Description
The goal of this class is to expose students to the rich field of research on political parties in Western democracies. Political parties are often viewed as essential to the proper functioning of democracies. While political parties are certainly important in all democratic systems of government, their nature, strategies, ideologies, organisations, and roles vary tremendously according to national context. In this class we will focus on the established party systems of Western democracies, although the ideas and theories we discuss are applicable to most democratic systems of government.
The focus of the class will be on the development of political parties and party systems, party system change, and the linkages between voters and parties. Specific topics will include the identification and classification of political parties, institutional conditions that set the rules by which party systems form and operate, the social bases of support for political parties, party ideology, political competition, and party system change. Some of the questions we will explore include: Why do some nations have many political parties while other nations have few? Can we classify parties into meaningful categories? Whose interests do political parties represent, and why? How have party systems changed over time? Why have new parties emerged in some democracies and not others? At the end of the semester, students will be able to give an informed answer to these questions and will have a thorough knowledge of party politics in Western democracies.
Methods of Instruction
Lecture, participation, and student presentations.
Study Material
Literature (approx. 800 pp.)
Dalton, Russell J., and Martin P. Wattenberg, eds. 2002. Parties without Partisans. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ware, Alan. 1996. Political Parties and Party Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Course requirements/recommendations
Course requirements: Comparative Analysis of Political Systems
Examination
Two short assignments, a final paper, and a presentation.
Deadline final paper: 28 March 2010
Schedule
Thursday 4 February from 18.00-19.45
Thursday 11 February from 18.00-19.45
Thursday 18 February from 18.00-19.45
Thursday 25 February from 18.00-19.45
Thursday 4 March from 18.00-19.45 and 20.15-22.00
Thursday 11 March from 18.00-19.45
Thursday 18 March from 18.00-19.45
Thursday 25 March from 18.00-19.45 and 20.15-22.00
Inschrijving
Inschrijving via U-twist voor 24 augustus 2009 voor 16.00 uur