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for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
Politics and Policy-Making in the UK |
| Unit code |
POLI21222 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
I/5
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
|
| Unit director |
Professor. Childs |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None
|
| Co-requisites |
None
|
| School/department |
School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Description including Unit Aims
This course provides a detailed analysis of some of the key themes and issues in the UK's political system. It provides an overview of the relationship between the different aspects of the political system and shows how these have evolved in the last twenty years. It focuses on both the formal institutions of Parliament and the non-elected actors who influence the UK's political process.
Aims:
- To extend the breadth of students’ knowledge base of political institutions in the UK
- To provide both a theoretical and empirically based understanding of contemporary UK political processes
- To foster awareness of the ideological and institutional features of modern UK government and politics
- To develop the ability to apply theoretical concepts to the practical issues of problem solving and analysis
Intended Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate the ability to discuss major issues in contemporary UK politics based upon secondary reading
- An understanding of the processes of political change within the UK
- Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the relationship between elected and non-elected actors
- A critical understanding of the development of the key institutions and offices in contemporary UK politics and of how these inter-relate
- An understanding of the ideas, concepts and organisational features of the UK political parties and of the forms of competition between them
- An ability to locate and use various data sources and to apply these analytically in relation to behaviour and explanatory theory
Teaching Information
10 lectures and 10 seminars over 10 weeks.
Assessment Information
1X 2000 word essay (40%) (learning outcomes 2, 6, and depending on essay question, 1, 3, 4, 5)
1x 2 hour unseen written exam (60%) (learning outcomes 1-6)
Reading and References
- Judge, David, Political Institutions in the UK, (Oxford University Press, 2005)
- Budge, I. et al The New British Politics (4th edition, Addison Wesley Longman 2007)
- Jones, B. et al Politics UK (Harvester-Wheatsheaf, 6th edition 2006)
- Dunleavy P. et al. (eds), Developments in British Politics 8 (Macmillan, 2006)
- A Seldon & D Kavanagh (eds) The Blair Effect 2001-05 A Wasted Term? (Cambridge University Press, 2005)
