Professor at the Department of Theory of Politics and Methods in Political Science, Faculty of Political Science, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland.

Political Scientist, Professor at the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.

E.MA Director EIUC Venice. President of the Czech Political Science Association.

Author, co-author and co-editor of thirteen monographs, up-to-date Czech Security Dilemma. Russia As a Friend or Enemy? (Palgrave Macmillan 2019; with M. Mareš et al.), Militant Right-Wing Extremism in Putin´s Russia: Legacies, Forms and Threats (Routledge 2018; with M. Mareš and M. Laryš), or Czech Politics: From West to East and Back Again (Barbara Budrich Verlag 2017; with S. Balík et al.) and hundred articles or chapters.

Research interests: Theory of Non-Democratic and Hybrid Regimes, Theory of Democratization, Political Regimes of the East-European Countries and former Soviet Republics (especially Russia), Modern Czech Politics.

• since September 2021: chairman of Czech Political Science Association (since September 1996: member, vice-chairman 2006 - 2012; member of committee 2012 - 2015)
• since July 2021: member of Advisory Board of Journal Athenaeum, University of  Toruň (Poland)
• since January 2021: member of committee of Doctor’s programme History - Faculty of Arts, MasarykUniversity, Brno, Czech Republic
• since October 2019: member of Science Council of Institute of Political Science and Administration, University of Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej Lublin (Poland)
• since January 2019: member of Editorial Board of Journal Mysl polityczna (Political Thinking), UJ Krakow (Poland)
• since April 2018: member of Science Council, University of Economics, Prague (Czech Republic)
• since January 2018: member of Science Council of Journal Przeglad Sejmowy (Sejm Review), Warsaw (Poland)
• since January 2017: country expert, Varieties of Democracy, University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
• since September 2015: member of Science Commission of Research Center for East European History, Institute of History of Czech Academy of Science, Brno (Czech Republic)
• since April 2015: member of Programme Council of Journal Wschod Europy. Studia humanistyczno-spoleczne (East of Europe. Social-Human Studies), UMCS Lublin (Poland)since  December 2013: member of Editorial Board of  Journal Central European Papers, Silesian University Opava – Janos Kodolanyi University Szekesfehervar (Hungary)
• since November 2013: chairman of committee of Doctor’s programme Political Science - Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic (October 2004 - January 2008 and December 2011 - November 2013 member, October 2005 - January 2008 vice-chairman)
• since March 2013: member of Edition Council of Journal Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Rzeszowskiej. Nauki społeczne i zarządzanie (Scientific Workbooks of Politechnik of Rzeszow. Social Sciences and Management), Politechnik of Rzeszow (Poland)
• since October 2012: member of Science Council of  Faculty of Political Science, University of Marii Curie-Sklodowskiej Lublin (Poland)
• since September 2012: member of committee of Czech Political Science Association (vice-chairman September 2006 - September 2012; member since September 1996)
• since March 2012: member of Edition Council of Sociological Publishing House SLON, Prague (Czech Republic)
• since March 2012: member of Science Council of CEVRO Institute, Prague, Czech Republic
• November 2011 - September 2015: member of Science Council of Faculty of Arts, University of J. E. Purkyne, Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic
• since November 2010: member of Edition Council of Series Człowiek-Społeczeństwo-Państwo (Human-Society-State), Publishing House Adam Marszałek, Torun (Poland)
• April 2009 - March 2013: member of discipline panel for law and political science of Czech Science Foundation
• April 2008 - March 2009: member of discipline committee for humanities and social sciences and discipline subcommittee for law and political science of Czech Science Foundation
• since July 2006: member of committee of Doctor’s programme Political Science - Department of Political Science and European Studies, Faculty of Arts, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
• since January 2006: member of International Political Science Association (IPSA)
• since September 2005: member of E.MA Directors of European Inter - University Centre for Human Rights and Democratization (EIUC, Venice, Italy)
• January 2005 - December 2011: member of Science Council of Comparative Political Research Center - Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
• since June 2004: member of committee of Doctor’s programme Political Science - Institute of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic (since June 2001 member of committee for Doctor’s graduation)
• since May 2004: member of Science Council of Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
• October 2003 - March 2006: member of Council of Central European Political Sciences Association (CEPSA) as a representative of Czech Republic
• October 2003 - December 2005: participant of Brzezinski Scholar Programme, Centre for Strategic & International Studies, Washington, D.C.
• since September 2003: Chief of Editorial Board (member since October 1999) of on-line Journal Středoevropské politické studie (Central European Political Studies, www.iips.cz/seps.html), editor Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
• January 2003 - February 2004: member of Academic Senate of Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
• since February 2002: member of committee of Doctor’s programme Theory of Area Studies - Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
• since July 2001: member of East-European Summer School Club of Warsaw University, Poland
• since June 2001: member of European Political Science Network (EPSNet)
• October 1999 - August 2000: member of Academic Senate of Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
• January 1999 - August 2004: member of Science Council of Faculty of Command and Staff, Military Academy, Brno, Czech Republic

Last publications

Syrovátka, J. – Holzer, J.: Euromajdan(s) in Russian Academic Literature, Russian Politics, Brill, 2021, Vol. 6, pp. 233-254. 

Holzer, J.: Characteristics of Eastern Europe, in Eibl, 0. - Gregor, M. (eds.): Thirty Years of Political Campaigning in Central and Eastern Europe, London: Palgrave Macmillan 2019, pp. 349-354. 

Czech Security Dilemma. Russia As a Friend or Enemy? (Palgrave Macmillan 2019; with M. Mareš et al.)

Militant Right-Wing Extremism in Putin´s Russia: Legacies, Forms and Threats (Routledge 2018; with M. Mareš and M. Laryš)

Czech Politics: From West to East and Back Again (Barbara Budrich Verlag 2017; with S. Balík et al.)