School of Social Sciences

Department of Politics and International Relations

_______________________________________
BA (Hons) Politics
BA (Hons) Politics and Sociology
BA (Hons) International Relations
BA| (Hons) International Relations and Politics

POLS1001: 2014 / 2015

British Politics in a Global Age

Module Leader:

Dr Michael O’Neill Room 3204 Chaucer

Tel: 0115 8485533
email: michael.oneill@ntu.ac.uk

1
1. INTRODUCTION
This module is designed as a basic introduction to the study of politics and government with
special reference to some of the key political and governmental processes, institutions, actors
and issues in the UK political system. The module is offered to students on the BA (Hons)
Politics and Politics and Sociology programmes. The module’s main aims are to enable you to:

1 Develop basic vocabulary associated with the study of politics

2 Identify significant political actors in the political/government systems of the UK,
their role and their functions
3 Understand the sources and the exercise of political power in the British state
3 Understand the social and cultural context of British politics
4 Locate the British polity in its wider global context

The material in the module is divided into four sections. In term one we deal briefly with
politics in the abstract, the nature of politics as a human activity, the way mankind orders and
organises its public affairs. The module introduces some of the key ideas and concepts that
underpin the study of politics. We discuss issues some key concepts such as political power and
the meaning of key terms such as state and government and the United Kingdom as a liberal
democratic state. We then examine governance and politics in the UK, how the British State is
organised, beginning with what many commentators regard as the ‘peculiar’ un-coded nature
of the British Constitution.

We analyse in this context the changing nature of the United Kingdom and the ways in which
the once-unitary state has been challenged in recent years. Most importantly, we examine the
politics of nationality and identity that have become prevalent since the late 1960s in Northern
Ireland, Scotland and Wales. These developments have led a significant devolution of power
from the centre (Westminster and Whitehall) to a number of new territorial assemblies and
governments that have taken powers away from Westminster and Whitehall.

After setting the scene for understanding contemporary British politics and government, we
then analyse the of principal political actors and processes in the UK; those actors that are
involved on the ‘input’ or representative side of the British political system, and not least those
who wield real political power. For the purposes of this discussion we divide the material into
two broad themes: representation – elections, parties and interest group – and governance,
including parliament, the executive (the prime minister and cabinet) and the civil service.

In term two the module examines the broader socio-cultural context of political life in the UK.
Politics and government do not take place in a vacuum but rather are shaped by broader
cultural and social factors, what might broadly be described as the political environment. This is
covered in a review of is discussed in a discussion of British political culture, the politics of
multiculturalism, voting behaviour, and the influence of the mass media on politics

Democracy is the preferred way of doing politics in these islands, yet liberal democracy is
threatened, or at least is perceived by some citizens to be threatened by both alien and
domestic factors. These putative threats to democracy are covered in a discussion of the
impact of the European integration and the UK’s membership of the European Union, by the
continuing impact of what was once called “the Irish Question” on British politics, and by the
insidious influence of the so-called ‘secret state’.
In the final and concluding lecture, we shall discuss Britain’s present role, status and capacity in
what is now broadly seen as a globalising international order.

It is assumed that you have no previous knowledge of politics and students without A-level
politics will not be at any disadvantage vis-à-vis other students. Students with A-level Politics
are advised not to rely on their A-level notes: the material, the reading, the level of analysis,
seminar discussions and assessment will all differ from A-level. Indeed, over-reliance on A-level
notes is a major cause of slip-ups among level one students.

More generally, success in this and other modules is a case of following straightforward advice:
be organised, plan in advance, work hard, cross-reference, utilise the library, be prepared to
contribute in seminars, etc. Most importantly for any and all Politics modules, keep up-to-
date. Even the most carefully constructed theories of political systems can be blown off course
by the winds of political change, and politics in the UK, as elsewhere, is fast moving and ever
changing. You are strongly advised to read the quality press and journals, which serve as
forums for discussions of current affairs. Even recent textbooks may appear dated; you can
quickly fill in those gaps by exploiting library services, especially the journals and electronic
resources, and then utilising some of the more popular current affairs sources.

I recommend, in particular, the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Times, The Economist , and
New Statesman. On television, Newsnight and Channel 4 news are the best serious news
programmes around. On the radio, Today will keep you up to date while The Westminster Hour
is good for more detailed analyses. Today/ Yesterday in Parliament also have a 30 minute slot
daily which can be a useful source of information. All these programmes are on Radio 4.

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE MODULE

There are a number of learning outcomes that you will have attained on successful completion
of this module. You should try and reflect on your progress towards these outcomes as you
move through the module.

By the end of the module, you will be able to:

1 Discuss basic concepts utilised in the study of politics, such as power and states;
2 Identify the various environments within which UK politics operates;
3 Identify and analyse the various mechanisms by which demands are communicated to
the state;
4 Identify and analyse the key political actors in the state;
5 Work as part of a group on identified tasks and problems;
6 Communicate effectively orally and in writing;
7 Retrieve and select information from a variety of sources, including CD-Roms and the
Web;
8 Manage time and work to deadlines.

3. LECTURE PROGRAMME
The programme of lectures runs from week 1 through to the Easter break and beyond. There
will be two reading weeks, one per term during the first to terms. These are weeks when there
are no lectures or classes to enable you to do some concerted preparation for your term
assignment. Lectures provide an introduction to the subject area; an overview of key concepts,
ideas, dates and personalities; an outline of significant academic interpretations; and a guide to
more detailed reading. Please do not attempt to make notes verbatim: this is impossible.

