Module POL3180 for 2018/9
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL3180: Latin American Parties, Politics and Elections
This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.
Module Aims
Besides serving as an introduction for those of you who are unfamiliar with the history, politics, and socio-economic structure of the region, the course seeks to expose you to relevant topics, problems and current debates regarding Latin American politics and to encourage you to think critically about some of the most important challenges faced by democracies in the region.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. participate in informed discussions about the political history of Latin America; 2. critically evaluate current political developments in the region; 3. critically analyse concepts and contexts of Latin American politics; 4. identify common trends as well as differences between Latin American democracies; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 5. identify and discuss 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 - theoretical arguments and methodological approaches used to analyse Western democracies can be extrapolated to other political contexts; 7. use and analyse a range of sources and materials commonly employed in political science research, including historical studies, public opinion data and news sources; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 8. 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. analyse and interpret empirical data. |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment based on individual class presentation | One 15-minute class presentation | 1-4, 8-10 | Verbal |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | 35 | 2,500 words | 2-8,11 | Written |
| Essay 2 based on one of the country case studies mentioned in the syllabus | 45 | 3,500 words | 2-8,11 | Written |
| Coursework - Film Review | 20 | 1,500 words | 2-4, 8 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | Essay 1 (2,500 words) | 2-8,11 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Essay 2 based on one of the country case studies mentioned in the syllabus | Essay 2 based on one of the country case studies mentioned in the syllabus (3,500 words) | 2-8,11 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Coursework Film review | 1,500 word film review | 2-4, 8 | August/September re-assessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
- Baker, Andy, and Kenneth Greene. 2011. "The Latin American Left’s Mandate: Free-Market Policies and Issue Voting in New Democracies." World Politics 63(1): 43-77.
- Booth, John A. and Mitchell A. Seligson. 2009. The Legitimacy Puzzle in Latin America - Political Support and Democracy in Eight Nations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Coppedge, Michael. 1998. "The Dynamic Diversity of Latin American Party Systems". Party Politics 4(4): 547-568.
- Hagopian, Frances, and Scott Mainwaring. 2005. Third Wave of Democratization in Latin America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Klesner, Joseph L. 2001. "The End of Mexico’s One-Party Regime" Political Science & Politics 34(1): 107-114.
- Remmer, Karen L. 1990. "Democracy and Economic Crisis: The Latin American Experience." World Politics 42(3):315-335.
- Skidmore, Thomas E., and Peter E. Smith. 2000. Modern Latin America, pp.1-12; 42-67. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Wiarda, Howard J. The Soul of Latin America: The Cultural and Political Tradition. New Haven: Yale University Press 2001.
- Wright, Thomas. 2001. Latin America in the Era of the Cuban Revolution, pp. 39-72. Westport: Praeger.
