Unit name | Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction |
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Unit code | POLI11103 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | C/4 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Hewitt |
Open unit status | Open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit introduces students to the comparative study of politics and government. Students will become familiar with a broad range of theories and concepts used in comparative studies of politics. The theories and concepts will be applied intensively and comparatively to seven country cases: France, Germany, Japan, Brazil, India, Mexico, and Nigeria. The unit begins by looking at some fundamental topics in the study of comparative politics including the purpose of comparison and leading theoretical approaches to comparative politics. A consideration of the process of state formation leads into a comparative analysis of transitions to democracy. The next section of the unit examines the role played by political parties as mediators between social forces and the formal institutions of government. The unit then examines the impact that formal institutions of government have on political outcomes. Themes covered in the final section of the unit include economic management, presidential executives, parliamentary systems, federal and consociational devices used to manage political conflict.
Aims:
By the end of this unit students will:
2 x 1hr lecture and 1hr seminar.
Formative assessment
1 x 1500 word essay - this piece of assessment will assess learning outcomes 1-4, and 6.
1 x 2000 word essay - this piece of assessment places emphasis on learning outcome 4 (developing essay writing skills). Learning outcomes 1-3, and 6 will also be assessed.
Summative assessment
1 x 2 hour exam (100%) – this piece of assessment will assess learning outcomes 1-6.
The formative assessment includes detailed written feedback that can be used to improve performance in subsequent formative and summative work.
MMark Kesselman, Joel Krieger & William A. Joseph (eds) (2009), Introduction to comparative politics: Political challenges and changing agendas, 5th edition, Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
J. Bara & M. Pennington (eds) (2009), Comparative Politics, London: Sage.