Comparative Politics in Europe: Convergence between East and West?

Prof. Dr. Michael Minkenberg

Monday, 14.00-18.00
Course Begin: 01.06.2015, GD 302 (First obligatory meeting: 11.05. - see below)
BA-Seminar
SoWi-Einführung/ Social Sciences Introduction
6 ECTS

Between World War II and today, European democracies have developed in different sequences and in different types, in particular with regard to the 40 years of division into a Western and an Eastern “bloc” from 1949 – 1989. This seminar is devoted to the analysis of democratic development and processes in selected European democracies in West and East, with specific attention paid to the country cases of Great Britain, France, and Germany in the West, Poland and Hungary in the East. The seminar first addresses analytical tools and central topics of comparative politics, including the political culture and functioning of democracy and its institutions, parties and party systems, and decision-making and public policies. The last section of the seminar is dedicated to the topics of immigration, minority politics, xenophobia and the radical right. The overarching question to be settled at the end is to what extent East and West are converging in the functioning and outputs of their democracies.

Literature:
Almond, Dalton, Powell, Strøm (eds.) European Politics Today, 4th Edition (New York: Longman, 2009)

Notes:
The seminar will be held entirely in English.

Course Assessment:
Regular class attendance and participation (20% of the grade), student presentation with handout (Referat mit Thesenpapier) (30% of the grade); research paper/home essay, in English or in German (50% of the grade)

Conditions for Participation:
good command of English (active and passive); Prospective participants in the seminar are asked to sign up in person and attend an introductory meeting on Monday, May 11 from 17 - 18 h in room GD04.

Language:
English