review, 37(5), 634-644. Sabl, A. (2015). The two cultures of democratic theory: Responsiveness, democratic quality, and the empirical-normative divide. Perspectives on Politics, 345-365. Steiner, N. D. (2016). Comparing Freedom House democracy scores to alternative indices and testing for political bias: Are US allies rated as more democratic by Freedom House?. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 18(4), 329-349. |
|
||
Poslední úprava: doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr. Petra Guasti, Ph.D. (28.02.2024)
Course requirements: Intro · The communication platform for this seminar will be Moodle, where all readings will be available; tasks uploaded and group projects realized. · Required readings are to be completed by every student for the given session of the seminar BEFORE the class. · The recommended reading aims to encourage students to obtain a more profound understanding of the presented topics. · Students are also encouraged to use the library and other resources available at the university. You are welcomed to ask for a recommendation in a specific direction during consultations. Requirements:
1. QACQs: one-page reading summaries. A summary is a passive form of learning - you repeat information contained in the text. The QACQ model is different - it focuses on engaging you with the material. QACQ:
Q choose a quote from the text, A explain its argument, C connection to the overall text, and Q formulate a question.
Length cca 300 words.
Students whose surname starts with A-K are to complete QACQs in weeks 2,5 and 8. Students whose surname starts with letters M-S are to complete QACQs in weeks 3,6 and 9. Students whose surname starts with letters Š-Z are to complete QACQs in weeks 4,7 and 10.
Each student will have to do 3 QACQs during the course – on a text of their choice from the list of recommended readings.
The QACQ are to be submitted electronically at the latest 48 hours before the relevant session as they serve as a basis for our discussion (the second ‘Q’ in QACQ.). The QACQ submission is via Moodle upload, only PDF format accepted.
2. Group project Depending on number of participants, students will form groups of 2-4 members.
Each group will select one country included in all three indices (Freedom House/Nations in Transit, Bertelsmann Transformation Index, and Varieties of Democracy).
Using available data, country reports, and additional information, each group will assess the process of democratization in a given country along the criteria AND structure stipulated in Moodle.
The group project is to be uploaded into Moodle at the latest by June 30, 2024.
3. Final exam During the exam period, the students will sign up for a final test. This test will be composed of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Completion of readings for session 2-12 is expected for successful completion of the test. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Poslední úprava: doc. Dr. habil. MA PhDr. Petra Guasti, Ph.D. (28.02.2024)
|