GV362      Half Unit
Advanced Topics in Government: Executive Politics

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Prof Martin Lodge

Availability

This course is available on the BA in Social Anthropology, BSc in History and Politics, BSc in International Social and Public Policy with Politics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with a Year Abroad), BSc in Politics, BSc in Politics and Economics, BSc in Politics and International Relations, BSc in Politics and Philosophy and BSc in Social Anthropology. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes. This course is not available to General Course students.

This course is capped at one group. 

Requisites

Pre-requisites:

Students must have completed GV100 or GV101 before taking this course.

Course content

This course offers an advanced consideration of select key themes in the study of executive politics. It focuses on the changing conditions in which politics takes place (demographic change, sovereign debt crisis, environmental change and societal values) and considers how these changes impact on national executives.

Teaching

20 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.

Formative assessment

Essay (1250 words)

Proposal

One formative essay (1,250 words) and project proposal for assessed essay component.

 

Indicative reading

Hood, C, The Blame Game, 2011; Carpenter, D, Reputation and Power, 2010; Honig, D, Mission Driven Bureaucrats, 2024;  Lodge, M and Wegrich, K (eds) Executive Politics in Times of Crisis, 2012; Omand, D, How to survive a crisis, 2023.

Assessment

Exam (50%), duration: 120 Minutes in the Spring exam period

Essay (50%, 1500 words) in Spring Term Week 1


Key facts

Department: Government

Course Study Period: Winter Term

Unit value: Half unit

FHEQ Level: Level 6

CEFR Level: Null

Total students 2024/25: 16

Average class size 2024/25: 16

Capped 2024/25: No
Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

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Personal development skills

  • Leadership
  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving