|
Politics |
Politics at Keele is taught within SPIRE. The School is an internationally recognised centre of research excellence, demonstrated in the award of a 5A in the most recent (2001) research assessment exercise. It also prides itself on the quality of its teaching and student-centred approach, as reflected in the maximum 24/24 score achieved in its teaching quality assessment, also in 2001.
Politics is studied either as a single honours course, or as part of a dual honours degree in combination with a wide range of subjects.
The Politics course at Keele provides a challenging treatment of the ways in which modern political science and political theory have dealt with these and other issues. Over the three years you will have the opportunity to choose to explore in depth the questions that interest you most. Students are encouraged to engage creatively and imaginatively in understanding and explaining the political events, institutions and ideas shaping all our lives.
SPIRE welcomes students from all over the world and has particularly well-established links with certain continental and North American universities. Due to demand there may be more limited access to level III special subjects for ERASMUS, Exchange and Study Abroad students.
Information on courses and modules offered by SPIRE can be found in the Handbooks on their website: www.keele.ac.uk/depts/spire/currentstudents/Undergrads/index.htm
NB. Because of variations in staff availability and research interests from time to time, certain courses may not run in particular semesters. Erasmus, Exchange and Study Abroad students please confirm availability with the School when applying.
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PIR-10038 | Why Politics Matters | C | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module provides an introduction to politics that strips it back to its essentials. We examine the core debates in the subject and show why argument and disagreement are perennial features of modern politics but also why politics is an integral feature of modern societies. Core questions in the first part of the course include - where does politics happen? Is it only about government, or can it also include politics in our daily lives, such as who looks after the children? Are we under the thumb of a ruling elite or does democracy mean that power is diffused widely in society? If democracy was the greatest political achievement of the twentieth century, is it now in trouble? Are people now more disenchanted with politics and are politicians less honest and more corrupt than they used to be? Has the state interfered too much in our lives or should government being doing more? What makes a good citizen and does being a good citizen include saying no to governments on occasion? There are no easy or universally-agreed answers to these questions, but trying to answer them will help you understand the forces that shape the world you live in, the choices that you have about how to live your life, and you will also learn how mere opinions do not make good political arguments. In the second part of the course you will deepen your understanding of the role of conflicting values in politics by working in a small group to understand how a contemporary political issue can be seen differently by different ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism and socialism. Even if you don't think of yourself as political, you will learn how you take political decisions and express political views every day. This module will allow you to understand why politics and your role in it matters. The course structure is based on whole group lectures and weekly seminars. You will study a workbook of readings and complete a range of tasks that will help you prepare for the seminars, write your essay and prepare for a small group presentation to the rest of your seminar group. You will receive guidance on how to build up a portfolio of research notes from lectures and reading and you will receive feedback on three pieces of assessed work: a book review done as a short class test (25%); a group presentation (25%) and a 1,500 word essay (50%). | ||||||
| PIR-10041 | Introduction to International Relations | EP | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to provide a clear introduction to the academic study of International Relations and is useful to both beginning International Relations students and to students who would like to simply to find out what the subject is about and explore a few topics or issues in the module that particularly interest them. The module shows how the modern "society of states" came about and was affected by various factors such as nationalism and other ideologies, technology and a globalising capitalist economy. It also gives students a basic understanding of the "traditional" perspectives in the academic discipline of International Relations and helps them to distinguish between these schools of thought. The ten topic-based lectures are accompanied by eight weekly meetings of each small seminar group. The seminar meetings fall into two kinds. In roughly half the seminars, students learn how to perform effectively in core aspects of University-level study such as effective listening and note-taking at lectures, researching, planning and writing an essay and examination preparation and technique. The other half are devoted to disusssion of the topics covered by the module, including the evolution of the modern states system, Realist and Pluralist perspectives on IR, violence, order and justice, and global political economy. Half way through the module, students also receive a one-to-one personal tutorial with their Module Tutor (lasting approximately ten minutes) in which they receive feedback on their essay plans and can discuss their progress in the module in general. Assessment format: submission of required portfolio of lecture notes (0%); 3-400 word essay plan (10% of the module mark); 1,000-word essay 40%; two-hour unseen exam (50% of the modue mark). | ||||||
| PIR-10042 | Making and Shaping Foreign Policy | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module gives a clear introduction to the study of foreign policy, which is one aspect of the academic discipline of International Relations. It is useful therefore useful for beginning students of International Relations. Yet it is also of interest to students who would simply like to find out what kinds of ideas and concepts are employed when we try to explain or evaluate the foreign policy behaviour of any country and learn how to apply some of these to a particular country (the USA, Britain, Russia, Iran or China, for example). The 10 lectures in the module are accompanied by 10 weekly meetings of each small seminar group. Activity in the seminar groups is organised around the delivery of short oral presentations by 2-3 students each week, and the work of other students in small teams peer assessing those presentations and practising their team-working skills. Students thus develop the important employability skills of effective oral communication, team working and evaluating the work of one's colleagues in a constructive spirit. Students receive feedback from the Tutor (as well as from their fellow students) on their oral presentations and from the Tutor on their essay plans while the teaching is continuing. Assessment format: team peer assessment of student presentations (formative only); 40% oral presentation; 10% essay plan; 50% essay. | ||||||
| PIR-10046 | British Politics Since 1945 | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the study of domestic and international dimensions of British politics. It presents an overview of the key debates that have shaped politics in Britain, such as the formation of the welfare state in Britain, Britain’s post-war relationship with the United States of America, the Commonwealth and Europe, debates over Britain’s economic decline, interpreting Thatcherism and the newness of New Labour. The module is organised into 10 lectures and ten tutorials. Students are required to produce a book review (20% of total module mark), an essay plan (20%) and a 1,500 essay (60%). | ||||||
| PIR-10047 | The politics of sustainability | EP | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to provide a clear and inspiring introduction to social scientific perspectives on environmental problems and the concept of sustainability. It is useful to both beginning Environment and Sustainability single honours students who require a solid grounding in enviromental social sciences as well as to students with a general interest in this timely and topical global issue. The module looks at the emergence of the 'environment' as an object of study, the historical processes leading to the contemporary discussion of 'sustainability' (and 'unsustainability') and the various ways in which political and social theorists, scientists, artists, fiction writers, and activists have interpreted a range of environmental problems and solutions in different contexts. Students will learn to recognise the political aspects of the environmental crisis and to understand how and why both 'environment' and 'sustainability' are essentially contested concepts. The ten topic-based lectures are complemented by ten weekly meetings of small tutorial groups. The tutorial sessions are organised by pre-assigned problem sheets that enable students to prepare to discuss and debate the academic content, as well as to practise core skills that will be required for successful University-level study -- such as paraphrasing an author's argument, using the Harvard system of referencing, attributing a concept to a specific school of thought, and constructing an effective argument. Tutorial group sessions enable students to develop the important verbal communication skills of effective question-posing and active listening. Feedback is given regularly by the tutor and by peers, in tutorials as well as in lectures. Assessment format: 35% problem sheets, 25% book review, 40% unseen exam. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PIR-10037 | Introduction to Global Politics | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is an introduction to the analysis of global politics. Specifically, the module has been designed to help students understand the role of the state by focusing on the analysis of its practices, and its sites of practice. It does so by exploring practices such as state-making, governmentality, diplomacy, legitimation, and historiography. It then examines these practices in relation to specific sites of global practice such as human rights, peace, security, culture, economy, the environment and the global commons. The module aims to help students develop their ability to critically evaluate the kinds of arguments made by academic experts and actual practitioners of global politics. The 10 lectures are accompanied by 10 one-hour tutorials in which students develop their presentational and team working skills by delivering an individual oral presentation and contributing to a group presentation to the class. Assessment format: 10% group presentation; 20% individual oral presentation; 70% essay. | ||||||
| PIR-10039 | Debates in American Politics | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| American Politics is driven by debate. Americans are divided over their foreign policy. Over social issues such as race and abortion, the U.S. has embarked upon debates so heated that they're sometimes referred to as the "culture wars". Then there are ongoing contests over areas such as education and environmental policy. This module will introduce to many of these debates. Each week, we look at a new policy area and get you to debate the rights and wrongs of current U.S. policy and where it should go next. The module also serves to introduce you to the subject of American Politics - it's all pitched at those new to the topic. Much of the module depends on your presentations, advocating one side or the other of a debate in a key policy area. Over the semester, you should learn about a series of policy debates, who's advocating what and develop your skills in presentation and argument. | ||||||
| PIR-10043 | The Changing World: A History of International Relations since 1945 | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to give a clear introduction to the academic study of International History within the discipline of international relations. It is useful for students of international relations, and also to students who would like to find out more about trends in world history and about key international events from the end of the second world war to the present day. The module covers the rise and fall of the Cold War, the global Cold War in Korea and Vietnam, European integration, decolonisation and nation building in Africa, the modern origins of the Arab Israeli conflict, the Yugoslavian civil wars, international terrorism and American foreign policy in the 1990s to the present. The ten topic-based lectures are accompanied by ten weekly meetings of small tutorial groups. In these tutorials, students will have the opportunity to debate key themes and questions on topics covered by the lectures. One tutorial will provide the opportunity for students to 'role play' the positions of different actors in a particular international crisis. Preparation for the tutorials is deliberately integrated into the assessment format: students will be able to use their preparatory work, and the skills developed in tutorials, in order to conduct the assessments. Students will be expected to prepare independently for seminars, but will work in small groups during the tutorials. There will also be two tutorials focused on study skills, specifically on using sources and on essay writing. The assessment for this module is 40% critique, and 60% essay. The critique is an opportunity for students to develop their skills, and to receive tutor feedback, in formulating an argument. Students will be expected to analyse one of the historical debates discussed in tutorials and to present their own argument supported by appropriate evidence. The essay will be submitted at the end of the course. Students will also have the opportunity to conduct a short referencing exercise, and to write a commentary on some of the source material discussed in the lectures. These assessments will not count towards the final mark. | ||||||
| PIR-10044 | Comparing Politics Today | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the comparative study of politics. The kinds of topics to be covered include: : different models of democracy; how different modern democracies (including the UK, Germany, the USA, France and the European Union) fit into these models; the importance and the consequences of institutional structures in democracies; the exporting of democratic institutions. The module is organised into 10 lectures and 10 tutorials. Students are required to participate in tutorials, to undertake a data analysis (10%), an oral presentation (40%) and to complete an unseen two-hour examination at the end of the semester (50%). | ||||||
