GOVERNMENT UG2

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What you learn about on modules in this stream: This stream centres on the institutions, processes, and culture of British and European politics. It highlights modules that explore the workings of Parliament, political parties, elections, and the policy process within the UK and Europe. Students gain an in-depth understanding of governance, legislative practice, and the dynamics of political communication and accountability.

Career ambitions: working as a researcher for an MP or a political party, working in a politically-aligned think tank, working for a Public Relations company lobbying the government.

MODULES IN THIS STREAM

PR2001 – POWER AND DEMOCRACY IN THE EU

POL/IR

30 credits – Autumn and Spring terms

Module Description – This module analyses the contemporary history, politics, and theory of the European Union and its institutions, amid the challenges of the quadruple crisis of economics, migration, Brexit, and the Covid pandemic. The first term will begin with an introduction to the European Union as a political system (weeks 1 and 2) followed by an overview of the European Union's historical development (weeks 3 and 4). The remainder of the first term will then focus on the European Union's political institutions (executive, legislative and judicial). The second term will focus on contestation of the European Union in its first half and on theory in the second half, in order to explain how the EU developed and the challenges that it faces. Sessions in the first half of term 2 comprise interest groups (week 11), European Parliament elections (week 12), EU-UK elections (week 13), the Democratic Deficit and Democratic Recovery (weeks 14 and 15). The final weeks cover the theories that explain European integration before the revision session in week 20.

Module Leader – Dr Giacomo Benedetto

Module Delivery – Weekly lectures and seminars

Assessment – Treaty Analysis (1800 words) – 30%; Reading Portfolio (1800 words) – 30%; Exam (40%)

PR2410 – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS OF THE UNITED STATES

POL/IR

30 credits – Autumn and Spring terms

Module Description – This module introduces students to the institutions and politics of the United States. It offers a thorough, entry-level grounding in the empirical and theoretical literature on American politics, and requires students to evaluate that literature critically through seminar discussion and oral presentations, two pieces of assessed coursework, and an unseen examination. Starting by building up students’ basic historical knowledge of the development of American politics, the course covers the Constitution, Congress, the Presidency and federal bureaucracy, separation of powers, federalism and state governments, the Supreme Court, elections, political parties and interest groups. By the end of the course students are prepared to engage knowledgeably with American political news and to tackle advanced courses in American Political Development and/or US Foreign Policy. This course provides a good all-round introduction to one of the world’s most influential democracies.

Module Leader – Dr Ursula Hackett

Module Delivery – Weekly lectures and seminars

Assessment – Essay 1 (1800 words) – 30%; Essay 2 (1800 words) – 30%; Exam – 40%

PR2480 – DEMOCRACY IN BRITAIN

POL

30 credits – Autumn and Spring terms

Module Description – Democracy in Britain explores the theory and practice of modern British politics. It is designed primarily to familiarise students with the ways in which British democracy has evolved, how it operates today and some of the challenges that confront it. Students taking the module will gain knowledge of the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the political system. You will learn about how and why the system operates in the way it does, the quality of contemporary democratic governance and key features of political behaviour in Britain. Students studying PR2480 will be encouraged throughout the module to be mindful of the relationship between theory and evidence. The first half of the module will focus on the character, development and institutions of Britain’s ‘traditional’ democratic system. The second half will focus on dynamic elements of British democracy, including political parties and party competition, political and especially voting behaviour, and attitudes towards democracy.

Module Leaders – Professor Nicholas Allen

Module Delivery – Weekly lectures and seminars

Assessment – Essay 1 (1800 words) – 30%; Essay 2 (1800 words) – 30%; Exam – 40%

What you can do to prepare for this module – Two non-academic books you might like to read are Anthony King, Who Governs Britain? (Pelican Books, 2015) and David Marquand, Britain Since 1918: The Strange Career Of British Democracy (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2008).