This Module, the first of two Public Law Modules, considers fundamental questions of constitutionalism common to both UK and EU legal orders. You will examine the UK Governmental and European Union (EU) institutions, the separation of power between them, and the modes of exercise of power in the UK and EU. This includes the differing legal competences of the domestic and European actors, and the reasons for those differences, as well as the interaction between the two regimes. You will examine the importance of values such as the rule of law, separation of powers and conferral of powers in shaping the understanding of constitutionalism in both legal orders. An important aspect of this module will be to study the theory, enforcement and application of rights in the UK and EU legal order. In particular, you will study the common law protection of rights in the UK and the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 in implementing the human rights guarantees of the European Convention of Human Rights. You will also appreciate and examine the importance of rights in the EU legal system, including the growing significance of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the function of economic rights in the internal market. Finally, you will be introduced to the rules of administrative law which prevail in each jurisdiction and the conceptions of administrative justice which stand behind those.
This module, the second in Public Law, focuses upon the rules of administrative law which prevail in each jurisdiction and the conceptions of administrative justice. It introduces students to the relevant legal and non-legal frameworks, providing the necessary tools to undertake a critical consideration of these frameworks' relative success in protecting and promoting ideals of administrative justice and, through that, constitutionalism and the rule of law.
This module, the second in Public Law, focuses upon the rules of administrative law which prevail in each jurisdiction and the conceptions of administrative justice. It introduces students to the relevant legal and non-legal frameworks, providing the necessary tools to undertake a critical consideration of these frameworks’ relative success in protecting and promoting ideals of administrative justice and, through that, constitutionalism and the rule of law.
What do we know about public opinion and behaviour? And how do we know about it? This module provides an in-depth examination of at least three topics in the broad field of public opinion. Each topic will be led by an expert in the field. For each topic, you will learn about the latest research, the latest methods used to study it, and then implement the methods yourself in computer labs, using specialist software. You will leave the module with a high-level understanding of each topic as well as generalisable skills in quantitative analysis and coding. The module presumes background knowledge from PAIR2018/3027 but no background or experience in coding or statistics. The module is about application and use rather than comprehensive statistical understanding.
This module will provide students with both a practical and theoretical insight into the role of a Public Service Interpreter. Beginning with a general introduction to interpreting, it will go on to focus more in depth on the wide range of issues and challenges faced by these cultural and linguistic mediators. In addition to identifying these and deciding how best to resolve them, through lectures and seminars students will also learn how to develop the strategies and skills required – including note-taking and sight translation, as well as honing understanding of verbal and non-verbal communication cues – in this field in order to bridge the gap between Service Users and Service Providers in a range of public service contexts. Alongside this, independent study and practice, in which glossary building will play an important part, will be essential to improvement in students’ interpreting skills. Given the global nature of society today, linguists are increasingly in demand so whether students go on to enter the interpreting profession or not, the heightened awareness of intercultural issues and ability to overcome these fostered by this module will undoubtedly be of use to them. Please keep in mind completion of Stage 5 in either French or Spanish with English as L1, or completion of English Stage 5 (or equivalent) with French or Spanish as L1 is a pre-requisite for this module.
This module provides an overview of major political, social and economic developments in Russia since 1991, and how they have been informed by a sense of Russian history. After the fall of the Cold War, Russia has found that it is no longer a superpower, and it has struggled to find a world role. The domestic and economic settlement in the country has also seen major changes, and life has changed in remarkable and sometimes dramatic ways for millions of ordinary Russian people. The primary focus on the module is to help us to understand contemporary Russia: lectures and seminars will examine themes and events that can help us to recognize in what ways Russia has changed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. But these debates will be placed in historical context: Russia’s domestic and foreign policy, and changing conceptions of national identity, can only be understood in the context of Russia’s history and the legacy of the turbulent twentieth century.
Both individuals and society attach great importance and value to certain works of art, including poems, novels, films, plays, symphonies, and paintings. Most of us spend a considerable amount of our limited time and resources acquiring, creating, experiencing, or promoting the arts. However, art is in several respects puzzling, even frustrating. It is often difficult to know how to interpret an artwork. Should we consult the artist, learn about his or her life and times, or focus only what is within the frame or on the page? Why do we care about art? Is it for the knowledge it provides, the experiences it affords, or the feelings it invokes? And what exactly is art? What distinguishes an unmade bed in the Tate from an unmade bed in a bedroom? The aims of this module are to introduce you to some of the puzzles which reflection on art raises, to encourage you to think critically about those puzzles and the assumptions which lie behind them, and to give you the tools for resolving them.
