Module SGIA2371: Crises and Conflict in European Politics

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA2371: Crises and Conflict in European Politics

Prerequisites

• • Any Level 1 SGIA module

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• • None

Aims

• To deepen students’ understanding of European politics and the workings of the European Union (EU).
• To encourage students to critically assess the current challenges confronting democratic politics in the EU and its member states, including the impact of EU membership.
• To enable students to understand the similarities and differences in democratic politics across Europe, focusing on political institutions, political parties and citizens, and the effect that institutional arrangements have on social and economic outcomes.
• To improve students’ ability to examine real-world problems through theoretical concepts, applying them to individual case studies and through the method of comparison.
• To enable students to engage with current debates affecting European states, focusing on the recent crises relating to Brexit, the Eurozone and migration.

Content

• The content of the module will focus on politics within and across European countries from a comparative perspective. The following topics are examples of what may be covered:
• • the operation of elections, party competition and voting behaviour
• • the evolution of political parties, party systems and electoral systems
• • the challenges of populism, extreme right politics and immigration
• • the process of government formation and coalition politics
• • the forms and evolution political participation, the impact of declining trust and of political corruption on political participation
• • the impact of politics on policy outcomes in the context of Europeanisation and globalisation
• The content of the second term will focus on the politics of the European Union and the relationship between the EU and its member states. The following topics will be covered:
• • the process of European integration and the integration of political, social and economic systems of different countries in the EU
• • the form and operation of multi-level governance and the political institutions of the EU
• • the role of the member states in the EU and their participation in the policy-making process
• • the impact of EU membership on the member states’ institutions and policies
• • the challenge of democratic legitimacy in the EU in the context of the recent and ongoing issues concerning Brexit, the Eurozone and asylum and refuges flows

Learning Outcomes

• On completion of this module, students will acquire knowledge and understanding of:
• the institutions and key issues that matter across European countries
• the current challenges to democratic politics and governance in Europe
• the interaction between domestic, regional and global forces
• the organisation and operation of the political institutions of the EU
• the impact of EU membership on its members and the changing authority of institutions
• the current crises in the EU and their implications for European countries

• Having completed this module, students will be able to:
• effectively describe and compare political institutions and processes across European countries
• deepen their understanding of how comparative methods can be applied to analyse politics
• examine and analyse real-world problems through theoretical concepts and empirical application in selected cases
• critically assess competing arguments and explanations of current challenges in European politics
• develop logically consistent arguments supported by empirical evidence

• By the end of this module, students will have demonstrated their ability to:
• perform critical analysis by critically reporting on the specific themes and by reviewing the relevant literature
• engage in applying the method of comparison on specific themes and using this effectively in the formative assignment
• engage in critical debate and develop, present and defend coherent arguments
• think under pressure and write succinctly and fluently in an exam

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

• The module is taught via lectures, tutorials and simulation exercises. The lectures introduce the specific topics and highlight illustrative examples, present contrasting theories and link these with evidence to examine the conditions under which these theories apply. The tutorials are designed to provide a setting for critical discussions and a more in-depth assessment of the recommended literature. They also enable students to develop their understanding for the formative and summative assessments. The seminars will include exercises that emphasise active learning to aid student understanding of the key issues such as the complexities of decision-making or coalition negotiations, by role-playing political actors. The seminar exercises aid the development of research skills, communication skills and critical thinking.
• The module has the following assessments:
• • The formative assessment is a 1,500 word essay where students will be asked to conduct a focused comparison linked to one of the topics from the first term. This will enhance students’ ability to apply the method of comparison to research topics.
• • The summative assessment is in the form of a 2-hour examination. The examination will be comprised of two parts. The exam will include two essays to be selected from two separate lists of questions corresponding to the themes in each term. The examination assesses acquired knowledge, skills of critical analysis, synthesis and reasoned argument, the ability to work under pressure, and to write succinctly and fluently.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One 1,500-word essay, where students will conduct a focused comparison on a specific topic.

■ 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