Entry requirements

Political science advanced level or equivalent education. Students within the Master Programme in Politics and International Studies and the Master Programme in Development Studies, admitted to the third semester, are required to have obtained at least 45 credits within the programme.

Learning outcomes

The objective of the course is to familiarise students with theories and research regarding the role of the state and the governing process in democratic societies. Students will develop their ability to read, interpret and formulate ideas in relation to advanced texts in the several areas of contemporary political science, including state theory, comparative political research on the state and public administration. Students will also develop their skills in communicating these ideas in oral and written scientific form.

Content

The course is divided into two main sections. The first section seeks to familiarise students with theories and research within political science that studies the state as an actor, investigating its origins, transformation over time and responses to the shifting surroundings that condition its' governing ability and interaction with society. Challenges to the authority of the nation state in recent times include globalisation, Europeanisation and ideological movements favouring a greater freedom for market actors. The second part of the course enters more deeply into the interiors of the state, examining the prerequisites for effective governance and the various institutions that shape power relations, political decision-making and policy outcomes in modern democracies. The research fields covered in this section include the policy process, implementation and the role of professions.

Instruction

The teaching in the course will take the form of lectures and seminars. Language of instruction will be in English, unless the whole student group is Swedish-speaking. During the lectures, the teacher will present the course material to students in order to guide and facilitate their reading of it. Weekly seminars led by teachers will allow students the opportunity to discuss the readings, thereby facilitating an active and self-initiated learning process. The seminars will be prepared by the students through short reading reports. The seminars will also feature brief oral presentations by the students.

Assessment

Course examination will be conducted in three different ways: 1) active participation in weekly seminars, 2) submission of short weekly reading reports and 3) a final paper. The course grade will be based on a combination of the three examination forms, where the final paper will account for 50 % of the grade, weekly reading report of 40 % and class participation of 10 %.

Grading system

Grades awarded Fail (U) - Pass (G) - Pass with Distinction (VG).

Course level in relation to degree requirements

This is a research oriented course at an advanced level and the literature consists of research reports, dissertations and scientific articles. The students will especially develop their ability to understand and assess scientific reasoning and conclusions, and to oppose different theories to one another. The goal is for the students to develop the skill to critically analyse, i.e. be able to identify, discuss and question, the very building blocks by which a scientific argument or conclusion is supported. The course gives the students the opportunity to practise the independent assessment and critical examination of scientific theories by relating them to both empirical research and theoretical debate, and to formulate their own standpoints and arguments relevant in a specific context.