Representing the People
| Module title | Representing the People |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC2152 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Ekaterina Kolpinskaya (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
Who represents us – and how – are the core questions you will grapple with on this module. To what extent and how British political and social institutions represent Britons is becoming increasingly complex owing to the changing composition of British society that may or may not be mirrored in that of political and social elites, as well as evolving types of representation and representative behaviours.
This module uses research-informed techniques to enable you to examine trends in political representation in the UK. It is suitable for non-specialist students and those on interdisciplinary pathways. It does not have pre-requisites and suits students interested in representation and identity politics.
Module aims - intentions of the module
On this module you will examine trends in political representation in the UK at different levels of politics.
It combines a theoretical and conceptual understanding of representation with concrete applications in a UK context. It draws on academic literature, policy initiatives and empirical data from Britain and comparable cases from around the globe, as well as the analysis of data from the UK Parliament, devolved legislatures and local councils, as well as public opinion polls and surveys. Integration of comparative elements and engagement with recent experimental studies done in the UK and overseas enable you to explore practical ways of improving the quality of political representation and assess their strengths and challenges. The module builds on the existing scholarship, including theoretical (e.g., Hannah Pitkin, Anne Phillips, Jane Mansbridge, Michael Saward) and empirical (Sarah Childs, Rosie Campbell, Neema Begum, Christina Wolbrecht, Stephanie Reher, Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte) research of the concept and practice of representation. Taking this research as a starting point, the module moves beyond the traditional focus of parliamentary representation and representation of traditionally under-represented, visible groups such as women and ethnic minorities and applies the concept of representation to ‘invisible’ groups such as the working class, disabled and LGBTQ+ people. This broadens the scope of the module and uses the representation lens to address wider issues of dissatisfaction with the quality of democracy at different institutional levels.
The module is taught through a combination of interactive lectures and seminars, including discussions, interactive activities and hands-on data analysis.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of political representation
- 2. Critically evaluate and empirically apply these approaches to study political representation in the UK
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of concepts, approaches and methodologies in the area of political representation and ability to contextualise them within the broader discipline of politics
- 4. Develop and present coherently and reflectively, orally and in writing, evidence-based arguments relevant to the module content
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Communicate effectively and accurately in the content of debates and in writing in different formats, i.e. posters, research reports
- 6. Undertake tasks and complete research assignments with minimum guidance, while critically reflecting on the learning process and feedback
- 7. Select, synthesise and analyse information from a range of sources to develop coherent, evidence-based and logically sound arguments
Syllabus plan
While the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, the syllabus will cover the following topics:
- Political representation – what is it, and why (and how) does it matter?
- Politics of presence? Symbolic, descriptive and substantive political representation
- Conceptualising and measuring political representation
- Levels of political representation – from local to national politics
- How are the under-represented? Evaluating levels of representation of social and identity groups in Britain
- Intersectionality and political representation
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 | 20 | 11 x 2-hour interactive lectures and seminars |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 2 | 1 x 2-hour assessment support clinic |
| Guided independent study | 40 | Completing readings assigned for the module on a weekly basis |
| Guided independent study | 10 | Preparation of the formative assignment |
| Guided independent Study | 30 | Preparation of assignment 1 (research poster). Conducting research, analysing data and writing up results, designing visualisations |
| Guided independent study | 40 | Preparation of assignment 2 (research report). Conducting research, synthesising and analysing evidence, writing up results |
| Guided independent Study | 8 | Receiving feedback and reflecting on it |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research poster outling | 500 words | 1-7 | Written and oral feedback |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research poster | 40 | A1 poster, including 2 tables, images or graphs | 1-7 | Written |
| Research report | 60 | 1,700 words | 1-7 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research poster | Research poster (A1 poster, including 2 tables, images or graphs) | 1-7 | Referral/Deferral Period |
| Research report | Research report (1,700 words) | 1-7 | Referral/Deferral Period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to redo the assessment(s) as defined above. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Allen, P. (2018). The Political Class. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bird, K., Saalfeld, T. and Wust, A. (Eds). (2011). The Political Representation of Immigrants and Minorities: Voters, Parties and Parliaments in Liberal Democracies. London: Routledge.
Campbell, R., & Cowley, P. (2014) ‘What voters want: Reactions to candidate characteristics in a survey experiment’, Political Studies, 62(4), 745-765.
Campbell, R., & Lovenduski, J. (2015). What should MPs do? Public and parliamentarians' views compared. Parliamentary Affairs, 68(4), 690-708.
Celis, K., & Childs, S. (2020). Feminist democratic representation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Deschouwer, K., & Depauw, S. (Eds.). (2014). Representing the people: a survey among members of statewide and substate parliaments. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Heath, A. F., Fisher, S. D., Rosenblatt, G., Sanders, D., & Sobolewska, M. (2013). The political integration of ethnic minorities in Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kroeber, C. (2018). How to measure the substantive representation of traditionally excluded groups in comparative research: a literature review and new data. Representation, 54(3), 241-259.
Reher, S. (2022). Do disabled candidates represent disabled citizens?. British Journal of Political Science, 52(2), 520-534.
Rehfeld, A. (2006). Towards a general theory of political representation. Journal of Politics, 68, 1-21.
Saward, M. (2011). The Representative Claim. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Trumm, S., & Barclay, A. (2021). Parliamentary representation: Should MPs prioritise their own views or those of their voters?. Political Studies, 71(4), 1151-1170.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Datasets on political representation:
- Audit of Political Engagement https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/projects/audit-of-political-engagement
- British Election Study https://www.britishelectionstudy.com/
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 30/01/2024 |