| PIR-10045 | Justice, Authority and Power | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the central debates in the history of Western political thought concerning justice and related concepts of political authority, power, liberty and the social contract. By posing critical questions concerning the nature and limits of state power, it provides a stimulating and enlightening opportunity for students in a wide range of disciplines, whether or not taking a principal degree in Politics, Philosophy and International Relations, to become familiar with the origin and development of the most influential ideas that have shaped modern states and societies. The module firstly examines core issues in classical political thought through a study of Plato and Aristotle. Their writings present controversial but significant arguments for the universality of justice, the common good and the justification of elite power. The second part focuses on modern approaches to justice that focus principally on individual liberty, the social contract and the difference between wielding power and possessing legitimate authority to rule. The theories of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau contrast with those of the classical world, and are generally considered to have inaugurated the widespread defence of representative government and democracy around the world today. Ten lectures introduce the main concepts and thinkers covered in the module, and are accompanied by a corresponding number of weekly meetings of small one-hour tutorial groups. In these tutorials, students have the opportunity to debate specific themes and questions. Students are also asked to undertake self-assessed, summative multiple choice tests during the course of the module, and are encouraged to seek their tutors' advice with respect to any gaps in their knowledge that emerge as a result of these examinations. Students also receive prompt formative feedback on an essay-plan, which they are then asked to develop into a polished piece of written work, which is summatively assessed. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-20028 | German Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will first focus on the pre-war origins of contemporary German politics, as well as by an examination of some of the key features of the ill-fated Weimar Republic. In the main body of the module, students will be introduced to some of the central features of the government and politics of post-war (West) Germany. Likely topics include the motivations for and provisions of Germany’s Basic Law; German federalism; the German parliament; the federal president; the federal chancellor and the federal government; Germany’s electoral system and electoral outcomes. Finally, the module will examine current challenges to the “German model”, including those arising from German unification, as well as from the emergence of and support for parties opposed to the post-war consensus. | ||||||
| PIR-20034 | Environmental Politics: an introduction | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will provide an introduction to some of the key theoretical and practical dimension of environmental politics. It will explore the diverse historical, economic, political, and ideational roots of contemporary environmental problems and controversies; relationships between local and global environmental issues; challenges posed by environmental issues to political institutions; and strategies and tactics used for environmental change. Particular emphasis will be placed on the complexity of contemporary environmental issues and controversies, and on developing the skills necessary to critically analyse and thus respond to them effectively. Case studies may include controversies over population growth, nuclear energy and waste management, genetically modified crops, pesticide use, and hydroelectric dam projects in developing countries. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20037 | Balkan Politics and Society | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will introduce students to Balkan politics and society after the Second World War. It will focus on the evolution of a select group of communist and post-communist countries in the Balkan region - Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia. The main themes covered by the course are: images of the Balkans; local traditions and peculiarities; underdevelopment, modernisation and dependency; communist takeovers; the adaptation of Soviet models after 1944; repression, reform, and dissent; the collapse of communism; majorities, minorities, and ethnic cleansing; democratisation; the political economy of the new democracies; the successes and failures of Western and Westernising policies in the region. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20040 | British Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module aims to offer an in-depth analysis of the British system of government and its politics more broadly. There will be an introduction to British constitutional history and political institutions, as well as a focus on the changing British party system. The welfare state, government and society, as well as law and politics will be studied. Territorial (regional) and local politics will be examined along with the impact of the European Union on Britain. Constitutional changes since 1997, as well as future prospects, will of course factor into this module | ||||||
| PIR-20041 | Politics - Study Abroad I | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20042 | Politics - Study Abroad II | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20043 | Politics - Study Abroad III | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20044 | Politics - Study Abroad IV | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20054 | US Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will assist the development of your intellectual and key skills. The module should sharpen your critical evaluation of evidence and your ability to argue logically. Hopefully, you'll start looking at the theory in the area of American government and look at how that theory relates to what actually happens. Through class discussion, your verbal communication should be enhanced, and your written communication should benefit from assessment by, and feedback from, essays and examinations. | ||||||
| + | VIS-20004 | Politics and the Cinema | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module seeks to introduce students to some key works of world cinema and to investigate the major ideological tendencies of the twentieth century and key moments in modern and contemporary politics as these have been reflected in film. Topics central to this module include revolution, totalitarianism, nationalism and terrorism. The scope is international and settings include North and South America, Europe and the Middle East. The module is structured in three phases: weeks 3-6 introduce students to the varied approaches which directors have taken to political film-making. Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) seeks to drive home political polemics while seeming to be a documentary, traditionally an ‘objective’ form. Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) is the first of several films on the module which seek to dramatise political ideas through the ‘human-interest’ stories of its central protagonists; moreover, it is a film which has done much to fix popular perceptions of America’s role in Vietnam, now often seen to prefigure later interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ken Loach’s two films (Land and Freedom [1995] and Carla’s Song [1996]) follow the same tradition of political ideas through human drama, while also being much more obviously politically engaged than Coppola. These two films, alongside Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers (1966) provide contrasting views of political engagement in the context of revolutionary struggle. Loach’s avowed socialism leads him to introduce explicit political discussion into his films; Pontecorvo utilizes disturbing moments of documentary realism to play with the sympathies of his viewer in a brutal colonial conflict. The six films studied in the second phase (weeks 7-9) are offered as political case studies which develop the ideas and concepts covered in weeks 3-6. Here Ireland provides the ideal national instance, approached through a quartet of films. Neil Jordan’s Michael Collins (1996) and Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) are historical films centred on the Irish civil war. They offer complementary perspectives on this historical period, the first adhering to what may be termed ‘the great man’ view of history, the second stressing the contribution of the ‘common people’ to the outcome of events. Two other films, Ken Loach’s Hidden Agenda (1990) and Jim Sheridan’s In the Name of the Father (1993), offer a comparative treatment of the Northern Ireland ‘troubles’, each posing, in very different ways, searching questions about the British presence in the North. Terrorism, a still very active ingredient in contemporary political life, provides the background to both of these films. It moves centre stage in the other two films studied in this part of the module: Kevin Macdonald’s One Day in September (1999) and Steven Spielberg’s Munich (2005). These take contrasting approaches to the terrorist attacks at the 1973 Munich Olympics and their aftermath, the first documentary and the second ‘‘uman interest’ narrative, with plenty of blockbuster-style action. The final phase of the module (weeks 10-12) examines the different ways in which films very obviously and centrally engage with acute political questions from the relevant countries’ histories. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein [1925]), Commissar (Alexander Askoldov [1977]) and Burnt by the Sun (Nikita Mikhalkov [1994]) are films which capture different stages of one of the most significant political processes of the last century – the establishment and consolidation of the communist state in Russia. Potemkin examines the first seeds of revolution; Commissar is set during the Russian civil war which followed the revolution and Burnt by the Sun provides an insight into life in the 1930s when Stalinism was at its height. Each of these films, however, offers a commentary on the broader context of communism itself – as an ideology – the more so since they are all to varying degrees retrospective evocations of the periods they depict. So too is Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The Lives of Others (2006) which, set in East Germany before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, provides an instructive accompaniment to the three Russian works, focusing as it does on the life and changing stance of a member of the Stasi, the notorious secret police of East Germany. The module will not presume any knowledge of film, but will nevertheless regard the films as cinematic works. The main focus will be on events, ideas and political developments, and how they are reflected cinematically. A general background knowledge of the twentieth century will be important although this module will not require deep specialist knowledge of any given country. Recommended Text: D Holmes and A Smith (Eds) One Hundred Years of European Cinema: Entertainment or Ideology? (2002) Teaching is by a weekly seminar of 2 hours’ duration. Assessment comprises one essay of 2000 words (50%) and one 2-hour examination (50%). | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-20012 | European Union | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| To introduce students to the operation of the European Union. Students will be introduced to the major institutions and policies of the European Union. Topics of current concern within the European Union will also be discussed, for example the integration of the new post-Communist member states and the situation after the defeat of the EU Constitutional Treaty. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20027 | Political Concepts | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module provides an introduction to some key ideas in contemporary political philosophy. Freedom and equality are among the central values of modern political life. We focus on current thinking about the meaning, justification and political application of these concepts. Through examining the ideas of leading contemporary political theorists and philosophers we seek a better understanding of two of the most interesting and important ideas in contemporary political thought and practice. | ||||||
| PIR-20046 | Politics - Study Abroad V | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20047 | Politics - Study Abroad VI | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20048 | Politics - Study Abroad VII | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20049 | Politics - Study Abroad VIII | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20057 | The Practice of Politics | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module has three main aims: 1) To explore the nature of politics as a career and vocation, through consideration of a number of related themes: political leadership, decision-making, campaigning and political activism, and ethics in politics. 2) To consider what particular kinds of political work are like. We will take a detailed look at a sample, which may include the work of elected representatives, international organisations; charities and NGOs; central and local government, political consultancy, political journalism, political research and think tanks, citizenship teaching. 3) To be a practical guide to how to begin to develop a career in politics or public life, or elsewhere. Teaching format: ten 1-2 hour workshops. Assessment: 2000 word reflective portfolio (50%) and 2000 word research report (50%) | ||||||
| + | PIR-20058 | The Road to the White House: Campaigning for the Presidency | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The aims of the course are to equip students with a specialised knowledge and understanding of the process by which political leaders seek nomination and election to the presidency of the United States. The module will concentrate specifically on the structure of presidential opportunities in the post war period; the consequences of the democratisation of the delegate selection process for candidate selection and party nominations; changes in the regulatory framework of campaign finance and the ensuing consequences; and changes in advertising and media coverage to assess the impact on the presidential election process. Case studies will be used as specific illustrations of these changes. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20059 | The Presidency of the United States | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The module will study, week-by-week, the president's relationship with other players and their interests within the political system. Analysis focuses on the ability of the president to coerce or persuade other actors in the political system to follow his chosen public policy agenda. Using illustrative evidence from individual presidencies, the module will outline the structural restraints acting upon a president, how presidents attempt to deal with these restraints, and with what success i.e. what the president does and why. Analysis of historical case studies in policy-making will be used to demonstrate how the interaction of these restraints shapes the president’s ability to lead the American nation. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-30026 | The Politics of Radical Protest I | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The study of politics is as much concerned with conflict and violence as with peace and stability. Revolutions are the greatest of all forms of political conflict, affecting changes not only within, but also beyond state boundaries. Their similarities between revolutions across the centuries invite generalisations about their causes and consequences. This year-long module is, therefore, a blend between case studies and theory and will seek to explain not only the causes and outcomes of revolutions but also the processes through which revolutions are made and new post-revolutionary states are built. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30039 | Political Parties I : Origins and Organisation | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will cover the origin of political parties, their function in the process of government, their organisational development and modern analyses of party organisational change. It comprises the first semester of the Special Subject linked modules PIR 30035/30036 and is designed as a self-contained module for those who do not wish to proceed to the second semester of the Special Subject. Political parties are central to the functioning of modern democracies. Since the beginning of democratic politics they have controlled government formation and policy-making. Over the course of their history, they have shown remarkable adaptive capacity, in that they have been able to adjust their organizational structure, their ideology, and their strategy to rapidly changing environments. | ||||||
