Political behaviour and party politics
Study Board of Political Science, Journalism, Sociology, and European Studies
Teaching language: English
EKA: B410009102
Censorship: Second examiner: None
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Master
Course ID: B410009101
ECTS value: 10
Date of Approval:
Duration: 1 semester
Course ID
Course Title
Teaching language
ECTS value
Responsible study board
Course Responsible
Offered in
Level
Offered in
Duration
Mandatory prerequisites
Recommended prerequisites
Participation in the course “Development and reform of the welfare state” or a similar course on welfare-state theories will be helpful but is not strictly required.
Aim and purpose
The course provides an in-depth understanding of how the behaviour of political actors - citizens, parties, and political and policy decision-makers - shapes welfare state politics and welfare state reforms. The purpose of the course is to give students an advanced understanding of what drives the behavior of these political actors relating to welfare states and of why welfare state reforms are often necessary yet very difficult to implement, and under which circumstances they occur nonetheless. To this end, we will discuss recent theoretical advances and empirical studies.
In sum, the course will advance students’ …
- Knowledge on various theories of political behaviour on the supply and demand sides of politics and their application to the case of the welfare state in theory and in selected empirical cases
- Competence to assess the political costs and benefits of welfare state reforms in a given political and economic context
Content
This course specifically covers the following topics:
- The welfare state as a case of incremental institutional change
- (Deeper) drivers of welfare attitudes and political powerholders
- Electoral punishment after cases of radical welfare state retrenchment
- The roles and strategies of different political actor types
- Radical retrenchment and economic crises: prospect theory, and elite framing
Learning goals
To achieve the goal of the course the learning outcome is that students…
… prove knowledgeable of:
- Discussed theories of political behaviour and party behaviour and their application to the case of the welfare state
- Discussed empirical cases of radical welfare state reform
…demonstrate skills to:
- Reflect on the merits and drawbacks of various theoretical approaches in explaining contemporary reforms
- Communicate and discuss the politics of contemporary reforms
… exhibit competency to
- Assess and communicate the political costs and benefits of welfare state reforms in a given political and economic context
Literature
Teaching Method
This course will be taught in the form of an intensive summer course with two two-hour sessions per day. Time of classes: Last two weeks in August 2018.
Each session will start with a standard lecture, after which there will be joint class discussion.
A 10 ECTS course entails a total workload of 270 hours. These are divided between different learning activities and below follows an estimation for the average student:
Face-to-face lectures = 34
Preparation for lectures = 116
Exam (preparation) = 120
Total = 270
Workload
Examination regulations
Exam - oral exam
Name
Exam - oral exam
Timing
The examination will take place in September. Re-examination in September.
Rules
-3 is not allowed, 00 is not allowed
Tests
Exam - oral exam
Name
Exam - oral exam
Form of examination
Oral examination
Censorship
Second examiner: None
Grading
7-point grading scale
Identification
Student Identification Card - Date of birth
Language
English
Duration
20 minutes
Examination aids
None.
ECTS value
10
Additional information
Registration for the course is automatically a registration for the ordinary examination in the course. Cancellation is not possible. If the student does not participate in the examination, the student will use an examination attempt.
The university may grant an exemption from the rules in case of exceptional circumstances.
EKA
B410009102
External comment
The course is a Summer course, and it is not possible to deregister from summer courses.
NOTE - This course is identical with the former course 97012301, Political behaviour and party politics/specialised Analysis of Reform Politics / Political behaviour and party politics/specialised Analysis of Reform Politics.
Used examination attempts in the former identical course will be transferred.
Courses that are identical with former courses that are passed according to applied rules cannot be retaken.
The student is automatically registered for the first examination attempt when the student is registered for a course or course element with which one or more examinations are associated. Withdrawal of registration is not possible, and students who fail to participate in an examination have used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances.
If a student does not meet the established university prerequisites for taking the exam, he or she has used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances.