POLITICS

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr M Bain

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Overview

The course covers a broad range of historical events ranging from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present. It introduces students to the development of International Relations as a discipline, but also to key concepts and analytical skills required to study the subject at a higher level.

Structure

2 one-hour lectures and associated tutorial teaching.

Assessment

1st Attempt: This course is assessed by one online quiz (5%), one bibliography test (10%), one 1500 word essay (25%) and 1 two hour written examination (60%).

Resit: 1 two-hour written examination (100%).

Formative Assessment

One tutorial presentation and a quiz in the revision class. This will use the Personal Response System (PRS).

Feedback

Written feedback will be provided for the bibliography test and essay. This will normally be provided within two weeks of the submission date.

Oral feedback on the presentations will be provided.

For the PRS quiz the correct answers will be provided in the class.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr P Bernhagen

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Overview

This course will identify the core issues and debates at the heart of political discourse and further train students in the basic tools for analyzing political questions and communicating their answers to a variety of audiences. To that aim, a mixture of substantive political science topics and training in analytical and presentational skills will be provided. The course will tackle a number of specific questions: What is politics? What is political science? How shall political decisions be made? By whom? And at what level (local, national or international)? How is public policy made by governments, and how do lobbyists and political parties influence the process?

Structure

1 one-hour lecture and associated tutorial teaching.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (60%); continuous assessment (40%). Breakdown of continuous assessment: online quiz (10%), essay (30%).

Resit: 1 two-hour written examination (60%); continuous assessment (40%, to be carried over from 1st attempt).

Formative Assessment

All continuous summative assessment will also serve formative functions. In addition, students will give brief oral class presentations on course topics.

Feedback

Feedback will be provided on all continuous assessment.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr L Bennie

Pre-requisites

Both level 1 Politics and International Relations courses.

Overview

The course explores the meaning of political ideology, the core, adjacent and peripheral concepts associated with various ideological traditions, and the areas of contention within and between ideologies. The course critically assesses liberalism, socialism, conservatism, anarchism as well as more contemporary perspectives such as feminism and ecologism.

Structure

2 one-hour lectures and one-hour tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written exam (60%); in-course assessment (40%).

Resit: 1 two-hour written exam (100%).

Feedback

Detailed written feedback on essay provided within two weeks of submission. Continuous feedback from tutors, including oral feedback on any tutorial presentations.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr R Vij

Pre-requisites

None

Overview

The course provides a historical overview of capitalism as a global system of organizing political and economic life, the role of international economic institutions (like the IMF, World Bank and WTO) and their role in stabilizing global economic and political order. Topics covered include trade, global finance (and crisis), globalization, and regionalism with particular attention to their impact on global development, welfare and poverty.

Structure

2 one-hour lectures and 1 one-hour tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: This course is assessed by one 1,500 word essay (50%) and 1 two-hour written examination (50%).

Resit: 1 two-hour written examination (100%).

Formative Assessment

One tutorial presentation.

Feedback

Written feedback will be provided for the essay and test. This will normally be provided within two weeks of the submission date.

Oral feedback on the presentations will be provided.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Professor C W Haerpfer

Pre-requisites

Successful completion of year 1 in Politics and International Relations courses.

Overview

Increasingly, people around the world seem to agree that democracy is the only legitimate and feasible form of government. But what exactly does democracy mean? Although the literal meaning of the Greek word demokratia is clear (demos means people and kratia means rule or authority; hence democracy means rule by the people), the theoretical dimensions and practical implications of the concept are at times fiercely contested. This course offers a broad introduction to the changing nature of democracy and to the problems of putting democracy into practice in today's world. We examine the historical development of the meaning of democracy, beginning with an overview of the major approaches in democratic theory. We investigate the conditions for thriving democracies, as well as the major obstacles for democratic practice, including the challenges of capitalism and transitions from authoritarian rule. We will examine and evaluate the democratic credentials of different political institutions, party systems and systems of government, and explore new ideas for making politics more democratic. By the end of the course you should have thorough knowledge and understanding of the ideas, possibilities, and limitations of democratic government.

Structure

1 one-hour lecture and 1 one-hour tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: This course is assessed by one essay (40%) and a written examination (60%).

Resit: 1 two-hour written examination (100%).

Formative Assessment

Students will receive verbal assessments of their tutorial presentations immediately after the respective seminar.

Feedback

Written feedback will be provided for continuous assessment work. This will normally be provided within three weeks of the submission date.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr C Graham

Pre-requisites

Available only to students in Programme Year 2 or above who have passed IR 1004 or IR 1504.

Overview

This course offers an introduction to the major perspectives deployed in the study of International Relations within a framework stressing the importance of theory to our understanding of world politics. The course will examine a variety of theoretical approaches, including Classical and Structural Realism; Social Constructivism; the English Schooll; Marxist and Neo-Gramscian Theory; Postmodernism; Feminism; and Postcolonialism.

Structure

2 one-hour lectures, 1 one-hour tutorial.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Examination (60%), in course assessment (40%) (one essay of 3,000 words).

Resit: 1 two-hour written examination (100%).

Formative Assessment

Peer and lecturer feedback on tutorial presentation.

Feedback

Written feedback on essay. Oral feedback in tutorials.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr L Bennie

Pre-requisites

None.

Notes

This course will not run in 2011/12.

Overview

The course involves a detailed examination of the dynamics of Britain's party system, with a focus on the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, although the challenge of 'other' parties will be considered. The course covers six broad, inter-related, areas: the role of Britain's parties, party ideology, party policy, party organisation, voters and elections, and party election campaigns. Through this course, students should acquire a detailed knowledge and understanding of: the role and democratic function of political parties in Britain; the characteristics of Britain's party system; the development of party philosophies and how these relate to the realities of party policy; the organisation and distribution of power within Britain's political parties; the changing election strategies and campaigns of British political parties; the changing nature of voting trends; and the contested and changing nature of political debate, within and between Britain's political parties.

Structure

1 one-hour lecture and 1 two-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 three-hour examination (60%) and in-course assessment (40%).

Resit: In-course grades will be carried forward unless the student opts to resubmit course work.

Feedback

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.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr A Widfeldt

Pre-requisites

Notes

This course is available to students in Programme Year 3 and is a Politics or International Relations option. This course will be running in the first half-session as PI 3055.

Overview

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.

Structure

2 one-hour lectures and 1 one-hour tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 three-hour examination (60%) and in-course assessment (40%).

Resit: In-course grades will be carried forward unless the student opts to resubmit course work.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

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.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr P Cairney

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will be run in the first half-session of 2011/12 as PI 3057.

Overview

The course examines Scottish politics since devolution. Topics covered include the rise and effect of nationalism, 'new politics' and forms of democracy, political parties, multi-level governance, and the effect of devolution on public policy. It includes a trip to the Scottish Parliament.

Structure

1 two-hour lecture and 1 one-hour tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 three-hour examination (60%) and in-course assessment (40%).

Resit: In-course grades will be carried forward unless the student opts to resubmit course work.

Feedback

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.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr A Widfeldt

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will run in the second half-session of 2011/12 as PI 3558.

Overview

The course introduces, with examples drawn from both Politics and IR, quantitative and qualitative research methods that are fundamental to modern social science and are a necessary skill for the 4th year dissertation. Key approaches common in both Politics and IR, which as the basic currency of contemporary political science are introduced. Whether or not these elements are pursued in detail in later study, some familiarity is an essential part of social science 'literacy'. The course is deliberately wide ranging, obliging students to encounter a broad range of concepts and approaches to allow an informed choice about what to pursue in further study. It provides tools that facilitate a more sophisticated discussion and analysis in other honours options.

Structure

2 one-hour lectures per week and 1 tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 three-hour written examination (60%) and in-course assessment (40%).
Resit: In-course grades will be carried forward unless the student opts to resubmit course work.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr A Brown

Pre-requisites

Overview

This course offers an in-depth study of green political thinking, green actors and their involvement in different political settings such as Scotland, the UK, Germany, USA and China as well as Intergovernmental Organisations such as the UN and the EU.
The course will cover the following themes: green concepts, ideologies and approaches; state and non-state actors and their role/ influence in environmental politics; comparing different political settings and their varying degrees of green policy integration; green politics in a globalised world; between green policy intention and reality. Latter theme will employ at least one visit from an environmental policy practitioner.

Structure

Two one-hour lectures and one one-hour tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st attempt: 1 three hour written examination (60%); continuous assessment (40%) = one 3,000 word essay.

Resit: Written examination 100%.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr G Borz

Pre-requisites

Overview

The course will introduce students to the primary aims of comparative political analysis. Students will learn what comparative politics is and why do we compare.

The module will familiarize students with some of the main issues in comparative politics, such as how to compare European countries, their legislatures, governments, constitutions and judicial power, party politics and party systems, elections, electoral systems and referendums.

Structure

Two one-hour lectures and one one-hour tutorial.

Assessment

1st attempt: 1 three hour written examination (60%); continuous assessment (40%) = presentation (10%), and one 3,000 word essay (30%).

Resit: Written examination 100%.