The lectures will precede the seminars on the same topics. The lecture programme is
summarised below.

4. SEMINAR PROGRAMME
Seminars will begin in week 2 with a preliminary meeting. The seminars that cover the
discussion topics listed in this brochure begin the following week – week three of term.
Seminars are WEEKLY. You should consult the module brochure to be informed of specific dates
for each seminar topic. The first seminar (week 2) will provide an opportunity: a) for seminar
tutor and students to become acquainted; b) for the seminar tutor to explain aspects of the
module; and c) to raise any questions or queries that you may have. Thereafter, each seminar
will follow the principal issues raised in the sequence of lectures. This means that you will have
plenty of time from receiving the lecture to write-up your notes, compare them with lecture
summaries, and do at least some preliminary reading. You should at least read the appropriate
chapters in a textbook prior to the seminar. The seminar programme is summarised below.

The seminars will be largely based upon small group work. The seminar will be given questions
to consider. These will not require specialised knowledge, but will require that you have
attended the lecture and have done some basic reading.

Your attendance and participation in seminars is not just a matter of personal choice. The
advancement of knowledge in a seminar is the product of the involvement of all concerned
parties - students and staff. Free-riding on the effort of others is a problematic strategy, since if
we all free-ride, nothing gets produced. Put simply, lack of attendance and of contribution
affects others not just you so please ensure that you attend and participate regularly. Both
programmes have an attendance policy in place, which you should familiarise yourself with.

5. READING
The following will provide a useful starting point for the range of material in this semester.
Copies of many of these texts can be purchased at the university bookshop; student notice
boards and the Amazon websites often offer second-hand copies for sale, though be wary of the
condition of online book purchases; and the library will have several copies. The first nine works
listed below are especially recommended, and though some of these are now quite dated, they
do contain nevertheless very good insights into the broader patterns, processes and
developments in British government and politics.

In any event, these mostly seminal works should be consulted in conjunction with one another.
There is no one textbook that serves every purpose and students should acquire the habit of
cross-referring from several of these often magisterial and certainly indispensable works. If
you do decide to buy just one text for this module I recommend the list text cited below:

Bill Jones, Dennis Kavanagh, Michael Moran, and Philip Norton, Politics UK (London
Pearson edition 7 - the latest edition of a universally acclaimed text published in 2010)
Bogdanor, V, The New British Constitution, (Hart Publishing, 2009)

Jones, B. et al (2007) Politics UK (London: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 6 th edition) - a perennial

favourite, with a very broad range of coverage and excellent accessibility.

Budge, I. et al (4th edition, 2007) The New British Politics (London: Longman) - a textbook
from Essex University’s Department of Politics - one of the strongest in the country - with a
broad range of coverage and excellent pedagogy

O'Neill, M. (ed) (2004), Devolution and British Politics (London, Longman) - is an analysis of
the territorial and identity aspects of contemporary British politics

Dunleavy, P. et al (eds.) Developments in British Politics 8 (London: Macmillan 2006) and

ditto 9 (forthcoming 2011)– the latest books in a series of more specialised essays by experts on
particular aspects of British politics and government. These are mostly excellent essays by
leading experts, though they do require some basic knowledge and should be used as a
complement to other, more basic textbooks.

Kavanagh, D, David Richards, Andrew Geddes, and Martin Smith (2006 edition)
British Politics (Oxford: Oxford University Press) - straightforward, written in a very accessible
style.

Kingdom, J. (4th edition 2014) Government and Politics in Britain (Oxford: Polity, third
edition). Another dated text but with some excellent and still relevant analysis of British
political institutions and processes.

Dearlove, J. and P. Saunders (2001) Introduction to British Politics: Analysing a Capitalist

Democracy (Cambridge: Polity, 3rd edition) – a somewhat dated text but an excellent textbook
nevertheless that provides a more radical and challenging critique of the British political system.

It is also worthwhile trying to get a ‘feel’ for the insider view of British politics. Ministerial diaries
and memoirs are a useful starting point, although they are obviously subjective accounts;
political biographies are also worthwhile. Historians and good journalists may give you a flavour
of ‘real’ politics rather more easily than academic political scientists: see for instance three
excellent examples of political life in the raw: Peter Hennessy’s (2002) The Prime Ministers;
Andrew Rawnsley’s Servants of the People for the latter; and his more recent (if controversial
book on the demise of the recent Labour Government, The End of the Party (2010). A rather
less objective account of this period in British politics is Alastair Campbell’s, The Blair Years
(2007) The second volume of these memoirs has been published as Diaries Volume One:
Prelude to Power 1994-1997

It is important to note that no Politics course could ever truly be considered a ‘textbook course’,
partly because the subject matter changes so quickly, partly because there are no ‘right
answers’ in politics. Over reliance on one textbook source is to be avoided. Such reliance is also
very easy for examiners to spot. Rather, textbooks are a starting point, which should bolster the
points made in the lecture. Thereafter, you need to engage material in monographs, journals,
magazines, newspapers and on the internet.
Journals:
The following journals all contain relevant and contemporary articles for students of politics. You
should consult the current issues on a regular basis, as well as utilising back issues. Cross-
referencing and locating sources not on the reading lists, especially those in the journals, is a
skill that you should quickly try to develop at university! The following journals all contain
relevant material (you’ll find more in the Politics section of the library).

Parliamentary Affairs, Politics, Political Quarterly, Talking Politics, Government and Opposition,
Politics Review, Political Studies.

You should become accustomed to locating, browsing and exploring as many journals as
possible as early as possible. The advice here is not to rely overly on one-or-two sources: utilise
the resources available to the fullest possible extent. A quick skim through these journals for
the past few years will reveal scores of relevant articles for the topics considered in this
module. It is not possible to list them all in the seminar reading lists, but their exclusion from
the list does not mean that they should be excluded from your reading.

Reference works:

Useful information may be found in:

Butler, D. and G. Butler British Political Facts (London: Macmillan): 10th edition 2010

Dictionary of Government and Politics (Teddington: Collins)

McLean, I and McMillan, A, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics (Oxford Paperback
Reference, 2009)

Bogdanor, V. (ed) (1991) The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Science (Oxford: Blackwell)
2nd ed.

Robertson, I. (1993) A Dictionary of Modern Politics (London: Europa Publications)

Maclean, I. et al (1997) Dictionary of Politics (Oxford: OUP)

Web sites:

There is now a plethora of information on British government and politics available on the web.
This is a very useful resource for Politics, especially for contemporary material. The web is also
extremely valuable for primary information relating to, for example, select committee reports,
party manifestos, or government policy documents. As with any use of the web, try and be as
focused as possible in your searches, and do not waste time browsing aimlessly.

Your starting point should be the subject guides put together by NTU’s information, at:
http://www.ntu.ac.uk, available in the “Economics and Politics” section of the main Library
and Information Services page.

The UK government’s web pages are very comprehensive. The starting point for them is at:
http://www.open.gov.uk.

There are, of course, tens of thousands of alternative sites, relating to pressure groups, citizens’
movements and a whole host of radical, sometimes obscure, groups and individuals outside of
the political mainstream. These often provide excellent critiques of ‘politics as usual’, and are
worth checking out.

For each of the topics that follow a reading list is provided. This will include key works that you
should engage after the relevant chapter of a textbook. Always remember to supplement and
cross-reference: do not rely solely on my reading list. The most important and/or useful sources
are cited first, which is why the lists are not alphabetical.

Note: there is a reading week at mid-term in both terms one and two when there will be
neither a lecture nor seminars. This is designed to give you an opportunity to catch up on
reading and to do some work on your end of term assignment. The dates of the reading
weeks will be announced later, and will be communicated to you verbally and directly on-
line via the NTU NOW system.

6. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Please note, the new Grade-based assessment criteria that now apply to all NTU courses
and are published in the year one hand-book.

The marking of assignments according to these published criteria are in related to specific
qualities of submitted work and in almost every aspect deal with the content of the essay
(argument, originality, coherence, relevance, structure, use and assessment of sources),
but not entirely so. It is important to remember that other factors are important in the
overall assessment of written work. These include the quality of the presentation of the
essay (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.),the technical aspects of the essay
(referencing, bibliography, word limits), and the style and fluency of the writing (i.e. how
easy it is to read the essay and to understand the points being made).

A good essay is well written and clearly presented and takes a stance in relation to the
question and seeks to defend it in terms of reference to appropriate academic sources.
Very good essays show confidence in the way they argue and present material. First Class
essays, therefore, have clearly understood the text and essay question and have argued a
case with care and confidence.

You should avoid plagiarism at all costs, whether from academic sources or from the work of
other students in this, or in any other, university. This is a very serious offence both against
fellow students and the Faculty and University, which in extreme cases might lead to severe
penalties. You should refer to the Student Handbook for a definitive definition of plagiarism and
its potential consequences. Much of the work submitted for assessment is checked by the Turn-
it-in software which can detect plagiarised work, so it is always advisable to write assignments in
your own words.
 SUMMARY OF LECTURES & SEMINARS
Week Lectures
SECTION ONE: SOME KEY CONCEPTS
1 Overview of the module
2 What is politics?
3 Is ‘power’ its principal currency?
4 The nature of the liberal democratic state
5 What is the British Constitution?
6 Unravelling the unitary state: devolution and the rise of territorial identity
SECTION TWO: REPRESENTATION AND GOVERNANCE
7 Elections – is FPTP a ‘fair’ system?
8 The changing role of political parties in the democratic polity
9 The role of Parliament
10 Civil society and the role of pressure groups
11 Executive governance: the cabinet and prime minister
12 The civil service and the policy process
SECTION THREE: The SOCIO-CULTUAL CONTEXT OF POLITICS
13 British political culture
14 Voting behaviour
15 The politics of multiculturalism
16 The media and politics
SECTION FOUR: CHALLENGES TO THE CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL ORDER?
17 The Irish Question and the threat to public order?
18 Whither ‘Britishness’: the ‘break-up of Britain’?
19 The question of Europe: European integration and the sovereign state
20 The security services, the ‘secret state’ and the democratic paradox
CONCLUSION: FROM SUPER-POWER TO REGIONAL ACTOR?
21 Britain in the ‘New World Order’
SEMINARS

SECTION ONE: SOME KEY CONCEPTS

Seminar 1 - week beginning Preliminary meeting and the
October 6th 2014 purpose of seminars

Seminar 2 - week beginning What is politics and why study

October 13th 2014 it?

