Political Science

This course is designed to enhance students' knowledge of Central European developments during and after the democratic revolutions of 1989. The course examines the democratic revolutions in 1989, the institutional and international framework of the transition process, and specific problems of democratization in Central Europe. It discusses the main turning points of modern political history of the respective countries of the Central European geopolitical space and presents similarities and differences of such developments. In addition, the course explores the constitutional systems of the Central European countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Austria, and Hungary), the effects of the enlargement of the European Union towards Central European countries after May 2004 and the results of the elections into the European Parliament in Central Europe in May 2014. Special attention is paid to the current dramatic events on the European continent including the migration crisis, the British referendum (Brexit) in June 2016, and others.

This course examines the philosophical underpinnings and practical application of nonviolence as a means for effecting social change. It covers the relationship between violence and nonviolence in particular historical contexts, as well as examining debates over the ethics and efficacy of resistance. By focusing on nonviolence, as well as its ostensible opposite, students gain insight into the character of social relations and the distinct forms of violence and nonviolence which mark the everyday lived experiences of people across the world. Such insights allow students to think anew about the nature of contemporary conflicts and resistance movements, including, for example, consideration of the role of new technologies and social media in the pursuit of social change.

This course focuses on elaborating the logic of the interaction between non-profit organizations and the government by introducing the theoretical evolution of the relationship between non-profit organizations and the government while also touching upon the NGO-government relationship models in several countries. This course aims to clarify how non-profit organizations could contribute in social development, and examine how civil society organization development and organizational actions would influence the formal power structure. This course would explore the development trend and institutional construction of the relationship between non-profit organizations and government in China.

This course provides a study of the history and theory of political psychosociology and examines the ideologies and behavior of political actors. It explores the role of historical and spatial factors on political and social processes. Topics covered include: the formation and changes of political attitudes and behaviors; role of opinion and political communication; political socialization; power and social influence; political ideology and leadership. 

In our globalizing world, Trans National Corporations (TNC’s) are a well-known reality. All larger corporations have built a global presence to benefit as much as possible from the most efficient conditions for production and consumption. Governments have built their multilateral agencies on global (UN) and regional (EU, AU, Mercosur, Asean) level to better respond to the new reality of an interconnected world in order to be able to better serve the interests of their citizens. In the last few decades we have seen an emerging trend of global civil society organizations (GCSO’s) striving to take their role at the global stage. This works out differently for different types of civil society organizations (CSO’s). CSO’s which are into political advocacy (Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and Oxfam) are building global networks to hold governments and companies accountable about their policies on ecology, human rights, and poverty reduction. With their global brand they are trying to influence global policies in order to make this world safer and more sustainable. In order to be able to act on the global level, different types of CSO’s not only need to deal with organizational issues like building these global networks but they also need to face new issues of legitimacy and accountability. In this course students face these fascinating issues by focusing on crucial cases with Amnesty International, religious organizations, Neighborhood Watch, trade unions, or the GLTB movement. This course helps students understand the shifting role of civil society in the globalization process and the roles of legitimacy and accountability as key issues for civil society’s influence. Knowledge of Introduction to Public Administration and Organizational Science is recommended.

The course is interdisciplinary and reviews the impact of media on the political rhetoric of politicians, moulders of public opinion, and potentates. The main focus is placed on the impact of new communication technologies such as writing, print, and broadcasting on rhetoric and the manifestation of power.