2023/24 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
PIED3170 The End of British Politics?
20 creditsClass Size: 80
Module manager: Dr Stuart McAnulla
Email: S.D.McAnulla@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2023/24
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Module summary
Is traditional British politics coming to an 'End'? In recent years, many have made apocalyptic or dramatic claims regarding the likely future of politics in the UK. For example, are we witnessing the end of the dominance of liberal ideology? Is populism increasingly shaping party politics? Will Britain 'break-up' following devolution and Scottish nationalism? Have Brexit and the pandemic changed power relations in Britain? Why are most of our political leaders struggling to succeed? Do most British people now 'hate' politics or are they engaging in different ways than in the past (e.g. social media, protests)? Is UK politics increasingly secular, or has religion increased in importance again? This module evaluates to what extent recent events and trends have (or have not) transformed the key dynamics and power relations in British politics. Are we witnessing fundamental change, or are many claims exaggerated?Objectives
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
1 Demonstrate knowledge of and critically evaluate competing theories and models of British politics;
2 Show familiarity with key developments and recent trends in British politics;
3 Exhbit a critical understanding of theoretical and empirical literatures on key topics in British politics;
4 Relate specialized knowledge of specific 'topics' to broader developments within British politics;
5 Produce coherent and structured written work on contemporary British politics.
Syllabus
Specific module topics may alter year-to-year depending on contemporary events in British politics. However, indicative topics include:
- Is British politics becoming increasingly 'post-liberal'?
- Populism and the 'culture wars'
- To what extent have Brexit and the pandemic changed the dynamics of British politics?
- The 'break-up' of Britain and Scottish nationalism
- Explaining the failures of political leaders
- Do people now 'hate' politics, or engage differently?
- 'We don't do God' - to what extent is this true in contemporary British politics?
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Seminar | 11 | 2.00 | 22.00 |
| Private study hours | 178.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 22.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 | ||
Private study
- Seminar preparation: 66 hours- Reading on specialist topics: 112 hours
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
1 x 2,000 formative essay in preperation for final essayMethods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | 1 x 3,000 End of term essay | 100.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
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 websiteLast updated: 28/04/2023 14:51:18
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