COMPARATIVE POLITICAL
INSTITUTIONS
Samenvatting Silke Van Eynde – academiejaar 2024-2025 – Prof Zeljko Poljak
CONTENT LESSONS
First part of lecture based on Chapters of the book of Daniele Caramani. Second part focus is on weekly
mandatory readings which offer an in-depth discussion, empirical exploration of the concepts.
Syllabus info about readings linked with lessons:
1. INTRODUCTION
§ Caramani, Introduction & Chapters 2; 3
2. PART I – REGIMES (Democracy)
§ Caramani, Chapter 5
§ Bernaerts, K., Blanckaert, B., & Caluwaerts, D. (2023). Institutional design and polarization. Do
consensus democracies fare better in fighting polarization than majoritarian democracies?.
Democratization, 30(2), 153-172.
3. REGIMES (Autocracy)
§ Caramani, Chapter 6; 25
,§ Neundorf, A., Gerschewski, J., & Olar, R. G. (2020). How do inclusionary and exclusionary
autocracies affect ordinary people?. Comparative Political Studies, 53(12), 1890-1925.
4. PART II – INSTITUTIONS (Legislatures)
§ Caramani, Chapter 7
§ Proksch, S. O., & Slapin, J. B. (2012). Institutional foundations of legislative speech. American
Journal of Political Science, 56(3), 520-537.
5. INSTITUTIONS (Governments)
§ Caramani, Chapter 8
§ Krauss, S., & Thürk, M. (2022). Stability of minority governments and the role of support agreements.
West European Politics, 45(4), 767-792.
6. INSTITUTIONS (Judicial)
§ Caramani, Chapter 9
§ Krehbiel, J. (2019). Elections, public awareness, and the efficacy of constitutional review. Journal of
Law and Courts, 7(1), 53-79.
7. INSTITUTIONS (Elections)
§ Caramani, Chapter 11
§ Aldrich, J. H., Blais, A., & Stephenson, L. B
8. INSTITUTIONS (Multilevel governance)
§ Caramani, Chapter 12; 23
§ Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2013). Beyond federalism: Estimating and explaining the territorial
structure of government. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 43(2), 179-204.
9. PART III – ACTORS (Political parties)
§ Caramani, Chapter 13; 14
§ Spoon, J. J., & Klüver, H. (2014). Do parties respond? How electoral context influences party
responsiveness. Electoral Studies, 35, 48-60.
10. ACTORS (Interest groups)
§ Caramani, Chapter 15; 16
, § Røed, M., Allern, E. H., & Hansen, V. W. (2024). Party–interest group ties and patterns of
political influence. Political Studies, 72(4), 1534-1554
11. ACTORS (Citizens)
§ Caramani, Chapter 17; 18
§ Polacko, M., Heath, O., Lewis-Beck, M. S., & Dassonneville, R. (2021). Policy polarization, income
inequality and turnout. Political Studies, 69(2), 455-477.
12. ACTORS (Media)
§ Caramani, Chapter 19
§ Vos, D., & Van Aelst, P. (2018). Does the political system determine media visibility of politicians? A
comparative analysis of political functions in the news in sixteen countries. Political Communication,
35(3), 371-392.
13. ACTORS (Gender) guestlecture
§ Guest lecture by Rozemarijn van Dijk
EVALUATION EXAM
The evaluation will consist of a final exam (in June) featuring multiple-choice and open-ended
questions, testing both theoretical and applied knowledge, with 50% of the exam dedicated to
multiple-choice and 50% to open-ended questions.
- Multiple-choice questions: The exam will include several multiple-choice questions, with half based
on Caramani’s chapters and slides, and the other half on the weekly readings.
- Open-ended questions: The exam will include several open-ended questions, with half based on
Caramani’s chapters and slides, and the other half on the weekly readings.
=> exam is 50% based on Caramani HB and slides + 50% on readings !!
1. INTRODUCTION
Texts: HB Introduction + C2 and 3
ABOUT THIS COURSE
We can only understand our own political context if we put it in perspective
, Comparing different political (1) regimes, (2) institutions and (3) actors to find differences and
similarities among them. -> all three play a very important role in the political system worldwide!
