Course content
Readings will be distributed each week and each student will comment thereon in the following week’s class. In the second trimester each student will be required to give a work-in-progress presentation on their proposed research paper. This offers an opportunity to present to colleagues their research thus far and to gain important feedback as they complete the research and write the research paper. Students may arrange consultations with the course coordinator to discuss progress on their research papers, discuss drafts, and receive feedback and supervision.
Course learning objectives
Students who pass this course should be able to:
Demonstrate a grasp of the key themes of political change and collapse as expounded by the various authors studied in the course
Demonstrate a knowledge of the linkages between political ideas and political action
Demonstrate an understanding of the subtleties of political discourse and argument.
Available offerings
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Offering CRN 1374
This course outline is final and archived.
Duration
4 March 2019 - 10 November 2019
Starts
Trimester 1
Campus
Kelburn
Lecture start times
Wednesday - 10:00, 10:00
People
Lecturers
Lecturers
Administrators
Office hours
Course Coordinator: Margaret Clark
Tuesday 10.00am—11.50am
Schedule
Teaching plan
Timeline
- 4 March 2019
- Course begins
- 4 March 2019 to 9 June 2019
- Teaching
- 15 April 2019 to 28 April 2019
- Break
- 10 June 2019 to 13 June 2019
- Study period
- 14 June 2019 to 29 June 2019
- Exam period
- 8 July 2019 to 13 October 2019
- Teaching
- 19 August 2019 to 1 September 2019
- Break
- 14 October 2019 to 17 October 2019
- Study period
- 18 October 2019 to 9 November 2019
- Exam period
- 10 November 2019
- Course ends
Timetable
4 March 2019 - 14 April 2019
Wednesday
- 10:00 - 11:50 – 105, Murphy, Kelburn
29 April 2019 - 9 June 2019
Wednesday
- 10:00 - 11:50 – 105, Murphy, Kelburn
8 July 2019 - 18 August 2019
Wednesday
- 10:00 - 11:50 – 105, Murphy, Kelburn
2 September 2019 - 13 October 2019
Wednesday
- 10:00 - 11:50 – 105, Murphy, Kelburn
Teaching format
This course involves a weekly class session of 1 hour 50 minutes. There are no tutorials.
Workload
In accordance with University Guidelines, this course has been constructed on the assumption that students will devote 300 hours to the course throughout the year. An approximate indication of the hours to be spent on each component of the course is as follows:
Preparation and attendance at classes 90 hours
Research Topic seminar 60 hours
Research paper 140 hours
Examination 10 hours
Additional classes
N/A
Texts
Required
There is no set text for POLS 432. Course readings will be distributed to students throughout the course, as appropriate.
There are no required texts for this offering.
Recommended
- Alan Bloom, The Closing of the American Mind (New York, 1987)
- Samuel Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, (New York 1996)
- Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone (New York, 2000)
- Robert Putnam, Making Democracy Work (Princeton, 1993)
- Leslie Lipson, The Ethical Crises of Civilization, (London, 1993)
- Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities, (London, 1991)
- John Ralston Saul, Voltaire’s Bastards, (Toronto, 1992)
- James C. Scott, Domination and the Arts of Resistance, (Yale, 1990)
- Jeremy Paxman The Political Animal (Penguin, 2007)
Required materials and equipment
Assessment
60% internally assessed and a 3 hour final examination worth 40%.
Research Proposal (500 words)
Due: Wednesday 14 August
CLO:
- 1,
- 2,
- 3,
Mark: 10%
Research Paper – 6,000- 7,000 words
Due: Wednesday 9 October
CLO:
- 1,
- 2,
- 3,
Mark: 50%
Examination (3 hours)
Due: TBA
CLO:
- 1,
- 2,
Mark: 40%
Mandatory requirements
There are no mandatory course requirements for this course.
If you believe that exceptional circumstances may prevent you from meeting the mandatory course requirements, contact the Course Coordinator for advice as soon as possible.
Marking criteria
Marking criteria will be discussed in the first class.
Work submission
Essays should be submitted through the office essay drop-off point, Murphy Room 518, together with completed cover sheet which is available from the office.
Essays and tests will be returned at times to be advised. If students fail to attend these times, they may collect their essay from the Office, Murphy Room 518 between the hours of 2.00 and 3.00 pm from Monday to Friday.
Extension
Late submission of assignments will not be accepted unless the student makes an appointment as soon as practically possible with the course coordinator to explain the lateness (preferably before the assignment is due to be submitted). The circumstances under which an extension will be considered are outlined in section 3.2.1 of the Assessment Handbook.
Penalties
Students will be penalised for late submission of assignments – a deduction of 5% for the first day late, and 2% per day thereafter, up to a maximum of 8 days. Penalties may be waived if there are valid grounds (for example, illness [presentation of a medical certificate will be necessary] or similar other contingencies). In all such cases, prior information will be necessary. Extensions on deadlines for written work will only be granted under exceptional circumstances.
Communication and additional information
Additional information and any changes to the timetable or lecture and seminar programme will be advised by email, announced in lectures, and posted on the course Blackboard site.
Student feedback
Based on student feedback the course coordinator will continue to allow students the freedom to choose research topics and seminars that interest them.
Student feedback on University courses may be found at www.cad.vuw.ac.nz/feedback/feedback_display.php.
You can view Student course feedback collected for the University courses from the last completed trimester for which feedback was collected
Class representative
The class representative provides a useful way to communicate feedback to the teaching staff during the course. They also work with the VUWSA Education Office on any academic issues that arise in their course. Reps are elected by students by the third week of classes every trimester. Being a rep requires a weekly commitment.
The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington values te reo Māori. Students who wish to submit any of their assessments in te reo Māori must refer to The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy - PDF 134kb
He mea nui te reo Māori ki Te Herenga Waka. Ki te pīrangi koe ki te tuhituhi i ō aro matawai i roto i te reo Māori, tēnā me mātua whakapā atu ki te kaupapa here, The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy - PDF 134kb
Course additions and withdrawals
If you want to add or drop a course you need to make sure you follow the correct process.
Important information
Keep your uni experience running smoothly—find out how to manage your studies from enrolment through to graduation.
Find out more:
- Enrolment and course advice
- Student conduct and feedback
- Examinations and assessments