| CODE | PPL3106 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Malta Politics, Policies and Governance Research Seminar | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Policy, Politics and Governance | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This synoptic unit provides students with the opportunity to review and bring theoretical frameworks together relating to themes in politics, policy-making and governance, and to apply them to the Malta context. The study-unit consists of lectures which will provide students with the opportunity to revisit themes in governance, the policy sciences, policy management and leadership; directed study, providing students with the objective of guiding them to identify a research theme and prepare a scholarly paper; and research seminars where students present their research paper, critically debate the chosen themes and reflect on the practical implications of policy issues. The topics to be addressed in the seminars may include historical development of Maltese politics, governance and leading policy themes; significant constitutional and legislative developments; institutions and actors; understanding the pattern of governance in Malta from the standpoint of theories about small states; the European policy processes; issues associated with Maltese democracy and the legitimacy of governing institutions, amongst other themes. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit is intended to: (a) synthesise disconnected insights about Maltese politics, policies and governance into a coherent, holistic understanding that is also grounded in theories about policy-making and governance; (b) examine selected themes in the politics, policies and governance of Malta. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (a) apply theoretical concepts to understanding practical issues in Maltese politics, policies and governance matters; (b) identify and explain the principal forces shaping Maltese politics, policies and governance; (c) outline and appraise the policy-making process in Malta; (d) identify gaps in knowledge that point to a research agenda; (e) cite leading scholarly studies of Maltese politics, policies and governance; (f) cite major EU and government strategies, policy initiatives and funding programmes; (g) identify leading themes in Maltese policy-making, and account for them; (h) identify stakeholders for particular policy issues. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: (a) identify research gaps and formulate research questions; (b) undertake research into selected themes or issues of interest to the seminar; (c) draft brief, incisive reports on Maltese institutions, policy processes and policy choices within the context of European legislation and policy initiatives and present them before a critical audience; (d) critically debate selected themes on the basis of the presented research. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main texts (a) Constitution of Malta and Public Administration Act. (b) Cassar, G. & J Cutajar (eds). Sociological Aspects of the Maltese Islands. Malta: Indigo Books. (c) Harwood, M. 2014. Malta in the European Union. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. (d) Vassallo, M.T. (ed) 2012. Public Life in Malta – Essays on Governance, Politics and Public Affairs in the EU’s Smallest Member State. Department of Public Policy, FEMA, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. (e) Vassallo, M.T. and Tabone, C. (eds) 2016. Public Life in Malta II – Papers on Governance, Politics and Public Affairs in the EU’s Smallest Member State. Department of Public Policy, FEMA, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. Supplementary Texts (f) Borzel, T. and Risse, T. (2007), ‘The EU and Domestic Politics: From Implementation to Europeanization’, in: Jorgensen, Pollack and Rosamond (ed.), Handbook of European Union Politics, London: SAGE. (g) Gauci, Victor J. The Genesis of Malta’s Foreign Policy: A Personal Account. Malta: Agenda. (h) Pirotta, G. A. (2006), Malta’s Parliament: An Official History’, Department of Information, Gutenberg Press. (i) Pollack, M. A. (2008), The New Institutionalism and European Integration, Webpapers on Constitutionalism and Governance Beyond the State, Available from: www.bath.ac.uk/esml/conWEB. [Accessed January 2018]. (j) Sultana, R. & G. Baldacchino (eds). 1994. Maltese Society: A Sociological Enquiry. Malta: Mireva. (k) Tabone, C. 1995. Maltese Families in Transition: A Sociological Investigation. Malta: Ministry for Social Development. (l) Vassallo, M. T. 2015. The Europeanization of Interest Groups in Malta and Ireland: A Small State Perspective. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Synoptic Study-Unit | ||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | George Vital Zammit |
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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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