Universität Wien

210121 SE M5 a: European Union and Europeanisation (2012S)

Europeanization of political parties (engl.)

10.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 21 - Politikwissenschaft
Continuous assessment of course work

Why do political parties matter in the context of European integration? National parties stand at the heart of national and EU democracy. They define policy alternatives, structure competition and recruit candidates who compete for public support in national and European elections.
European citizens are represented in national and European institutions via national parties: the heads of national governments compose the European Council, the motor of European integration. Their ministers, who sit in the Council of Ministers of the European Union, decide on laws that have supremacy over national legislation. National parties in government also appoint Commissioners, who take up a specific policy portfolio in the Commission of the EU. Finally, it is national party governments who negotiate EU Treaties, and national parties in Parliament that ratify them.

Hence we ask: how does the process of European integration impact national parties, the key legitimizing actors for national and EU system of governance? How do national parties perceive Europe, and how do they respond to it? Whether domestic parties change (e.g. policy direction, organizational structure) because of EU stimuli and how they behave vis-à-vis Europe is all the more relevant now, in the context of the present Euro-crisis.
This is research-led seminar. Our aim is to review and critically discuss scholarly arguments and findings about the European Union (EU)s impact on political parties. Furthermore, we connect the Europeanization of political parties to classic pieces in comparative politics (positive theory) and the debates on representation and democracy in the EU (normative theory). At the same time, we seek to better understand the current political crisis in Europe.

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 40 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Thursday 15.03. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 22.03. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 29.03. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 19.04. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 26.04. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 03.05. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 10.05. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 24.05. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 31.05. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 14.06. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 21.06. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock
  • Thursday 28.06. 18:30 - 20:00 Hörsaal 2 (H2), NIG 2.Stock

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Assessment and permitted materials

Prerequisites: None, except for the ability to communicate in English.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Our aim in this research-led seminar is to:
-review and critically discuss arguments and findings about the European Union (EU)s impact on political parties.
-to connect the Europeanization of political parties to classic pieces in comparative politics (positive theory) and the debates on representation and democracy in the EU (normative theory).
-to deepen our understanding of the current political crisis in Europe.

Examination topics

The course will be conducted in the form of class discussions, which will draw on:
-assigned readings
-audiovisual material presented in class

Reading material: The seminar does not use a textbook, but draws instead on relevant scientific articles. Participants in the course will be given a list of basic readings, which will constitute the minimum that one should cover for this course. A separate list of further readings will also be provided, for students that want to read more on specific topics. ALL relevant readings will be provided via the online platform moodle.

Audiovisual material: To connect to ongoing developments in "real politics", we will also watch/listen to party politicians' discussions about Europe. This additional material will help us better grasp parties' perceptions of Europe, and the challenges confronting them in the EU multilevel polity.

Reading list

Readings: The seminar does not use a textbook, but draws instead on relevant scientific articles. Participants in the course will be given a list of basic readings, which will constitute the minimum that one should cover for this course. A separate list of further readings will also be provided, for students that want to read more on specific topics. ALL relevant readings will be provided via the online platform moodle:

Examples of works that will be discussed in the seminar:

-Bellamy, R. 2010. Democracy without Democracy?: Can the EU’s Democratic ‘Outputs’ be Separated from the Democratic ‘Inputs’ Provided by Competitive Parties and Majority Rule?, Journal of European Public Policy 17: 2-19.
-Casado-Asensio, J. and Lefkofridi, Z. 2011. Representation in the European Union:
Congruence between Citizens and Elites in the European Parliament's Two-level Setting. Perspectives on European Politics & Society 12/2: 161-179.
-De Vries, C. 2010. EU Issue Voting; Asset or Liability: How European Integration Affects Parties Electoral Fortunes European Union Politics 11/1: 89-117.
-Hix, S. & Goetz, K. 2000. Introduction: European Integration and National Political Systems, West European Politics 23/4: 1-26.
-Kriesi, H. 2006. The Role of European Integration in National Election Campaigns. European Union Politics 8/1: 83-108.
-Ladrech, R. 2002. Europeanisation and Political Parties: Towards a Framework for Analysis, Party Politics 8/4: 389-403.
-Ladrech, R. 2009. Europeanization and political parties, Living Reviews in European Governance 4/1: 1-21.
-Lefkofridi, Z. and Kritzinger, S. 2008. Battles fought in the EP arena: Developments in National Parties' Euro-manifestos. Austrian Journal of Political Science 37/3: 273-296. Available online at: http://www.oezp.at/pdfs/2008_3-3-Lefkofridi_Kritzinger.pdf
-Mair, P. 2000. The limited impact of Europe on national party systems, West European Politics 23/4: 27-51.
-Meyer, S & Rosenberger, S. 2008: Europäisierung durch Nationale Wahlen? EUropa im Österreichischen Nationalratskampf 2006. Österreichische Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft 37/ 3: 297-314.
-Pennings, P. 2006: An Empirical Study of the Europeanization of National Party Manifestos, 1960-2003. European Union Politics 7/2: 257-70.
-Schmitter, P. 2003. Democracy in Europe and Europe's Democratization. Journal of Democracy 14/4: 71-85


Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:38