GV101 INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE 2006-07.
Teacher responsible: Dr. Jonathan Hopkin and others.
Course description : This course provides an introduction to the study of politics through
(a) an analysis of one state’s institutions, those of the United Kingdom, and (b), a comparative analysis of political institutions generally. There will be nine lectures on each of these areas plus an introductory and revision lecture. Assessment consists of a three hour written exam divided into two sections, one on the material covered in
Michaelmas term, the second for the material covered in Lent term. Students will have to answer three questions with at least one taken from each section. The purpose of the lectures is to explain what various institutional categories actually mean, bringing in a range of empirical examples and (where appropriate) the classic literature.
Lecturers on this course:
Dr. Sumantra Bose, Reader in Comparative Politics.
Dr. Jonathan Hopkin, Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics.
Dr Bill Kissane, Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics
Prof. Edward Page, Professor of Public Policy
Dr. Francisco Panizza, Senior Lecturer in Latin American Politics.
Dr. Gwen Sasse, Senior Lecturer in Comparative European Politics.
Dr Zhand Shakibi, in Tutorial Fellow in Comparative Politics.
Dr. Nebojsa Vladisavljevic, Tutorial Fellow in Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
Format : Alongside the lectures there will be smaller classes held on the same topics as each weeks lectures. Students will be assigned these classes at the beginning of the
Michaelmas term. Students will have to write four unassessed essays as part of this course.

Outline
1: Introduction to the course.
First Part
2: The Westminster Model: Monarchy, Government and Parliament
3: Majoritarian Politics In Britain: The Electoral and Party Systems
4: Voting Behaviour In Britain: From Class Voting to Consumer Choice
5: Political Parties in Britain: Ideology and Organization
6: Constitutional Change and the United Kingdom State
7: Constitutional Change: Devolution and Local Government in Britain
8: Governing the British Economy
9: Governing British Society: Public Services and the Welfare State
10: The Europeanization of British Politics
Second Part
11. What Are Political Institutions?
12. The State And Democratic Governance
13. Heads Of State: Monarchical Systems
14. Presidentialism Versus Parliamentarism
15. Comparative Electoral Systems
16. Civil Society
17. Human Rights And The Judiciary
18. Centralisation: Federalism, Devolution
19. Systems Of Public Administration
20. Conclusion

Readings: There is no single textbook, but it would be useful for students to purchase:
Hilaire Barnett, Britain Unwrapped . London: Penguin, 2002
Arend Lijphart, Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-
Six Countries . New Haven: Yale University Press, 1999.
Patrick Dunleavy et al , Developments in British Politics 8 . Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2006.
These are introductory readings and always need to be supplemented with other sources from the reading list. Copies will be available for purchase at
The Economist’s Bookshop
,
Clare Market, on the LSE campus.
Detailed Reading List
This list also includes library classmarks to help you find the books in the BLPES (eg. A.
Lijphart, Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six
Countries (1999), Chapters 2-3. [CC] JC421 L72). ‘CC’ means the book is in the course collection, JC421 L72 is the book’s classmark enabling it to be located on the shelves.
Some readings are available in electronic form through the BLPES. They can be accessed on campus by following the hyperlinks marked ‘
Click here
’. Others marked ‘ Ebooks’
are available through Oxford Scholarship Online, also accessible from the library catalogue.
Electronic copies of this reading list, with live hyperlinks, will be available on WebCT , from the public folders for GV101 (at https://exchange.lse.ac.uk/public/ - choose
‘Departments – Government – Courses 2006-2007 – GV101’), and also on the teaching pages of my personal website ( http://personal.lse.ac.uk/hopkin/teaching.htm
). The E books hyperlinks are configured for off-campus access. On-campus you can access them through the Electronic Library (A-Z List of Electronic Resources – O – Oxford
Scholarship Online Electronic Books. Choose ‘Political Science’ under Subject Home
Pages, then ‘UK Politics’)

1. Introduction
(J.Hopkin)
2. The Westminster Model: Monarchy, Government And Parliament
(J.Hopkin)
What is the ‘Westminster model’? Does it concentrate too much power in too few places?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of single party majority governments in
Britain?
Core reading
A. Lijphart, Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six
Countries (1999), Chapters 2-3. [CC] JC421 L72
P. Dunleavy, ‘The Westminster Model and the Distinctiveness of British Politics’, in P.
Dunleavy, R. Heffernan, P. Cowley and C. Hay (eds), Developments in British Politics 8
(2006).
F. Ridley, ‘There is No British Constitution: A Dangerous Case of the Emperor’s Clothes’,
Parliamentary Affairs 41 (1988). JN101 Click here
H. Barnett, Britain Unwrapped. Government and Constitution Explained (2002), chapters
1-3. [CC] JN231 B26
Additional reading
V. Bogdanor, The Monarchy and the Constitution . (2005). E-books
D. Judge, The Parliamentary State (1993). [CC] JN508 J91
G. Wilson, 'The Westminster Model in Comparative Perspective', in I. Budge (ed.),
Developing Democracy. Comparative Research in Honour of J F P Blondel . London:
Sage Publications, 1994. [CC] JC423 D48
M. Smith, The Core Executive in Britain (1999), Chapter 2. [CC] JN405 S65

