Annotation:
This course seeks to explore the impact of the 2016 referendum's decision to leave the EU, along with the elections that followed in 2017 and 2019, on the relations among the four parts of the United Kingdom, British politics and political culture, constitution, and party system. There is a special focus on the non-English parts of the UK: Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Brexit is putting immense strain on the uncodified British constitution, as evidenced by the succession of Conservative Prime Ministers following the election and particularly in 2022. The tensions introduced by Brexit will be related to constitutional and institutional structures of British politics, including the legislature and the judiciary, the electoral system and the party system. The immediate implications are discussed in real time.
Aims of the Course:
Upon completing the course, students will be able to analyse and explain both the result of the 2016 referendum, the difficulties in the subsequent Brexit negotiations and the impact of the two subsequent elections on current political events in the UK. These will be closely integrated into constitutional and institutional problems, including the notion of “parliamentary sovereignty” as a constitutional principle, empowerment of the judicial system, potential consequences for the electoral system, and possible de-alignment of the two main political parties.
Teaching methods:
Lectures followed by discussions.
This course seeks to explore the impact of the 2016 referendum's decision to leave the EU, along with the elections that followed in 2017 and 2019, on the relations among the four parts of the United Kingdom, British politics and political culture, constitution, and party system. There is a special focus on the non-English parts of the UK: Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Brexit is putting immense strain on the uncodified British constitution, as evidenced by the succession of Conservative Prime Ministers following the election and particularly in 2022. The tensions introduced by Brexit will be related to constitutional and institutional structures of British politics, including the legislature and the judiciary, the electoral system and the party system. The immediate implications are discussed in real time.
Aims of the Course:
Upon completing the course, students will be able to analyse and explain both the result of the 2016 referendum, the difficulties in the subsequent Brexit negotiations and the impact of the two subsequent elections on current political events in the UK. These will be closely integrated into constitutional and institutional problems, including the notion of “parliamentary sovereignty” as a constitutional principle, empowerment of the judicial system, potential consequences for the electoral system, and possible de-alignment of the two main political parties.
Teaching methods:
Lectures followed by discussions.
- Teacher: Jan Váška