European countries display a great variety of national democratic institutions, a fact often not very well understood abroad. Likewise people in other parts of the world usually underestimate the power and influence of the European Union and its similarity in some ways to the United States. The course will on a comparative basis deal with the development, structures ad prime movers of democracy and governance in major countries of Western and Central Europe as well as in the EU itself. The focus is on the conditions of political change, and development, an overview of constitutional and party systems, a comparative perspective on policy making and an attempt to evaluate system performance. Included are site visits and group work with Austrian students.
Learning outcomes:
Students will gain a greater understanding of European (and American) politics in the context of a globalized and changing world. Students will be able to analyze and compare systems on many levels.
Method of presentation:
Lectures, class discussions, group work and project with Austrian students.
Required work and form of assessment:
class participation and oral presentation on project (10%), written project report (10%), midterm (40%), final exam (40%) N.B. Group work and project: small groups of IES and Austrian Students select a course-related topic, research it, and present it to the group orally as part of class discussion during the semester. Each student them submits a written report of the group project work.
content:
The presentation of the content is cumulative; the introduction establishes the context within which the discussion of each system progresses, with comparisons and contrasts building on the cumulative basis of previously presented material. Each system is analyzed and compared on the basis of history, political culture, political institutions and forces, and system performance.
I. Comparative politics
1. Introduction
Piper, ch 1
2. Comparison
Gerlich, Four Functions of Comparison, in: Reader
II. Major Nations of Western Europe
3. United Kingdom
Piper, ch 11 & 12
4. France
Piper, ch 5 and 6
5. Germany
Piper, ch 7 and 8
6. Italy
Piper, ch 9 and 10
7. Sweden
Hancord, part 5
III. Austria and her Neighbours
8. Austria
Piper, ch 15
Gerlich, Politics in a New Key, in: Reader
9. Western Neighbours
Piper, ch 15
10.Eastern Neighbours
Piper, ch 16
IV. Europe as a Political System
11. The European Union
Piper, part I, especially ch 2 and 3
12. The Union Experience
Gerlich, Unions in Comparison: Can the EU and the United States learn from each other?, in: Reader
Required readings:
Piper, The Major Nation-States in the European Union, New York: Pearson 2005. Gerlich, Reader (to be distributed)
Recommended readings:
Hancock et a., Politics in Europe, 3rd ed, London: Chatham House 2002. McCormick, Understanding the European Union, London: Palgrave 2005.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Peter Gerlich studied law and political science in Vienna, New York, and Munich (MCL Columbia University Dr of Law, University of Vienna). He was professor of political science in Braunschweig/ Germany and at the University of Vienna, where he retired in 2008 but continues teaching. He was also guest professor at Stanford, Smith College, University of New Orleans and University of Minnesota at Minneapolis and served as Dean of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Vienna. Recently he has published articles about US foreign policy and about the European Union.
The Political Geography of the New Europe
European countries display a great variety of national democratic institutions, a fact often not very well understood abroad. Likewise people in other parts of the world usually underestimate the power and influence of the European Union and its similarity in some ways to the United States. The course will on a comparative basis deal with the development, structures ad prime movers of democracy and governance in major countries of Western and Central Europe as well as in the EU itself. The focus is on the conditions of political change, and development, an overview of constitutional and party systems, a comparative perspective on policy making and an attempt to evaluate system performance. Included are site visits and group work with Austrian students.
Students will gain a greater understanding of European (and American) politics in the context of a globalized and changing world. Students will be able to analyze and compare systems on many levels.
Lectures, class discussions, group work and project with Austrian students.
class participation and oral presentation on project (10%), written project report (10%), midterm (40%), final exam (40%) N.B. Group work and project: small groups of IES and Austrian Students select a course-related topic, research it, and present it to the group orally as part of class discussion during the semester. Each student them submits a written report of the group project work.
The presentation of the content is cumulative; the introduction establishes the context within which the discussion of each system progresses, with comparisons and contrasts building on the cumulative basis of previously presented material. Each system is analyzed and compared on the basis of history, political culture, political institutions and forces, and system performance.
Piper, The Major Nation-States in the European Union, New York: Pearson 2005. Gerlich, Reader (to be distributed)
Hancock et a., Politics in Europe, 3rd ed, London: Chatham House 2002. McCormick, Understanding the European Union, London: Palgrave 2005.
Peter Gerlich studied law and political science in Vienna, New York, and Munich (MCL Columbia University Dr of Law, University of Vienna). He was professor of political science in Braunschweig/ Germany and at the University of Vienna, where he retired in 2008 but continues teaching. He was also guest professor at Stanford, Smith College, University of New Orleans and University of Minnesota at Minneapolis and served as Dean of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Vienna. Recently he has published articles about US foreign policy and about the European Union.