| + ~ | PIR-30060 | The Individual and the Community I | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module consists of a close engagement with the work of two of the leading political theorists of the last forty years: John Rawls, probably the most discussed political theorist in that period, and Robert Nozick, a provocative libertarian thinker. We focus on their arguments about the relationship between the individual and the wider community, particularly but not exclusively on arguments about principles of social justice. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30071 | The European Union and Eastern Europe | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This course will introduce students to the twin process of transition and enlargement that affects eight out of the ten new member states of the European Union – the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. The main themes covered by the course are: ‘East’ and ‘West’ in European tradition; the specifics of the communist system in Eastern Europe; the ongoing political, economic and stateness transitions in the ‘East’; pre-enlargement reform in the European Union; the effects of enlargement both on the accession countries and on the institutions of the European Union; the successes and failures of Western and Westernising policies in Eastern Europe. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30072 | Feminist Theory | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will survey the most important debates in feminist theory from de Beauvoir to the current time. It will consider the contrast between de Beauvoir’s conception of gender both with Irigaray’s conception of ‘essential’ femininity and Butler’s postmodern notion of gender as ‘performativity’. In particular, students will be encouraged to examine the different accounts of patriarchy and domination given by these thinkers. The module will then consider the current debate about difference and equality feminisms, asking whether it makes sense to think about feminism in the singular. It will also consider challenges that feminists such as MacKinnnon, Lister and Pateman have raised against core political theory concepts such as the state and the social contract, and will explore how these concepts might be reformulated. Lastly, the module will examine feminist perspectives on issues of abortion, pornography and certain minority cultural practices. Teaching format: weekly 2-hour seminars Assessment: 50% for a 2500 word essay, 50% examination | ||||||
| + | PIR-30077 | Citizenship in theory and practice | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| The module consists of an examination of theories of citizenship and frameworks for comparing them, the idea of ‘good’ citizenship, and the significance of contemporary UK debates around citizenship. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30079 | Electoral Behaviour in the United States | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The aims of the module are to equip students with a specialised knowledge and understanding of individual and aggregate level voting behaviour in the United States. This will be achieved analysing and evaluating conceptual models of electoral behaviour, for example party identification and rational voting. In addition students will study the catalysts of electoral change, life cycle and generation effects and the impact that short term factors (issues, candidates and governmental performance) have on the distribution of party loyalties over time in the American political system. Case studies of presidential elections since 1960 will be used to assess whether the United States is entering a period of party realignment/dealignment. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30087 | The US Presidency and Public Policy | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Can a president arriving in office really change what the government does? This module will equip you to analyse the prospects for a president trying to lead policy change. The module looks at a series of arguments about the circumstances presidents face, and examines recent presidents as historical examples. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30089 | The Europeanization of National Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Semester 1-2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-30035 | Party Systems and Elections I | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| The first semester will commence with a consideration of the nature and origins of parties, as well as their role in modern democracy. The semester’s prime focus will be on parties as organizations. This will involve several tutorials on organisational typologies, as well as on ideological families, which can be related systematically to organizational characteristics. Third, we will address the issue of parties’ internal life. Two questions are particularly relevant in this context: a) the internal distribution of power, and b) rank-and-file participation in parties. The initial topic of the second semester will be attempts to explain individual western European states’ diverse pattern of political parties and party competition by reference to the timing and development of political cleavages. We will then move on to the issue of voting behaviour and how changes in the social fabric of Western societies have fundamentally altered parties’ capacities to control their electorates. We will conclude with a series of tutorials on party systems, including on the measurement and explanation of party system change. It is expected that throughout, our empirical focus will in the main be on most or all of the following: Austria, Belgium, Eire, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands, though this will be subject to consultation at the first meeting. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30036 | Party Systems and Elections II | O | E | 7.5 | 15 |
| Political parties are central to the functioning of modern democracies. Since the beginning of democratic politics they have controlled the electoral process, government formation and policy-making. Over the course of their history, they have shown remarkable adaptive capacity, in that they have been able to adjust their organizational structure, their ideology, and their strategy to rapidly changing environments. These linked modules discuss relevant explanations for this remarkable resilience by looking first at party origins and organization and then at the dynamics of party systems and voting behaviour. In the first semester we will cover the origin of political parties, their function in the process of government, their organisational development and modern analyses of party organisational change. In the second semester, classical models of voting behaviour will be introduced. Based on this knowledge, more recent changes in voting behaviour will be discussed, including theories of dealignment and post-materialist value change. A second major focus of the second semester will be on competing typologies of party systems; measurement of party systems, and determinants of party system change. Please note: This pair of linked modules comprises a Special Subject. If you wish to devote just one semester to studying political parties, you may opt for Political Parties I: Origins and Organization (PIR 30039), or Political Parties II: Party Systems and Voting Behaviour (PIR 30040). These self-contained modules are taught alongside the Special Subject. Assessment : the first mark comes from the average of two assessed essays of 2,500 words each, one in each semester; the second mark comes from an unseen exam on the whole special subject at the end of the second semester. Pre-requisite: PIR-30035 2 hour seminars | ||||||
| + | PIR-30086 | Researching and Dissertation Writing in Politics and International Relations | O | C | 15 | 30 |
| To develop students’ ability to identify a research/dissertation topic, formulate an appropriate research question and hypotheses. To develop students’ ability to find and identify relevant literature and sources (primary and secondary) for their dissertation. To acquaint students with various forms of data, data collecting techniques, and appropriate types of analysis. To develop students’ ability to plan, structure and complete a more substantial piece of independent work than is required for curriculum based modules. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-30040 | Political Parties II : Party Systems and Voting Behaviour | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| Political parties are central to the functioning of modern democracies. Since the beginning of democratic politics they have controlled the electoral process, government formation and policy-making. Over the course of history they have shown remarkable adaptive capacity, in that they have been able to adjust their ideology and strategy to rapidly changing electoral environments. This module introduces the classical models of voting behaviour. Based on this knowledge, more recent changes in voting behaviour will be discussed, including theories of dealignment and post-materialist value change. A second major focus will be on competing typologies of party systems; measurement of party systems, and determinants of party system change. Teaching format: 10 weekly 2-hour seminars. Assessment: 2 2,500-word essays Barred combination: PIR-30035/30036 European Parties, Party Systems and Elections 2 hour seminars | ||||||
| + | PIR-30078 | Citizenship and the Environment | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| The module consists of an examination of theories of environmental citizenship, ways of finding out what people think environmental citizenship is, obstacles to (and opportunities for) practising environmental citizenship. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30080 | The Extreme Right in Western Europe | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Right-wing extremist parties have experienced success in elections in a number of countries in Western Europe over the last two or three decades. This phenomenon has attracted widespread attention, both in the media and in academic circles, sparking a number of frequently asked questions: why have these parties suddenly become electorally successful? What exactly do they stand for? What kind of people vote for them? Why do people vote for them? Why have they experienced more success in some countries than in others? Should we be worried about their rise? And what can we, or mainstream political parties, do to counter their rise? This module aims to examine all these questions. It begins by introducing students to the theoretical literature that seeks to explain the nature and rise of right wing extremism in contemporary Western Europe, and it takes account of the conceptual, analytical and terminological debates surrounding this topic. Next, it moves to consider the origins of the contemporary right-wing extremist parties, and then to identify and assess their current ideologies. It then turns to explore the electoral base of these parties, and investigates who votes for these parties and why. Next it analyzes why some right-wing extremist parties have been electorally more successful than others. Finally it considers how mainstream parties have attempted to counter the rise of the parties of the extreme right, and what further action (if any) they might take. As well as gaining an understanding of the various facets of contemporary right-wing extremism and critically analyzing a range of concepts and issues, students who take this module will be able to enhance their communication and presentation skills and improve their research and writing skills. Teaching format: weekly 2-hour seminars. Assessment: 50% 2,500 word essay; 50% unseen examination | ||||||
| + | PIR-30083 | Human Rights: Concepts, Norms and Identities | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Human rights are understood to be moral and legal norms necessary for the protection of all people from serious personal and social abuses. International covenants protect, for example, the human right to freedom of religion and conscience, the human right to a fair criminal trial, the right not to be enslaved or tortured, and to be protected from poverty and genocide. However, the strongly universalistic claims made by defenders of human rights often arouse scepticism. How can we prove that these rights exist universally? How can these rights be justified? Since people of different religious and national identities frequently disagree about the morality of condemning, say, undemocratic institutions or sexual or racial discrimination, does the concept of human of rights lack credibility in the 21st century? This module aims to explore these questions, first by examining briefly the emergence of the concept of human rights from modern notions of natural right and universal human dignity, through to the international community’s reaction to the atrocities of the Holocaust. We will then explore current theoretical debates surrounding the justification of human rights, asking, in particular, if there are basic human interests (e.g., in moral autonomy, choice or reason) that legitimise human rights, or whether to assume so much is to take up a controversial normative position. We will also discuss the issue of ‘rights inflation’ (the problem that, if we assume the existence of too many human rights, the concept seems impossible to justify, and consequently rather meaningless). Here the module focuses on difficulties with the ‘human right to be free from poverty’. Does the existence of this right mean that everyone in richer countries has a duty to attempt to end global poverty; and do richer governments have an obligation to refuse to participate in a world order that sustains the violation of the rights of the poor? Finally, we will consider whether the individualism and universality presupposed by the concept of human rights is problematic from the point of view of diverse identities, such as gender, non-western (e.g., Islamic, Chinese or African) and communitarian perspectives. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30091 | Gender, justice and environment | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will provide an interdisciplinary introduction to connections between gender relations, environmental politics, and the ecological crisis. It will emphasise feminist approaches to understanding these connections, but will look also at other related approaches such as environmental justice and green political theories. Gender as a social category and unequal/unjust power relations between genders are placed at the centre of debate and provide a framework for critically analysing environmental themes and case studies. Qualitative and quantitative gender analysis methods used in social science and policy research, such as gender budgeting and gender impact assessment, will also be covered. Themes and case studies may include: climate change, militarism, multinational corporations and consumerism, environmental security, biodiversity and subsistence, population policies, and environmental activism around the world. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30095 | Urban and Regional Governance in the UK | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PIR-10038 | Why Politics Matters | C | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module provides an introduction to politics that strips it back to its essentials. We examine the core debates in the subject and show why argument and disagreement are perennial features of modern politics but also why politics is an integral feature of modern societies. Core questions in the first part of the course include - where does politics happen? Is it only about government, or can it also include politics in our daily lives, such as who looks after the children? Are we under the thumb of a ruling elite or does democracy mean that power is diffused widely in society? If democracy was the greatest political achievement of the twentieth century, is it now in trouble? Are people now more disenchanted with politics and are politicians less honest and more corrupt than they used to be? Has the state interfered too much in our lives or should government being doing more? What makes a good citizen and does being a good citizen include saying no to governments on occasion? There are no easy or universally-agreed answers to these questions, but trying to answer them will help you understand the forces that shape the world you live in, the choices that you have about how to live your life, and you will also learn how mere opinions do not make good political arguments. In the second part of the course you will deepen your understanding of the role of conflicting values in politics by working in a small group to understand how a contemporary political issue can be seen differently by different ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism and socialism. Even if you don't think of yourself as political, you will learn how you take political decisions and express political views every day. This module will allow you to understand why politics and your role in it matters. The course structure is based on whole group lectures and weekly seminars. You will study a workbook of readings and complete a range of tasks that will help you prepare for the seminars, write your essay and prepare for a small group presentation to the rest of your seminar group. You will receive guidance on how to build up a portfolio of research notes from lectures and reading and you will receive feedback on three pieces of assessed work: a book review done as a short class test (25%); a group presentation (25%) and a 1,500 word essay (50%). | ||||||
