Department of European Studies & Modern Languages, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
EU30441 Women & politics in Europe |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Honours |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: EX67CW33 |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: The aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of the relationship between gender and politics in contemporary Europe; to examine some areas of political theory in relation to gender and to explore a number of thematic case studies.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this unit students should be able to: * apply a basic theoretical knowledge of the relationship between women and politics; * explain the position of women in European politics; * critically evaluate the realities of women's involvement in politics across Europe. Skills: Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument and the planning/conduct/reporting of non-quantitative research are developed and assessed in this unit. Content: This unit will first introduce some of the major debates in contemporary feminist political theory. It will then move into a comparative analysis of the relationship between women and the political processes in Europe by examining feminist movements, women's voting patterns, women's participation in government and political parties, social policy concerning women and women's involvement in the European parliament and commission. Key text: Wendy Stokes, Women in Contemporary Politics (Polity, 2005). |