2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PIED2123 The Conservative Party from Churchill to Cameron

20 creditsClass Size: 46

Module manager: Dr Tim Heppell
Email: T.Heppell@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

Module replaces

PIED2150 The Politics of the Conservative Party

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Why should I take this module?This module seeks to explain how the Conservative Party have defined and positioned themselves as a means to ensure electoral success (the politics of support) and then to demonstrate governing competence (the politics of power). The module will consider how the statecraft strategies adopted by the Conservative Party have evolved since 1945 as mechanisms designed to ensure that they retain their self-proclaimed status as the 'natural party of government'. The second part of the module provides scope for students to analyse the changing nature of Conservative party policy (economic, European and morality) and to examine the evolution of Conservative 'ideology' within the context of Thatcherism and the crisis of meaning and identity in post-Thatcherite Conservatism. When considering the interrelationship between the ideological divides around the economy, European integration and social morality, the module will highlight the complex relationship between the party and their party leaders, thus highlighting leadership instability since 1990. Brief Reading List Bale, T. (2012), The Conservative Party since 1945, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Charmley, J. (2007) A History of Conservative Politics since 1830, Basingstoke: Palgrave.Heppell, T. (2014), The Tories: From Churchill to Cameron, London: Bloomsbury.

Objectives

The aim of the module is to examine the development of the Conservative Party in government and opposition since 1945. The first objective of the module is to analyse the evolving interaction between the ideology of Conservatism and the ethos of the Conservative Party within the context of statecraft theory, ie the art of winning elections and governing competently.

It will focus on:
- the triumph and degeneration of one-nation Conservatism in the 1945 to 1965 period;
- the failure of Heathite Conservatism in the 1965 to 1975 period;
- the emergence and dominance of Thatcherite Conservatism between 1975 and 1990;
- the crisis within post-Thatcherite Conservatism from 1990 to 2005;
- and the modernisation of the Conservatives since 2005 to present day.

The second objective of the module is to examine the ideological disputes that have characterised post-war Conservative party politics, and most notably Thatcherite and post-Thatcherite Conservatism, and to analyse the difficulties that respective party leaders have experienced in managing the ideological divides surrounding economic policy, European integration and social morality.

In analysing the complexities of party leadership, the module concludes by analysing the centrality of ideology in the selection of respective Conservative Party leaders.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module, students should be able to:

a) demonstrate a critical understanding of the historical development of the Conservative Party in government and opposition since 1945;
b) demonstrate an in depth knowledge of the internal ideological disputes that have characterised Conservative Party politics and their impact on party management and party leadership selection;
c) demonstrate a command of a range of literature on post war Conservative Party politics;
d) appraise competing theories about the politics of the Conservative Party;
e) use their ability to draw on a range of relevant information in order to present informed arguments in a logical and coherent written format.

Syllabus

PART ONE: Government and Opposition: Developments in Conservative Party Politics

1. One Nation Dominance and Degeneration 1945 to 1964
2. Modernisation and the Failure of the Heath Government 1964 to 1975
3. Competing Perspectives on Thatcherism and the Thatcher Era 1975 to 1990
4. The Crisis of Post Thatcherite Conservatism 1990 to 2005
5. Built to Last? The Conservatives under Cameron 2005


PART TWO: Ideology and Leadership: Debates within Conservative Party Politics

6. The Economic Ideological Divide: Wets versus Dries
7. The European Ideological Divide: Europhiles versus Eurosceptics
8. The Morality Ideological Divide: Social Liberals versus Social Conservatives
9. Party Leadership Elections / Ejections: PCP Ballots
10. Party Leadership Elections / Ejections: Membership Ballots

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	10	1.00	10.00
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			179.00
Total Contact hours			21.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Students are required to read core and additional readings listed in the reading list in preparation for seminar discussion and essays. This entails careful and reflective reading, note-taking, summarising, preparation for class discussion, and developing a sense of a field of literature in addition to engagement with individual readings.

Students are also encouraged to use their initiative and skills of discernment in finding additional material relevant to the course topics.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- Student attendance will be monitored on a weekly basis
- student contribution to class discussion will be monitored throughout the course, but not assessed.

One 2,000 word non-assessed essay for progress monitoring to be submitted at mid- point of module.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3,000 words	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 15/09/2015

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD