PIR-10044: Comparing Politics Today

School of Politics, International Relations & Philosophy

PIR-10044

Comparing Politics Today

Co-ordinator:

Prof Kurt Richard Luther Room: CBA1.007, Tel:733482

Teaching Team:

Level:

Credits:

Study Hours:

150

School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for

International Relations Dual Honours
International Relations Minor
International Relations Single Honours

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description

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 individual oral presentation (40%) and to complete an unseen two-hour examination at the end of the semester (50%).

Aims

To provide students with an introduction to Comparative Politics and to the politics of modern democracies that will provide a base upon which they will build in later Politics modules at Keele.

To develop a range of basic skills such as contributing to seminar discussions, developing oral presentation skills, using library resources, reading and annotating texts, and formulating clear arguments.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Understand and critically evaluate basic numerical data (presented in forms consistent with the discipline of Comparative Politics), will be achieved by assessments: 1.
Work as a team to present, effectively, recently generated ideas and material, will be achieved by assessments: 1.
Demonstrate a specific understanding of a particular comparative politics subject will be achieved by assessments: 2.
Undertake an oral presentation that communicates complex ideas and arguments clearly, will be achieved by assessments: 2.
Demonstrate a basic familiarity with, and understanding of, the Comparative Politics literature across a broad range of political structures and processes. Will be achieved by assessments: 3.
Demonstrate the capacity to absorb information quickly and apply previously mastered concepts to that information, will be achieved by assessments: 3.

Study hours

10 hours attendance at lectures
10 hours attendance at tutorials
30 hours preparation for ten tutorials (including preparation of data analysis exercise)
30 hours preparation of presentation
70 hours revision for exam

Description of Module Assessment

01: Exercise weighted 10%

Data Analysis
Students will be taught basic data analysis skills in the early weeks of the module. In this exercise, they will be presented with carefully selected quantitative comparative data. Having been given guidance as to the kind of criteria they might wish to employ beforehand, they will be asked to form small groups to evaluate the insights and shortcomings of those data. Each group will then report its conclusions back to the whole group. Their report will be formally graded.

02: Oral Presentation weighted 40%

Individual oral presentation to tutorial group on a tutor-allocated topic.
Individual oral presentations will take place in a group setting in tutorials throughout the semester. Students will be asked to prepare individual presentations on academic work to demonstrate both comprehension and the critical skills the module endeavours to develop.

03: 2 Hour Unseen Exam weighted 50%

2-hour unseen exam.
Examination based mainly on lectures and essential readings.

Reading Sources