| PIR-10041 | Introduction to International Relations | EP | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to provide a clear introduction to the academic study of International Relations and is useful to both beginning International Relations students and to students who would like to simply to find out what the subject is about and explore a few topics or issues in the module that particularly interest them. The module shows how the modern "society of states" came about and was affected by various factors such as nationalism and other ideologies, technology and a globalising capitalist economy. It also gives students a basic understanding of the "traditional" perspectives in the academic discipline of International Relations and helps them to distinguish between these schools of thought. The ten topic-based lectures are accompanied by eight weekly meetings of each small seminar group. The seminar meetings fall into two kinds. In roughly half the seminars, students learn how to perform effectively in core aspects of University-level study such as effective listening and note-taking at lectures, researching, planning and writing an essay and examination preparation and technique. The other half are devoted to disusssion of the topics covered by the module, including the evolution of the modern states system, Realist and Pluralist perspectives on IR, violence, order and justice, and global political economy. Half way through the module, students also receive a one-to-one personal tutorial with their Module Tutor (lasting approximately ten minutes) in which they receive feedback on their essay plans and can discuss their progress in the module in general. Assessment format: submission of required portfolio of lecture notes (0%); 3-400 word essay plan (10% of the module mark); 1,000-word essay 40%; two-hour unseen exam (50% of the modue mark). | ||||||
| PIR-10042 | Making and Shaping Foreign Policy | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module gives a clear introduction to the study of foreign policy, which is one aspect of the academic discipline of International Relations. It is useful therefore useful for beginning students of International Relations. Yet it is also of interest to students who would simply like to find out what kinds of ideas and concepts are employed when we try to explain or evaluate the foreign policy behaviour of any country and learn how to apply some of these to a particular country (the USA, Britain, Russia, Iran or China, for example). The 10 lectures in the module are accompanied by 10 weekly meetings of each small seminar group. Activity in the seminar groups is organised around the delivery of short oral presentations by 2-3 students each week, and the work of other students in small teams peer assessing those presentations and practising their team-working skills. Students thus develop the important employability skills of effective oral communication, team working and evaluating the work of one's colleagues in a constructive spirit. Students receive feedback from the Tutor (as well as from their fellow students) on their oral presentations and from the Tutor on their essay plans while the teaching is continuing. Assessment format: team peer assessment of student presentations (formative only); 40% oral presentation; 10% essay plan; 50% essay. | ||||||
| PIR-10046 | British Politics Since 1945 | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the study of domestic and international dimensions of British politics. It presents an overview of the key debates that have shaped politics in Britain, such as the formation of the welfare state in Britain, Britain’s post-war relationship with the United States of America, the Commonwealth and Europe, debates over Britain’s economic decline, interpreting Thatcherism and the newness of New Labour. The module is organised into 10 lectures and ten tutorials. Students are required to produce a book review (20% of total module mark), an essay plan (20%) and a 1,500 essay (60%). | ||||||
| PIR-10047 | The politics of sustainability | EP | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to provide a clear and inspiring introduction to social scientific perspectives on environmental problems and the concept of sustainability. It is useful to both beginning Environment and Sustainability single honours students who require a solid grounding in enviromental social sciences as well as to students with a general interest in this timely and topical global issue. The module looks at the emergence of the 'environment' as an object of study, the historical processes leading to the contemporary discussion of 'sustainability' (and 'unsustainability') and the various ways in which political and social theorists, scientists, artists, fiction writers, and activists have interpreted a range of environmental problems and solutions in different contexts. Students will learn to recognise the political aspects of the environmental crisis and to understand how and why both 'environment' and 'sustainability' are essentially contested concepts. The ten topic-based lectures are complemented by ten weekly meetings of small tutorial groups. The tutorial sessions are organised by pre-assigned problem sheets that enable students to prepare to discuss and debate the academic content, as well as to practise core skills that will be required for successful University-level study -- such as paraphrasing an author's argument, using the Harvard system of referencing, attributing a concept to a specific school of thought, and constructing an effective argument. Tutorial group sessions enable students to develop the important verbal communication skills of effective question-posing and active listening. Feedback is given regularly by the tutor and by peers, in tutorials as well as in lectures. Assessment format: 35% problem sheets, 25% book review, 40% unseen exam. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PIR-10037 | Introduction to Global Politics | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is an introduction to the analysis of global politics. Specifically, the module has been designed to help students understand the role of the state by focusing on the analysis of its practices, and its sites of practice. It does so by exploring practices such as state-making, governmentality, diplomacy, legitimation, and historiography. It then examines these practices in relation to specific sites of global practice such as human rights, peace, security, culture, economy, the environment and the global commons. The module aims to help students develop their ability to critically evaluate the kinds of arguments made by academic experts and actual practitioners of global politics. The 10 lectures are accompanied by 10 one-hour tutorials in which students develop their presentational and team working skills by delivering an individual oral presentation and contributing to a group presentation to the class. Assessment format: 10% group presentation; 20% individual oral presentation; 70% essay. | ||||||
| PIR-10039 | Debates in American Politics | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| American Politics is driven by debate. Americans are divided over their foreign policy. Over social issues such as race and abortion, the U.S. has embarked upon debates so heated that they're sometimes referred to as the "culture wars". Then there are ongoing contests over areas such as education and environmental policy. This module will introduce to many of these debates. Each week, we look at a new policy area and get you to debate the rights and wrongs of current U.S. policy and where it should go next. The module also serves to introduce you to the subject of American Politics - it's all pitched at those new to the topic. Much of the module depends on your presentations, advocating one side or the other of a debate in a key policy area. Over the semester, you should learn about a series of policy debates, who's advocating what and develop your skills in presentation and argument. | ||||||
| PIR-10043 | The Changing World: A History of International Relations since 1945 | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to give a clear introduction to the academic study of International History within the discipline of international relations. It is useful for students of international relations, and also to students who would like to find out more about trends in world history and about key international events from the end of the second world war to the present day. The module covers the rise and fall of the Cold War, the global Cold War in Korea and Vietnam, European integration, decolonisation and nation building in Africa, the modern origins of the Arab Israeli conflict, the Yugoslavian civil wars, international terrorism and American foreign policy in the 1990s to the present. The ten topic-based lectures are accompanied by ten weekly meetings of small tutorial groups. In these tutorials, students will have the opportunity to debate key themes and questions on topics covered by the lectures. One tutorial will provide the opportunity for students to 'role play' the positions of different actors in a particular international crisis. Preparation for the tutorials is deliberately integrated into the assessment format: students will be able to use their preparatory work, and the skills developed in tutorials, in order to conduct the assessments. Students will be expected to prepare independently for seminars, but will work in small groups during the tutorials. There will also be two tutorials focused on study skills, specifically on using sources and on essay writing. The assessment for this module is 40% critique, and 60% essay. The critique is an opportunity for students to develop their skills, and to receive tutor feedback, in formulating an argument. Students will be expected to analyse one of the historical debates discussed in tutorials and to present their own argument supported by appropriate evidence. The essay will be submitted at the end of the course. Students will also have the opportunity to conduct a short referencing exercise, and to write a commentary on some of the source material discussed in the lectures. These assessments will not count towards the final mark. | ||||||
| PIR-10044 | Comparing Politics Today | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the comparative study of politics. The kinds of topics to be covered include: : different models of democracy; how different modern democracies (including the UK, Germany, the USA, France and the European Union) fit into these models; the importance and the consequences of institutional structures in democracies; the exporting of democratic institutions. The module is organised into 10 lectures and 10 tutorials. Students are required to participate in tutorials, to undertake a data analysis (10%), an oral presentation (40%) and to complete an unseen two-hour examination at the end of the semester (50%). | ||||||
| PIR-10045 | Justice, Authority and Power | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the central debates in the history of Western political thought concerning justice and related concepts of political authority, power, liberty and the social contract. By posing critical questions concerning the nature and limits of state power, it provides a stimulating and enlightening opportunity for students in a wide range of disciplines, whether or not taking a principal degree in Politics, Philosophy and International Relations, to become familiar with the origin and development of the most influential ideas that have shaped modern states and societies. The module firstly examines core issues in classical political thought through a study of Plato and Aristotle. Their writings present controversial but significant arguments for the universality of justice, the common good and the justification of elite power. The second part focuses on modern approaches to justice that focus principally on individual liberty, the social contract and the difference between wielding power and possessing legitimate authority to rule. The theories of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau contrast with those of the classical world, and are generally considered to have inaugurated the widespread defence of representative government and democracy around the world today. Ten lectures introduce the main concepts and thinkers covered in the module, and are accompanied by a corresponding number of weekly meetings of small one-hour tutorial groups. In these tutorials, students have the opportunity to debate specific themes and questions. Students are also asked to undertake self-assessed, summative multiple choice tests during the course of the module, and are encouraged to seek their tutors' advice with respect to any gaps in their knowledge that emerge as a result of these examinations. Students also receive prompt formative feedback on an essay-plan, which they are then asked to develop into a polished piece of written work, which is summatively assessed. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-20028 | German Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will first focus on the pre-war origins of contemporary German politics, as well as by an examination of some of the key features of the ill-fated Weimar Republic. In the main body of the module, students will be introduced to some of the central features of the government and politics of post-war (West) Germany. Likely topics include the motivations for and provisions of Germany’s Basic Law; German federalism; the German parliament; the federal president; the federal chancellor and the federal government; Germany’s electoral system and electoral outcomes. Finally, the module will examine current challenges to the “German model”, including those arising from German unification, as well as from the emergence of and support for parties opposed to the post-war consensus. | ||||||
