GV100-4-AU-CO:
Introduction to Politics
2023/24
Government
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 15 December 2023
15
17 May 2021
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA L2CH Social Sciences,
BA LFCH Social Sciences
This module is designed to provide you with an introduction to political science and to politics. The module consists of four parts: democracy and democratisation; political behavior; political institutions; political outcomes.
We will also introduce some practical aspects of political science, such as methods used to study political systems, reading and interpreting political science articles, and writing political science essays.
The main aim of the module is to provide an introduction to political science and to politics.
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Summarize the basic building blocks of the academic study of politics;
2. Read, understand, and discuss articles involved in more specialised study in the field of politics;
3. Compare and contrast political systems, institutions, behaviours, and outcomes at different times and in different places;
4. Write clear and cogent essays;
5. Conduct independent library and internet searches for scholarly work;
6. Contribute with well-informed contributions in small-group discussions.
There is one textbook for this module, abbreviated CGG in the module diary below:
Clark, William Roberts, Matt Golder, and Sona Nadenichek Golder. Principles of comparative politics. CQ Press, 2nd Edition, 2017. ISBN: 978-1608716791.
You may use electronic or previous editions of this book.
Further, a selection of readings is assigned throughout the module. Log on to Moodle to access these assigned readings. The readings are listed and discussed in more detail below.
These extra readings are available in the Library, typically on either three-hour loan or three-day loan. The Library web site is also accessible from your myEssex student portal; myEssex offers you a structured set of links to online services and information that have been customised with your needs in mind.
The Library provides online access to a number of journals that will serve as sources for your essay each term: http://libwww//essex.ac.uk. You must use these academic outlets, rather than popular outlets (opinion pages, Wikipedia, blogs, daily news) when sourcing your essays. Papers other people post on sites such as citemywork.com and selfpostedpapers.com are not acceptable sources/references for your essay. Essays based solely on browsing the web with no use of scholarly sources will not receive high marks.
1 hour lecture per week plus 1 hour class per week.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Class Test |
|
50% |
| Coursework |
Essay Outline |
|
15% |
| Coursework |
Essay |
|
35% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Prabin Khadka, email: prabin.khadka@essex.ac.uk.
Module Supervisor: Prabin Khadka
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 50 hours, 50 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Government
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