Political Analysis
| Module title | Political Analysis |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC2124 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Sabiha Allouche (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 80 |
|---|
Module description
This module will introduce you to research design and political analysis. You will engage with a range of theories and approaches to the study of Politics and International Relations. It will challenge you to reflect on the assumptions that underpin various methods, which shape the questions that can be asked and answered. As experts in their field, staff will provide an introduction to a particular approach and method. Each staff member will also guide you through an application of their approach/method in the context of a particular research project. Through the module you will be taught how to generate your own research questions, design and plan an independent research project, and conduct a literature review.
Module aims - intentions of the module
To introduce undergraduate students to key political theories, approaches and debates in political science.
To familiarise students with core concepts and methods for the analysis of politics and international relations.
To enable students to understand and conduct political analysis of contemporary social and political issues.
To provide students with analytical skills with which to design their political own research.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate an understanding of key theories and approaches of political analysis and the capacity to critically engage and evaluate political research
- 2. demonstrate an understanding of core concepts in political analysis and be aware of their epistemological assumptions
- 3. apply theories and methods of political analysis to design political research
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. define complex political problems, identify their significance and select appropriate approaches for investigating and critically evaluating them
- 5. demonstrate knowledge of political concepts and their contextual/social/political implications
- 6. apply knowledge to a political problem/ case study
- 7. select, integrate and present coherently and reflectively, orally and in writing, relevant political/theoretical arguments
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. communicate and engage in debate effectively and accurately, orally and in writing, in a manner appropriate to the discipline/ different contexts
- 9. manage relevant learning resources/ information/ learning strategies and to develop own arguments and opinions with minimum guidance
- 10. work independently and to manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities, exercises and assessment including identify, retrieve and use efficiently a range of library-based and electronic resources with minimum guidance
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover at least some of the following topics:
- Writing a research proposal
- Qualitative methods
- Quantitative methods
- Questionnaire design
- The logic of political surveys
- Textual analysis
- Feminist Methods in International Relations
- Archival Research, Genealogy and Problematisation
- Aesthetics, Visualisations and Visual Methods
- Decolonizing methodologies
- Writing a Literature Review
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | 121 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 27.5 | 11 x 2.5 hour weekly seminars |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 1.5 | 3 x 30 minute supervision meetings |
| Guided Independent study | 40 | Preparation for seminars |
| Guided Independent study | 81 | Completion of coursework |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary outline of research topic | 1000 words | 1-10 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Literature Review | 70 | 3,000 words | 1-10 | Written Feedback |
| Research proposal | 30 | 1,500 words | 1-10 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literature Review | Literature Review (3,000 words) | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
| Research proposal | Research proposal (1,500 words) | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Ackerly, Brooke A., Maria Stern, and Jacqui True, eds. Feminist methodologies for international relations. Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Aradau, Claudia, et al. Critical security methods: New frameworks for analysis. Routledge, 2014.
Donatella della Porta, Keating Michael, Approaches and Methodologies in Political Science, CUP, 2008.
Halperin Sandra, Heath Oliver, Political Research: Methods and Practical Skills, OUP, 2016.
Jackson, Patrick Thaddeus. The conduct of inquiry in international relations: philosophy of science and its implications for the study of world politics. Routledge, 2010.
Kellstedt Paul, The Fundamentals of Political Science Research, CUP, 2013.
King Gary, Keohane Robert, Verba Sidney, Designing Social Inquiry, PUP, 1994.
Klotz, Audie, and Deepa Prakash, eds. Qualitative methods in international relations. Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.
Lamont, Christopher. Research methods in international relations. Sage, 2015.
Lebow, Richard Ned. Constructing Cause in International Relations. Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Rech, Matthew F., et al. "An Introduction to Military Research Methods." The Routledge Companion to Military Research Methods (2016)
Salter, Mark and Can Mutlu (eds). Research Methods in Critical Security Studies. Routledge, 2012.
Shepherd, Laura J. (ed) Critical Approaches to Security, Routledge, 2012.
Toshkov Dimiter, Research Design in Political Science, Palgrave, 2016.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 17/10/2019 |
| Last revision date | 17/10/2019 |