| PIR-20034 | Environmental Politics: an introduction | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will provide an introduction to some of the key theoretical and practical dimension of environmental politics. It will explore the diverse historical, economic, political, and ideational roots of contemporary environmental problems and controversies; relationships between local and global environmental issues; challenges posed by environmental issues to political institutions; and strategies and tactics used for environmental change. Particular emphasis will be placed on the complexity of contemporary environmental issues and controversies, and on developing the skills necessary to critically analyse and thus respond to them effectively. Case studies may include controversies over population growth, nuclear energy and waste management, genetically modified crops, pesticide use, and hydroelectric dam projects in developing countries. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20037 | Balkan Politics and Society | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will introduce students to Balkan politics and society after the Second World War. It will focus on the evolution of a select group of communist and post-communist countries in the Balkan region - Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia. The main themes covered by the course are: images of the Balkans; local traditions and peculiarities; underdevelopment, modernisation and dependency; communist takeovers; the adaptation of Soviet models after 1944; repression, reform, and dissent; the collapse of communism; majorities, minorities, and ethnic cleansing; democratisation; the political economy of the new democracies; the successes and failures of Western and Westernising policies in the region. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20040 | British Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module aims to offer an in-depth analysis of the British system of government and its politics more broadly. There will be an introduction to British constitutional history and political institutions, as well as a focus on the changing British party system. The welfare state, government and society, as well as law and politics will be studied. Territorial (regional) and local politics will be examined along with the impact of the European Union on Britain. Constitutional changes since 1997, as well as future prospects, will of course factor into this module | ||||||
| PIR-20041 | Politics - Study Abroad I | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20042 | Politics - Study Abroad II | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20043 | Politics - Study Abroad III | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20044 | Politics - Study Abroad IV | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20054 | US Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will assist the development of your intellectual and key skills. The module should sharpen your critical evaluation of evidence and your ability to argue logically. Hopefully, you'll start looking at the theory in the area of American government and look at how that theory relates to what actually happens. Through class discussion, your verbal communication should be enhanced, and your written communication should benefit from assessment by, and feedback from, essays and examinations. | ||||||
| + | VIS-20004 | Politics and the Cinema | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module seeks to introduce students to some key works of world cinema and to investigate the major ideological tendencies of the twentieth century and key moments in modern and contemporary politics as these have been reflected in film. Topics central to this module include revolution, totalitarianism, nationalism and terrorism. The scope is international and settings include North and South America, Europe and the Middle East. The module is structured in three phases: weeks 3-6 introduce students to the varied approaches which directors have taken to political film-making. Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) seeks to drive home political polemics while seeming to be a documentary, traditionally an ‘objective’ form. Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) is the first of several films on the module which seek to dramatise political ideas through the ‘human-interest’ stories of its central protagonists; moreover, it is a film which has done much to fix popular perceptions of America’s role in Vietnam, now often seen to prefigure later interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ken Loach’s two films (Land and Freedom [1995] and Carla’s Song [1996]) follow the same tradition of political ideas through human drama, while also being much more obviously politically engaged than Coppola. These two films, alongside Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers (1966) provide contrasting views of political engagement in the context of revolutionary struggle. Loach’s avowed socialism leads him to introduce explicit political discussion into his films; Pontecorvo utilizes disturbing moments of documentary realism to play with the sympathies of his viewer in a brutal colonial conflict. The six films studied in the second phase (weeks 7-9) are offered as political case studies which develop the ideas and concepts covered in weeks 3-6. Here Ireland provides the ideal national instance, approached through a quartet of films. Neil Jordan’s Michael Collins (1996) and Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) are historical films centred on the Irish civil war. They offer complementary perspectives on this historical period, the first adhering to what may be termed ‘the great man’ view of history, the second stressing the contribution of the ‘common people’ to the outcome of events. Two other films, Ken Loach’s Hidden Agenda (1990) and Jim Sheridan’s In the Name of the Father (1993), offer a comparative treatment of the Northern Ireland ‘troubles’, each posing, in very different ways, searching questions about the British presence in the North. Terrorism, a still very active ingredient in contemporary political life, provides the background to both of these films. It moves centre stage in the other two films studied in this part of the module: Kevin Macdonald’s One Day in September (1999) and Steven Spielberg’s Munich (2005). These take contrasting approaches to the terrorist attacks at the 1973 Munich Olympics and their aftermath, the first documentary and the second ‘‘uman interest’ narrative, with plenty of blockbuster-style action. The final phase of the module (weeks 10-12) examines the different ways in which films very obviously and centrally engage with acute political questions from the relevant countries’ histories. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein [1925]), Commissar (Alexander Askoldov [1977]) and Burnt by the Sun (Nikita Mikhalkov [1994]) are films which capture different stages of one of the most significant political processes of the last century – the establishment and consolidation of the communist state in Russia. Potemkin examines the first seeds of revolution; Commissar is set during the Russian civil war which followed the revolution and Burnt by the Sun provides an insight into life in the 1930s when Stalinism was at its height. Each of these films, however, offers a commentary on the broader context of communism itself – as an ideology – the more so since they are all to varying degrees retrospective evocations of the periods they depict. So too is Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The Lives of Others (2006) which, set in East Germany before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, provides an instructive accompaniment to the three Russian works, focusing as it does on the life and changing stance of a member of the Stasi, the notorious secret police of East Germany. The module will not presume any knowledge of film, but will nevertheless regard the films as cinematic works. The main focus will be on events, ideas and political developments, and how they are reflected cinematically. A general background knowledge of the twentieth century will be important although this module will not require deep specialist knowledge of any given country. Recommended Text: D Holmes and A Smith (Eds) One Hundred Years of European Cinema: Entertainment or Ideology? (2002) Teaching is by a weekly seminar of 2 hours’ duration. Assessment comprises one essay of 2000 words (50%) and one 2-hour examination (50%). | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-20012 | European Union | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| To introduce students to the operation of the European Union. Students will be introduced to the major institutions and policies of the European Union. Topics of current concern within the European Union will also be discussed, for example the integration of the new post-Communist member states and the situation after the defeat of the EU Constitutional Treaty. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20027 | Political Concepts | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module provides an introduction to some key ideas in contemporary political philosophy. Freedom and equality are among the central values of modern political life. We focus on current thinking about the meaning, justification and political application of these concepts. Through examining the ideas of leading contemporary political theorists and philosophers we seek a better understanding of two of the most interesting and important ideas in contemporary political thought and practice. | ||||||
| PIR-20046 | Politics - Study Abroad V | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20047 | Politics - Study Abroad VI | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20048 | Politics - Study Abroad VII | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20049 | Politics - Study Abroad VIII | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20057 | The Practice of Politics | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module has three main aims: 1) To explore the nature of politics as a career and vocation, through consideration of a number of related themes: political leadership, decision-making, campaigning and political activism, and ethics in politics. 2) To consider what particular kinds of political work are like. We will take a detailed look at a sample, which may include the work of elected representatives, international organisations; charities and NGOs; central and local government, political consultancy, political journalism, political research and think tanks, citizenship teaching. 3) To be a practical guide to how to begin to develop a career in politics or public life, or elsewhere. Teaching format: ten 1-2 hour workshops. Assessment: 2000 word reflective portfolio (50%) and 2000 word research report (50%) | ||||||
| + | PIR-20058 | The Road to the White House: Campaigning for the Presidency | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The aims of the course are to equip students with a specialised knowledge and understanding of the process by which political leaders seek nomination and election to the presidency of the United States. The module will concentrate specifically on the structure of presidential opportunities in the post war period; the consequences of the democratisation of the delegate selection process for candidate selection and party nominations; changes in the regulatory framework of campaign finance and the ensuing consequences; and changes in advertising and media coverage to assess the impact on the presidential election process. Case studies will be used as specific illustrations of these changes. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20059 | The Presidency of the United States | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The module will study, week-by-week, the president's relationship with other players and their interests within the political system. Analysis focuses on the ability of the president to coerce or persuade other actors in the political system to follow his chosen public policy agenda. Using illustrative evidence from individual presidencies, the module will outline the structural restraints acting upon a president, how presidents attempt to deal with these restraints, and with what success i.e. what the president does and why. Analysis of historical case studies in policy-making will be used to demonstrate how the interaction of these restraints shapes the president’s ability to lead the American nation. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PIR-10038 | Why Politics Matters | C | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module provides an introduction to politics that strips it back to its essentials. We examine the core debates in the subject and show why argument and disagreement are perennial features of modern politics but also why politics is an integral feature of modern societies. Core questions in the first part of the course include - where does politics happen? Is it only about government, or can it also include politics in our daily lives, such as who looks after the children? Are we under the thumb of a ruling elite or does democracy mean that power is diffused widely in society? If democracy was the greatest political achievement of the twentieth century, is it now in trouble? Are people now more disenchanted with politics and are politicians less honest and more corrupt than they used to be? Has the state interfered too much in our lives or should government being doing more? What makes a good citizen and does being a good citizen include saying no to governments on occasion? There are no easy or universally-agreed answers to these questions, but trying to answer them will help you understand the forces that shape the world you live in, the choices that you have about how to live your life, and you will also learn how mere opinions do not make good political arguments. In the second part of the course you will deepen your understanding of the role of conflicting values in politics by working in a small group to understand how a contemporary political issue can be seen differently by different ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism and socialism. Even if you don't think of yourself as political, you will learn how you take political decisions and express political views every day. This module will allow you to understand why politics and your role in it matters. The course structure is based on whole group lectures and weekly seminars. You will study a workbook of readings and complete a range of tasks that will help you prepare for the seminars, write your essay and prepare for a small group presentation to the rest of your seminar group. You will receive guidance on how to build up a portfolio of research notes from lectures and reading and you will receive feedback on three pieces of assessed work: a book review done as a short class test (25%); a group presentation (25%) and a 1,500 word essay (50%). | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PIR-10044 | Comparing Politics Today | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the comparative study of politics. The kinds of topics to be covered include: : different models of democracy; how different modern democracies (including the UK, Germany, the USA, France and the European Union) fit into these models; the importance and the consequences of institutional structures in democracies; the exporting of democratic institutions. The module is organised into 10 lectures and 10 tutorials. Students are required to participate in tutorials, to undertake a data analysis (10%), an oral presentation (40%) and to complete an unseen two-hour examination at the end of the semester (50%). | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-20013 | Legal Aspects of International Relations | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
The following is a brief, indicative syllabus. Some variation in detail each year is inevitable in order to give teachers flexibility in responding to current developments. The course reviews topics of cardinal importance to understanding the system of international law.