M. Smith, ‘The Core Executive and the Modernization of Central Government’, in P.
Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan and G. Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics
7 (2003). [CC] JN231 D48
M. Foley, The British Presidency (2000). [CC] JN406 F66
A. Gamble, ‘Theories of British Government’, Political Studies 38 (1990): 404-20. JA8
A. Gamble, ‘Remaking the Constitution’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan and G.
Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231 D48
B. Coxall et al, Contemporary British Politics (2003), Chs.11-15. [CC] JN231 C87
3. Majoritarian Politics In Britain: The Electoral And Party Systems
(J.Hopkin)
Does the United Kingdom have a two-party system?
Does the introduction of new electoral process at the devolved level undermine the
Westminster model of party democracy?
Core reading
P. Mair (ed), The West European Party System , Chapters 20 & 24. [CC] JN94.A979 W52
J.Curtice, ‘Changing Voting Systems’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan and G.
Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231 D48
S. Childs, ‘Political Parties and Party Systems’, in P. Dunleavy, R. Heffernan, P. Cowley and C. Hay (eds), Developments in British Politics 8 (2006).
P. Webb, ‘Political Parties in Britain’, in P. Webb et al, Political Parties in Advanced
Industrial Democracies (2002). [CC] JF2051 P76 or Click here
‘Jenkins Commission’ (Independent Commission on the Voting System). Report presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for the Home Department by command of Her Majesty, October 1998. UK Government Collection, 42+(11184) or http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm40/4090/4090.htm

Additional reading
H. Barnett, Britain Unwrapped. Government and Constitution Explained (2002), chapter
6. [CC] JN231 B26
I. Budge et al, The New British Politics (1998), Chapters 17-18. [CC] JN231 B92
R. Garner and R. Kelly, British Political Parties Today , 2 nd
Ed. (1998), Chapter 2.
[CC] JN1121 G23
R. Heffernan, ‘Political Parties and the Party System’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R.
Heffernan and G. Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231
D48
P. Webb, The Modern British Party System (2000). [CC] JN1117 W36
P. Webb and J. Fisher, ‘The Changing British Party System’ in D. Broughton and M.
Donovan (eds.), Changing Party Systems in Western Europe (1999). [CC] JN94.A979
C45
W. Jones, ‘Reforming the Electoral System’, in Jones, W. (ed.).
Political Issues in Britain
Today (1999). [CC] HN385.5 P76
4 Voting Behaviour In Britain: From Class Voting To Consumer Choice
(J.Hopkin)
Does social class still matter in British electoral politics?
Have British voters become ‘consumers’ of politics?
Core reading
P. Mair (ed), The West European Party System (1990), Chapter 5. Click here [CC]
JN94.A979 W52
H. Clarke et al . Political Choice in Britain (2004), Ch.3. E-books
D. Denver, Elections and Voting Behaviour in Britain (2003), Chapters 3, 4, 5. [CC]
JN956 D41

A. Heath et al . The Rise of New Labour (2001) E-books
J. Bartle and S. Laycock, ‘Elections and Voting’, in P. Dunleavy, R. Heffernan, P.
Cowley and C. Hay (eds), Developments in British Politics 8 (2006).
Additional reading
Alford, R., ‘Class voting in the Anglo-American political systems’, in S.M. Lipset and S.
Rokkan (eds.), Party systems and voter alignments (1967), pp.67-94. [CC] JF2051 L76
P. Dunleavy, ‘Elections and Party Politics’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan, I.
Holliday and G. Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 6 , pp. 127-50.
[CC] JN231 D48
D. Sanders, ‘Electoral Competition in Contemporary Britain’, in C. Hay (ed),
British
Politics Today (2002). [CC] JN231 B86
D. Sanders et al., ‘The Economy and Voting’, in P. Norris (ed.),
Britain Votes 2001 . [CC]
JN956 B86 (This article can also be found in Parliamentary Affairs 54 (2001) JN101 or
Click here
B. Coxall, L. Robins and R. Leach, Contemporary British Politics , 4 th
Ed. (2003),
Chapter 7. [CC] JN231 C87
M. Maor, Political Parties: Comparative Approaches and the British Experience (1997), chapter 7. [CC] JF2501 M29
I. Crewe & K. Thomson, ‘Party Loyalties: Dealignment or Realignment?’, in Evans &
Norris, Critical Elections. British Parties and Voters in Long-Term Perspective , (1999)
Ch.4. [CC] JN945 C93
S. Saggar & A. Heath, ‘Race: Towards a Multicultural Electorate?’, in Evans & Norris,
Critical Elections. British Parties and Voters in Long-Term Perspective , (1999) Ch.6.
[CC] JN945 C93
P. Norris, ‘Gender: A Gender-Generation Gap?’, in Evans & Norris, Critical Elections.
British Parties and Voters in Long-Term Perspective , (1999) Ch.8. [CC] JN945 C93
P. Webb, The Modern British Party System (2000), Chapters 1 and 2. [CC] JN1117 W36

