| Unit name | Comparative Government and Politics: An Introduction |
|---|---|
| Unit code | POLI11103 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Wickham-Jones |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one | |
| 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:
20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars
1 x 1500 word essay (25%)
1 x 2500 word essay (75%)
Both essays will assess learning outcomes 1-6 as described above.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. POLI11103).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
