20-21 PR2480: Democracy In Britain

PR2480 Democracy in Britain explores the theory and practice of modern British politics. It is designed to familiarise students with the ways in which British democracy has evolved, how it operates today and some of the challenges that confront it.

Students taking the course will gain knowledge of the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the political system. They will learn about how and why the system operates in the way it does, as well as the quality of contemporary democratic governance. Students studying PR2480 will be encouraged throughout the course to be mindful of the relationship between theory and evidence.

The first half of the module tends to focus on the context and institutions of British democracy. The second half tends to focus on some of the interests and actors, including politicians, political parties, media organisations and voters, that are central to any understanding of contemporary British democracy.