Introduction: the role of political parties in modern democracies
Origins of political parties
Party types (organisation)
Business-firm parties
Left-libertarian parties I
Left-libertarian parties II
Left-libertarian parties III
Populist parties
Radical-right wing populist parties
Populism, technocracy and democracy
Eurosceptical parties
Other parties - feminist parties, animal parties, joke parties.
The course is intended for master's level students. It is designed as a series of lectures about new types of political parties that are new/modern in organizational and ideological terms.
The key distinction between "traditional" and "modern" as far as ideology (policies) is concerned is the theory by S. M.
Lipset and S. Rokkan (1967).
Political parties which do not fit in this distinction are considered as modern parties. These are, for example, left-wing libertarian parties, including Green parties and Pirate parties.
Also included are the radical-right / left populist parties, and the Eurosceptic parties. The course also discusses other types of parties that are not essential from a practical (electoral) point of view but are important from a theoretical perspective.
From the organizational point of view, the course covers some of organizational developments since the 1960s with regard to declining party membership, the growing importance of party leaders, the professionalization of party activities, etc. In this respect, for example, electoral-professional parties, cartel parties, business parties, cyber parties, etc. are presented.