In this seminar we examine some problems in the real world of politics and ask what light the
formal study of politics can shed on them.

No advance preparation is necessary; the seminar does not relate to a chapter of a textbook.
However, it is never too early to start reading. It is recommended that early in the module you
look at one or more of the following:

Crick, B. (1982) In Defence of Politics (Harmondsworth: Penguin)

Dahl, R. (1991) Modern political analysis (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall), 5th ed.
Duverger, M. (1972) The Study of Politics (London: Thomas Nelson)

Seminar 3 - week beginning The nature of power

October 20st 2014

Lukes, S. (1974) Power: A radical view (London: Macmillan)

Dahl, R. (1961) Who Governs? (New Haven: Yale University Press)
Dowding, K. (1991) Rational Choice and Political Power (Aldershot: Elgar)
Cox, A. et al (1985) Power in Capitalist Societies (Brighton: Wheatsheaf)
Dunleavy, P. and B. O’Leary (1987) Theories of the State (London: Macmillan)
Laver, M. (1983) An Invitation to Politics (Oxford: Blackwell)

And democracy in the UK:

Dahl, R. (1991) Modern political analysis (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall), 5th ed.
Macpherson, C. B. (1971) The Life and Times of Liberal Democracy (Oxford University Press)
Hall, J. and G. Ikenberry (1989) The State (Open University Press)
Birch, A. (1993) The Concepts and Theories of Modern Democracy (London: Routledge)
Dunleavy, P. and B. O’Leary (1987) Theories of the State: The Politics of Liberal Democracy
(London: Macmillan)
Held, D. Models of Democracy (2006 edition)

And the political science of British politics:

Gamble, A, Theories of British Politics, Political Studies 38 no.3 1990

Dearlove, J, The Political Science of British Politics, Parliamentary Affairs 35 (1982)
Seminar 4 – week beginning The ‘curious’ nature of the British
October 27th 2014 Constitution

Reading: A preliminary note that applies to all subsequent seminar

topics. In the first instance you should consult one or more of the
general texts listed under the general heading ‘Reading’ on pp.4-5
above.

These principal text books contain short and accessible chapters

on all of the issues to be discussed in both lectures and seminars.

More detailed / specialised reading is listed (as below) under all of

the specific topic headings.

Reading:
Hazell, R. (1999) Constitutional Futures (Oxford University Press)
Bogdanor, V. (1996) Politics and the Constitution (Aldershot: Dartmouth)
Bagehot, W. (1963) The English Constitution (London: Fontana), first published 1867
Hennessy, P. (1995) The Hidden Wiring (London: Gollancz)
Tomkins, A. (1998) The Constitution after Scott (Oxford: OUP)
Thompson, B. and F. Ridley (eds) (1997) Under the Scott-Light: British Government seen
through the Scott Report (Oxford: OUP)
Benn, T. (1982) ‘The case for a constitutional premiership’ in C. Mullin (ed) Arguments for
democracy (Harmondsworth: Penguin)
Bogdanor, V. (1997) ‘The Scott report’ in Public Administration, 74, 4, pp. 593-612
Dicey, A. (1959) Introduction to the Study of the Law and the Constitution (London: Macmillan),
first published 1885
Hailsham, Lord (1976) Elective Dictatorship (London: BBC)
Jennings, Sir I. (1941) The British Constitution (Cambridge: CUP)
Mount, F. (1992) The British Constitution Now (London: Heinemann)
Bogdanor, V. (1995) The Monarchy and the Constitution (Oxford: OUP)

Seminar 5 – week beginning The new territorial politics and

November 3rd 2014 devolution week beginning 2012

Reading:
O'Neill, M (2004) Devolution and British Politics (London, Pearson Longman)
Bradbury, J. and J. Mitchell (2002) ‘Devolution and territorial politics’, Parliamentary Affairs, 53,
2, 2002 – and see this journal annually for articles reviewing the ‘state of play’ in government,
including devolution
Laffin, M. and A. Thomas (2000) ‘Designing the national assembly for Wales’ in Parliamentary
Affairs, 53, 3.
Mitchell, J. (2000) ‘New parliament, new politics in Scotland’ Parliamentary Affairs, 53, 3.
Bogdanor, V. (1999) ‘Devolution: Decentralisation or Disintegration?’ in Political Quarterly, 70, 2,
pp. 185-95.
Bogdanor, V (2001) Devolution in the United Kingdom
Bulpitt, J. (1983) Territory and Power in the United Kingdom (Manchester: MUP)
Rose, R. (1982) Understanding the United Kingdom (London: Longman)
Brown, A. et al (1997) Politics and Society in Scotland (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press)
Crick, B. (ed) (1991) National Identities (Oxford: Blackwell)
Jacobs, E. and R. Worcester (1990) We British (London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson)
Keating, M. and J. Loughlin (1997) The Political Economy of Regionalism (London: Frank Cass)
Lynch, P. (1996) ‘Labour, devolution and the West Lothian question’ in Talking Politics, 9, 1
Marr, A. (1992) The Battle for Scotland (London: Penguin)

