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PAIS351 Comparative Federalism: Australia, USA and Canada

Updated: 15 January 2010
Credit Points 6
Offering Not offered in 2010
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
N/A N/A Non-Mandatory
Supervised Exam There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.
Pre-requisites 12cp in Asian Societies or International Relations or Political and International Studies or Political Science or any 24cp or candidature in a postgraduate award
Co-requisites None
Restrictions PAIS451 or PAIS551 or POLS251 or POLS351
Notes

offered in odd numbered years
Combined Units PAIS551 - Comparative Federalism: Australia, USA and Canada
Coordinator(s) To be advised
Unit Description

This unit will expose students to the theoretical and methodological tools of Comparative Politics. A unifying theme will be federalism, and the USA and Canada will provide comparative case studies of constitutions, legislatures, judiciaries, fiscal federalism, inter and intra-state federalism, political parties, pressure groups, bureacracies and other institutions. Contemporary political issues will be examined as well as regional and global challenges facing federal states.
Prescribed Material
Mandatory 		Text(s):

Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material

Comparing Federal Systems
ISBN: 9781553391883
Watts, R.L., Mcgill-Queen's University Press 3rd ed. 2008
Text refers to: Semester 1 , On and Off Campus
Comparative Federalism, Theory and Practice
ISBN: 9780415364553
Burgess, M., Routledge 2006
Text refers to: Semester 1 , On and Off Campus
Recommended Material
Optional 		Text(s):

Note: Recommended material is held in the University Library - purchase is optional

Canadian Federalism: Performance, Effectiveness and Legitimacy
ISBN: 9780195425123
Bakvis, H. and Skogstad, G., Oxford University Press 2nd ed. 2001
Text refers to: Semester 1 , On and Off Campus
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Assignment 1 60% 4000
Assessment Notes
Essay
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-6 GA: 1,2,4,5,6
Final Examination 2 hrs 40%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-6 GA: 1,2,4,5,6

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. compare and contrast political systems;
  2. comprehend the dynamics of federalism, especially in the USA and Canada;
  3. recognise the importance of institutional influences on the politics of nations;
  4. theorise about the nature of federal systems of government;
  5. form eneralizations based on observation and analysis;
  6. offer predictions on outcomes, given changes to institutions and society.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Knowledge of the political and international studies discipline will be taught through lectures and tutorials. It will be assessed through one essay and an examination. 		True True
2 Communication Skills
Students will be taught communication skills through written and oral feedback on the written, online and participation component of the unit. Students studying on-campus will learn valuable communication skills through participation in tutorials (this will include debates and small group work). Students will be assessed on the style of writing, clarity of writing, expression and development of ideas, and referencing. Students will practice their communication skills through completing the assessment tasks (written through essays). 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
Students will demonstrate an awareness of the global context of the subject area and they will develop an awareness of the need for tolerance and inter-cultural understanding. 		True True
4 Information Literacy
Students will be taught, and directed, to relevant literature and how to assess its validity. Students will be assessed (through the essay) on their ability to identify relevant literature, and on their ability to critically analyse the literature. 		True True
5 Life-Long Learning
Through completing the assessments, students will be provided with the necessary lifelong skills to be able to research, write and discuss social issues. These skills can be transferred to any discipline, and will be useful in any research positions. These attributes will be assessed in all of the assessments (written skills; analytical skills). In addition, students who attend tutorials will be provided with the skills to debate contentious topics and develop their understanding of a topic through group activities. 		True True
6 Problem Solving
Students will be assessed on their ability to deconstruct the essay question and to integrate theory and literature into their answer. Students will need to work out how to address the question and where the most appropriate material is to answer the question. 		True
7 Social Responsibility
Students will recognize social issues relevant to their subject area; students will be expected to use professional language and show sensitivity towards political standpoints, cultures or other groups in their written assessments. 		True True
8 Team Work
Students will practice their teamwork skills through participating in tutorials, or online discussion postings. They will be required to discuss the weekly topics with their fellow students in a thoughtful and respectful manner (practice). 		True
   

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