There is a substantial economics component to this module, and we therefore recommend that students on the BA Philosophy & Politics programme talk to the module tutors before selecting this module.
Occurrence | Teaching cycle |
---|---|
A | Autumn Term 2022-23 |
To provide a genuinely interdisciplinary course of study, by exploring areas of mutual concern to economists and political scientists and by using in parallel the analytical methods of these two disciplines.
The general learning outcomes can be summarised as:
• familiarity with public choice theory as an approach to analysing political institutions
• some understanding of the significance of political structures for economic outcomes
An underlying concern is to examine ways in which each discipline can bring insight to the study of social phenomena usually thought to be within the sphere of the other. For example, political, especially electoral, behaviour is increasingly being analysed in terms of 'rationality' and 'equilibrium' - concepts associated with the methodology of economics. Conversely, the process of national economic policy-making may be better understood in political terms, as much as economic.
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) The Democratic Economy |
4 hours | 100 |
None
Attendance
Seminar attendance is compulsory. There is a good reason for this. The nature of the coursework and, in particular, the examination in this module make it especially important for students to prepare for, participate in, and learn from the seminars. Specifically, the first part of each seminar meeting is designed to help students develop an understanding of how to produce good short answers in the exam. The second (main) part of each seminar meeting is designed to guide seminar discussion, on specific questions and issues arising from the key references, that students will be expected to reflect and draw on in the exam.
Past experience suggests a strong positive correlation between (i) seminar attendance, preparation and participation and (ii) achievement in the exam.
Preparation
In advance of each seminar students are expected to:
The seminar questions for each topic will be posted on the topic page.
At the seminar, the questions will provide the framework for seminar discussion, in which everyone will be expected to participate. So students should bring along their prepared answers in whatever form enables them to participate effectively. The answers themselves are not for submission. Open discussion can continue after the seminar meeting, on the discussion board of this site.
For formative self-assessment purposes, and also for future reference in preparing essays and/or short answers, students are recommended to take notes during seminar discussion.
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) The Democratic Economy |
4 hours | 100 |
In Demecon, this formative assessment is provided primarily by:
In addition, students will receive detailed feedback on the exam, including comments on each of the six answers they write, which could have formative value for students in subsequent assessments in other modules.
P Dunleavy, Democracy, Bureaucracy and Public Choice, Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1991.