Formative Assessment

Feedback

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr H Brandenburg

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will run in the second half-session of 2011/12 as PI 4557.

Overview

Irrespective to whether democracy is understood as an inclusive, participatory form of government or instead as a competitive and manipulative game between elites, the role of communication and political mediation is paramount.

This course approaches the subject of political communication from normative/theoretical as well as empirical viewpoints. Historically, we cover the evolution of political manipulation from propaganda to modern public relations techniques and political marketing strategies, and the changing face of policy-making in the age of almost permanent campaigning and opinion polling. Empirical emphasis is given to the increasing importance of mass media in the democratic process and to the study of measurable effects of political communication (agenda setting, framing, etc), covering a range of actors, from governments and political parties to social and non-governmental campaigners.

Given the increasing importance and repeatedly proclaimed potential of modern web technology for more political inclusion and broader participation, the course departs from classical political communication textbook material to discuss also the scope and effectiveness of an emerging "virtual public sphere" in which political discourse shall no longer be elite-driven and fed by the mass media to passive consumers, but generated from below as a citizen dialogue.

Structure

1 two-hour lecture and 1 one-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Examination (60%) and in-course assessment (40%).

Feedback

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.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr A Widfeldt

Pre-requisites

Available only to Level 4 students.

Overview

Students will prepare and present, under the supervision of a member of staff, a dissertation on a topic approved by Politics and International Relations.

Assessment

Dissertation, 10,000 - 12,000 words in length (100%).

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Professor M Keating

Pre-requisites

Notes

This course is available to both Politics and International Relations students.

Overview

Nationalism is one of the most powerful forces in modern politics. Its death has been pronounced many times but it always seems to return, in the United Kingdom, across Europe and in the world at large. Theories of nationalism range from the primordialists, who see it as a product of deep forces in the human psyche and history, to modernists who insist that it is the fruit of modernization and subject to construction and change. Evaluations range from the condemnation of those who see in it nothing but manipulation and aggression to those who argue for it as an essential underpinning to the liberal democratic polity and social solidarity. We will explore these issues in a comparative perspective, considering the principal theories and examining instances of nationalism in practice.

Structure

1 two-hour lectures and 1 one-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st attempt: 3 hour examination (60%); in-course assessment (40%).

Formative Assessment

Feedback

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.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Dr P Cairney

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course will run in the first half semester of 2011/12 as PI 4063.

Overview

The course is designed to investigate the dynamics of public policy. In seminars we consider the main ways to explain how and why policymakers make decisions. We discuss the nature of policy, power and the role of ideas. We explore theories on institutions, rational choice, policy networks, agenda setting and governance and compare them with descriptions of policy cycles and the ‘rational actor’. For the course assessment, each student selects a policy issue that they are particularly interested in, outlines the main events and seeks to explain those events by drawing on public policy theories.

Structure

1 two-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st attempt: 1 three-hour written exam (60%); continuous assessment (40%).

Feedback

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.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Professor C W Haerpfer

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course is open to both Politics and International Relations students. This course will run in the second half-session of 2010/11 as PI 4564.

Overview

This option is dealing with the 'Third wave of democratization' between 1968 and 2005 in Southern Europe, South and post-Communist Central and Eastern Europe. It deals with the emergence of democracy and market economy at the level of the general public and electorate as well as the level of elites and institutions subsequent to the political events in summer 1968 in Europe and the USA. The course introduces discussion about the character of these processes of democratization as 'transitions', 'transformation' or 'revolution' between authoritarian and democratic regimes. The course is situated within mainstream debates about democratization and marketisation as processes within post-authoritarian societies.

Structure

1 two-hour lecture and 2 one-hour seminars per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Examination (60%), in-course assessment (40%).

Formative Assessment

Students will receive verbal assessments of their tutorial presentations immediately after the respective seminar.

Feedback

Written feedback will be provided for continuous assessment work. This will normally be provided within three weeks of the submission date.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

TBA

Pre-requisites

None

Notes

This course is open to both Politics and International Relations students. This course will not run in 2011/12.

Overview

This course examines the origins, development, observation, and enforcement of international human rights. The principal concern is first generation or physical integrity rights (to life, freedom from torture, arbitrary imprisonment). The course focuses on what social scientists have to contribute to our theoretical and empirical understanding of why governments sometimes imprison, toture and kill their citizens. It includes both in-depth case studies of particular events and more systematic comparisons of large numbers of cases, evaluating the trade-offs in these different methodological approaches. The final section examines the aftermath of violations and the work of courts and peace commissions.

Structure

1 two-hour lecture and 1 one-hour tutorial per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Examination (60%), in-course assessment (40%).

Feedback

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.