|
||||||
| PIR-20054 | US Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will assist the development of your intellectual and key skills. The module should sharpen your critical evaluation of evidence and your ability to argue logically. Hopefully, you'll start looking at the theory in the area of American government and look at how that theory relates to what actually happens. Through class discussion, your verbal communication should be enhanced, and your written communication should benefit from assessment by, and feedback from, essays and examinations. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-20027 | Political Concepts | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module provides an introduction to some key ideas in contemporary political philosophy. Freedom and equality are among the central values of modern political life. We focus on current thinking about the meaning, justification and political application of these concepts. Through examining the ideas of leading contemporary political theorists and philosophers we seek a better understanding of two of the most interesting and important ideas in contemporary political thought and practice. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-30020 | Human Rights in Global Politics | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| History and international law and relations context of human rights; cultural reach of human rights; categories of rights; rights and globalization; a case study of discrimination against the Roma (Gypsies); future of human rights an a discourse and practice | ||||||
| + ~ | PIR-30060 | The Individual and the Community I | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module consists of a close engagement with the work of two of the leading political theorists of the last forty years: John Rawls, probably the most discussed political theorist in that period, and Robert Nozick, a provocative libertarian thinker. We focus on their arguments about the relationship between the individual and the wider community, particularly but not exclusively on arguments about principles of social justice. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-30091 | Gender, justice and environment | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will provide an interdisciplinary introduction to connections between gender relations, environmental politics, and the ecological crisis. It will emphasise feminist approaches to understanding these connections, but will look also at other related approaches such as environmental justice and green political theories. Gender as a social category and unequal/unjust power relations between genders are placed at the centre of debate and provide a framework for critically analysing environmental themes and case studies. Qualitative and quantitative gender analysis methods used in social science and policy research, such as gender budgeting and gender impact assessment, will also be covered. Themes and case studies may include: climate change, militarism, multinational corporations and consumerism, environmental security, biodiversity and subsistence, population policies, and environmental activism around the world. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PIR-10038 | Why Politics Matters | C | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module provides an introduction to politics that strips it back to its essentials. We examine the core debates in the subject and show why argument and disagreement are perennial features of modern politics but also why politics is an integral feature of modern societies. Core questions in the first part of the course include - where does politics happen? Is it only about government, or can it also include politics in our daily lives, such as who looks after the children? Are we under the thumb of a ruling elite or does democracy mean that power is diffused widely in society? If democracy was the greatest political achievement of the twentieth century, is it now in trouble? Are people now more disenchanted with politics and are politicians less honest and more corrupt than they used to be? Has the state interfered too much in our lives or should government being doing more? What makes a good citizen and does being a good citizen include saying no to governments on occasion? There are no easy or universally-agreed answers to these questions, but trying to answer them will help you understand the forces that shape the world you live in, the choices that you have about how to live your life, and you will also learn how mere opinions do not make good political arguments. In the second part of the course you will deepen your understanding of the role of conflicting values in politics by working in a small group to understand how a contemporary political issue can be seen differently by different ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism and socialism. Even if you don't think of yourself as political, you will learn how you take political decisions and express political views every day. This module will allow you to understand why politics and your role in it matters. The course structure is based on whole group lectures and weekly seminars. You will study a workbook of readings and complete a range of tasks that will help you prepare for the seminars, write your essay and prepare for a small group presentation to the rest of your seminar group. You will receive guidance on how to build up a portfolio of research notes from lectures and reading and you will receive feedback on three pieces of assessed work: a book review done as a short class test (25%); a group presentation (25%) and a 1,500 word essay (50%). | ||||||
| PIR-10041 | Introduction to International Relations | EP | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to provide a clear introduction to the academic study of International Relations and is useful to both beginning International Relations students and to students who would like to simply to find out what the subject is about and explore a few topics or issues in the module that particularly interest them. The module shows how the modern "society of states" came about and was affected by various factors such as nationalism and other ideologies, technology and a globalising capitalist economy. It also gives students a basic understanding of the "traditional" perspectives in the academic discipline of International Relations and helps them to distinguish between these schools of thought. The ten topic-based lectures are accompanied by eight weekly meetings of each small seminar group. The seminar meetings fall into two kinds. In roughly half the seminars, students learn how to perform effectively in core aspects of University-level study such as effective listening and note-taking at lectures, researching, planning and writing an essay and examination preparation and technique. The other half are devoted to disusssion of the topics covered by the module, including the evolution of the modern states system, Realist and Pluralist perspectives on IR, violence, order and justice, and global political economy. Half way through the module, students also receive a one-to-one personal tutorial with their Module Tutor (lasting approximately ten minutes) in which they receive feedback on their essay plans and can discuss their progress in the module in general. Assessment format: submission of required portfolio of lecture notes (0%); 3-400 word essay plan (10% of the module mark); 1,000-word essay 40%; two-hour unseen exam (50% of the modue mark). | ||||||
| PIR-10042 | Making and Shaping Foreign Policy | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module gives a clear introduction to the study of foreign policy, which is one aspect of the academic discipline of International Relations. It is useful therefore useful for beginning students of International Relations. Yet it is also of interest to students who would simply like to find out what kinds of ideas and concepts are employed when we try to explain or evaluate the foreign policy behaviour of any country and learn how to apply some of these to a particular country (the USA, Britain, Russia, Iran or China, for example). The 10 lectures in the module are accompanied by 10 weekly meetings of each small seminar group. Activity in the seminar groups is organised around the delivery of short oral presentations by 2-3 students each week, and the work of other students in small teams peer assessing those presentations and practising their team-working skills. Students thus develop the important employability skills of effective oral communication, team working and evaluating the work of one's colleagues in a constructive spirit. Students receive feedback from the Tutor (as well as from their fellow students) on their oral presentations and from the Tutor on their essay plans while the teaching is continuing. Assessment format: team peer assessment of student presentations (formative only); 40% oral presentation; 10% essay plan; 50% essay. | ||||||
| PIR-10046 | British Politics Since 1945 | C | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the study of domestic and international dimensions of British politics. It presents an overview of the key debates that have shaped politics in Britain, such as the formation of the welfare state in Britain, Britain’s post-war relationship with the United States of America, the Commonwealth and Europe, debates over Britain’s economic decline, interpreting Thatcherism and the newness of New Labour. The module is organised into 10 lectures and ten tutorials. Students are required to produce a book review (20% of total module mark), an essay plan (20%) and a 1,500 essay (60%). | ||||||
| PIR-10047 | The politics of sustainability | EP | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to provide a clear and inspiring introduction to social scientific perspectives on environmental problems and the concept of sustainability. It is useful to both beginning Environment and Sustainability single honours students who require a solid grounding in enviromental social sciences as well as to students with a general interest in this timely and topical global issue. The module looks at the emergence of the 'environment' as an object of study, the historical processes leading to the contemporary discussion of 'sustainability' (and 'unsustainability') and the various ways in which political and social theorists, scientists, artists, fiction writers, and activists have interpreted a range of environmental problems and solutions in different contexts. Students will learn to recognise the political aspects of the environmental crisis and to understand how and why both 'environment' and 'sustainability' are essentially contested concepts. The ten topic-based lectures are complemented by ten weekly meetings of small tutorial groups. The tutorial sessions are organised by pre-assigned problem sheets that enable students to prepare to discuss and debate the academic content, as well as to practise core skills that will be required for successful University-level study -- such as paraphrasing an author's argument, using the Harvard system of referencing, attributing a concept to a specific school of thought, and constructing an effective argument. Tutorial group sessions enable students to develop the important verbal communication skills of effective question-posing and active listening. Feedback is given regularly by the tutor and by peers, in tutorials as well as in lectures. Assessment format: 35% problem sheets, 25% book review, 40% unseen exam. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| PIR-10037 | Introduction to Global Politics | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is an introduction to the analysis of global politics. Specifically, the module has been designed to help students understand the role of the state by focusing on the analysis of its practices, and its sites of practice. It does so by exploring practices such as state-making, governmentality, diplomacy, legitimation, and historiography. It then examines these practices in relation to specific sites of global practice such as human rights, peace, security, culture, economy, the environment and the global commons. The module aims to help students develop their ability to critically evaluate the kinds of arguments made by academic experts and actual practitioners of global politics. The 10 lectures are accompanied by 10 one-hour tutorials in which students develop their presentational and team working skills by delivering an individual oral presentation and contributing to a group presentation to the class. Assessment format: 10% group presentation; 20% individual oral presentation; 70% essay. | ||||||
| PIR-10039 | Debates in American Politics | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| American Politics is driven by debate. Americans are divided over their foreign policy. Over social issues such as race and abortion, the U.S. has embarked upon debates so heated that they're sometimes referred to as the "culture wars". Then there are ongoing contests over areas such as education and environmental policy. This module will introduce to many of these debates. Each week, we look at a new policy area and get you to debate the rights and wrongs of current U.S. policy and where it should go next. The module also serves to introduce you to the subject of American Politics - it's all pitched at those new to the topic. Much of the module depends on your presentations, advocating one side or the other of a debate in a key policy area. Over the semester, you should learn about a series of policy debates, who's advocating what and develop your skills in presentation and argument. | ||||||
| PIR-10043 | The Changing World: A History of International Relations since 1945 | EP | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module is designed to give a clear introduction to the academic study of International History within the discipline of international relations. It is useful for students of international relations, and also to students who would like to find out more about trends in world history and about key international events from the end of the second world war to the present day. The module covers the rise and fall of the Cold War, the global Cold War in Korea and Vietnam, European integration, decolonisation and nation building in Africa, the modern origins of the Arab Israeli conflict, the Yugoslavian civil wars, international terrorism and American foreign policy in the 1990s to the present. The ten topic-based lectures are accompanied by ten weekly meetings of small tutorial groups. In these tutorials, students will have the opportunity to debate key themes and questions on topics covered by the lectures. One tutorial will provide the opportunity for students to 'role play' the positions of different actors in a particular international crisis. Preparation for the tutorials is deliberately integrated into the assessment format: students will be able to use their preparatory work, and the skills developed in tutorials, in order to conduct the assessments. Students will be expected to prepare independently for seminars, but will work in small groups during the tutorials. There will also be two tutorials focused on study skills, specifically on using sources and on essay writing. The assessment for this module is 40% critique, and 60% essay. The critique is an opportunity for students to develop their skills, and to receive tutor feedback, in formulating an argument. Students will be expected to analyse one of the historical debates discussed in tutorials and to present their own argument supported by appropriate evidence. The essay will be submitted at the end of the course. Students will also have the opportunity to conduct a short referencing exercise, and to write a commentary on some of the source material discussed in the lectures. These assessments will not count towards the final mark. | ||||||
| PIR-10044 | Comparing Politics Today | C | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the comparative study of politics. The kinds of topics to be covered include: : different models of democracy; how different modern democracies (including the UK, Germany, the USA, France and the European Union) fit into these models; the importance and the consequences of institutional structures in democracies; the exporting of democratic institutions. The module is organised into 10 lectures and 10 tutorials. Students are required to participate in tutorials, to undertake a data analysis (10%), an oral presentation (40%) and to complete an unseen two-hour examination at the end of the semester (50%). | ||||||
| PIR-10045 | Justice, Authority and Power | C | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module introduces students to the central debates in the history of Western political thought concerning justice and related concepts of political authority, power, liberty and the social contract. By posing critical questions concerning the nature and limits of state power, it provides a stimulating and enlightening opportunity for students in a wide range of disciplines, whether or not taking a principal degree in Politics, Philosophy and International Relations, to become familiar with the origin and development of the most influential ideas that have shaped modern states and societies. The module firstly examines core issues in classical political thought through a study of Plato and Aristotle. Their writings present controversial but significant arguments for the universality of justice, the common good and the justification of elite power. The second part focuses on modern approaches to justice that focus principally on individual liberty, the social contract and the difference between wielding power and possessing legitimate authority to rule. The theories of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau contrast with those of the classical world, and are generally considered to have inaugurated the widespread defence of representative government and democracy around the world today. Ten lectures introduce the main concepts and thinkers covered in the module, and are accompanied by a corresponding number of weekly meetings of small one-hour tutorial groups. In these tutorials, students have the opportunity to debate specific themes and questions. Students are also asked to undertake self-assessed, summative multiple choice tests during the course of the module, and are encouraged to seek their tutors' advice with respect to any gaps in their knowledge that emerge as a result of these examinations. Students also receive prompt formative feedback on an essay-plan, which they are then asked to develop into a polished piece of written work, which is summatively assessed. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-20028 | German Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will first focus on the pre-war origins of contemporary German politics, as well as by an examination of some of the key features of the ill-fated Weimar Republic. In the main body of the module, students will be introduced to some of the central features of the government and politics of post-war (West) Germany. Likely topics include the motivations for and provisions of Germany’s Basic Law; German federalism; the German parliament; the federal president; the federal chancellor and the federal government; Germany’s electoral system and electoral outcomes. Finally, the module will examine current challenges to the “German model”, including those arising from German unification, as well as from the emergence of and support for parties opposed to the post-war consensus. | ||||||