5. Political Parties In Britain: Ideology And Organization
(J.Hopkin)
Are British political parties still capable of fulfilling their traditional function in the political system?
Is British party competition still driven by ideology?
Are British parties ‘cartel’ parties?
Core reading
R. Katz. & P. Mair, ‘Changing Models of Party Organisation and Party Democracy: The
Emergence of the Cartel Party’,
Party Politics 1: 5-28 (1995) JF2011 (also in P. Mair,
Party System Change , 1998 [CC] JF2051 M22 or Click here ).
P. Kelly, ‘Ideas and Policy Agendas in Contemporary Politics’, in P. Dunleavy, A.
Gamble, R. Heffernan, I. Holliday and G. Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 6 , pp. 127-50. [CC] JN231 D48
D. Wring, ‘The News Media and the Public Relations State’, in P. Dunleavy, R.
Heffernan, P. Cowley and C. Hay (eds), Developments in British Politics 8 (2006).
R. Heffernan, ‘Political Parties and the Party System’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R.
Heffernan and G. Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231
D48
Additional reading
I. Budge et al, The New British Politics (1998), Chapter 16. [CC] JN231 B92
A. Chadwick and R. Heffernan (eds), The New Labour Reader (2003), Chapters 1 & 2.
[CC] JN1129.L32 N53
Fisher, J. (1996). British Political Parties . New York: Prentice Hall, Chs.1-7. [CC]
JN1121 F53
Garner, R. & Kelly, R. (1998). British Political Parties Today . Manchester: Manchester
University Press, 2 nd
Ed, Ch.3-6. [CC] JN1121 G23

A. Giddens, The Third Way (1998). [CC] HM33 G45
A. Gamble, The Free Economy and the Strong State (1994). [CC] DA592 G19
A. Hindmoor, New Labour at the Centre (2005) E-books
P. Webb, ‘Political Parties in Britain’, in P. Webb et al,
Political Parties in Advanced
Industrial Democracies (2002). [CC] JF2051 P76 or Click here
P. Webb, ‘Are British Political Parties in Decline?’, Party Politics 1: 299-322 (1995).
JF2011
6. Constitutional Change And The United Kingdom State
(J.Hopkin)
What are the main differences between a unitary and a federal state? Which best describes the contemporary UK?
Do Northern Ireland’s consociational institutions negate democracy in order to keep the peace?
Core reading
A. Lijphart, Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six
Countries (1999), Chapter 3. [CC] JC421 L72
C. Jeffery, ‘Devolution and the Lopsided State’, in P. Dunleavy, R. Heffernan, P. Cowley and C. Hay (eds), Developments in British Politics 8 (2006).
M. Flinders, ‘The Half-Hearted Constitutional Revolution’, in P. Dunleavy, R. Heffernan,
P. Cowley and C. Hay (eds), Developments in British Politics 8 (2006).
B. O’Leary, ‘The Nature of the British-Irish Agreement’, New Left Review 233 (1999): pp. 66-96.
HX3 or Click here
Additional reading.
V. Bogdanor, Devolution in the United Kingdom (2001). [CC] JN329.D43 B67

B. Coxall, L. Robins and R. Leach, Contemporary British Politics, 4 th
Ed. (2003),
Chapter 17. [CC] JN231 C87
J. McGarry, Northern Ireland and the Divided World . (2005). E-books
J. McGarry and B. O’Leary (eds.).
The Northern Ireland Conflict . (2005). E-books
J. Tonge, ‘Politics in Northern Ireland’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan and G.
Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231 D48
7. Constitutional Change: Devolution And Local Government In Britain
(J.Hopkin)
What is the ‘West Lothian question’ and how serious is it?
What are the likely consequences of devolution for the United Kingdom state?
Are executive mayors likely to revive local democracy?
Core reading
H. Barnett, Britain Unwrapped. Government and Constitution Explained (2002), chapter
5. [CC] JN231 B26
Hopkin, Jonathan and Jonathan Bradbury (2006). ‘British Parties and Multilevel Politics’,
Publius: The Journal of Federalism 36(1): 135-52. Click here.
V. Bogdanor, ‘Devolution: Decentralisation or Disintegration?’,
Political Quarterly 70, 2
(1999): pp. 185-94. JA8 or Click here
D. Ashford, ‘British Dogmatism and French Pragmatism Revisited’, in C. Crouch and D.
Marquand (eds), The New Centralism: Britain out of step with Europe?
(1989). Click here [CC] JS3137 N53
Additional reading