Socrates wants to cross a river and comes to a bridge guarded by Plato, who says: “Socrates, if you say something true, I will permit you to cross. But if you speak falsely, I shall throw you into the water.” Socrates answers: “You will throw me into the water”. It is clear that Socrates puts Plato in a difficult situation: He cannot throw Socrates into the water, because if he did he would violate his promise to let Socrates cross the bridge if he speaks the truth. On the other hand, if Plato allows Socrates to cross the bridge it would mean that Socrates spoke untruth. What should Plato do? This is a classic example of a philosophical paradox. Paradoxes, and related types of puzzles, have had a lot of attention in philosophy, particularly in philosophy of language, epistemology, and metaphysics. But what are puzzles and paradoxes? Why have they always been considered so important in philosophy? What are the most famous puzzles and paradoxes in philosophy? This module aims at answering these questions by presenting some the most famous, challenging and intriguing puzzles and paradoxes that philosophers have provided us with. Since puzzles and paradoxes are indeed puzzling and paradoxical, the aim will primarily be to work out together the various solutions or dissolutions one might try out to solve the problems.
This module aims to teach students the fundamentals of writing structured computer programs, applicable using any high level programming language. However, students will be shown the special features of Python that makes this language especially useful for Data Science and Decision Science. The module uses software engineering techniques to enforce the importance of good programming manners and will review traditional computing algorithm analysis, design and implementation using Python.
This module aims to provide postgraduate students with an understanding of the role and application of qualitative methods within social science research. The module will include a focus on the issues that arise in the design, generation, analysis and evaluation of qualitative data within interpretive and reflective philosophical frameworks, as well as experiencing of using computer-assisted methods of qualitative data analysis.
Qualitative Methods II builds upon the material learnt in Qualitative Methods I and addresses a range of specialist qualitative techniques, their underpinning theoretical framework and their practical application.
This module is designed to enable you to develop knowledge and understanding of qualitative methodology, methods, and analysis. The module is suitable for students who are planning to conduct an empirical project for their dissertation, or who work in clinical and health research settings. Learning is shared with the doctoral training programme.
This module aims to give students a strong and in-depth understanding of qualitative research methods in political science. It introduces key qualitative approaches and explains what makes them distinctive, what kinds of research questions they are best suited to address, and what their limitations are. The module does not aim to cover all qualitative methods exhaustively. Instead, it focuses on a selected set of methods that are commonly used in interpretivist research in political science, examining them in greater depth. These include ethnography, interviews, the study of elites, narrative analysis, visual methods, and focus groups. A central aim of the module is to equip students with the skills needed to design and carry out qualitative research for their undergraduate dissertation. Throughout the module, students will learn how to approach research design from a qualitative perspective and will be supported in applying the methods and concepts introduced in the module to their own research interests.
The module is aimed at enabling you to understand the principles of qualitative methods and analysis, and equipping you to apply qualitative research methods in practice. The module assumes no previous knowledge of either NVivo or qualitative analysis software training.
This module provides advanced training in the use of qualitative research methods in the Social Sciences, and particularly in the field of Gerontology. It builds on the introductory module Qualitative Methods 1. Indicative topics include ethnographic methods and discourse analysis.
The module progresses through the key phases of qualitative research design and implementation, emphasising the (often iterative) links between these activities: epistemological concerns, research questions, data collection and analysis techniques, and the interpretation and implications of qualitative findings. This module is delivered in interactive sessions taught over 6 weeks. We cover methodological concepts used in applied psychology and provide formative hands-on opportunities for skills development. Sessions are structured to facilitate both conceptual learning and the development of applied research skills. Students are expected to complete pre-class preparatory work and to take an active role in class. The module is aligned with the Research Development Framework (RDF) in the following ways. 1. Knowledge base. •The methods and techniques appropriate for research design •Literacy and numeracy skills and language abilities appropriate for research •How to identify, apply and develop methods and techniques appropriate for research projects. 2. Cognitive abilities. •How to analyse and evaluate findings using appropriate methods •How to recognise and validate problems; formulate and apply solutions to a range of research problems The module assumes basic prior knowledge of qualitative methods equivalent to that provided during an undergraduate degree in Psychology.
This module builds on year 1 research methods teaching. It aims to give students a rigorous critical understanding of a broad range of qualitative data collection and data analysis methods. It covers traditional methods such as interviews and focus groups and documentary research, as well as more cutting-edge tools such as social media analysis and online ethnography. It features an NVivo masterclass for those who are keen to improve their qualitative data analysis skills using the latest software. The module features real world research examples including studies by staff in order to bring these tools and techniques to life. Teaching is partly focused on practical skills but also about learning to critically evaluate the quality of qualitative research The qualitative research methods and tools, students learn about on the module may well be the ones they go on to use in their dissertation, so the module provides an important building block for the final year. As with other research methods modules in the school, the aim is to provide students with robust research skills they can take with them into the labour market.
This module provides an integrated introduction to the main quantitative and qualitative approaches used in political science It equips you with the conceptual understanding and practical skills needed to design, conduct, and evaluate quantitative and qualitative empirical studies. The module covers core topics including research design, sampling, measurement, data collection, and the logic of inference, as well as qualitative methods such as interviewing, focus groups, discourse analysis, and ethnography. You will learn to select appropriate methods for different types of research questions, to critically assess the strengths and limitations of each approach, and to interpret and communicate empirical findings effectively. The module serves as a bridge between philosophical foundations and applied research practice across the MSc Politics pathways.
