PLEASE NOTE this is a 2013 reading list—the precise content may change in future years.
Term 1, Week 3
CONCEPTUAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES

What are the key methodological challenges in studying British politics?

What role do structure and agency play in understanding British Politics?

What are the key issues in British politics?

What should we be looking at if we want to understand what happens in British politics?
Core reading

Burnham, P, Lutz, K G, Grant, W and Layton-Henry, Z (2008) Research Methods in Politics
(2nd ed), Chs.1, 2 and 8

Goodwin, B (2007) Using Political Ideas (5th ed), Ch.13

Hall, P (1987) Governing the Economy, Ch.1

Hay, C (1995) Structure and Agency’ in D Marsh and G Stoker Theory and Methods in
Political Science

Hay, C (2002) Political Analysis: A Critical Introduction

Hay, C (2009) ‘King Canute and the ‘Problem’ of Structure and Agency: On Times, Tides and
Heresthetics’ Political Studies 57:2
Further reading

Campbell, J (2002) ‘Ideas, Politics and Public Policy’ Annual Review of Sociology 28

Frey, F (1985) ‘The Problem of Actor Designation in Political Analysis’ Comparative Politics
17:2

Gamble, A (1990) 'Theories of British Politics' Political Studies 38

Kettell, S and Kerr, P (2006) 'In Defence of British Politics: The Past, Present and Future of
the Discipline' British Politics 1:1

Marsh, D (2008) 'Understanding British Government: Analysing Competing Models' British
Journal of Politics and International Relations 10:2

Hall, P A and Taylor, C R (1998) 'The Potential of Historical Institutionalism: A Response to
Hay and Wincott' Political Studies, 46:3

Hay, C and Wincott, D (1998) 'Structure, Agency and Historical Institutionalism' Political
Studies 46:5

Marsh, D and Stoker, G (eds) (2010) Theory and Methods in Political Science

McAnulla, S (2006) British Politics: A Critical Introduction