Module SGIA3611: Women, Gender and Politics in the US and UK

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA3611: Women, Gender and Politics in the US and UK

Prerequisites

• Any Level 2 SGIA module

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• This module provides an introduction to political science research on women and gender in politics in the American and British contexts. It will focus specifically on women’s participation in electoral politics and social movements, as well as their representation within institutions of government.
• This module builds on and directly expands the knowledge that students acquired in their previous studies of core concepts in comparative politics.
• This module will encourage students to critically evaluate existing research in the sub-field and to draw links between women’s role in politics in the two countries. What similarities and differences exist and why?

Content

• The module will cover topics including women’s role in politics as citizens, voters, candidates, parliamentarians and executives. Indicative examples include: women’s movements, turnout and preference gaps, gender-based stereotypes in the evaluation of female candidates, women’s descriptive and substantive representation in parliaments and executives.
• The content of the module will cover both contemporary research as well as classic works. This will give students a background in how the literature in the sub-field has developed over time.

Learning Outcomes

• Advanced knowledge of women’s participation and representation in British and American politics;
• Critical understanding of key theories of gender, power, and feminism and how they can be used as a lens through which to understand politics and government;
• Critical understanding of the origins and consequences of women’s political underrepresentation;
• Critical understanding of how gender intersects with other salient social categories, such as race, class, and sexual orientation, and the implications for research on gender and politics.

• Advanced comparative analytical skills;
• Critical engagement, assessment and evaluation of theories of women’s political engagement;
• Identify and effectively utilise advanced academic literature in the field;
• Evaluate existing theories with respect to two different political contexts.

• Learn to effectively retrieve, utilize, critically evaluate and present scholarly research;
• Effectively engage in a structured debate in seminars;
• Acquire independent research skills to augment initial guidance on suitable sources;
• Research topics via a creative use of library and Internet sources;
• Accurately assess the suitability and quality of resources;
• Demonstrate an independent approach to learning;
• Develop the ability to independently manage a research project.

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

• The module will be taught through a combination of 10 lectures and 8 seminars.
• Lectures will provide information related to key theories, concepts and research in the field of women and politics.
• Seminars will focus on discussion of the week's lecture and readings, and provide opportunity for a more detailed discussion of topics introduced in lecture.
• Students will be able to access members of academic staff through their routine ‘office hours’, typically two hours per week when academic staff are available to meet with students to address individual queries and concerns. Additionally, a 2-hour summative project workshop will be held in epiphany term, which will give students an opportunity to receive guidance on their case study.
• Formative assessment will come in the form of a 500-word research project proposal in which the student will lay out the case study they will complete for the summative project and outline how they will analyse the case using the material from the module. This formative assessment will allow the instructor to provide direct feedback in relation to the summative project.
• Summative assessment will come in two parts. First, students will conduct a 2,500-word gender case study. Students will be asked to choose an election contest for a political office in the US or UK in which at least one of the candidates was a woman. Students will be expected to draw on module readings and lectures to analyse various elements of the campaign dynamics and election outcomes using a gender lens. This assignment will test students’ comprehension of module material related to gender and campaigns, the media, electoral behaviour, and representation, as well as their ability to apply what they’ve learned in a real-world context. The second component of the summative assessment will be a 2,000-word essay that will ask students to draw on module readings to answer pre-written essay questions. Assessment through essay gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the field and their ability to independently identify, assess and organise resources in support of a consistent academic argument.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

A 500 word case study proposal.

■ 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