Politics

Political Change: Political Parties and Party Systems

Module code: L2034
Level 6
30 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Workshop
Assessment modes: Coursework, Essay

On this module, you’ll explore major processes of political change and the factors that drive them. You’ll analyse how change has taken shape in practice and test different theories that explain it.

Political parties remain one of the key links between citizens and state in liberal democracies. Despite the challenges they face, they continute to play an important representative role and attract attention from both scholars and the media.

As American political scientist E.E. Schattsneider said, ‘modern democracy is unthinkable save in terms of political parties’. But is this still true? To explore this question, you’ll consider:

• where parties and party systems came from
• their similarities and differences
• what roles they’re meant to play and how well they perform them
• how they’ve changed and where they’re heading
• whether they fulfill modern democracy's needs, or if new forms of participation can complement them.

You’ll develop an understanding of how political parties and party systems have evolved and their importance in democracies. While the focus is mainly on Western Europe, the theories and analytical tools you’ll learn can be applied to party systems around the world.

Module learning outcomes

• Have developed a critical approach to comprehending, applying and criticising comparative models of party and party system development and behaviour
• Locate and critique the ideal types political scientists use when talking about parties
• Analyse the drivers of change in party systems, including the entry of new parties
• Have enhanced their research skills (gathering, sifting and assessing of information and evidence), both quantitative and qualitative through researching a topic on parties or party systems