Global Issues in European Politics
| Module title | Global Issues in European Politics |
|---|---|
| Module code | POLM157 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Professor Florian Stoeckel (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 25 |
|---|
Module description
This module takes a comparative focus on a variety of international issues and how they shape political conflict at the national level in Europe. You will discuss in detail research on conflict as a result of globalisation, immigration, and European integration. Case studies come from Western, Eastern, and Southern Europe. You will also gain an understanding of similarities and differences in party political conflict across European countries and the rise of challenger parties. Finally, you will consider political conflict as it relates to the expansion of democracy in Europe and contemporary threats to the quality of democracy (e.g. developments in Eastern Europe, ‘post factual politics’ as a more general phenomenon).
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module familiarizes you with theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches to understand political conflict in Europe from the (empirical) perspective of comparative politics. This includes party political conflict and its dimensions as well as theoretical approaches to understand ‘post-factual’ politics and threats to the quality of democracy. The module aims at advancing your ability to apply theories to current political conflicts in a variety of European countries, to critically evaluate the usefulness of these theories, and to equip you with the presentation skills required to describe, analyse, and explain political conflicts in Europe. Apart from its focus on substantive issues, the module also seeks to introduce you to the comparative method and other empirical research designs in political science.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the major concepts and theories used in political science to understand conflicts in Europe
- 2. evaluate theories in the field of comparative politics based on empirical evidence
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. exercise informed judgment concerning the use of empirical evidence in support of an argument in published research
- 4. synthesize competing theories to analyse new problems
- 5. critically analyse primary and secondary source material
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. present complex arguments with clarity and concision
- 7. work independently and with peers to meet common research and assessment deadlines effectively
- 8. speak confidently in front of small and large audiences on a subject you have studied
Syllabus plan
Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:
- Methods and Approaches in Comparative Politics
- Party Systems in Europe
- Mass-Elite Linkages and Public Opinion
- Globalization-Integration Conflict
- National and European Identity
- International Conflicts and National Protest
- Far left and far right challenger parties
- A Loss of Support for Democracy?
- The Quality of Democracy in Poland and Hungary
- Post Factual Politics
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 278 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities | 22 | 11 x 2 hour weekly seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 100 hours | Reading and preparing for seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 30 hours | Preparation of presentation |
| Guided Independent Study | 148 hours | Preparation and writing of assessments, includes the compilation of a reaction to a reading (40 hours) as well as the research and writing related to an essay (108 hours) |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 600 words, to be discussed with peers | 1-8 | Verbal peer feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | 0 | 20 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 60 | 4000 words | 1-7 | Written feedback |
| Presentation | 20 | 9 minutes per student (assessment based on individual presentation) | 1-8 | Verbal feedback |
| Reaction to reading | 20 | 900 words, reaction to a reading posted online on ELE before the session (so they can inform in-class discussions) | 1-8 | Verbal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay 4000 words | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Presentation | 1500 word report covering the topic of the presentation | 1-8 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Reactions to readings | 900 word reaction paper | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
- Ferrin, M., & Kriesi, H. (Eds.). (2016). How Europeans view and evaluate democracy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Flynn, D., B. Nyhan and J. Reifler (2017). The nature and origins of misperceptions: understanding false and unsupported beliefs about politics. Political Psychology 38 (S1): 127–150.
- Foa, R. S., & Mounk, Y. (2016). The democratic disconnect. Journal of Democracy, 27(3), 5-17.
- Golder, M. (2016). Far right parties in Europe. Annual Review of Political Science, 19, 477-497.
- Hutter, S., E. Grande and H. Kriesi (eds) (2016). Politicising Europe: Integration and Mass Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Inglehart, R., & Norris, P. (2017). Trump and the Populist Authoritarian Parties: The Silent Revolution in Reverse. Perspectives on Politics, 15(2), 443-454.
- Marks, G., Hooghe, L., Nelson, M., & Edwards, E. (2006). Party competition and European integration in the East and West: Different structure, same causality. Comparative Political Studies, 39(2), 155-175.
- Risse, T. (2010). A Community of Europeans? Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
- Rupnik, J. (2016). Surging Illiberalism in the East. Journal of Democracy, 27(4), 77-87.
- Toshkov, D. (2016). Research Design in in Political Science. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
ELE - ( vle.exeter.ac.uk )
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 26/06/2018 |
| Last revision date | 04/07/2018 |