V. Bogdanor, ‘Asymmetric Devolution: Toward a Quasi-Federal Constitution?’, in P.
Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan and G. Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics
7 (2003). [CC] JN231 D48
V. Bogdanor, Devolution in the United Kingdom (2001). [CC] JN329.D43 B67
R. Hazell (ed.), Constitutional Futures: A History of the Next Ten Years (1999), Chapter
3. [CC] JN318 C75
R. Hazell (ed.), The State and the Nations (2003). [CC] JN329.D4 S79
G. Peele, ‘Politics in England and Wales’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan and
G. Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231 D48
N. Rao, Reviving Local Democracy: New Labour, New Politics?
(2000). [MC] JS3111
R21
B. Coxall, L. Robins and R. Leach, Contemporary British Politics , 4 th
Ed. (2003),
Chapter 18. [CC] JN231 C87
8. Governing The British Economy
(J.Hopkin)
Can the British government ‘govern’ the British economy?
Is New Labour’s economic policy any different to that of its Conservative predecessors?
Core reading
C. Hay, ‘Managing Economic Interdependence: The Political Economy of New Labour’, in P. Dunleavy, R. Heffernan, P. Cowley and C. Hay (eds), Developments in British
Politics 8 (2006).
A. Glyn and S. Wood, ‘New Labour’s Economic Policy’, in A. Glyn (ed.),
Social
Democracy in Neoliberal Times (2001). [CC] HX238.5 S67 Click here
Hopkin, J. and D. Wincott (2006). ‘New Labour, Economic Reform and the European
Social Model’,
British Journal of Politics and International Relations , 8(1): 50-68. Click here

Additional reading
C. Annesley and A. Gamble, ‘Economic and Welfare Policy’, in S. Ludlam and M. Smith
(eds), Governing as New Labour (2004). [MC] JN1129.L32 G71
P. Burnham, ‘New Labour and the Politics of Depoliticization’, British Journal of
Politics and International Relations 2: 127-49 (2001). JA8
A. Gamble and G. Kelly, ‘Labour’s New Economics’, in S. Ludlam and M. Smith (eds),
New Labour in Government (2000) [MC] JN1129.L32 N53
W. Grant, ‘Economic Policy’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan and G. Peele
(eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231 D48
W. Grant. Economic Policy in Britain (2002). [MC] HC257.7 G76
E. Balls and G. O’Donnell (eds), Reforming Britain’s Economic and Financial Policy
(2002). [UK Government Collection] 42 (13253)
R. Middleton, The British Economy since 1945 (2000). [MC] HC256.5 M62
A. Giddens, The Third Way (1998), chapters 1-2. [CC] HM33 G45
C. Hay, The Political Economy of New Labour. Labouring Under False Pretences
(1999). [CC] JN1129.L3 H41
D. King and S. Wood, ‘The Political Economy of Neoliberalism: Britain and the United
States in the 1980s’, in H. Kitschelt et al,
Continuity and Change in Contemporary
Capitalism (1999). [CC] HC59.15 C76
9. Governing British Society: Public Services And The Welfare State
(J.Hopkin)
Is the UK welfare state another case of British exceptionalism?
Is New Labour reviving or burying the UK welfare state?
Core reading

S. Driver, ‘Modernizing the Public Services’, in P. Dunleavy, R. Heffernan, P. Cowley and C. Hay (eds), Developments in British Politics 8 (2006).
S. Jenkins, ‘Recent Trends in the UK Income Distribution: What Happened and Why?’,
Oxford Review of Economic Policy 12 (1996), pp.29-46. HD82 or Click here
M. Rhodes, ‘Restructuring the British Welfare State: Between Domestic Constraints and
Global Imperatives’, in F. Scharpf and V. Schmidt (eds), Welfare and Work in the Open
Economy. Vol II (2000). [CC] HN17.5 W44 E-books
P. Wilding, ‘The Welfare State and the Conservatives’, Political Studies (1997), pp.716-
26. JA8 or Click here
Additional reading
A. Giddens, The Third Way (1998), chapters 3-4. [CC] HM33 G45
A. Denham, ‘Public Services’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R. Heffernan and G. Peele
(eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231 D48
H. Glennerster, British Social Policy Since 1945 (2000). [CC] HN385.5 G55
M. Rhodes, ‘Desperately Seeking a Solution: Social Democracy, Thatcherism and the
“Third Way” in British Welfare’, in M. Ferrera and M. Rhodes (eds),
Recasting
European Welfare States (2000). [CC] HN375.5 R29
M. Jones and R. Lowe, From Beveridge to Blair (2002). [MC] HC256.5 F93
P. Pierson, Dismantling the Welfare State? Reagan, Thatcher and the Politics of
Retrenchment (1994). [CC] HN59.2 P62
R. Prabhakar, ‘New Labour and the Reform of Public Services’, in S. Ludlam and M.
Smith (eds), Governing as New Labour (2004). [MC] JN1129.L32 G71
P. Toynbee and P. Walker, Did Things Get Better? An Audit of Labour’s Successes and
Failures (2001). [CC] JN1129.L32 T75
10. The Europeanization Of British Politics
(T. Oliver)

