The aim of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the Irish political system. We begin with a general introduction to politics. We examine why it is that states exist and why democracy is so important. The course then examines Irish culture and more specifically Irish political culture as it has developed over the past century of independence. A lot of attention is given to the constitution, it being the fundamental law of the state, here we focus on the rights and protections provided by the constitution, the method of amendment and the role of the judiciary in judicial review. The course then examines the development of Irish political parties and their changing electoral performance over the year. The Oireachtas (The Dáil, the Senate and the President) is dealt with; as is the executive (the Cabinet) and its relationship to the legislature. The role played by TDs at both the national and local levels is set out. The course deals with voting and elections, the intricacies of the PRSTV system and how this compares to other electoral systems in other countries. The role of interest groups in society is considered and is that of the media. In terms of external issues – Ireland’s relationship with Northern Ireland and with the European Union – are also examined.
Irish Politics
Lecture 1 IntroductionLecture 2 Politics and PowerLecture 3 State and Political System Lecture 4 State and Political SystemLecture 5 DemocracyLecture 6 DemocracyLecture 7 Political Culture Lecture 8 Irish Political Culture Lecture 9 Ireland and its Constitutions Lecture 10 Ireland and its Constitutions Lecture 11 Ireland and its Constitutions Lecture 12 Parties and the Party System Lecture 13 Parties and the Party System Lecture 14 The legislatureLecture 15 The legislatureLecture 16 The Executive Lecture 17 The Role of TDs and Constituency WorkLecture 18 Voting and Elections Lecture 19 Voting and Elections Lecture 20 Interest groups and interest representation Lecture 21 Interest groups and interest representation Lecture 22 Political CorruptionLecture 23 The Media Lecture 24 Northern Ireland
Instruction will be by means of lectures and class discussion.
Each week there will be a two hours lecture. Lecture notes will be posted on Brightspace before (or immediately after) each class.
Lecture notes are not a substitute for you completing the readings! They are a complement. Students are expected to keep up-to-date with the readings and topical issues in the Irish political arena. Please be ready to discuss all of the required readings in class. They are essential to understanding the course.
For your essay, you are expected to go beyond the list of required readings and find other sources independently. You are also very welcome to raise issues from the further readings.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |