Undergraduate Course: Contemporary British Politics (PLIT10087)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Politics |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course is concerned with the domestic and global context in British politics. The domestic focuses on the main political parties in government and opposition since 1979, and constitutional reform since 1997; the global on the environment, European Union and Britain's place in the world in the twenty-first century. Parliamentary sovereignty and democratic accountability are two themes of the course. The historical context is post¿1945. To understand the way Britain has been governed since 1979, we need to understand the way it was governed after 1945. Through close analysis of contemporary issues in British politics, the course anticipates how Britain is likely to be governed in the future.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least 3 Politics/International Relations courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses. |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Students will acquire knowledge and understanding of a range of contemporary domestic and international issues in British Politics, including:
* the performance of the main political parties in government and opposition and in
general elections
* party competition and ideological convergence since 1979
* the impact of the European Union and globalisation on parliamentary sovereignty.
By the end of the course students will be able to analyse these issues in their historical context and through the evaluation of contemporary literature. Research skills will be developed through the submission of written summaries of preparatory reading for seminars.
Communication, presentational and written skills will be developed through:
* the delivery of extended length oral presentations
* participation in peer group debate
* submission of scholarly essays.
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Assessment Information
| 50% essay (1 essay of 2,500 words), 50% exam (standard 2 hour exam paper; 2 questions to be answered). |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
There is no set text for this course, but students may find R. Heffernan, P. Cowley and C. Hay (eds.), Developments in British Politics 9 (2011) useful. |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | |
Course secretary | Ms Ruth Winkle
Tel: (0131 6)50 4253
Email: Ruth.Winkle@ed.ac.uk |
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