Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3220: The Politics of Democracy in Latin America

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Aims

The module aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary democratic politics of Latin America. By the end of the term students will be able to describe the key features of democratic governments in Latin America; assess their main achievements and challenges; and place current political issues in a comparative and historical perspective.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. Participate in informed and comprehensive discussions about the politics of Latin America
2. Critically evaluate current political developments in the region
3. Critically analyse concepts and contexts of Latin American politics
4. Identify and explain common trends as well as differences between Latin American democracies
Discipline-Specific Skills5. Identify and critically discuss i key concepts in the literature on democracy, democratisation and democratic quality, applying them to empirical case studies;
6. Critically assess whether - and to what extent – concepts and arguments from mainstream comparative political analysis can be extrapolated to other political contexts
7. Use Identify and analyse a comprehensive range of sources and materials commonly employed in political science research, including historical studies, public opinion data and news sources
Personal and Key Skills8. Convey ideas precisely and concisely, both orally and in writing;
9. Present and defend your work in an effective and convincing manner in front of an audience;
10. Work independently and with peers to achieve goals;
11. Critically analyse and interpret empirical data.