How are member states’ interests represented in the EU?
Why has ‘the loss of sovereignty’ inherent in European integration presented more of a problem to the UK than to most other EU member states?
Core reading
M. Smith, ‘Britain, Europe and the World’, in P. Dunleavy, R. Heffernan, P. Cowley and
C. Hay (eds), Developments in British Politics 8 (2006).
S. George, An Awkward Partner: Britain in the European Community (1998), Chapters 1, 7-
9. [CC] HC241.25.G7 G34
British Parties and Voters in Long-Term Perspective , Ch.11. E-copy [CC] JN945 C93
S. Hix, The Political System of the European Union (1999), Chapters 1 and 4. [CC] JN30
H67
W. Wallace, ‘The Sharing of Sovereignty: The European Paradox’,
Political Studies 47
(1999). JA8 or Click here
Additional reading
B. Coxall, L. Robins and R. Leach, Contemporary British Politics , 4 th
Ed. (2003),
Chapter 16. [CC] JN231 C87
G. Evans, ‘Europe: A New Electoral Cleavage?’, in Evans & Norris, Critical Elections.
J. McCormick, Understanding the European Union: A Concise Introduction (2002),
Chapter 4. [CC] JN30 M13
H. Barnett, Britain Unwrapped. Government and Constitution Explained (2002), chapter
4. [CC] JN231 B26
D. Baker and D. Seawright (eds), Britain For and Against Europe: British Politics and the
Question of European Integration (1998). [CC] JN15 B86
J. Jowell and D. Oliver (eds), The Changing Constitution , 4 th
Ed. (2000), Chapter 3. [CC]
KD3989 C45

B. Rosamond, ‘Britain’s European Future’ in C. Hay (ed),
British Politics Today (2002).
[CC] JN231 B86
B. Rosamon, ‘The Europeanization of British Politics’, in P. Dunleavy, A. Gamble, R.
Heffernan and G. Peele (eds), Developments in British Politics 7 (2003). [CC] JN231
D48
J. Pedersen, ‘Sovereignty and Independence’, in I. Holliday, A. Gamble and G. Parry
(eds), Fundamentals in British Politics (1999). [CC] JN231 F98
11. What Are Political Institutions?
(F. Panizza)
What are political institutions?
How do institutions influence policy decisions?
Core reading
J. Knight (1992) Institutions and social conflict Cambridge; New York, CUP pp.1-20.
[CC] HM131 K61
J. G. March and Johan P. Olsen, (1989) Rediscovering institutions: the organizational basis of politics New York, Free Press. pp.1-19 and 159-72. [CC] JC249 M31
K. Thelen and S. Steinmo (1992) ‘Historical institutionalism in comparative politics’ in
S. Steinmo, K. Thelen and F. Longstreth (eds) Structuring politics: historical institutionalism in comparative analysis Cambridge; New York, CUP, pp.1-32. [CC]
JF11 S92
F. Zakaria (1997) ‘The Rise of Illiberal Democracy’ Foreign Affairs
November/December. JX1 or Click here
Additional reading

D. Marsh and G. Stoker (1995) Theory and methods in political science Basingstoke,
Macmillan (chapter on institutions) [CC] JA71 T39
B. G. Peters (1999)
Institutional Theory in Political Science: The “New Institutionalism”
London, New York, Pinter (pp. 1-24) [CC] JA71 P48
Peter Hall (1986) Governing the Economy: The Politics of State Intervention in Britain and France Cambridge, Polity Press pp.3-22. [CC] HC256 H17
D. C. North (1990) Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance .
Cambridge; New York, CUP pp. 3-10. [CC] HB99.5 N86
Weaver and B. A. Rockman (1993) ‘Assessing the Effects of Institutions’ in Weaver, R.
Kent and B. A. Rockham, Do Institutions Matter? Government capabilities in the United
States and Abroad Washington D.C., The Brookings Institution, 1-41. [CC] JK305 D63
12. The State And Democratic Governance
(F. Panizza)
Rival definitions and understanding of the nature of the state.
The role of the state in processes of democratisation and economic development.
Core Reading
Evans, P. (1997) ‘The eclipse of the state? Reflections on stateness in an era of globalization’ World Politics 50:1 (October) pp. 62-87. JX1 or Click Here
Almond, Gabriel (1988) ‘The Return of the State.’ American Political Science Review 82
(3), also in Almond, Gabriel (1990) A discipline divided : Schools and Sects in Political
Science London, Sage. JA1.A1 or Click here
Scott, James C. (1998) Seeing like a state: How certain schemes to improve the human condition have failed . New Haven: Yale University Press. [CC] HD87.5 S42
Weiss, Linda (1998) The myth of the powerless state. Governing the economy in a global era . Cambridge, Polity Press pp.1-41. [CC] HD87 W43

