Module: Comparative European Politics

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Comparative European Politics
Module Code	POL1036 (ITS: LG302)
Faculty	Law & Government	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

The primary purpose of this course is to equip students with a good knowledge of the politics of individual countries in modern Europe. This will involve learning the key features of the political systems in European countries. From this we can then identify any empirical patterns that exist across these systems. With this knowledge we will begin to look at likely explanations for the existence of these patterns. A secondary aim of this course is to enable students to predict the likely effect of different changes to a political system.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify similarities and differences between the contemporary politics of European countries

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	12	No Description
Seminars	12	No Description
Independent Study	101	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20921	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Moign Khawaja	Module Teacher	Donnacha Ó Beacháin, Iain McMenamin

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Essay	n/a	100%	Week 1

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

1. Basic patterns of political organisation. Competing visions of democracy. The Westminster model and the consensus model of democracy.

2. Veto players. Clevage structures in Western Europe: persistence and change.

3. Party families and party systems in Europe.

4. Electoral systems: electoral rules, PR versus majoritarian systems.

5. Electoral systems: effects and electoral reform.

6. Parliaments: legislative organisation. The decline of parliamentary power?

7. The executive: cabinets and prime ministers.

8. Judicial politics and constitutional courts.

9. Administrative structures and bureaucracies: power without accountability?

10. Introduction to the European Union: historical and institutional overview.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Gallegher, M., Laver, M., and P. Mair: 2006, Representative Government in Modern Europe: institutions, parties and governments, 4th Edition, McGraw Hill, New York,
Bale, Tim: 2005, European Politics, Palgrave, Basingstoke,
Landman, Todd: 2003, Issues and methods in comparative politics: an introduction, 2nd Edition, Routledge, London,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None