SECTION TWO: REPRESENTATION AND GOVERNANCE

Seminar 6 – week beginning Elections in Britain: the debate on

November 10th 2014 the electoral system

Reading:
Text books cited above and the following:
Farrell, D. (1997) Comparing Electoral Systems (London: Prentice Hall)
Reeve, A. and A. Ware (1992) Electoral Systems (London: Routledge)
Bogdanor, V. (1984) What is Proportional Representation? (Oxford: Martin Robertson)
Finer, S. (1975) Adversary Politics and Electoral Reform (London: Arthur Wigram)
Jenkins, R. (1998) Report of Royal Commission on Electoral Reform (London: HMSO), available
on-line: open.gov.uk
Lijphart, A. (1994) Electoral Systems and Party Systems (Oxford: OUP)

Seminar 7 – week beginning Representation: Parliament

November 17th 2014

Reading:
Silk, P. and R. Walters (1998) How Parliament Works (Longman)
Judge, D. (1995) The Parliamentary State (London: Sage)
Norton, P. (1993) Does Parliament Matter? (Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf)
Wakeham Commission on House of Lords reform, available on-line.
Adonis, A. (1993) Parliament Today (Manchester: MUP)
Bagehot, W. (1963) The English Constitution (London: Fontana), first published 1867: see the
 ‘Introduction’ by Richard Crossman to this edition.
Birch, A. (1964) Representative and Responsible government (London: Allen and Unwin)
Drewry, G. (ed) (1989) The New Select Committees (Oxford: OUP), 2nd ed.
Norton, P. (1996) ‘Parliamentary Behaviour since 1945’ in Talking Politics, 8, 2
Searing, D. (1995) Westminster World: Understanding Political Rules (Cambridge, Mass.:
Harvard University Press)
Woodhouse, D. (1994) Ministers and Parliament (Oxford: Clarendon)

Seminar 8 – week beginning Parties and party politics

November 24th 2014

Reading
Webb, P. (2001) ‘Political parties’ in Developments in British Politics 6
Webb, P. (2000) The Modern British Party System (London: Sage)
Garner, R. and R. Kelly (1998) British Political Parties Today (Manchester: MUP), 2nd ed.
Fisher, J. (ed) (2000) British Elections and Parties Yearbook (London: Frank Cass)
Seyd, P. et al (1994) True Blues: The Politics of Conservative Party Membership (Oxford: Oxford
University Press)
Seyd, P. and P. Whiteley (1992) Labour's Grassroots: The Politics of Party Membership (Oxford:
Oxford University Press)
Crewe, I. and A. King (1998) SDP (Oxford: OUP)
Gould, P. (1998) The Unfinished Revolution: How the Modernisers Saved the Labour Party
(London: Little Brown)
King, A. et al (1998) New Labour Triumphs (Chatham, New Jersey: Chatham House)
Ludlum, S. and M. Smith (eds) (1996) Contemporary British Conservatism (London: Macmillan)
MacIver, D. (1997) The Liberal Democrats (Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf)
Maor, M. (1997) Political parties and party systems (London: Routledge)
McKenzie, R. (1963) British Political Parties (London: Heinemann)
Shaw, E. (1996) The Labour Party since 1945 (Oxford: Blackwell)
Ware, A. (1997) Political Parties and Party Systems (Oxford: OUP)

Seminar 9 – week beginning Civil society and lobbying:

December 1st 2014 pressure groups

Grant, W. (2000) Pressure Group politics and British Politics (Macmillan)

Baggot, R. (1995) Pressure Groups Today (Manchester: MUP)
Richardson, J. (ed) (1993) Pressure Groups (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
Smith, M. (1993) Pressure, Power and Policy (Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf)
Marsh, D. and R. Rhodes (eds) (1992) Policy Networks in British Government (Oxford:
Clarendon Press)
Dahl, R. (1961) Who Governs? (New Haven: Yale University Press)
Finer, S. (1966) Anonymous Empire (London: Pall Mall), 2nd ed.
Grant, W. (1993) Business and Politics in Britain (London: Macmillan), 2nd ed.
Jordan, G. and J. Richardson (1979) Governing under Pressure (London: Unwin Hyman)
Jordan, G. and J. Richardson (1987) British Politics and the Policy Process (London: Unwin
Hyman)
Nolan, M. (1995) The First Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (London: HMSO)
Richardson, J. and G. Jordan (1979) Governing under Pressure (Oxford: Martin Robertson)
Rush, M. (1990) Parliament and Pressure Politics (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
Wilson, G. (1990) Interest Groups (Oxford: Blackwell)

Seminar 10 – week beginning Governance and executive

January 5th 2015 power

Reading:
Holliday, I. (2001) ‘Executives and administrations’ in Developments in British Politics 6
Hennessy, P. (2002) The Prime Ministers
James, S. (1999) British Cabinet Government (London: Routledge), 2nd ed.
Smith, M. (1999) The Core Executive in Britain (Macmillan)
Burch, M. and I. Holliday (1996) The British Cabinet System (Hemel Hempstead: Harvester
Wheatsheaf)
Dunleavy, P. and R. Rhodes (1995) Prime Minister, Cabinet and Core Executive (London:
Macmillan)
Foley, M. (1993) The Rise of the British Presidency (Manchester: MUP)
Gordon Walker, P. (1972) The Cabinet (London: Jonathon Cape), revised ed.
Hennessy, P. (1986) Cabinet (Oxford: Basil Blackwell)
Jones, G. (1998) ‘Reforming No. 10’ in Talking Politics, 11, 1
Weller, P. (ed.) (1985) First among equals: Prime Ministers in Westminster systems (London:
Allen and Unwin)
Woodhouse, D. (1994) Ministers and Parliament (Oxford: Clarendon)
Cowell, P. (2001) ‘Legislatures and assemblies’ in Developments in British Politics 6

Seminar 11 – week beginning Civil Service politics: ‘statesmen

January 12th 2015 in disguise’?

