POL3146
Political Participation

Lecturer: Professor Jack Vowles
Email: j.vowles@exeter.ac.uk
Skype: jvowlez
Class time
and location		 Streatham
Term 1 Harrison 106, Mondays 12-2
Term 2 Queens MR 1, Tuesdays 11-1
Tremough
Term 1 PL Seminar 5, Thursdays 2-4pm
Term 2 Tremough House Seminar W Thursdays 12-2
 Course URL: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1548
Office Hours: Streatham Mondays 11am-12, Tremough Thursday 3-4pm


Duration of Module: 2 Semesters
Total Student Study time: 300 hours, including 20 x 2 hour seminars

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, and investigating alternative forms of participation, the module provides an introduction to the international literature on political participation. Where appropriate, there is a focus on the British case. Among other things, this module explores the nature of ‘social capital’, the significance of political knowledge, generational differences in political participation, the motives for ‘extreme’ forms of political participation such as revolution and revolt, experiments in deliberative democracy, and the extent to which new forms of political participation may have taken the place of the old.

Assignments
2 summative seminar presentations, and 2 summative essays of 4000 words each. Both may be aligned to the topics listed in the syllabus, and seminars will normally be on the same topics as the essays, as a ‘work in progress’. If they wish, students can hand in an essay on a different top[c than that of the seminar.

Assessment
Two work in progress presentations within seminars, 10%. You will be assessed on the best of the two.

Seminar preparation, 10%. You are expected to read the basic readings assigned for each class. Every student will need to be prepared to comment on a seminar presentation at any seminar, contribute to debate, and ask an informed question.

Two analytical papers, 4000 words each, 40% each. These must be handed in to the School Office by 4 pm on the day designated, and also uploaded to ‘turninin’, through Web-CT to the same deadline. Papers not uploaded into turnitin will not be assessed.

All absences that are legitimate and supported by a Doctor’s certificate or are part of on-going mitigation will be taken into consideration. Attendance will be monitored by a weekly Sign-In sheet at the seminar, cross referenced against your initial sign in signature taken on module sign up.

ALL ASSESSED WORK MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE AND MUST BE THERE BY 4.OO PM ON THE STATED DAY OR THE COMPUTER DOES NOT ACCEPT IT

Essay Writing Guide: You can find lots of advice relating to essay writing at:
http://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/politics/undergrad/polEssayWriting.pdf

You can also find other useful advice related to general study skills at: http://www.services.ex.ac.uk/edu/student-learning-skills/resources.shtml

The College Undergraduate Handbook may also be a useful source of further advice at:
http://intranet.exeter.ac.uk/socialsciences/ug/handbook/

More
Class Timetable
Detailed Programme and Readings
Essay Questions
Further Readings

Download Module Syllabus in PDF