Political Participation & Democracy - POL00041H

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  • Department: Politics
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Pavlos Vasilopoulos
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2019-20

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching cycle
A Autumn Term 2019-20

Module aims

The course is designed to introduce students to a research arena within political science that draws on a wide range of complementary approaches in other social science disciplines including psychology, sociology, and economics. The overall goal is to provide students with an overview of how citizens' democratic engagement with the state and one another as political actors', as well at the study of this engagement, has changed and developed, largely during the post-World War II period.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the course students are expected to be able to evaluate and contribute original research (theoretical and/or empirical) on the topic. In addition, where appropriate, students should reflect on what the readings and their own analyses might offer to policy makers by way of facilitating and enhancing the process and opportunities for democratic participation in society.

Objectives:

  • Knowledge of social changes in advanced industrialised countries which bear on political participation and attitudes towards politics;
  • Understanding of the causes and consequences offered to explain changes to comparative citizen politics, as outlined in the course;
  • Ability to evaluate competing explanations for changes in comparative citizen politics;
  • Ability to think originally and analytically about the contents of the course.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Students will receive written timely feedback on their formative assessment. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their feedback during the module tutor?s feedback and guidance hours.

Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessment no later than 20 working days after submission; and the module tutor will hold a specific session to discuss feedback, which students can also opt to attend. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their feedback during the module tutor?s regular feedback and guidance hours.

Indicative reading

Dalton, R. J. 2006. Citizen Politics: Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Western Democracies. Washington: CQ Press. (4th Ed.) (I)

Hay, Colin. 2007. Why We Hate Politics. Cambridge: Polity (I)

Lipset, S. M. and S. Rokkan, S. 1965. Party Systems and Voter Alignments: Cross-National Perspectives. New York: The Free Press.

Inglehart, R. and Welzen, 2005. Modernization, Cultural Change and Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (A)

Norris, P. 2011. Democratic Deficit: Critical Citizens Revisited Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (I)

Putnam, R. 1993. Making Democracy Work. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. (I)

Tarrow, Sidney. 1994. Power in Movement: Social Movements, Collective Action and Mass Politics in the Modern State. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (A)


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.