Democracy in the Czech Republic

A transition to democracy can be long and full of challenges. This course explores the stages of democratization in the Czech Republic, from the initial cracks in the authoritarian regime, to transition, consolidation, and democratic backsliding. Deconstructing the process of Czech democratization, this course provides an overview of conditions that may foster or impede the democratization process. The course considers i.a. the impact of various historical legacies, institutional choices, mode of economic transition as well as roles played by key political agents, civil society, and external conditionality exerted by the EU. The course draws on foundational literature on democratization as well as area-specific expertise on fourth-wave transitions and Europeanization. Introducing common democracy indexes, the course also puts the quality of Czech democracy into a broader comparative perspective.