Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3242: Political Representation UK-Style

This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Political representation – what is it, and why (and how) does it matter?
Politics of presence? Symbolic, descriptive and substantive political representation
Modelling and measuring political representation
Levels of political representation – from local to national politics
The under-represented (using the Audit of Political Engagement)
‘The Good Parliament’ – push, pull and prevent effects of the political system on political representation
Changing the rules
Does representation trickle up or down? From Parliament to devolved legislatures to local councils – and back again

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
44	256	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	20	Seminar discussions
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	14	Simulation games and exercises
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	10	Primary data analysis in the labs
Guided independent study	95	Completing readings assigned for the module on a weekly basis
Guided independent study	20	Preparation of formative assignment 1 (critical reviews). Selecting and analysing 2 research articles, writing up critical reviews
Guided independent study	40	Preparation of assignment 1 (research essay). Conducting research, synthesing and analysing evidence, writing up results
Guided independent study	30	Preparation of assignment 2 (poster presentation). Conducting research, analysing data and writing up results, designing visualisations
Guided independent study	14	Preparation of formative assignment 2 (research report outline). Researching and writing up a research report outline
Guided independent study	45	Preparation of assignment 3 (research report). Conducting research, collecting and analysing data and writing up results
Guided independent study	12	Receiving and reflecting on feedback

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Durose, C., Gains, F., Richardson, L., Combs, R., Broome, K., & Eason, C. (2011). Pathways to Politicshttp://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/research-report-65-pathways-politics