How Voters Decide
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| POLI2047 | Politics and International Relations | 2 | 20 | Autumn UK, Spring UK |
- Code
- POLI2047
- School
- Politics and International Relations
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK, Spring UK
Summary
Elections are the foundation of representative democracy. The act of voting creates a link between citizens' preferences and government policy. This means that the choices voters make have important consequences. But how do voters make these choices: Are they based on the policies that parties promise to enact in the future, or is it more about the policy successes (or failures) that parties have experienced in the past? Does the party's leader make a difference? Can campaigns or the media's coverage change how voters see their electoral choices? Finally, given the importance of elections, why do many citizens choose to abstain from the process altogether? How Voters Decide will explore the choices that citizens make when they participate in elections, and it will provide students with the skills necessary to evaluate arguments about electoral behaviour in Britain and beyond.
Target Students
Available to Year 2 UG students in the School of Politics and International Relations on single and joint honours plans. Also available to Year 2 UG students on the Philosophy, Politics and Economics plan, incoming exchange students based in the School of Politics and International Relations, and Ningbo International Studies students.
Classes
This module is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops.
Assessment
- 30% Coursework 1: 1-hour Computer exercise
- 70% Coursework 2: 2,000-word report
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
The module seeks to provide students with the core conceptual tools, theoretical insights, and practical skills for analysing elections, voting behaviour, and public opinion.Learning Outcomes
(A) Knowledge and understanding
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the main theoretical approaches to the study of electoral behaviour and public opinion.
(B) Intellectual and transferable skills
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Construct reasoned arguments.
- Identify testable implications of the main theories.
- Synthetize arguments from a variety of secondary sources.
- Communicate effectively in writing.
- Work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation and time management.
(C) Digital competencies
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Undertake simple empirical analyses of secondary data.
- Use technology to retrieve and present information.