| PIR-20034 | Environmental Politics: an introduction | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will provide an introduction to some of the key theoretical and practical dimension of environmental politics. It will explore the diverse historical, economic, political, and ideational roots of contemporary environmental problems and controversies; relationships between local and global environmental issues; challenges posed by environmental issues to political institutions; and strategies and tactics used for environmental change. Particular emphasis will be placed on the complexity of contemporary environmental issues and controversies, and on developing the skills necessary to critically analyse and thus respond to them effectively. Case studies may include controversies over population growth, nuclear energy and waste management, genetically modified crops, pesticide use, and hydroelectric dam projects in developing countries. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20037 | Balkan Politics and Society | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will introduce students to Balkan politics and society after the Second World War. It will focus on the evolution of a select group of communist and post-communist countries in the Balkan region - Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia. The main themes covered by the course are: images of the Balkans; local traditions and peculiarities; underdevelopment, modernisation and dependency; communist takeovers; the adaptation of Soviet models after 1944; repression, reform, and dissent; the collapse of communism; majorities, minorities, and ethnic cleansing; democratisation; the political economy of the new democracies; the successes and failures of Western and Westernising policies in the region. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20040 | British Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module aims to offer an in-depth analysis of the British system of government and its politics more broadly. There will be an introduction to British constitutional history and political institutions, as well as a focus on the changing British party system. The welfare state, government and society, as well as law and politics will be studied. Territorial (regional) and local politics will be examined along with the impact of the European Union on Britain. Constitutional changes since 1997, as well as future prospects, will of course factor into this module | ||||||
| PIR-20041 | Politics - Study Abroad I | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20042 | Politics - Study Abroad II | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20043 | Politics - Study Abroad III | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20044 | Politics - Study Abroad IV | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20054 | US Government and Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 | |
| This module will assist the development of your intellectual and key skills. The module should sharpen your critical evaluation of evidence and your ability to argue logically. Hopefully, you'll start looking at the theory in the area of American government and look at how that theory relates to what actually happens. Through class discussion, your verbal communication should be enhanced, and your written communication should benefit from assessment by, and feedback from, essays and examinations. | ||||||
| + | VIS-20004 | Politics and the Cinema | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module seeks to introduce students to some key works of world cinema and to investigate the major ideological tendencies of the twentieth century and key moments in modern and contemporary politics as these have been reflected in film. Topics central to this module include revolution, totalitarianism, nationalism and terrorism. The scope is international and settings include North and South America, Europe and the Middle East. The module is structured in three phases: weeks 3-6 introduce students to the varied approaches which directors have taken to political film-making. Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) seeks to drive home political polemics while seeming to be a documentary, traditionally an ‘objective’ form. Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) is the first of several films on the module which seek to dramatise political ideas through the ‘human-interest’ stories of its central protagonists; moreover, it is a film which has done much to fix popular perceptions of America’s role in Vietnam, now often seen to prefigure later interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ken Loach’s two films (Land and Freedom [1995] and Carla’s Song [1996]) follow the same tradition of political ideas through human drama, while also being much more obviously politically engaged than Coppola. These two films, alongside Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers (1966) provide contrasting views of political engagement in the context of revolutionary struggle. Loach’s avowed socialism leads him to introduce explicit political discussion into his films; Pontecorvo utilizes disturbing moments of documentary realism to play with the sympathies of his viewer in a brutal colonial conflict. The six films studied in the second phase (weeks 7-9) are offered as political case studies which develop the ideas and concepts covered in weeks 3-6. Here Ireland provides the ideal national instance, approached through a quartet of films. Neil Jordan’s Michael Collins (1996) and Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) are historical films centred on the Irish civil war. They offer complementary perspectives on this historical period, the first adhering to what may be termed ‘the great man’ view of history, the second stressing the contribution of the ‘common people’ to the outcome of events. Two other films, Ken Loach’s Hidden Agenda (1990) and Jim Sheridan’s In the Name of the Father (1993), offer a comparative treatment of the Northern Ireland ‘troubles’, each posing, in very different ways, searching questions about the British presence in the North. Terrorism, a still very active ingredient in contemporary political life, provides the background to both of these films. It moves centre stage in the other two films studied in this part of the module: Kevin Macdonald’s One Day in September (1999) and Steven Spielberg’s Munich (2005). These take contrasting approaches to the terrorist attacks at the 1973 Munich Olympics and their aftermath, the first documentary and the second ‘‘uman interest’ narrative, with plenty of blockbuster-style action. The final phase of the module (weeks 10-12) examines the different ways in which films very obviously and centrally engage with acute political questions from the relevant countries’ histories. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein [1925]), Commissar (Alexander Askoldov [1977]) and Burnt by the Sun (Nikita Mikhalkov [1994]) are films which capture different stages of one of the most significant political processes of the last century – the establishment and consolidation of the communist state in Russia. Potemkin examines the first seeds of revolution; Commissar is set during the Russian civil war which followed the revolution and Burnt by the Sun provides an insight into life in the 1930s when Stalinism was at its height. Each of these films, however, offers a commentary on the broader context of communism itself – as an ideology – the more so since they are all to varying degrees retrospective evocations of the periods they depict. So too is Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The Lives of Others (2006) which, set in East Germany before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, provides an instructive accompaniment to the three Russian works, focusing as it does on the life and changing stance of a member of the Stasi, the notorious secret police of East Germany. The module will not presume any knowledge of film, but will nevertheless regard the films as cinematic works. The main focus will be on events, ideas and political developments, and how they are reflected cinematically. A general background knowledge of the twentieth century will be important although this module will not require deep specialist knowledge of any given country. Recommended Text: D Holmes and A Smith (Eds) One Hundred Years of European Cinema: Entertainment or Ideology? (2002) Teaching is by a weekly seminar of 2 hours’ duration. Assessment comprises one essay of 2000 words (50%) and one 2-hour examination (50%). | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-20012 | European Union | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| To introduce students to the operation of the European Union. Students will be introduced to the major institutions and policies of the European Union. Topics of current concern within the European Union will also be discussed, for example the integration of the new post-Communist member states and the situation after the defeat of the EU Constitutional Treaty. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20027 | Political Concepts | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module provides an introduction to some key ideas in contemporary political philosophy. Freedom and equality are among the central values of modern political life. We focus on current thinking about the meaning, justification and political application of these concepts. Through examining the ideas of leading contemporary political theorists and philosophers we seek a better understanding of two of the most interesting and important ideas in contemporary political thought and practice. | ||||||
| PIR-20046 | Politics - Study Abroad V | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20047 | Politics - Study Abroad VI | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20048 | Politics - Study Abroad VII | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| PIR-20049 | Politics - Study Abroad VIII | O | C | 7.5 | 15 | |
| Studying abroad is a step beyond the ordinary "student experience". Students who study abroad gain not only academic advantages by spending time at another university during their degree, they also enhance their employability at the end of their degree. If you combine these advantages with the personal development, cultural exposure, travel opportunities and friendships you'll gain as well as the fun you'll have. The semester of study abroad is a replacement semester, it contributes to your degree in an integral way. You replace a semester at Keele with a semester at one of Keele's partner universities. This means that all modules taken abroad count towards your degree in the same way as modules taken at Keele during your second year. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20057 | The Practice of Politics | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module has three main aims: 1) To explore the nature of politics as a career and vocation, through consideration of a number of related themes: political leadership, decision-making, campaigning and political activism, and ethics in politics. 2) To consider what particular kinds of political work are like. We will take a detailed look at a sample, which may include the work of elected representatives, international organisations; charities and NGOs; central and local government, political consultancy, political journalism, political research and think tanks, citizenship teaching. 3) To be a practical guide to how to begin to develop a career in politics or public life, or elsewhere. Teaching format: ten 1-2 hour workshops. Assessment: 2000 word reflective portfolio (50%) and 2000 word research report (50%) | ||||||
| + | PIR-20058 | The Road to the White House: Campaigning for the Presidency | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The aims of the course are to equip students with a specialised knowledge and understanding of the process by which political leaders seek nomination and election to the presidency of the United States. The module will concentrate specifically on the structure of presidential opportunities in the post war period; the consequences of the democratisation of the delegate selection process for candidate selection and party nominations; changes in the regulatory framework of campaign finance and the ensuing consequences; and changes in advertising and media coverage to assess the impact on the presidential election process. Case studies will be used as specific illustrations of these changes. | ||||||
| + | PIR-20059 | The Presidency of the United States | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The module will study, week-by-week, the president's relationship with other players and their interests within the political system. Analysis focuses on the ability of the president to coerce or persuade other actors in the political system to follow his chosen public policy agenda. Using illustrative evidence from individual presidencies, the module will outline the structural restraints acting upon a president, how presidents attempt to deal with these restraints, and with what success i.e. what the president does and why. Analysis of historical case studies in policy-making will be used to demonstrate how the interaction of these restraints shapes the president’s ability to lead the American nation. | ||||||
| Semester 1 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-30026 | The Politics of Radical Protest I | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The study of politics is as much concerned with conflict and violence as with peace and stability. Revolutions are the greatest of all forms of political conflict, affecting changes not only within, but also beyond state boundaries. Their similarities between revolutions across the centuries invite generalisations about their causes and consequences. This year-long module is, therefore, a blend between case studies and theory and will seek to explain not only the causes and outcomes of revolutions but also the processes through which revolutions are made and new post-revolutionary states are built. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30039 | Political Parties I : Origins and Organisation | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will cover the origin of political parties, their function in the process of government, their organisational development and modern analyses of party organisational change. It comprises the first semester of the Special Subject linked modules PIR 30035/30036 and is designed as a self-contained module for those who do not wish to proceed to the second semester of the Special Subject. Political parties are central to the functioning of modern democracies. Since the beginning of democratic politics they have controlled government formation and policy-making. Over the course of their history, they have shown remarkable adaptive capacity, in that they have been able to adjust their organizational structure, their ideology, and their strategy to rapidly changing environments. | ||||||
| + ~ | PIR-30060 | The Individual and the Community I | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module consists of a close engagement with the work of two of the leading political theorists of the last forty years: John Rawls, probably the most discussed political theorist in that period, and Robert Nozick, a provocative libertarian thinker. We focus on their arguments about the relationship between the individual and the wider community, particularly but not exclusively on arguments about principles of social justice. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30071 | The European Union and Eastern Europe | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This course will introduce students to the twin process of transition and enlargement that affects eight out of the ten new member states of the European Union – the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. The main themes covered by the course are: ‘East’ and ‘West’ in European tradition; the specifics of the communist system in Eastern Europe; the ongoing political, economic and stateness transitions in the ‘East’; pre-enlargement reform in the European Union; the effects of enlargement both on the accession countries and on the institutions of the European Union; the successes and failures of Western and Westernising policies in Eastern Europe. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30072 | Feminist Theory | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will survey the most important debates in feminist theory from de Beauvoir to the current time. It will consider the contrast between de Beauvoir’s conception of gender both with Irigaray’s conception of ‘essential’ femininity and Butler’s postmodern notion of gender as ‘performativity’. In particular, students will be encouraged to examine the different accounts of patriarchy and domination given by these thinkers. The module will then consider the current debate about difference and equality feminisms, asking whether it makes sense to think about feminism in the singular. It will also consider challenges that feminists such as MacKinnnon, Lister and Pateman have raised against core political theory concepts such as the state and the social contract, and will explore how these concepts might be reformulated. Lastly, the module will examine feminist perspectives on issues of abortion, pornography and certain minority cultural practices. Teaching format: weekly 2-hour seminars Assessment: 50% for a 2500 word essay, 50% examination | ||||||
