Political Parties and Party Systems around the Globe
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| POLI3134 | Politics and International Relations | 3 | 20 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- POLI3134
- School
- Politics and International Relations
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
This course will offer an overview of political party development and the functioning of party systems in democratic states around the world, with a special focus on post-transitional democracies in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia. Applying a variety of analytical concepts, theoretical approaches, and empirical indicators to the study of party politics, the course will highlight the institutional and sociological determinants of party organization development and system stability as well as the consequences of party failure and party system collapse.
Target Students
Available to Final Year UG students in the School of Politics and International Relations on single and joint honours plans. Also available to Final Year UG students on the Liberal Arts plan, Final Year UG students on the Philosophy, Politics and Economics plan, Final Year UG students on the Modern European Studies plan, and incoming exchange students based in the School of Politics and International Relations.Not available to students who have completed POLI2046.
Classes
This module is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.
Assessment
- 80% Coursework: 3,000-word essay
- 20% Presentation: Presentation
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
The module aims to introduce students to the major features of party system development and party organization, introduce students to themes, debates and issues in the study of party politics in new democracies, and develop students’ understanding of theoretical and empirical indicators applying them to the study of party politics.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
- Working of political parties and party systems in different world regions.
- Main theoretical and empirical indicators employed to measure the stability of party systems and political parties in new democracies.
- The role played by different institutional and sociological arrangements on the functioning of party politics and democracy across the globe.
Intellectual skills
- Analytical skills, synthesis of information, evaluation of competing explanations, use of theory and evidence to understand how political parties compete, collaborate and interact.
- Use and critically evaluate literature.
- Application of different theoretical frameworks to case studies.
Professional and practical skills
- Research skills.
- Capacity to produce written work.
- Capacity to present using new technologies.
Transferable (key) skills
- Read and analyse academic sources on a regular basis.
- Capacity to analyse and critically evaluate and to communicate knowledge and understanding in writing.
- Capacity to meet deadlines.
- Capacity to do research in a topic of their choice.