Module SGIA2321: DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC THEORY

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA2321: DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC THEORY

Prerequisites

• Any Level 1 SGIA module

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• to enable students to gain more detailed knowledge of the development, condition and prospects of democracy.
• to enable students to engage with relevant theoretical literature in the study of political behaviour and the democratic state
• to provide a basis of theory and conceptualization for the further study of democratic politics at level 3

Content

• Concepts, theories and illustrative discussion of:
• the state, political economy and economic management
• the contextual preconditions of democracy: modernization, political culture, social capital, etc.
• parties and voting behaviour
• political participation: interest groups, social movements and identity politics
• problems and prospects of democracy: the media, political extremism

Learning Outcomes

• the nature and development of democracy in contemporary political settings
• explanatory theory and descriptive typologies of democracy and its preconditions
• the contested nature of the definition and description of democracy
• current controversies in the study of democratic political behaviour and the history and prospects of these scholarly debates

• apply theoretical, conceptual and critical analytical frameworks from the discipline of politics to concrete examples
• evaluate rival theories and interpretations from the discipline of politics with reference to factual evidence
• appreciate the contested nature of the understanding of political phenomena

• retrieve and utilize in written form resources they have been directed to
• assess the suitability and quality of resources for research purposes
• review, reinforce and integrate their knowledge independently in preparation for an examination
• demonstrate these and the above acquisitions in written form under pressure of time and without supporting materials

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching will take the form of lectures accompanied by tutorials. Lectures provide the substantive spine of the module, offering contextualization and evaluation of the materials and arguments presented in the reading list and acquired independently in students' preparation time. There will be eight lectures devoted to each of the two halves of the module, plus one essay feedback lecture in January (providing an overview of performance in the first formative essay) and one introductory lecture. Tutorials will be discussion-based activities directed by a tutor but primarily relying on student contributions and thus co solidating knowledge and developing argumentative and critical ability. Formative essays will provide practice in the organization of material acquired through lectures, tutorials and research in response to a specific question. The examination will promote the ability to organize learned material independently and to bring it to bear in answers to specific questions under time constraint.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Two essays and one seminar presentation per year.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University