| + | PIR-30077 | Citizenship in theory and practice | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| The module consists of an examination of theories of citizenship and frameworks for comparing them, the idea of ‘good’ citizenship, and the significance of contemporary UK debates around citizenship. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30079 | Electoral Behaviour in the United States | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The aims of the module are to equip students with a specialised knowledge and understanding of individual and aggregate level voting behaviour in the United States. This will be achieved analysing and evaluating conceptual models of electoral behaviour, for example party identification and rational voting. In addition students will study the catalysts of electoral change, life cycle and generation effects and the impact that short term factors (issues, candidates and governmental performance) have on the distribution of party loyalties over time in the American political system. Case studies of presidential elections since 1960 will be used to assess whether the United States is entering a period of party realignment/dealignment. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30087 | The US Presidency and Public Policy | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Can a president arriving in office really change what the government does? This module will equip you to analyse the prospects for a president trying to lead policy change. The module looks at a series of arguments about the circumstances presidents face, and examines recent presidents as historical examples. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30089 | The Europeanization of National Politics | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Semester 1-2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-30035 | Party Systems and Elections I | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| The first semester will commence with a consideration of the nature and origins of parties, as well as their role in modern democracy. The semester’s prime focus will be on parties as organizations. This will involve several tutorials on organisational typologies, as well as on ideological families, which can be related systematically to organizational characteristics. Third, we will address the issue of parties’ internal life. Two questions are particularly relevant in this context: a) the internal distribution of power, and b) rank-and-file participation in parties. The initial topic of the second semester will be attempts to explain individual western European states’ diverse pattern of political parties and party competition by reference to the timing and development of political cleavages. We will then move on to the issue of voting behaviour and how changes in the social fabric of Western societies have fundamentally altered parties’ capacities to control their electorates. We will conclude with a series of tutorials on party systems, including on the measurement and explanation of party system change. It is expected that throughout, our empirical focus will in the main be on most or all of the following: Austria, Belgium, Eire, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands, though this will be subject to consultation at the first meeting. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30036 | Party Systems and Elections II | O | E | 7.5 | 15 |
| Political parties are central to the functioning of modern democracies. Since the beginning of democratic politics they have controlled the electoral process, government formation and policy-making. Over the course of their history, they have shown remarkable adaptive capacity, in that they have been able to adjust their organizational structure, their ideology, and their strategy to rapidly changing environments. These linked modules discuss relevant explanations for this remarkable resilience by looking first at party origins and organization and then at the dynamics of party systems and voting behaviour. In the first semester we will cover the origin of political parties, their function in the process of government, their organisational development and modern analyses of party organisational change. In the second semester, classical models of voting behaviour will be introduced. Based on this knowledge, more recent changes in voting behaviour will be discussed, including theories of dealignment and post-materialist value change. A second major focus of the second semester will be on competing typologies of party systems; measurement of party systems, and determinants of party system change. Please note: This pair of linked modules comprises a Special Subject. If you wish to devote just one semester to studying political parties, you may opt for Political Parties I: Origins and Organization (PIR 30039), or Political Parties II: Party Systems and Voting Behaviour (PIR 30040). These self-contained modules are taught alongside the Special Subject. Assessment : the first mark comes from the average of two assessed essays of 2,500 words each, one in each semester; the second mark comes from an unseen exam on the whole special subject at the end of the second semester. Pre-requisite: PIR-30035 2 hour seminars | ||||||
| + | PIR-30086 | Researching and Dissertation Writing in Politics and International Relations | C | C | 15 | 30 |
| To develop students’ ability to identify a research/dissertation topic, formulate an appropriate research question and hypotheses. To develop students’ ability to find and identify relevant literature and sources (primary and secondary) for their dissertation. To acquaint students with various forms of data, data collecting techniques, and appropriate types of analysis. To develop students’ ability to plan, structure and complete a more substantial piece of independent work than is required for curriculum based modules. | ||||||
| Semester 2 | C/O | TYP | ECTS | CATS | ||
| + | PIR-30014 | Proliferation | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| The aims of this module are to: (1) enable students to develop an informed understanding of the changing agenda of arms control in the post Cold War era and of the policy conflicts encountered in shaping the agenda of weapons proliferation control; (2) enable students to identify the political, technological, economic and moral factors that affect the formation, evolution and effectiveness of formal and informal multilateral and global regimes relevant to proliferation control Objectives By the end of the module, successful students will have: (1) gained a deeper understanding of the various factors affecting the agenda, modalities and outcomes of international proliferation control efforts, through conducting in-depth evaluations of the development, implementation and effectiveness of proliferation control policies in specific issue-areas; (2) refined their analytical skills and powers of argument through preparation of an essay; (3) developed their communication, team-working and leadership skills through giving presentations and participating in seminar and small-group discussions. This course examines the changing agenda of arms control in the post?Cold War era, and investigates the policy conflicts encountered in shaping the agenda of weapons proliferation control. It looks at the political, technological, economic and moral factors that affect the formation, evolution, and effectiveness of formal and informal multilateral and global regimes relevant to the proliferation problem. It aims to enable students to conduct in?depth evaluations of proliferation and disarmament regime development, and implementation and effectiveness in specific issue?areas, ranging from mass destruction weapons to landmines. Teaching format: weekly 2-hour seminars Assessment: 10% tutorial, 40% for a 2500 word essay, 50% unseen examination | ||||||
| + | PIR-30040 | Political Parties II : Party Systems and Voting Behaviour | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| Political parties are central to the functioning of modern democracies. Since the beginning of democratic politics they have controlled the electoral process, government formation and policy-making. Over the course of history they have shown remarkable adaptive capacity, in that they have been able to adjust their ideology and strategy to rapidly changing electoral environments. This module introduces the classical models of voting behaviour. Based on this knowledge, more recent changes in voting behaviour will be discussed, including theories of dealignment and post-materialist value change. A second major focus will be on competing typologies of party systems; measurement of party systems, and determinants of party system change. Teaching format: 10 weekly 2-hour seminars. Assessment: 2 2,500-word essays Barred combination: PIR-30035/30036 European Parties, Party Systems and Elections 2 hour seminars | ||||||
| + | PIR-30055 | The Northern Dimension: Resources, Environment and Security in the Arctic | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module affords the opportunity to investigate the international relations of the Arctic. The Arctic region’s resources, environment and security are gaining a much higher policy profile in North America, the EU and in global scientific, environmental and economic forums. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30073 | British State and Society during the Cold War | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This course seeks to contemplate the relationship between a country’s foreign policy and its domestic politics and culture. Although Britain emerged from World War Two in a weakened economic state, Britain’s decision to build its own nuclear bomb in 1947 had a profound impact on Britain’s position in the world. This course will examine why the British made this choice, and the impact of ‘being nuclear’ on Britain’s foreign policy. Were British policy makers deluded by notions of British greatness, should Britain have endeavoured to pursue a special relationship with the USA, what role did intelligence connections play in Britain’s partnership with America, did Britain’s international role affect Britain’s relationship with the European countries? The course will then examine the impact of the Cold War on domestic politics. How did the political parties cope with Britain’s role as a nuclear power? Who were the dissidents in the Cold War and how did the state deal with them? How were images of the ‘enemy’ constructed and how did ideas of an external enemy contrast with perceptions of internal threats? Through the consideration of Britain’s civil defence policies, this course will also examine the connections between foreign policy and wider culture. What information were people given about the possibility of nuclear war? How was nuclear holocaust represented in films? How were people encouraged to protect themselves against nuclear disaster, and what light do these issues shed upon dominant cultural perceptions? Recommended reading: Peter Hennessy, The Secret State: Whitehall and the Cold War (Penguin, 2003) Sean Greenwood, Britain in the Cold War, 1945-1991 (Macmillan, 1999) Tony Shaw, British Cinema and the Cold War (IB Tauris, 2000) Stephen Whitfield, Culture and the Cold War (John Hopkins, 1991) Teaching format: weekly 2-hour seminars Assessment: 20% for a 1000 word short essay, 80% for a 4-4500 word research paper | ||||||
| + | PIR-30078 | Citizenship and the Environment | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| The module consists of an examination of theories of environmental citizenship, ways of finding out what people think environmental citizenship is, obstacles to (and opportunities for) practising environmental citizenship. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30080 | The Extreme Right in Western Europe | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Right-wing extremist parties have experienced success in elections in a number of countries in Western Europe over the last two or three decades. This phenomenon has attracted widespread attention, both in the media and in academic circles, sparking a number of frequently asked questions: why have these parties suddenly become electorally successful? What exactly do they stand for? What kind of people vote for them? Why do people vote for them? Why have they experienced more success in some countries than in others? Should we be worried about their rise? And what can we, or mainstream political parties, do to counter their rise? This module aims to examine all these questions. It begins by introducing students to the theoretical literature that seeks to explain the nature and rise of right wing extremism in contemporary Western Europe, and it takes account of the conceptual, analytical and terminological debates surrounding this topic. Next, it moves to consider the origins of the contemporary right-wing extremist parties, and then to identify and assess their current ideologies. It then turns to explore the electoral base of these parties, and investigates who votes for these parties and why. Next it analyzes why some right-wing extremist parties have been electorally more successful than others. Finally it considers how mainstream parties have attempted to counter the rise of the parties of the extreme right, and what further action (if any) they might take. As well as gaining an understanding of the various facets of contemporary right-wing extremism and critically analyzing a range of concepts and issues, students who take this module will be able to enhance their communication and presentation skills and improve their research and writing skills. Teaching format: weekly 2-hour seminars. Assessment: 50% 2,500 word essay; 50% unseen examination | ||||||
| + | PIR-30083 | Human Rights: Concepts, Norms and Identities | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |
| Human rights are understood to be moral and legal norms necessary for the protection of all people from serious personal and social abuses. International covenants protect, for example, the human right to freedom of religion and conscience, the human right to a fair criminal trial, the right not to be enslaved or tortured, and to be protected from poverty and genocide. However, the strongly universalistic claims made by defenders of human rights often arouse scepticism. How can we prove that these rights exist universally? How can these rights be justified? Since people of different religious and national identities frequently disagree about the morality of condemning, say, undemocratic institutions or sexual or racial discrimination, does the concept of human of rights lack credibility in the 21st century? This module aims to explore these questions, first by examining briefly the emergence of the concept of human rights from modern notions of natural right and universal human dignity, through to the international community’s reaction to the atrocities of the Holocaust. We will then explore current theoretical debates surrounding the justification of human rights, asking, in particular, if there are basic human interests (e.g., in moral autonomy, choice or reason) that legitimise human rights, or whether to assume so much is to take up a controversial normative position. We will also discuss the issue of ‘rights inflation’ (the problem that, if we assume the existence of too many human rights, the concept seems impossible to justify, and consequently rather meaningless). Here the module focuses on difficulties with the ‘human right to be free from poverty’. Does the existence of this right mean that everyone in richer countries has a duty to attempt to end global poverty; and do richer governments have an obligation to refuse to participate in a world order that sustains the violation of the rights of the poor? Finally, we will consider whether the individualism and universality presupposed by the concept of human rights is problematic from the point of view of diverse identities, such as gender, non-western (e.g., Islamic, Chinese or African) and communitarian perspectives. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30091 | Gender, justice and environment | O | C | 7.5 | 15 |
| This module will provide an interdisciplinary introduction to connections between gender relations, environmental politics, and the ecological crisis. It will emphasise feminist approaches to understanding these connections, but will look also at other related approaches such as environmental justice and green political theories. Gender as a social category and unequal/unjust power relations between genders are placed at the centre of debate and provide a framework for critically analysing environmental themes and case studies. Qualitative and quantitative gender analysis methods used in social science and policy research, such as gender budgeting and gender impact assessment, will also be covered. Themes and case studies may include: climate change, militarism, multinational corporations and consumerism, environmental security, biodiversity and subsistence, population policies, and environmental activism around the world. | ||||||
| + | PIR-30095 | Urban and Regional Governance in the UK | O | M | 7.5 | 15 |