Entry requirements

Only for students admitted to the Teacher Education Programme.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course the student is expected to

- with some degree of competence discuss and work with political science problems;

- have formed a considered judgement of his own in both theoretical and empirical questions concerning the democratic rule and, in this respect, be able to analyse and discuss ideas and empirical research findings about democracy at a fairly advanced level;

- discuss the choice of method and design (case studies, comparative method, idea analysis) in a problem perspective;

- write a short essay within a chosen problem area, in collaboration with other students; discuss and defend this essay at a seminar and also discuss another student's essay and the contribution it makes;

- actively participate in seminar discussions and make presentations of articles and of his own work;

- independently be able to plan, perform and evaluate the teaching during teaching practice examination.

Content

Tho course consists of three parts.

1. Problems of Democracy, 7.5 ECTS

2. Teaching Practice Examination, 7.5 ECTS

3. Essay Course, 15 ECTS

1. Problems of Democracy, 7.5 credits

Learning outcomes

The course introduces some fundamental problems of democracy from a political science perspective. The aim is to equip students with the ability to independently analyse the central theoretical and empirical questions regarding democratic government. The course builds on themes introduced during Political Science A, within the fields of Political Theory and Comparative Politics.

• The ambition is to equip students with the ability to discuss ideas about democracy as well as empirical research at a fairly advanced level. In practice, this means that the students - aided by the course topics described below - make the leap from arguing from a limited and personal point of view, to constructing more general, systematic and well-founded arguments. be able to describe and compare various conceptions of democracy.

• be able to mention and evaluate the historically most important arguments for and against democracy.

• know, and be able to employ and critically review some of the most common explanations of democratisation.

• know how democracy in general, and its constitutional structure in particular, affects various political and economic outcomes.

• be able to argue for or against ideas and theses in a systematic and well-founded manner, orally as well as in writing.

Content

The course consists of two parts:

The first part deals with normative democratic theory. It covers conceptual issues concerning the meaning of democracy, normative questions about the justification of democracy, and the problems and solutions that have been offered within different traditions in democratic theory. We cover issues such as: What are the main problems within democratic theory? What solutions have been suggested? How do we define democracy? What is good about democracy? What is the significance of granting various interests and groups political representation? Should the ideals of democracy be reformulated in the light of contemporary forms of globalisation?

The second part of the course deals with the political and economic preconditions and consequences of democracy: Why are some countries more democratic than others? What are the conditions for establishing global democracy? Does democracy matter for welfare? What are the distributive consequences? The constitutional design of democracies is also emphasised: What impact does it have on political and economic outcomes?

Teaching

This course consists of lectures are and seminars. Attendance at all seminars is mandatory, while attendance at lectures is voluntary. The course is divided into three parts. Course lectures aim to introduce the main points covered in each part. The seminars aim to develop the students’ analytical skills through discussion in smaller groups. Before each seminar, all students will be required to prepare answers to a set of questions, individually and/or in groups. These prepared answers will be discussed during the seminars. This way, the seminars should provide opportunities for the students to continuously reflect on the content of the course, and work together to highlight the practical importance of theoretical ideas that are introduced throughout the course.

Examination

The course ends with an exam, which serves both as basis for grading, and an opportunity for the student to rehearse the content of the course.

The grading system is VG Pass with distinction’, G Pass’ and U Fail’.

To pass’ the class, the student is required to

-participate actively in the seminars

-pass’ the final exam

2. Teaching Practice Examination, 7.5 credits

3. Essay course, 15 credits

Contents

The first objective of the course is to provide basic knowledge of scientific methods. Its purpose is to offer a first introduction to practical research as well as to develop a critical understanding of the way in which choices of method affect study design as well as results. The emphasis of the course is on basic methodological concepts and qualitative methods. However, it also underlines the common principles on which qualitative as well as quantitative approaches are based. The course offers a discussion of the nature of research problems in political science, of how scientific studies can be designed, of various kinds of sources and methods of data collection, and of the analysis of political ideas.

The second objective of this course is for the student to gain the insights and skills required for the meaningful participation in a research process i.e. being able to examine the validity of arguments in the form of seminars. This essay assignment should train the student to distinguish and define a political science problem, to delimit and carry out a minor investigation relevant to this problem, and to present the results in a clear and concise way. One aim is for the student to become familiar with the appropriate methods for surveying the existing research on the issue, as well as gathering adequate data. The student should hereby gain concrete experience of different investigation methods and learn how these can be used to solve the various tasks of a research project. Furthermore the course should make the student understand the value of analysing the design of different research tasks, and to constructively consider the views of others.

The course requirement is to independently carry out a minor investigation chosen by the student himself and set up in consultation with a tutor. The research is accounted for at a final seminar by an oral presentation, but above all, by a written paper. Another important part is for the students to analyse and to reflect together upon the design of different types of research tasks; the ones used by the student himself as well as those of his fellow students. At the final seminar the authors are expected to reflect orally upon and answer questions about their own investigation. Furthermore each student shall initiate the discussion about at least one other paper by acting as opponent, as well as actively participating in discussions on the other papers presented in the same seminar group.

Teaching

Teaching consists of a combination of lectures, literature studies, seminars and exercises. The students’ own efforts in the form of creative thinking, information search, and paper-writing are important elements of the course.

The focus of the teaching is on personal instruction adapted to the need of each student, individually or in a group form. At the end of the course the essays are presented and discussed in the seminar form. On this occasion the students are given the opportunity to evaluate the different types of projects and how they have been carried out from beginning to end, and what conclusions can be drawn from the specific problems dealt with in the process.

Instruction

The instruction is done in the form of lectures and seminars of varying content and disposition.

Additional information regarding instruction and examination will be handed out before each sub-course.