Reading:
Pyper, R. (1995) The British Civil Service (Hemel Hempstead: Harvester)
Pilkington, C. (1999) The Civil Service in Britain Today (Manchester UP)
Theakston, K. (1999) Leadership in Whitehall (London: Macmillan)
Dowding, K. (1995) The Civil Service (London: Routledge)
Smith, M. (1999) The Core executive in Britain (Macmillan)
Dunleavy, P. and R. Rhodes (1995) Prime Minister, Cabinet and Core Executive (London:
Macmillan)
Hennessy, P. (1990) Whitehall (London: Fontana)
Greer, P. (1994) Transforming Central Government (London: Dartmouth)
Jordan and O'Toole (1994) Improving Management in Government? (Aldershot: Dartmouth)
Kellner, P. and Lord Crowther-Hunt (1980) The Civil Servants: An Investigation into Britain's Ruling
 Class (London: Macdonald Futura).
Lynn, J. and A. Jay (1981, 1982, 1983) Yes Minister (London: BBC), volumes I, II, III
Plowden, W. (1994) Ministers and Mandarins (London: IPPR)
Ponting, C. (1986) Whitehall: Tragedy and Farce (London: Hamish Hamilton)
Tomkins, A. (1998) The Constitution after Scott (Oxford: OUP)

SECTION THREE: THE SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT OF BRITISH

POLITICS

Seminar 12 – week beginning Political culture in Britain

January 19th 2015

Reading:

Frazer, E. (2001) ‘Citizenship and culture’ in Dunleavy et al (eds) Developments in British politics
6 (London: Macmillan)
Parliamentary Affairs, special edition on Citizenship, 2002, 55, 3.
Miller, W. et al (1996) Political Culture in Contemporary Britain (Oxford: Clarendon)
Heater, D. (1990) Citizenship (London: Longman)
Parry, G. et al (1992) Political Participation and Democracy in Britain (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press)

Some classic comparative works:

Almond, G. and S. Verba (1963) The Civic Culture (Princeton: Princeton University Press)
Almond, G. and S. Verba (eds) (1980) The Civic Culture revisited (Boston: Little Brown)
Inglehart, R. (1990) Culture Shift in Advanced Industrial Society (Princeton: Princeton University
Press)
Putnam, R. (1996) ‘Bowling alone: America's declining social capital’ in Journal of democracy, 6,
1, pp. 65-78 in Short Loan collection

Seminar 13 – week beginning Electoral Behaviour: why people

January 26th 2015 vote as they do

Reading:
Dunleavy, P. (2001) ‘Elections and Party Politics’ in Developments in British politics 6
Sanders, D. (1997) ‘Voting and the electorate’ in Developments in British politics 5
Butler, D. and D. Kavanagh (2001) The British General Election of 2001 (London: Macmillan)
Butler, D. and D. Kavanagh (1998) The British General Election of 1997 (London: Macmillan)
King, A. et al (1998) New Labour Triumphs (Chatham, New Jersey: Chatham House)
Fisher, J. (ed) (2000) British Elections and Parties Yearbook (London: Frank Cass)
Norris, P. (1996) Electoral Change since 1945 (Oxford: Blackwell)
Butler, D. and D. Stokes (1969) Political Change in Britain (London: Macmillan)
Crewe, I. et al (1995) The British Electorate, 1963-92 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
Crewe, I. and B. Sarlvik (1983) Decade of Dealignment (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press)
Dunleavy, P. and C. Husbands (1985) British Democracy at the Crossroads (London: Allen and
Unwin)

Seminar 14 – week beginning Media and Politics

February 2nd 2015

Reading:
Scammell, M. (2001) ‘New media, new politics’ in Developments in British Politics 6
Scammell, M. (1995) Designer Politics (London: Macmillan)
Kavanagh, D. (1995) Election Campaigning: The New Marketing of Politics (Oxford: Blackwell)
McNair, B. (1999) An Introduction to Political Communication (London: Routledge)
Negrine, R. (1995) Politics and the Mass Media (London: Routledge)
Negrine, R. (1996) The Communication of Politics (Macmillan).
Crewe, I. and B. Gosschalk (1995) Political Communications: The General Election Campaign of
1992 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
Curran, J. and J. Seaton (1991) Power without Responsibility (London: Routledge)
Fisher, J. (ed) (2000) British Elections and Parties Yearbook (London: Frank Cass)
Franklin, B. (1994) Packaging Politics (London: Arnold)
Franklin, B. (1992) Televising Democracies (London: Routledge)
Glasgow University Media Group (1976) Bad News (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul)
Glasgow University Media Group (1980) More Bad News (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul)
Glasgow University Media Group (1982) Really Bad News (London: Readers and Writers)
Pilger, J. (1998) Hidden Agendas (London: Vintage)
Seymour-Ure, C. (1996) The British press and broadcasting since 1945 (Oxford: Blackwell)
Watts, D. (1997) Political Communication Today (Manchester: Manchester University Press)
Wayne, M. (1998) Dissident Voices (London: Pluto)

