Last modified: 25 May 2018 11:16
This course provides an introduction to the political systems of the five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. It will cover a wide range of topics, such as parties and party systems, elections and voting, welfare systems, security and international relations, policy making, parliaments and governments. It is not necessary to have any specific prior knowledge of the countries concerned, or to be able to read any of the Nordic languages. The course is suitable for anyone interested in Politics and/or IR, and the different themes covered will be linked to key theories in those disciplines.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | None. | Sustained Study | No |
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The course is designed to provide a basic introduction to the political systems of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The treatment will be comparative, and designed to strengthen students' understanding of a relatively neglected region of the New Europe. Following a brief historical introduction, the focus of the course will be on the comparative analysis of the 'political inputs': political culture, elections, electoral systems, referenda, social cleavages and voting, parties, party system, governments, and parliaments. Drawing on the basic comparative politics literature, the course will also consider issues such as party system change, security policy and neo-corporatism in the Nordic context.
Available only to students in Politics OR International Relations degrees.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
1st Attempt: 1 three-hour written examination (60%); 1 continuous assessment essay of 4,000 words (40%).
Resit: 1 three-hour examination (60%); In-course grades will be carried forward unless the student opts to resubmit course work (40%).
There are no assessments for this course.
Written feedback will be provided for continuous assessment work. This will normally be provided within three weeks of the submission date. Oral feedback on class presentations will also be provided where appropriate.
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