MA Course: “Analysis of Political Systems in Austria, Germany, and the EU”

This course provides an analytical introduction to the structures, institutions, and key actors of the political systems of Austria, Germany, and the European Union. Using a comparative approach, students explore similarities and differences between the EU and the national systems of Austria and Germany in order to identify potential strengths and weaknesses, both theoretically and empirically.

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

• Identify the main institutions and their functions (parliament, government, constitution, federal president, judiciary) as well as the key actors (political parties, associations, civil society) within the political process.
• Explain major theories and qualitative methods for analyzing political systems, particularly through the analytical lenses of Europeanization and multi-level governance, and compare their differences, similarities, and distinctive features.
• Analyze current developments and transformations (e.g. from consensus to conflict democracy) and formulate hypotheses about political challenges and conflict potential within the European integration and renationalization processes.
• Identify and frame central research questions in political system analysis, applying them comparatively to the political systems of Austria, Germany, and the EU.
• Strengthen academic competencies through the critical reception and discussion of scholarly literature and, develop skills in producing independent academic texts based on assigned readings.

The course combines two didactic approaches: Problem-based text work and student presentations on thematic areas including: democratic policymaking & legitimacy of European governance; systems of government & decision-making in the EU multi-level system (esp. the trilogue procedure); parliamentarism (esp. committees, party groups, the role of the political opposition); administration & control mechanisms (esp. the European Commission; the role of the General Secretariats in the Council of the EU, the European Parliament, and the Commission); party systems (esp. party organization and financing); representation & electoral systems; organized interests (lobbying); and policy entrepreneurship (e.g. state-level lobbying). On this basis, students are introduced to political science research questions, which they develop further in analytical papers. Case-based simulation game in which students take on the role of political decision-makers in the Council of the EU, experiencing the decision-making process in a realistic setting.

As part of the cross-program simulation game, BA students from six different groups simulate the legislative process in the European Parliament and in parallel the Council of the EU. In doing so, the module also supports the learning outcomes of these courses by making the functioning of EU institutions directly tangible.

MA Course: “Public Affairs in the EU”

This seminar offers an applied, problem-centered, and analytical introduction to the strategic management of decision-making processes at the intersection of politics, business, and society within the EU’s multi-level governance system. Students in this course develop the positions of interest groups in relation to the annually selected simulation scenario. They draw partly on information and AI chatbots embedded in the virtual learning environment. Furthermore, acting as representatives of real stakeholders, they negotiate joint positions within umbrella organizations.

This course trains students to identify and investigate political issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. Within the framework of the simulation game, BA students contribute by analyzing the legislative proposal. Their findings are then integrated into the AI chatbots of the simulation game, ensuring that the results feed directly into the subsequent negotiation phase.