Module Code - Title:
PO4043
-
INTRODUCTION TO IRISH POLITICS
Year Last Offered:
2020/1
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
This course is designed to build on and develop the knowledge gained in earlier politics modules by examining the politics and society of a single country in more depth. The course will apply a range of alternative analytical perspectives from political science and the sub-disciplines of political economy, political sociology, public administration and public policy, to the study of the government and politics of Ireland.
At a practical level, this course aims to:
Introduce students to the government and politics of Ireland
Develop analytic and evaluative skills for examining the processes of government and politics
Understand the historical and political development of the Irish state, and be able to identify key influences in that development;
Be familiar with key institutions and their workings;
Syllabus:
The module will contain three main components: the institutional framework of government and administration - the executive, legislature and bureaucracy; political behaviour - including government, parties, party system, electoral behaviour and political culture; and an analysis of the public administration and policy making - looking at territorial administration and sub-national government, economic policy-making and the advent of partnership government; the welfare state and social policy; plus Irelands role in the EU and beyond.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
Identify key actors and institutions associated with the administration of politics nad policy in Irish state
Write clear accounts of developments in Irish politics and key political events
Review selected literature on Irish politics, governance and administration
Draw conclusions about main explanations for political events
Summarise debates about key issues in Irish politics
Select appropriate examples to explain discreet political phenomena
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
Acknowledge differences in approaches to policy and/ or political issues and events in contemporary Irish politics
Combine variety of insights to analysis of issues
Prepare a literature survey.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
Deliver presentations of key issues and topics in a variety of alternative visual, oral and aural formats
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
A mixture of lectures, tutorials and seminars.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
Adshead, Maura and Tonge, Jonathan (2009)
Politics in Ireland.
Convergence and divergence in a two-polity island, xv+264pp
, Palgrave
Kissane (2002)
Explaining Irish Democracy
, Dublin: UCD Press
Coakley, John and Gallagher, Michael (eds) (2005)
Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 4th edn,
, London: Routledge
Collins, Neil and Cradden, Terry ()
Irish Politics Today, 3rd edition
, Manchester: Manchester University Press
Dooney and O Toole (1997)
Irish Government Today, 2nd edition,
, Dublin: Gill and Macmillan
Collins, Neil (Ed.) (1999)
Political Issues in Ireland Today, 2nd edition,
, Manchester: Manchester University Press
Other Relevant Texts:
Adshead, Maura and Millar, Michelle (eds) (2003)
Public Administration and Public Policy in Ireland: Theory and Methods
, London: Routledge
Coakley, John and Gallagher, Michael (eds) (1999)
Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 3rd edn,
, London: Routledge
Chubb, Basil (1992)
The Government and Politics of Ireland,
, London: Longman
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
Semester - Year to be First Offered:
Spring
Module Leader:
maura.adshead@ul.ie