Additional reading
Evans, Peter ‘The state as a problem and solution: Predation, embedded autonomy and structural change’ in Stephen Haggard and R. Kaufman (eds) (1992)
The Politics of economic adjustment: international constraints, distributive conflicts, and the state
Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press. [CC] HD87 P76
Nordlinger Erik (1981) On the autonomy of the democratic state Cambridge, Cambridge
University Press. [CC] JC423 N83
Nettl, J. P. (1968) ‘The state as a conceptual variable’
World Politics 20. JA1.A1 or Click here
Dunleavy, Patrick and Brendan O’ Leary (1987) Theories of the state: The politics of liberal democracy . London, McMillan ch.1 and 7. [CC] JC325 D92
Ringmar, Erik (1996) ‘On the ontological status of the state.’
European Journal of
International Relations 2, (4) 439-66. JX1
13. Heads Of State: Monarchical Systems
(Z.Shakibi)
Why was monarchy the most common type of polity before the twentieth century and what were its major weaknesses?
Core reading
W.M. Spellman Monarchies. 1000-2000 . Reaktion Books, 2000. [CC] JC375 S74
Machiavelli The Prince . (any edition) [MC] JC143.M4 M14 or Click here
J. Spence Emperor of China. A Self-Portrait of Kang-Hsi . Vintage, 1988. (all the book if possible but above all the chapter on rulership) [CC] DS754.4.C53 K11
D. Lieven Nicholas II. Emperor of all the Russias . Pimlico. 1994. Chapter 5 + pp 141-4.
[CC] DK258 L72

Additional reading
S.E. Finer, The History of Government (Oxford), 3 volumes. [CC] JF31 F49
14. Presidentialism Versus Parliamentarism
(G. Sasse)
What are the key differences between presidential, semi-presidential, and parliamentary systems?
Are parliamentary systems more stable than presidential systems?
Core reading
J. Linz 'The Perils of Presidentialism', Journal of Democracy, 1, 1, winter 1990, 51-69
(JC421) Or ‘Presidential or Parliamentary Democracy: Does it Make a Difference?’ in
Linz, J.J. and Valenzuela, A. (eds ), The Failure of Presidential Democracy: Comparative
Perspectives, Vol. 1, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore,1994 [CC] JF255 F16.
A. Lijphart ed. Parliamentary versus Presidential Government , OUP, 1992, introduction and passim [CC] JF11.P36
D. Horowitz ‘Comparing Democratic Systems’,
Journal of Democracy , 1, 4 (Fall 1990), pp. 73-79. JC421
G. Sartori Comparative Constitutional Engineering: An Inquiry into Structures,
Incentives and Outcomes , Macmillan: London, 1994/1997, esp. parts two and passim
[CC] JN5451 S25
Additional reading
A. Stepan & C. Skach 'Constitutional Frameworks and Democratic Consolidation:
Parliamentarianism versus Presidentialism', World Politics , 46, 1, October 1993, 1-22.
JX1 or Click here

M. Shugart & J. Carey. Presidents and Assemblies: Constitutional Design and Electoral
Dynamics, Cambridge: CUP, 1992, ch. 3 and conclusion [CC] JF255 S56
G. O’Donnell ‘Delegative Democracy’
, Journal of Democracy , 5, 1 (1994), 55-69.
JC421
M. Shugart ‘The Inverse Relationship Between Party Strength and Executive Strength: A
Theory of Politicians' Constitutional Choices’, British Journal of Political Science , Vol.
28, 1998, 1, 1-29. JA8 or Click here
M. Scott 'Presidentialism, Multipartyism and Democracy: The Difficult Combination',
Comparative Political Studies , 26, July 1993. JA3 or Click here
A. Valenzuela 'Latin America: Presidentialism in Crisis' , Journal of Democarcy , 4, 4,
October 1993, 3-16. JC421
G.M. Easter ‘Preference for Presidentialism: Post-Communist Regime Change in Russia and the NIS’,
World Politics , January 1997, 49, 2, 184-211. JX1 or Click here
15. Comparative Electoral Systems
(N. Vladislavljevic)
Is there a trade-off between electoral proportionality and strong government?
To what extent do mixed-member electoral systems combine the advantages of proportional and plurality systems while avoiding the disadvantages of each?
Core reading
Chandler, ‘The Plurality Vote: A Reappraisal’, Political Studies 30 (1982): pp. 87-94.
JA8
D. Farrell, Electoral Systems: a comparative introduction (2001), Chapters 2, 4, 5, 9.
[CC] JF1001 F24
M. Shugart and M. Wattenberg (eds), Mixed-Member Electoral Systems: The Best of
Both Worlds?
(2000), Chapters 1, 2, 4, 14, 25. [CC] JF1071 M68 or Click here

