Comparative Politics of European States

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:1.00

Study Course Accepted:26.02.2024 09:03:51

Study Course Information
Course Code:		SZF_013		LQF level:		Level 6
Credit Points:		2.67		ECTS:		4.00
Branch of Science:		Politics; Comparative Politics		Target Audience:		Political Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Lelde Metla-Rozentāle
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:		Faculty of Social Sciences
The Head of Structural Unit:
Contacts:		Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szfrsu[pnkts]lv
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		7	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		14
Classes (count)		13	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		26
Total Contact Hours								40
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
1. Fundamental knowledge in political science and international relations: understanding of the main theoretical assumptions in politics and the dynamics of international relations. 2. Critical thinking and analytical skills: the ability to critically analyze information, identify and evaluate arguments, as well as form logical conclusions. 3. Understanding of scientific research methods: knowledge of various research methods suitable for comparing political systems, national policies, and practices. 4. Basic knowledge of the political systems of major European countries: prior knowledge of the political systems of Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Spain, and their relations in the European and global context. 5. Academic writing skills: the ability to conduct academic research, develop an argued written work while adhering to the principles of academic integrity, and basic knowledge of academic citation and source usage.
Objective:
1. To introduce the concept of comparative politics, its formation, development, objectives, methods, and application possibilities, or to answer the question - WHAT IS COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS AND HOW and WHY TO CONDUCT IT?; 2. to provide an overview of the subjects of comparative politics research, their interaction, dependence on external environmental factors, and impact on the functioning of countries, or to answer the question - WHAT CAN/SHOULD/IS IT WISE TO COMPARE?; 3. TO CREATE PRACTICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL READINESS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPARATIVE RESEARCH, based on contemporary examples relevant in international politics - the study of the leading European powers - a comparative analysis of the political systems of Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Information about the course. Origin, development, object, application of comparative politics. Why to compare? What to compare? How to compare? What does it provide?			Lectures		1.00	E-Studies platform
2	Concepts and methods of comparative politics, or HOW TO CONDUCT COMPARATIVE RESEARCH – HOW TO COMPARE EUROPEAN POWERS?			Lectures		1.00	E-Studies platform
3	Public administration systems and their diversity – governance models, levels (unitarian/federal; parliamentary/presidential, etc.), administration traditions.			Lectures		1.00	E-Studies platform
4	Comparative analysis of the ESTABLISHMENT AND HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS of Europe’s leading powers: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain.			Classes		2.00	auditorium
5	Countries as unified systems – same, mutually comparable organisms. Comparative analysis of society, parties, media and interest groups.			Lectures		1.00	E-Studies platform
6	Comparative analysis of models of cooperation between the political elite and society – political regime, political style, policy implementation mechanisms (electoral system, etc.).			Lectures		1.00	E-Studies platform
7	Comparative analysis of the ADMINISTRATION MODELS of Europe’s leading powers: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain.			Classes		2.00	auditorium
8	Comparative analysis of political culture of society.			Lectures		1.00	E-Studies platform
9	Comparative analysis of PUBLIC PARTICIPATION and REPRESENTATION of Europe’s leading powers – system of parties and electoral system, political culture and identity: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain.			Classes		2.00	auditorium
10	Criteria of comparative analysis of democratic regimes and comparative assessment of the level of democracy.			Lectures		1.00	E-Studies platform
11	Description and assessment of political, economic and other cooperation of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain with Latvia (how significant cooperation partners are for Latvia and vice versa – how significant Latvia is for these countries).			Classes		2.00	auditorium
12	Overview of what was learned in the course – identification and summary of key parameters of the European powers analysed.			Classes		1.00	E-Studies platform
13	Independent work consulting with the lecturer – development of a report study – collection, summarisation and analysis of data.			Classes		2.00	auditorium
14	Comparative analysis of items on the European political agenda. Presentations of individual work.			Classes		2.00	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
Seminar tasks/presentations should be developed and the topic prepared should be presented in a convincing manner. Essays on the specified topics should be submitted. Written works must be submitted electronically in e-learning, within the deadline specified in the CD. If a student has submitted less than 50% of written works or, if due to failure or unjustified absences, 50% of the works have been assessed with “0”, then the student must repeat the course next academic year for additional payment. An individual comparative study should be prepared and a report should be drawn up and presented on the basis of it which meets all the requirements set out in the CD and demonstrates the student’s ability to carry out a study of a problem independently. An examination should be passed that will consist of 1 part – practical work (research). The examination will have to be taken electronically within a set (24 h) time frame. To assess the overall quality of the study course, the student must complete the course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal.
Assessment Criteria:
The final assessment of the course will be based on the following assessment criteria: Participation (interest) in lectures – 5%; Participation in the development of seminar works, presentation quality – 20%; Performance of tasks of written works – 20%; Individual comparative study (application for a topic, presentation, written version/report) – 5+10+20%=35%; Exam – 20%. Each activity will be evaluated on a 10-point grading scale, explaining to the student accurately the parameters of the work to be performed and assessing the consistency of the result with these parameters, as well as providing feedback with the substantiation of the assessment.
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam (Written)
Final Examination (Part-Time):
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		As part of this course, students will learn the necessary knowledge on how to conduct comparative research of political systems (countries) or their individual elements – to assess the political experience of different countries and draw conclusions on interconnections. They will also learn the history of establishment, structure and perspective development directions of political systems of Europe’s leading powers.
Skills:		As part of this course, students will learn the skills to conduct independently comparative research of political systems (of European powers) or their individual elements – to assess the political experience of different countries and draw conclusions on interconnections.
Competencies:		Students will be able to use principles, methods and models of comparative analysis to explore a wide range of political science matters focused on the identification of similarities and differences in the functioning and stability of European powers.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Visa literatūra ir angļu valodā un piemērota gan latviešu, gan angļu plūsmas studentiem
2	Wiarda, Howard. June 17, 2019. Wiarda, Howard J (ed.). New Directions in Comparative Politics.
3	Comparative Politics: Integrating Theories, Methods, and Cases. July 16, 2023. 4th Edition.
4	Introduction to comparative politics: political challenges and changing agendas. 2016. Ed.by M. Kesselman, J.Krieger, W.A. Joseph. Boston [etc.]: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
5	Chilcote, Ronald H. 1994. Theories of comparative politics: the search for a paradigm reconsidered. 2nd Edition. Boulder, San Francisko, Oxford: Westview Press. (Salīdzinošās politikas pamatprincipu ''klasika'', ko var izmantot bāzes metožu izpratnes veidošanai šai politikas zinātnes apakšnozarē)
6	Hague, R. 2019. Comparative government and politics: an introduction. 11th Edition. New York: Palgrave.
7	Auers, D. 2015. Comparative politics and government of the Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the 21st century. Houndsmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Additional Reading
1	Hampton N.M., Hancock D.M. 2015. Baltic security puzzle: regional patterns of democratization, integration, and authoritarianism. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
2	Lijphart, Arend. 1971. "Comparative politics and the comparative method". American Political Science Review. 65 (3): 682–693. (Salīdzinošās politikas klasika)
3	Morlino, L. Qualities of Democracy: How to Analyze Them. Llorence: Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane.
Other Information Sources
1	Hopkin, J. 2022. The Comparative Method. In: Theory and Methods in Political Science. 4th Edition. D. Marsh and G. Stoker, eds. UK: Palgrave Macmillan.