Module POL3172 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL3172: Political Participation
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
In many of the longest-established democracies, voter turnout and party membership are in decline, particularly among the young. Many people distrust and disdain politicians and the political process in general. With a focus on seeking explanations for such current problems of representative democracy, the module provides an introduction to the international literature on political participation. Among other things, it explores the significance of political knowledge, generational differences in political participation, the motives for ‘extreme’ forms of political participation such as revolution and revolt, and the extent to which new forms of political participation may have taken the place of the old.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. List, describe and demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts associated with political participation 2. Identify appropriate empirical evidence that can be used to test claims about political participation Made by theorists, politicians and political commentators |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Identify and discuss the major political concepts and deploy them in appropriate circumstances. 4. Engage in sympathetic interpretation and reasoned criticism of theories 5. List, describe and evaluate different interpretations in the light of appropriate evidence 6. Use logic and reasoning to evaluate arguments 7. Apply abstract theoretical ideas and concepts to actual events and outcomes 8. Construct well-structured rigorous arguments based on logical deduction |
| Personal and Key Skills | 9. The ability to study independently and in groups deliver presentations to peers, communicate effectively in speech and writing 10. communicate orally and appropriately use ICT 11. research & critically valuate information and apply techniques and theories in appropriate contexts 12. design and run presentations and demonstrate reliability and commitment to the ongoing process of class discussion |
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:
- Introduction
- Classical and Contemporary Theories of Political Participation
- Voter Turnout
- Political Knowledge
- Information and Participation
- Socio-economic status and participation
- Identity and Participation
- Religion and Participation
- Social Networks
- The Internet and Social Media
- Downsides of participation
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 22 | 11 x 2 hr seminars. Teaching is conducted through introductory lectures, followed by student-led seminars. The main emphasis is on weekly seminar presentations, for which all students are expected to read background materials to make possible their active participation in discussion |
| Guided Independent Study | 80 | Reading, preparation for seminars and class presentation, writing weekly summaries |
| Guided Independent Study | 48 | Writing 1 essay applying concepts in the course to current or historical examples |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 weekly reading summaries (lowest of 10 marks) | 200 words each | 1-12 | Written |
| Essay plan | 500 words | 1-12 | Written |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | 0 | 10 |
...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 | 50 | 2,000 words | 1-12 | Written |
| 5 weekly reading summaries (highest of 10 marks) | 40 | 200 words each | 1-12 | Written |
| Seminar presentation | 10 | 10 minutes | 1-12 | Oral (in class) and written |
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 | Essay (3,000 words) | 1-12 | August/September reassessment period |
| Presentation | Recorded presentation (10 minutes) | 1-12 | August/September reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Essay is 90% of mark and presentation score is 10%.
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.
- Norris, Pippa, (2002) Democratic Phoenix. Reinventing Political Activism, Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
- Franklin, Mark N., (2004). Voter Turnout and the Dynamics of Electoral Competition in Established Democracies Since 1945. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
- Milner, Henry, (2002) Civic Literacy. How Informed Citizens Make Democracy Work, University Press of New England
- Pattie, Charles, Patrick Seyd, and Paul Whitely, (2004) Citizenship in Britain: Values, Participation, and Democracy. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press
- Norris, P., & Inglehart, R. (2019). Cultural backlash: Trump, Brexit, and authoritarian populism. Cambridge University Press.
