American Democracy and the Challenges of the 21st Century: Public Opinion, Media and Elections
| Module title | American Democracy and the Challenges of the 21st Century: Public Opinion, Media and Elections |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC3123 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Daniel Stevens (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 20 |
|---|
Module description
Students of Politics need to understand different polities around the world. While the United States is very familiar to us its political culture is quite different, for example in attitudes towards the balance between freedom and equality. This module provides you with a survey of American political behaviour and communication. You will examine public opinion, media, and the relationship between the two, as well as how public opinion is expressed through political parties, interest groups, and in elections. Throughout the module we will make comparisons between the American system and other democracies around the world where appropriate.
No prior knowledge skills or experience are required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to provide you with a comprehensive examination of political behaviour and political communication in the United States, starting with political culture, then looking at public opinion and media, before ending with an examination of American political parties and interest groups and how they all influence elections. This module aims to enable you to use theories and findings from the study of US Politics in these areas to understand each of the domains we study. You will also survey classic and contemporary work in these fields, drawing on America’s history in order to place contemporary developments in perspective.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate detailed knowledge of the major theories of US Politics in the context of public opinion, media and elections, through oral and written work;
- 2. critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different theories and research in the study of public opinion, media and elections in the US;
- 3. apply a range of theories about US Politics to historical and contemporary issues in public opinion, media and elections;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. demonstrate expertise and the ability to use key concepts pertaining to US Politics in oral and written work;
- 5. synthesize and critique a variety of theories and arguments in the field in your written work;
- 6. demonstrate a deep understanding of the implications of new evidence for a given theory in your oral and written work;
- 7. demonstrate that you understand different methods of research in the field and their implications for findings in your oral and written work;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. work independently and in groups, including presentations for class discussion, and in spontaneous discussion and defence of arguments in class, and to manage conflict;
- 9. demonstrate oral and written analytical and organizational skills in essays, group presentations and group discussion;
- 10. write essays to a deadline.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
1. Political Culture and Ideology
2. Public Opinion and Polarization
3. Media and Political Knowledge
4. Media and Partisanship
5. Political Parties: Parties as Organizations
6. Political Parties: Parties in the Electorate
7. Interest Groups and Representation
8. Voting and Elections: Presidential and Congressional Campaigns
9. Voting and Elections: Vote Choice
10. Voting and Elections: Turnout
11. Voting and Elections: Race and Gender
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 22 | The module will be taught through 11 weekly 2 hour seminars (starting week 1) over one term, in which we discuss the topics and materials. |
| Guided Independent study | 128 | Private study reading and preparing for seminars (around 6 hours of reading and note-taking per seminar); researching and writing essay (around 50 hours researching, planning and writing the essay). Around 12 hours researching (6 hours) planning (3 hours) and writing (3 hours) presentation. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar questions based on readings or topics to prepare for class (emailed 24 hours in advance) | 3-5 questions for approximately 30 minutes of discussion | 4, 5, 7-10 | Verbal feedback from module convenor and other members of the class. |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0 | 50 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar participation | 15 | Over the 11 seminars | 4,5,7-10 | Written feedback at the end of term, drawing on department assessment criteria. |
| Essay | 50 | 3000 words | 1-8,10 | Written feedback |
| 1 x 15 minute presentation | 35 | 15 minutes + slides + 2 page handout (all materials handed in via eBART) | 4,5,7,8,9 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar participation | 15 minute viva | 4,5,7-10 | August/September assessment period |
| Essay | Essay (3,000 words) | 1-8,10 | August/September assessment period |
| Presentation | 30 minute viva (15 min presentation + questions) | 4,5,7,8,9 | August/September assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
McKay, David. 2017 (9th edition). American Politics and Society. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.
Fiorina, Morris. 2017. Unstable Majorities: Polarization, Party Sorting and Political Stalemate. Stanford: Hoover Institution Press.
Theiss-Morse, Elizabeth, Michael Wagner, William Flanigan, and Nancy Zingale. 2018 (14th edition). The Political Behavior of the American Electorate.
Thurber, James, and Antoine Yoshinaka (eds.). 2015. American Gridlock: The Sources, Character, and Impact of Political Polarization.
Wattenberg, Martin. 2015. Is Voting for Young People?
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | none |
| Module co-requisites | none |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 14/12/2018 |
| Last revision date | 05/02/2019 |