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Comparative Politics

Code

SS259

Level

2

Credit rating

20

Pre-requisites

Normally level 1 politics modules or equivalent

Type of module

Extensive over one semester.

Aims
  • To get the students to critically reflect on the purpose of making comparisons between states.
  • To introduce students to different structures of political systems in different states.
  • To raise students’ awareness that issues are understood differently in different cultures.
  • To further develop students awareness of key current political issues.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module the student will:

  • Critically discuss the purpose of making comparisons between states
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of at least two political systems other than the UK
  • Show a developing awareness of a contemporary issue from a political studies perspective
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of why the same issue will affect different political systems differently.

Content

Topics to be covered include

Method:
  • How and why compare?

Actors:

  • The state
  • Civil society
  • Parties
  • Social movements
  • Interest groups

Processes:

  • Political systems
  • Political cultures
  • Political economy
  • Political participation
  • The policy process

Issues (examples):

  • Migration
  • Environment
  • Community (inclusion/cohesion)
  • Human rights
  • Civil liberties
  • Gender and sexuality
  • Terrorism.

Teaching and learning strategies

200 hours of study time delivered through 36 hours direct teaching and 164 hours directed private study outlined in the module handbook.

There will be three hours of contact time weekly through the duration of the module. This will be divided into an hour’s lecture and a two hour workshop. The workshop will be organised differently week by week, but will include whole group discussions, and small group and individual learning exercises.

The first part of the semester will focus on political actors, systems and processes in general. The second part of the module will concentrate on up to four cases studies focussing on issues and how they play out in specific countries.

The other one hundred and sixty-four hours will be taken up in seventy five hours of private study preparing for the sessions; thirty five hours on the first assessment and fifty four hours on the second assignment.

Learning support

A module document will detail the required reading for each session. The key texts are:

Almond, G. et al. 2004 Comparative Politics today: A world view. New York: Longman.
Almond, G. 2004. Issues in comparative politics. New York: Longman.
Bowles, N. 1998. Government and politics of the United States. Basingstoke: MacMillan.
Calvert, P. 1998. An introduction to comparative politics. London: Harverster Wheatsheaf.
Curtis, M. 1997. Western European government and politics. New York: Longman.
Danziger, N. 2007. Understanding the political world : a comparative introduction to political science. New York: Longman.
Dryzek, John S. 2006. Deliberative Global Politics Cambridge: Polity
Eccleshall, R. et al 1994. Political Ideologies an introduction. 2nd ed. London, Routledge
Hague, R. and M. Harrop. 2007. Comparative government and politics. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Haynes, J. 2005 Comparative Politics in a Globalising World. Cambridge: Polity Press
Heywood, A. 1994. Political Ideas and Concepts an introduction. Basingstoke: Macmillan
Kesselman et al., 2007. Introduction to comparative politics. Berkeley: Houghton Mifflin.
Lewis, P. et al., 1978. The practice of comparative politics : a reader. London: Open University Press.
Lewis, P. ed. 2005. Exploring Political Worlds Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Lijphart, A. 1999. Patterns of Democracy: Government forms and performance in thirty-six countries. Newhaven: Yale UP.
McAdam, D., McCarthy J.D. and N.Z. and Mayer. eds. 1996 Comparative Perspectives on Social Movements: Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Cultural Framings. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
Mény, Y. 1998 Government and politics in western Europe: Britain, France, Italy, Germany. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Journals:

Government & Opposition
Politics
Political Studies
Political Studies Review
British Journal of Politics & International Relations

Students will be encouraged to regularly read a serious newspaper (e.g. Daily Telegraph, Times, Guardian, Independent or Financial Times) and watch and listen to serious news broadcasts (e.g. Channel 4 news, BBC 10 o’clock news and various Radio 4 programs such as Analysis and File on Four).

A copy of the module handbook will be available for each student, as will access to StudentCentral.

Assessment tasks

An essay comparing aspects of political systems. (Max 2,000 words) (40%).

A case study looking at particular issue and how it develops, impacts on, and is dealt with by, the political system the political system in two different countries (Max 2,000) (60%).

Brief description of module content and/or aims (maximum 80 words)

The module is designed to allow students to pursue a political issue of interest to them and understand how it is dealt with by the political systems of various different countries.

To allow them to do that, the first part of the module will focus on the actors and processes we find in political systems and how they differ, as well as looking at methodological issues of how you can compare.

The second part of the module will look at issues and how they play out in different countries.

Area examination board to which module relates

SASS Undergraduate

Module team/authors/coordinator

Rob Raeburn (Module Coordinator) and Kepa Artaraz

Semester offered, where appropriate

2

Site where delivered

Falmer

Date of first approval

February 2008

Date of approval of this version

February 2008

Version number

1

Replacement for previous module

SS232

Course(s) for which module is acceptable and status in that course

Compulsory:
BA (Hons) Politics and Sociology
BA (Hons) Politics and Applied Psychology
BA (Hons) Politics and Criminology
BA (Hons) Politics and Social Policy

Optional:
BA (Hons) Social Science

School home

School of Applied Social Science

External examiner

TBA