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PH336-15 Principles of Political Economy: Economics & Politics

Department
Philosophy
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Ben Lockwood
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

Politics is about who gets what, when, and how – it is about the choices people make that affect the distribution of gains and losses, and about the societal and political conflicts and incentives surrounding them.

This means that the module is concerned with the relations between polity, economy, and society at both a national and global level, and considers this topic from the perspective of both economics and political science as academic disciplines. We review and evaluate the public choice approach to collective decision-making, which views political decision-making as resulting from individual goal-oriented agents interacting in an environment subject to electoral and constitutional rules. Our substantive focus is on voter behaviour, electoral competition, inequality and redistribution, the provision of public goods, and the behaviour of special interest groups from the perspectives of Economics and Political Science.

Module aims

This module is concerned with the governance at both a national and global level, and considers this topic from the perspective of both economics and politics as academic disciplines. The focus is on the extent to which these perspectives complement or conflict with each other. We will study four specific areas where these perspectives overlap.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

We will study four specific areas where political science and economics perspectives overlap. The first part of the module approach to the behaviour of voters and political parties. The second part of the module looks at the political economy of income and wealth inequality, the third is in the provision of public goods, and the fourth focuses on special interest groups.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Develop a broad understanding of the impacts of the differing perspectives of economics and politics as academic disciplines on national and global governance.
  • Understand the strengths and weaknesses of each methodological approach, and when they can be complementary.
Indicative reading list

Refer to reading list.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Interdisciplinary

Co-taught by Politics and Economics for PPE students only.

Subject specific skills

A solid knowledge and understanding of:
(i) Political information: knowledge and understanding of current policy and political theory in the specified topics.
(ii) Applied Economics: Knowledge and understanding of standard economic models and quantitative techniques with application to contemporary problems arising in public policy and the private sector.
(iii) Research issues: Familiarity with contemporary debates and latest research in some specialised areas of PPE. Evaluate how to approach a problem from the perspective of a contemporary researcher with a PPE background

Transferable skills

An established capacity of:
(i) Analytical thinking, reasoning and application.
(ii) Critical, creative and strategic thinking.
(iii) Abstraction and Problem solving.
(iv) Policy evaluation and the analysis of institutions.

Teaching split

Provider Weighting
Economics 50%
Politics & International Studies 50%

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 9 sessions of 2 hours (12%)
Seminars 8 sessions of 1 hour (5%)
Private study 124 hours (83%)
Total 150 hours
Private study description

Private study time will allow students time to prepare for their seminars and develop their skills to become independent learners.
Through independent reading and discussion with others, students will be exposed to a variety of viewpoints, learn to choose among them, and will be better prepared to develop their own distinctive ideas.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A
Weighting Study time
Written Assignment 1 (1500 words) 15%
Written Assignment 2 (2500 words) 85%
Feedback on assessment

Courses

This module is Core optional for:

  • UPHA-V7MM Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MH Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Economics/Philosophy Bipartite (Economics Major) (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MI Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Philosophy/Economics Bipartite (Philosophy Major) (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MJ Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Philosophy/Politics Bipartite (with Intercalated year)

This module is Optional for:

  • UPHA-V7MM Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MQ Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite) with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of V7MH Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Economics/Philosophy Bipartite (Economics Major) (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MF Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Economics/Politics Bipartite (Economics Major) (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MI Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Philosophy/Economics Bipartite (Philosophy Major) (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MJ Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Philosophy/Politics Bipartite (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MG Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Politics/Economics Bipartite (Politics Major) (with Intercalated year)

This module is Core option list A for:

  • UPHA-V7ML Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics
    • Year 3 of V7MR Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major)
    • Year 3 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
    • Year 3 of V7MP Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite)
    • Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
    • Year 3 of V7ML Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite)
  • UPHA-V7MM Undergraduate Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MS Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major) (with Intercalated Year)
    • Year 4 of V7MS Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite with Economics Major) (with Intercalated Year)
    • Year 4 of V7MQ Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Bipartite) with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of V7MM Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Tripartite) (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MF Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Economics/Politics Bipartite (Economics Major) (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of V7MG Philosophy, Politics and Economics - Politics/Economics Bipartite (Politics Major) (with Intercalated year)