| CODE | PPL3008 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Political Parties | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 8 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Policy, Politics and Governance | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit builds on study-units in the earlier years of the Programme; namely Political Thought and Political Sociology (Year 1), Elections and Electoral Systems, Comparative Government and Activism and Political Campaigning and Political Leadership. This study-unit makes a critical assessment of, the main players in a political system that aim to articulate positions and win consensus with the electorate. Political parties are studied through their various roles and functions, namely through four different dimensions: - Parties as a link with Society; - Parties as political and commercial organizations; - Parties as legislative actors; in government or opposition; and - Parties, as actors beyond the nation state (within supranational institutions and international political federations). Lectures, supported by literature, will reflect these themes and expand with a close view to political parties in Malta, Europe, and beyond. Study-Unit Aims: According to Hague and Harrop (2013, 2) 'politics is the activity or process by which groups reach and enforce binding decisions'. The aim of this study-unit is to place political parties as central actors of mobilization and participation. The study-unit is aimed at: - Studying political parties as loci of idea generation and catalysts of collective action, informed by principles and ideology. - Analyzing the organizational dimension, exigencies, challenges and limitations of political parties, in their quest to gain popular consensus. - Framing political parties against theoretical concepts, and look at empirical situations to test such concepts. - Observing party behaviour at the transnational / international level, the implications of party federations, choice of candidates and leaders. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - acquire a deeper understanding of the roles played by political parties within contemporary political systems; - identify the main debates on/about the environments in which parties function (national and international); - recognize the challenges that parties face in the twenty-first century. - connect party behavior with established theoretical concepts; - assess the various cleavages and nuances that govern political parties, as both organizational and political players. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - compare and contrast political party manifestos; - identify key roles and related decision-making powers within party structures; - xplain and interpret alliance and coalition building in international party groupings; - enhance ability to think analytically about historical decision-making; - conduct critical assessment of party ideological positioning on themes and issues; - appraise political party strategy and tactics. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Aldrich, A. (2018), "National Political Parties and Career Paths to the European Parliament", Journal of Common Market Studies, 56(6): 1283-1304. - Bale, T. et al. (2019) Footsoldiers: Political Party Membership in the 21st Century, Routledge. - Bell, D.S. and Lord, C. (eds) (1998), Transnational Parties in the European Union, Leeds Studies in Democratization, Ashgate. Supplementary Readings: - Braun, D. and Schwarzbözl, T. (2019), "Put in the spotlight or largely ignored? Emphasis on the Spitzenkandidaten by political parties in their online campaigns for European elections", Journal of European Public Policy, 26(3): 428-445. - Cini, M. and Nieves Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. (eds.) (2019), European Union Politics, OUP Oxford. - Clark, A. (2003), “Parties and Political Linkage: Towards a Comprehensive Framework for Analysis,” Paper prepared for PSA Annual Conference, University of Leicester, 15th – 17th April, 2003 - Frendo, H. (2013), Party Politics in a Fortress Colony - The Maltese Experience, 3rd ed., Midsea Books. - Galea, F. (2017), L-Istorja tal-Partit Laburista (1920-1940), SKS. - Hix, S. (2008), “Towards a partisan theory of EU politics,” Journal of European Public Policy, 15(8), 1254–1265. - Katz, R.S. (2019), "European and American Political Parties: Becoming More Similar?", Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, 29(4): 427-447. - Page, S. and Dittmer, J. (2015), "Assembling Political Parties", Geography Compass, 9(5): 251–261. - Patomaki, H. (2011), "Towards global political parties", Ethics & Global Politics, 4(2): 81-102. - Sartori, G. (2005), Parties and Party Systems - a framework for analysis, ECPR - Ware, A. (1996), Political Parties and Party Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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