R. Taagepera and M. S. Shugart, Seats and Votes: The Effects and Determinants of
Electoral Systems (1989), Chapters 2-3. [CC] JF1001 T16
Additional reading
M. Dummett, Principles of Electoral Reform (1997). [CC] JF1001 D88
B. Grofman and A. Lijphart (eds), Electoral Laws and their Political Consequences
(1986). [CC] JF1001 E31
A. Lijphart, Electoral Systems and Party Systems: A Study of Twenty-Seven Democracies
(1994). [CC] JF1001 L72
J. Curtice, ‘Why the Additional Member System Has Won Out in Scotland’,
Representation 33, 4 (1996): 119-24. JN956
16. Civil Society
(W. Kissane)
Is Civil Society just another name for democracy?
Can democracy exist without civil society?
Core reading
G. Baker, ‘The Taming of the Idea of Civil Society’,
Democratization vol 6 no.3
(Autumn 1999), pp.1-30. JC423
J. Cohen and A. Arato, Civil Society and Political Theory (New Baskerville: MIT Press,
1997), Part One. [CC] JC336 C67
Diamond. L. ‘Towards Democratic Consolidation’ in L. Diamond and M.F. Plattner, The
Global Resurgence of Democracy (Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University
Press, 1996), pp.227-241. [CC] JC421 G56
K. Kumar, ‘Civil Society: an enquiry into the usefulness of an historical term’,
British
Journal of Sociology , vol.44 no.3, (September 1993), pp.375-397. HM1 or Click here

Additional reading
N. Bermeo and P. Nord, Civil Society before Democracy: Lessons from Nineteenth
Century Europe (Rowan and Littlefield: Oxford, 2000). [MC] JC337 C58
Nelson M. Kafir, ‘The Conventional Notion of Civil Society: A Critique,’
Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, vol. 36, no. 2 (July 1998), pp.1-20. JA8
V. M. Perez-Diaz, The Return of Civil Society: The Emergence of Democratic Spain
(Harvard University Press, 1998) chs. 1 & 2. [CC] DP272 P43
T. Skocpol, M. Ganz. And Z. Manson. ‘A Nation of Organizers: The Institutional Origins of Civic Voluntarism in the United States’,
American Political Science Review vol. 94. no.3 (September 2000), pp.527-46. JA1.A1 or Click here
17. Human Rights And The Judiciary
(F. Panizza)
What are human rights?
How are human rights related to democracy?
Core reading
D. Beetham (ed) (1955) Political Studies, Special Issue , Politics and Human Rights
(articles by Susan Mendus, Michael Freeman and David Beetham) JA8
M. Ignatieff (2001) ‘Human rights as politics and idolatry’ in M. Ignatieff (ed) Human rights as politics and idolatry Princeton, N.J. Princeton University Press. [CC] JC571 I21
Additional reading
J. Waldron, (ed) (1987) Nonsense Upon Stilts. Bentham, Burke and Marx on the Rights of Man chapters on Bentham (ch3) and Marx (ch). [CC] JC571 N81

R. Dworking (1997) ‘What rights do we have?’ in R. Dworking
Taking rights seriously
London, Duckworth. [CC] K258 D99
International Council on Human Rights (2002) Human rights after September 11
Versoix [Great Britain] [CC] JC571 H91
Pion-Berlin, D.(1994)'To Prosecute or to Pardon? Human Rights Decisions in the Latin
American Southern Cone' Human Rights Quarterly , 16, 105-130. JC571 or Click here
Chapman, A. and Ball, P. (2001) ‘The Truth Commissions: Comparative lessons from
Haiti, South Africa and Guatemala’ Human Rights Quarterly 23, 1, 1-43. JC571 or Click here
18. Centralisation, Federalism, Devolution
(S. Bose)
Distinguish between centralised, devolved, and federal states, giving examples of each type.
What factors determine whether federalism is likely to promote political stability or instability?
Core reading
William Riker, ‘Federalism’, in R. Goodin and P. Pettit,
A Companion to Contemporary
Political Philosophy , 1993, pp.508-14. [CC] JA71C73
Daniel Elazar, Exploring Federalism (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1987).
[CC] JC355 E31
Michael Burgess and Alain-G. Gagnon (eds.), Comparative Federalism and Federation
(Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1993) [CC] JC355 C73
Donald Horowitz, Ethnic Groups in Conflict (Berkeley: University of California Press, rev. ed. 2000). [CC] GN496 H81

