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PIR-20116 - Module Specification
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty of Business, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 17 March 2026

PIR-20116 - Global Democracy under Threat: Resilience or Retreat?
Coordinator:
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2026/27

In the face of challenges from above, below and within, democracy around the world is under threat. From challenges posed by populism and autocratic leadership to increasing political mistrust and declining levels of participation set against a backdrop of the threat posed by AI and misinformation, global democracies face numerous different threats. You will develop your data handling and analysis skills, exploring whether global democracy is resilient or in retreat and complete diverse assessments designed for an external audience.

Aims
This module aims to:
1. enhance students’ knowledge of the institutions and processes of a range of democratic political systems and students’ understanding of how these systems function
2. develop students’ appreciation and evaluation of the challenges that democratic political systems face in the contemporary period
3. cultivate students’ comparative analysis skills
4. develop students’ data handling and analysis skills
5. enhance students’ oral and written communication skills to impart complex information, ideas, and arguments, clearly and effectively
6. develop students’ ability to work effectively as part of a small team

Intended Learning Outcomes

Describe the features of democratic political systems and demonstrate an understanding of how these function: 1,3
Display an ability to present key information on democratic political systems by making use of visual aids: 1
Explain how the outcomes of democratic political systems can be measured through the use of a range of indicators: 2
Identify, interpret, and assess numerical data related to a range of different indicators of democracy: 2
Communicate key patterns and trends in numerical data, and the meaning of these, to a non-academic audience: 2
Apply comparative analysis skills to explain and evaluate the consequences of different democratic political systems: 2,3
Assess the state of democracy in the contemporary period and reflect on issues of political and public concern: 3
Communicate knowledge, ideas, and arguments clearly and effectively in both oral and written format: 1,2,3
Display an ability to work effectively, as part of a small team: 1

Study hours

Lectures: 24 hours
Seminars: 24 hours
Seminar preparation: 72 hours
Assessment 1 (poster) preparation and completion: 50 hours
Assessment 2 (data analysis report) preparation and completion: 60 hours
Assessment 3 (essay) preparation and completion: 70 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Group Assessment weighted 30%
Group poster presentation
Students will work in small groups (3-4 students) to design a poster that will describe and present the operation of a political system in one country (chosen from a set list). The poster should have a maximum of 1,000-words, and the presentation should be delivered in class, in a maximum of 10 minutes. The marking will be peer-weighted - i.e. groups will be awarded a mark by the tutor which will then be adjusted according to peer-weighting.

2: Report weighted 30%
Data analysis report
A 1,500-word data analysis report. Students will select one of the datasets examined in class and write a report in which they will present, interpret and explain the patterns and/or trends seen in this data. The report should be written and presented in a form that is accessible to an external (non-academic) audience, and should contain at least one chart or graph.

3: Essay weighted 40%
A 2,500-word essay
A 2,500-word essay from a choice of set questions on the state of democracy in the contemporary period.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 17 March 2026