INSTITUTIONS
Samenvatting Silke Van Eynde – academiejaar 2024-2025 – Prof Zeljko Poljak
CONTENT LESSONS
First part of lecture based on Chapters of the book of Daniele Caramani. Second part focus is on weekly
mandatory readings which offer an in-depth discussion, empirical exploration of the concepts.
Syllabus info about readings linked with lessons:
1. INTRODUCTION
§ Caramani, Introduction & Chapters 2; 3
2. PART I – REGIMES (Democracy)
§ Caramani, Chapter 5
§ Bernaerts, K., Blanckaert, B., & Caluwaerts, D. (2023). Institutional design and polarization. Do
consensus democracies fare better in fighting polarization than majoritarian democracies?.
Democratization, 30(2), 153-172.
3. REGIMES (Autocracy)
§ Caramani, Chapter 6; 25
,§ Neundorf, A., Gerschewski, J., & Olar, R. G. (2020). How do inclusionary and exclusionary
autocracies affect ordinary people?. Comparative Political Studies, 53(12), 1890-1925.
4. PART II – INSTITUTIONS (Legislatures)
§ Caramani, Chapter 7
§ Proksch, S. O., & Slapin, J. B. (2012). Institutional foundations of legislative speech. American
Journal of Political Science, 56(3), 520-537.
5. INSTITUTIONS (Governments)
§ Caramani, Chapter 8
§ Krauss, S., & Thürk, M. (2022). Stability of minority governments and the role of support agreements.
West European Politics, 45(4), 767-792.
6. INSTITUTIONS (Judicial)
§ Caramani, Chapter 9
§ Krehbiel, J. (2019). Elections, public awareness, and the efficacy of constitutional review. Journal of
Law and Courts, 7(1), 53-79.
7. INSTITUTIONS (Elections)
§ Caramani, Chapter 11
§ Aldrich, J. H., Blais, A., & Stephenson, L. B
8. INSTITUTIONS (Multilevel governance)
§ Caramani, Chapter 12; 23
§ Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2013). Beyond federalism: Estimating and explaining the territorial
structure of government. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 43(2), 179-204.
9. PART III – ACTORS (Political parties)
§ Caramani, Chapter 13; 14
§ Spoon, J. J., & Klüver, H. (2014). Do parties respond? How electoral context influences party
responsiveness. Electoral Studies, 35, 48-60.
10. ACTORS (Interest groups)
§ Caramani, Chapter 15; 16
, § Røed, M., Allern, E. H., & Hansen, V. W. (2024). Party–interest group ties and patterns of
political influence. Political Studies, 72(4), 1534-1554
11. ACTORS (Citizens)
§ Caramani, Chapter 17; 18
§ Polacko, M., Heath, O., Lewis-Beck, M. S., & Dassonneville, R. (2021). Policy polarization, income
inequality and turnout. Political Studies, 69(2), 455-477.
12. ACTORS (Media)
§ Caramani, Chapter 19
§ Vos, D., & Van Aelst, P. (2018). Does the political system determine media visibility of politicians? A
comparative analysis of political functions in the news in sixteen countries. Political Communication,
35(3), 371-392.
13. ACTORS (Gender) guestlecture
§ Guest lecture by Rozemarijn van Dijk
EVALUATION EXAM
The evaluation will consist of a final exam (in June) featuring multiple-choice and open-ended
questions, testing both theoretical and applied knowledge, with 50% of the exam dedicated to
multiple-choice and 50% to open-ended questions.
- Multiple-choice questions: The exam will include several multiple-choice questions, with half based
on Caramani’s chapters and slides, and the other half on the weekly readings.
- Open-ended questions: The exam will include several open-ended questions, with half based on
Caramani’s chapters and slides, and the other half on the weekly readings.
=> exam is 50% based on Caramani HB and slides + 50% on readings !!
1. INTRODUCTION
Texts: HB Introduction + C2 and 3
ABOUT THIS COURSE
We can only understand our own political context if we put it in perspective
, Comparing different political (1) regimes, (2) institutions and (3) actors to find differences and
similarities among them. -> all three play a very important role in the political system worldwide!
