Module SGIA3551: Origins of Political Institutions

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA3551: Origins of Political Institutions

Prerequisites

• Any Level 2 SGIA module

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• SGIA3*** Suffrage Politics: From Past to Present

Aims

• This module provides a critical survey of works within comparative politics that seeks to explain the origins and developments of political institutions.
• 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 clear links between political institutions today and their political origins.

Content

• The module will cover topics such as the origins and consequences of key institutions. Indicative Topics include: democracies, dictatorships, property rights, secret vote, suffrage, slavery, direct democracy, electoral systems, political parties and welfare states.
• This module will address questions such as: Why do parties form? Why do countries democratize? Why do dictators bother to develop parliaments and run rigged elections? Why do some countries have more developed welfare states than others? Why do politicians decide to change electoral rules that elected them? Why do men extend property and voting rights to women? What are the political, economic and social consequences of women’s suffrage, slavery, direct democracy and secret ballot?
• 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 an emerging and highly salient sub-field in comparative politics;
• Critical understanding of historical processes and underlying conditions and mechanisms that led to the adoption of specific institutions;
• Critical understanding of theoretical debates about the consequences of specific institutions for politics today.

• Advanced comparative analytical skills;
• Critical engagement, assessment and evaluation of theories of the origin of institutions;
• Identify and effectively utilise advanced academic literature in the field;
• Evaluate existing theories with respect to a given region, set of countries or a country.

• Learn to effectively retrieve, utilize, critically evaluate and present scholarly research;
• Effectively engage in a structured debate in tutorials;
• 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;
• Develop independent research project management skills;
• Visually present an argument in a succinct, compelling and informative way to a broader audience.

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

• The module will be principally taught through 15 two-hour seminars.
• Seminars will be instructor directed but will focus on discussion of the week's readings, specifically with regard to the theories and research designs of each individual work.
• Students will also 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.
• Formative assessment will come in the form of an individual research proposal for the summative project of own choice (1500 words).
• Summative assessment will come in the form of a) 2500 word individual project and b) poster that visually represents the project. a) Each student can choose a specific region, country or a set of selected countries and analyse the origins and consequences of its key, selected, institutions. Students are expected to implement a comparative method in assessing the existing theories of the origins of institutions or generate their own theories of institutional origin. The project is designed to help students develop skills for independent project management. b) Each student is expected to design a poster that highlights the main research puzzle or research question, methodological approach and findings of the project. Poster templates in PowerPoint will be provided. Selected posters will be displayed at SGIA. Selected posters will be displayed at SGIA. This part of assessment seeks to prepare students for a poster presentation at future conferences or other public events. It allows students to learn how to visually present their projects in a succinct, compelling and informative way to a broader audience.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

500 word research proposal for a summative project of own choice.

■ 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