Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3196: Democracy in the European Union

This module descriptor refers to the 2020/1 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

This plan is indicative of the topics to be covered by the module. More details will be given and the plan finalized in the module outline.

The module will look at representation theory in a first step before it moves on to address the main actors involved in democratic representation in the EU – the Council of the EU, the European Council, the European Parliament, Europarties, national parliaments, national parties, interest groups and civil society organisation, as well as citizens. We will also look at some current debates and developments such the democratic deficit debate, the debate on democratic backsliding, the Euro crisis, the UK leaving the EU as well as increasing Euroscepticism.

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
442560

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities4422 x two-hour seminars. These will be a mix of formal lectures led by the co-ordinator, student presentation and student discussion. The emphasis is on weekly seminar presentations; active seminar participation.
Guided independent study256A variety of private study tasks directed by module leader, including reading at least two articles per class, the reading for the oral presentation and its preparation, the preparation of the simulation, the reading for the essay, the conducting of research for it and the writing of the essay. The large bulk of the independent study time will be spent with the weekly reading of key texts and the research for and drafting of the essay.

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).