University of the West of England

MODULE SPECIFICATION

(Template revised October 2005)

Code: UPPNFE-10-1 Title: Democracies or Dictatorships? (IRS) Version: 1

Level: 1 UWE credit rating: 10 ECTS credit rating: 5

Module type: project

Owning Faculty: Social Science and Humanities Field: Politics

Valid from: September 2008 Discontinued from:

Contributes towards: Awards up to BA/ BSc (Hons)

Pre-requisites: none

Co-requisites: UPPNFE-30-1 Democracies or Dictatorships?

Excluded combinations: UPPNFA-30-1 (Democracy and Dictatorship)

Learning outcomes:

On completion of the module students are expected to demonstrate:

    • a knowledge of a range of political systems

    • an understanding of core political concepts such as democracy and dictatorship

    • an ability to develop the skills of comparative analysis

    • an ability to gather information from a variety of sources

    • an ability to substantiate arguments with reference to appropriate academic materials

    • the beginnings of an ability to express ideas clearly in a variety of forms

Syllabus outline:

The subject matter for the project will be drawn from the syllabus of the taught module, Democracies or Dictatorships?

Teaching and learning methods:

Supervised independent study

Reading Strategy:

Students will be expected to buy one textbook for essential reading. A reading list will appear in the module handbook. In the module handbook each topic will be accompanied by a reading guide. A stock of books for further reading will be available in the short loan collection, as well as in the library more generally. There will also be use of online texts.

Indicative Reading List:

The following list is offered to provide validation panels/accrediting bodies with an indication of the type and level of information students may be expected to consult. As such, its currency may wane during the life span of the module specification. However, as indicated above, CURRENT advice on readings will be available via other more frequently updated mechanisms.

Brown, A., ed. Contemporary Russian Politics: a reader, Oxford University Press, 2001

Caramani, D., ed. Comparative Politics, Oxford University Press, 2008

Hague, R. and M. Harrop, Comparative government and politics : an introduction (6th ed), Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.

Held, D Models of Democracy, 3rd ed, Polity Press, 2006

Kavanagh, D. et al., British Politics (5th ed), Oxford University Press, 2006

McAuley, M. Soviet Politics, 1917-91, Oxford University Press, 1992

McKeever, R and P Davies, Politics USA, 2nd ed, Pearson Education, 2006

M. Moran, Politics and governance in the UK, Palgrave Macmillan, 2005

Singh, R.,ed. Governing America: the politics of a divided democracy, Oxford University Press, 2003

Suny, R. The Soviet Experiment, Oxford University Press, 1998

Assessment

ATTEMPT 1

First Assessment Opportunity

3000-word project 100%

Second Assessment Opportunity

Revised project `100%

SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT: Attendance at taught classes is not required.

Specification confirmed by ……Approved at VARC meeting…………Date ……14.05.08…………

(Associate Dean/Programme Director)

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