Seminar 15 - week beginning Multiculturalism

February 9th 2015

Reading:
Hans Kochler, "The Concept of the Nation and the Question of Nationalism. The
Traditional 'Nation State' versus a Multicultural 'Community State'," in: Michael Dunne
and Tiziano Bonazzi (eds.), Citizenship and Rights in Multicultural Societies . Keele: Keele
University Press, 1995, pp. 44–51.
Stephens, J. (2006) Multiculturalism
Tariq Modood, The Future of Multi-ethnic Britain: The Parekh Report , a Report by the
Commission for Multi-ethnic Britain (London: Runnymede Trust, Profile Books, 2000)
Tariq Modood, Multicultural Politics: Racism, Ethnicity and Muslims in Britain (Edinburgh
 University Press, 2005
Multiculturalism has fanned the flames of Islamic extremism, The Times, 16 July, 2005
Melanie Phillips, Londonistan: How Britain is Creating a Terror State Within (London:
Gibson Square, 2006)
Islam in Britain: The British Muslim Community in February 2005 , A report by the
Institute for the Study of Islam and Christianity, (Pewsey: Isaac Publishing, 2005)
Islamophobia: A Challenge for Us All, (The Runnymede Trust, 1997
Jane I. Smith, Introduction to Muslims in the West: From Sojourners to Citizens , ed.
Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad (Oxford University Press 2002)
Brian Barry, Culture and equality: an egalitarian critique of multiculturalism (Routledge,
2001)
A-M Fortier, Multicultural Horizons: Diversity and the Limits of the Civil Nation
(Routledge 2007)
Derek McGhee, The end of multiculturalism?: terrorism, integration and human rights
(2007)
G. Gordon Betts, The twilight of Britain: cultural nationalism, multiculturalism, and
the politics of toleration (2002)

SECTION FOUR: CHALLENGES TO THE POLITICAL ORDER?

Seminar 16 – week beginning Challenges to the political order –

February 16th 2015 Ireland

Reading:
Northern Ireland: Resolving an ancient quarrel?
O'Neill, M (2004) Devolution and British Politics (London, Pearson Longman)
Dixon, P. (2001) Northern Ireland: The Politics of War and Peace (London: Palgrave)
McGarry, J. and B. O’Leary (1995) Explaining Northern Ireland (Oxford: Blackwell)
McGarry, J. and B. O’Leary (1993) The Politics of Antagonism (London: Athlone Press)
Aughey, A. and D. Morrow (eds) (1996) Northern Ireland Politics (London: Longman)
Bew, P. and H. Patterson (1985) The British State and the Ulster Crisis (London: Verso)
Bruce, S. (1994) The Edge of the Union (Oxford: OUP)
Coogan, T. (1995) The Troubles (London: Hutchinson)
Farall, M. (1980) The Orange State (London: Pluto)
Dixon, P. (2002) ‘Political skill, or lying and manipulation? The Northern Ireland peace process’,
Political Studies, 50, 4.
Cox, M. et al (2000) A Farewell to Arms: From long war to long peace (Manchester University
Press)
Boyle, K. and T. Hadden (1994) Northern Ireland: The choice (Harmondsworth: Penguin)
Mallie, E. and D. McKittrick (1996) The Fight for Peace (London: Heinemann)
Seminar 17 – week beginning The break-up of Britain?
February 23rd 2015

Reading as for seminar 2 (listed at sub-section (b) above

Seminar 18 – week beginning European Integration and British

March 2nd 2015 Politics

Reading:
Geddes, A (2004) The EU and British Politics (London, Palgrave)
Hix, S. (2001) ‘Britain, the EU and the Euro’ in Dunleavy et al (eds) Developments in British
politics 6 (London: Macmillan)
Cram, L., D. Dinan and N. Nugent (eds) (1999) Developments in the European Union
(Macmillan)
Baker, D. and D. Seawright (eds) (1998) Britain for and against Europe (Oxford University
Press)
Nugent, N. (1999)The Government and Politics of the European Union (London: Macmillan), 4th
ed.
George, S. (1998) An Awkward Partner: Britain in the European Community (Oxford: OUP),
latest edition.
George, S. (1991) Britain and European integration since 1945 (Oxford: Basil Blackwell)
Gaffney, J. (1996) Political parties and the European Union (London: Routledge)
Young, H. (1998) This Blessed Plot (London: Macmillan)

Seminar 19 – week beginning The ‘secret state’ and the threat

March 9th 2015 to democracy, the ‘open society’
and the ‘free’ citizen

Reading:
Rogers, A. (1997) Secrecy and Power in the British State (London: Pluto)
Thompson, B. and F. Ridley (eds) (1997) Under the Scott-Light: British Government seen
through the Scott Report (Oxford: OUP)
Ponting, C. (1985) The Right to Know (London: Sphere)
Birkinshaw, P. (1991) Reforming the Secret State (Buckinghamshire: Open University Press)
Davies, P. (1996) The British Secret Services (Oxford: ABC)
Hall, W. and S. Weir (1996) The Untouchables (Colchester: University of Essex Democratic
Audit)
Milne, S. (1994) The Enemy Within (London: Verso)
Paxman, J. (1991) Friends in High Places (London: Penguin)
Ponting, C. (1986) Whitehall: Tragedy and Farce (London: Hamish Hamilton)
Tomkins, A. (1998) The Constitution after Scott (Oxford: OUP)
The Guardian, special series on monitoring and secrecy post 9/11, September 2002

Seminar 20 – week beginning Britain and the new global

March 16th 2015
order

Seminar 21 – week beginning How to revise…. and

March 23rd 2015
prosper!

