University of West Bohemia in Pilsen
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for academic year 2025/2026
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Course: Politics in German Speaking Countries

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Course title Politics in German Speaking Countries
Course code KAP/GER
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 4
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Čižmář Hynek, PhDr. Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. Introduction (and method); geographic, political and cultural definition of the region in the past and present; German speaking countries and the phenomenon of Central Europe 2. Constitutionalism in German and central European area; German system of material rule of law; parliamentary system and consensual democracy; tradition of federalism in Germany and Austria; welfare state; "directorial" governmental system in Switzerland 3. the Federal Republic of Germany: constitutional base, Basic Law and political system 4. the Republic of Austria: fundamental principles, constitutional institutions and institutions of political life; Wien as a traditional administration centre 5. Switzerland - constitutional order and "semidirect" democracy 6. Germany and Austria in Europe before and after the unification of Germany in 1971 (the "German question") 7. Sonderweg - German expansion, Hitler, self-justification of Germany after WW II 8. Antidemocratic tendencies in the 1930s 9. Austrian domestic policy after 1945 10. Germany as an example of welfare state 11. United Germany as a "new actor" 12. Road to current Austrian national identity 12. Summary and discussion 8.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Lecture supplemented with a discussion, Discussion, Textual studies
  • Presentation preparation (report) (1-10) - 10 hours per semester
  • Contact hours - 39 hours per semester
  • Preparation for an examination (30-60) - 60 hours per semester
prerequisite
Knowledge
No particular prerequisites specified.
learning outcomes
After passing the course, students will be familiar with essential aspects of constitutional systems in the region of German speaking countries. They will be able to analyze them, define their common regional characteristics or important differences. They will understand the constitutional and political development of the countries within wider historical, societal, cultural, religious an ethnic contexts. Students will be able to identify and formulate essential historical, political and societal characteristics that characterize and define (besides the linguistic perspective) the region of German speaking countries.
teaching methods
Lecture supplemented with a discussion
Textual studies
Discussion
assessment methods
Oral exam
Individual presentation at a seminar
Recommended literature
  • Grundzüge des Verfassungsrechts der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. 7. ergänzte Auflage. Karlsruhe, 1974. ISBN 3-7880-1240-4.
  • Politický systém Spolkové republiky Německo ; Petr Fiala.[et al]. Brno, 1994. ISBN 80-210-0907-1.
  • Politisches System der Schweiz, Handbuch, Band 2: Strukturen und Prozesse.. (Hg. Ulrich Klöti), 1984.
  • Aubert, Jean-Francois. So funktioniert die Schweiz,. o.O., 1987.
  • Dachs, Herbert u. a. (ed.). Handbuch des politischen Systems Österreichs. Die Zweite Republik. Wien, 1997.
  • Dvořáková, Vladimíra. Komparace politických systémů I. Vyd. 3.,1. dotisk. Praha, 2005. ISBN 80-245-0534-7.
  • Handl, Vladimír. Vztahy SRN ke státům střední Evropy od roku 1990. [1. vyd.]. Praha, 1998. ISBN 80-85864-44-4.
  • Hanisch, Ernst. Der lange Schatten des Staates. Österreichische Gesellschaftgeschichte im 20. Jahrhundert. Wien, 1994.
  • Hyde-Price, Adrian. Germany and the European order. Enlarging NATO and the EU. Manchester University Press. Manchester/New York, 2000.
  • Ismayr, W. (Hrsg.). Die politischen Systemem Westeuropas,. Opladen, 2003.
  • Jeřábek, Martin. Konec demokracie v Rakousku, 1932-1938 : politické, hospodářské a ideologické příčiny pádu demokracie. Praha, 2004. ISBN 80-86569-51-9.
  • Katzenstein, Peter J. (ed.). Industry and Politics in West Germany. Toward the Third Republic. Ithaca and London, 1989.
  • Müller, Helmut; Krieger, Karl Friedrich; Vollrath, Hanna. Dějiny Německa. Praha, 1995. ISBN 80-7106-125-5.
  • Pelinka, Anton. Österreichische Politik, Grundlagen, Strukturen, Trends. Sieglinde Rosenberger. Wien, 2000.
  • Rudzio, Wolfgang. Das politische System der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. 4. völlig überarb. Auflage. Leske - Budrich, 1996.
  • Rupp, Hans Karl. Politische Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Oldenbourg Verlag, 2000.
  • Říchová, Blanka. Komparace politických systémů II.. Vyd. 3., přeprac. Praha, 2004. ISBN 80-245-0757-9.
  • Sigg, Oswald. Die politische Schweiz. 1. Auflage. Zürich, 1996. ISBN 3-908102-26-X.
  • Tewes, Henning. Germany, Civilian Power and the New Europe. New York, 2002.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, date of update: 21.01.2026 23:51. Data created for academic year 2025/2026