Political Systems

The course is aimed to provide with the basic knowledge about the main components of different types of political systems and the inter-relations between the core political institutions within political process. During the course the types and functions of political systems and political regimes will be studied; the legislative, executive and judicial power; party and election systems; functioning principles of democracy and autocracy, political leadership; political ideologies, political institutions and the system of the European Union will be analyzed.

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Definition of politics and political science. Political systems’ typologies. State and power. Constitution and constitutionalism. Democracy and it’s interpretations. Non democratic regimes. Analysis of institutional environment: political system, political regime, elections and election systems. Political ideologies and political parties. Parliament. President. Government. Media and interest groups. Bureaucracy. Local governance institutions. Law institutions/ courts. Political Culture. Constitution and constitutionalism. Democracy and it’s interpretations. Non democratic regimes. Analysis of institutional environment: political system, political regime, elections and election systems. Political system and it’s typologies. State and power. Constitution and constitutionalism. Democracy and it’s interpretations. Non democratic regimes. Analysis of institutional environment: political system, political regime, elections and election systems. Political ideologies and political parties. Parliament. President. Government. Media and interest groups. Bureaucracy. Local governance institutions. Law institutions/ courts. Political Culture. Analysis of institutional environment: political system, political regime, elections and election systems. Political ideologies and political parties. Parliament. President. Government. Media and interest groups. Bureaucracy. Local governance institutions. Law institutions/ courts. Political Culture. State and power. Constitution and constitutionalism. Democracy and it’s interpretations. Non democratic regimes. Political ideologies and political parties. Parliament. President. Government. Media and interest groups. Bureaucracy. Local governance institutions. Law institutions/ courts. Political Culture.

To explain the basic concepts and be able to use it. To understand the role of Constitution and the essence of the rule of law. To designate the main components of political system. To find and analyze interactions between legal-political institutions and various components of political system. To define the main changes of political institutions and their impacts for the genesis of political system. To find the differences between democratic and non democratic political regimes. To understand electoral systems To explain party activities and party systems To explain differences between ideologies To explain EU institutional composition, its functions and legislative process