Additional reading
Murray Forsyth (ed.), Federalism and Nationalism (Leicester: Leicester University Press,
1989). [CC] JF751 F28
Philip Roeder, Red Sunset: The Failure of Soviet Politics (Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1993). [MC] JN6511 R71
Sumantra Bose, Bosnia after Dayton: Nationalist Partition and International Intervention
(New York: Oxford University Press, 2002). [CC] DR1752 B74
Sumantra Bose, Kashmir: Roots of Conflict, Paths to Peace (Cambridge, Mass. and
London: Harvard University Press, 2003). [CC] DS485.K23 B74
19. Systems Of Public Administration.
(E. Page)
Would the world be better without bureaucrats?
Can bureaucracy be controlled?
Core reading
Weber, M., (1976) “Bureaucracy”, in Gerth and Wright Mills (editors),
From Max
Weber, New York, Oxford University Press, pp.196-244. HM15 W36
Tocqueville, A (1834) Democracy in America 4 th book chapter 6 “What sort of despotism democratic nations have to fear” JK216 T63 316-321 (different editions of Tocqueville’s work have this chapter at different page numbers).
Michels, R (1915) Political parties : a sociological study of the oligarchical tendencies of modern democracy
(Glencoe Ill: Free Press) Part 2 Chapter 7 “Bureaucracy: centralizing and decentralizing tendencies” pp. 185-201 JF2051 M62
Parkinson, CN (1957) Parkinson's Law, or The Pursuit of Progress (London: John
Murray) pp.4-15 PN6175 P24
Albrow, M (1970) Bureaucracy (London: Macmillan) Chapter 4 pp. 67-83 JF1351 A34

Peters, BG (2001) The Politics of Bureaucracy 5 th
Edition (London: Routledge) pp. 220-
252 JF1501 P48
Additional reading
Jacoby, H (1973) The bureaucratization of the world (University of California Press) pp.
147-168 JF1341 J11.
Goodsell, CT (2004) The case for bureaucracy: a public administration polemic
4th ed (Washington, DC: CQ Press) (earlier editions just as useful) JK421 G65
Weber, M 'Parliament and Government in a Reconstructed Germany', in Max Weber,
Economy and Society Vol 3, ed. G. Roth and C. Wittich (New York, 1968). pp. 1381-
1469 HM24 W37.
Mouzelis, NP (1967) Organization and Bureaucracy. An Analysis of Modern
Theories (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul) chapters 2 and 3 pp. 38-75 HM131 M93
Merton, RK (1952) “Bureaucratic structure and personality”
Social Forces 18, 1940:
560-568 reprinted in R.K. Merton et al. (eds) Reader in bureaucracy , (New York: Free
Press) JF1321 M57 . Also apparently on a US university website http://www2.pfeiffer.edu/~lridener/courses/MERTONR2.HTML
Downs, A (1967) Inside Bureaucracy (Boston Mass: Little, Brown) Chapters 8 and 9, pp.79-111 JF1351 D75
Page, EC (1992) Political Authority and Bureaucratic Power. A Comparative Analysis
(Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf) JF1411 P13 chapter 8, pp. 141-167
Tullock, G (1993) “The economic theory of bureaucracy” in M Hill (ed) The Policy
Process: A Reader (London: Harvester Wheatsheaf), JC131 P76 110-120
20. Conclusion

Essay Questions.
Are we witnessing the demise of the ‘Westminster model’ in the UK?
Is devolution likely to invigorate Celtic nationalisms and lead to the break-up of Britain?
Why has the power and status of local government in Britain diminished over the last few decades?
Is electoral change in Britain explained by dealignment or realignment?
Would increasing the power of the European Parliament reduce the ‘democratic deficit’ in the EU? Would this necessarily be a good thing?
Is sovereignty a dichotomous variable (i.e. it either exists or it doesn’t) or a continuous variable (i.e. you can have more of it or less of it)?
To what extent should unelected judges wield political power in a liberal democracy?
“Institutional theory has problems in explaining political change”. Discuss.
Are institutions a condition of or a limit to democracy?
‘The state has become irrelevant in a globalised economy and society.’ Discuss.
What desirable features should constitutional designers look for in an electoral system?
“Human rights cannot be both universal and political.” Discuss
How should transitional democracies deal with perpetrators of atrocities and human rights violations? Illustrate with reference to one transitional democracy of your choice.
Why has Monarchy become discredited as a system of government?
How much do institutional factors determine a state’s chances of democratic stability?
Which are more important in formulating trade policy, ideas or interests?
Is federalism essential in a large multi-ethnic state?
A strong civil society is the best basis for democracy. Discuss.
Is there an inexorable tendency towards bureaucratic government in modern societies?