SGIA1191: DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEMS

• None

• None.

• to enable students to gain detailed knowledge of two democratic political systems and their context.
• to encourage students to critically assess key aspects of these systems.
• to enable students to apply the knowledge and understanding gained with respect to these two political systems in order to investigate theories of democratic politics at greater depth at level 2.

• The following core topics will be covered with regard to both political systems:
• the historical, socio-economic and cultural context of each system of government.
• the constitutional framework and its importance.
• the form and operation of the electoral and party systems.
• the territorial and institutional distribution of political authority in each system.
• the organization, operation and interaction of the main branches of government in both systems.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Students will acquire knowledge and understanding of:
• the institutional apparatus of democratic states and the social-political and political-cultural environments in which they operate
• the historical basis of the institutional apparatus of democratic states
• the nature and some examples of political contestation in democratic states
• main areas of scholarly debate in the analysis of democratic institutions and processes.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Students will acquire the ability to:
• accurately and effectively describe political institutions and processes in the context of democratic states
• place selected democratic political systems an appropriate historical and comparative context
• analyse and evaluate competing conceptualizations and explanations of political phenomena, producing defensible judgements

Key Skills:

• Students will develop their ability to:
• retrieve and utilize 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

• Teaching is delivered via a series of lectures supported by tutorials.
• Lectures take two forms: those oriented to the intellectual content of the module, and those aimed specifically at the inculcation of relevant skills, including research and writing skills (auditory comprehension and note-taking are practiced and developed in all lectures).
• Tutorials are driven by student oral presentations and group discussion of these guided by the tutor, helping to develop powers of argument and flexible deployment of knowledge.
• Formative essays help develop researching and writing skills, as well as time management.
• Oral presentations help develop skills in presenting knowledge orally, as well as developing research skills.
• An examination tests acquired knowledge and the ability to recall and marshal it constructively and in a focused manner, under time pressure.

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