We shall use the final two seminar sessions to discuss revision strategy. Remember, however,
that revision is a continuous process. Do not begin starting to revise the night/ week before the
exam!

Remember, also, that your seminar tutor is there to help you, so use them when you need to.
Of course, we expect you to have investigated a problem thoroughly before turning for help,
and we expect that you have tried your hardest to answer a question before seeking guidance.
But do not be afraid of utilising your seminar tutor’s office hours to clarify points and enhance
your understanding where necessary. We just ask that you do this throughout the year, and
don’t leave everything until the last minute!

If you’re reading this at the start of the year, it’s a good sign that you’re paying attention to
material in the handouts – so enjoy the module. If you’re reading this at the end of the year, I
hope that you enjoyed the module. And if you enjoyed the module and feel that you know a lot
more about politics than you did, remember there are a lot of modules available at years two
and three that enable you to expand your knowledge yet further. Feel free to seek advice if you
wish to take Politics modules at those levels, and hope to see you in the future!

Seminar 22 – week beginning Revision workshop

April 13th 2015

Seminar 23 – week beginning Revision workshop

April 20th 2014
ASSESSMENT

The assessment consists of one formative task and one summative task
which are outlined below.

1: Formative: Report to be submitted for Monday January 5 th

2015

You are required to write a detailed report summarising the issues raised by a current problem, issue, or
policy debate in contemporary British politics: for instance, public order, responding to terrorism, reform
of the public sector, student tuition fees, relations with Scotland / Wales, the reform of parliament, or
whatever you decide is a significant contemporary national issue.

The article MUST be written as a report using the conventional format of a report and
NOT as an essay per se. You need to write a clear introduction outlining the issue and stating why in
your opinion this issue is significant for contemporary politics; to be followed by a balanced appraisal
of all relevant arguments /issues / debates. And to be followed by a clear and balanced conclusion that
will include some suggestions for reform / policy changes, or other suggestions for resolving the issues
you have identified in the report as matters of national or international concern. If you fail to follow these
guidelines you will likely lose marks and may well fail the assignment, so DO YOUR RESEARCH
before attempting the piece.

If you are not sure whether your chosen topic fits the specified requirement, raise the matter with the
module leader in the seminars during term one

This assessment is especially looking for:

1 Relevance: relating the academic and the practical aspects of the study of politics / government
2 Parsimony – ability to express complex ideas succinctly;
2 Presentation – clear, logical analysis; good writing skills
3 Research skills – finding multiple source materials and using them effectively
4 Imagination – the ability to make a topic interesting to a reader
4 Accessibility – what would an intelligent, non-specialist reader make of it?

Indicative word length – 1500 words minimum to 2000 words maximum

This assignment must be submitted by Monday January 5th 2015 by 2pm to the school
office in Chaucer

Submission of work
You should hand your assignment in to the School Office in Chaucer, 9.00 - 2.00pm (at the
latest) on the due date. Work must be accompanied by a fully completed Assignment Cover
Sheet, copies of which are available from the third floor.  Part of this form becomes a receipt
for your piece of work and this should be kept safe.  You should also keep a copy of your
assignment just in case a piece of work goes astray.

Marked work may be collected between the same hours from the School Office.  You will be
notified by e-mail when assignments are ready for collection.
NB the consequences of submitting plagiarised work discussed above.

2. End of year exam. 100% of module mark

A two hour unseen examination – questions on the examination paper will be selected from any aspect of
the module and will cover both terms’ work

Exceptional circumstances and missing the examination

If you have mitigating circumstances such as illness or serious personal problems which
causes you to miss the examination you must complete a Special Situations Form (available
from the School Office) and hand it in to the School Office together with supportive evidence
as soon as possible. A special meeting of impartial University staff is held to consider special
situations claims. If your claim is upheld an assignment which has been submitted late can
earn the full mark which it merits rather than a capped mark.

Mitigation and Exceptional circumstances

If you have mitigating circumstances such as illness or serious personal problems which you
feel have adversely affected your performance in any assessed work then you should
complete a Special Situations Form (available from the third floor) and hand it in to the
School Office, Chaucer with supporting evidence as soon as possible, ideally as you submit
the assignment which you think has been affected. This might well affect more than one
piece of work.  A final date – ordinarily about 10 days before the Board of Examiners’
Meeting in June/July - for the receipt of Special Situations Forms will be published well in
advance. 

A special meeting of impartial University staff is held to consider special situations claims
and the Board of Examiners’ meeting is informed of this panel’s view as to whether claims
should be upheld.  It is up to the Board of Examiners to determine action to be taken in
respect of special situations decisions.  However, even if your claim is upheld the Board of
Examiners is not able to compensate you with a higher mark for the work affected.  At best,
you may be allowed to resubmit the assignment as though it were your first attempt.

Dr Michael O'Neill

September 2014