166-025 Conflict & Corruption in Western Europe

Note

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Usually 25 points of a First Year Politics subject. Students with only 12.5 points in Politics may apply to the Second/Third Year coordinator.

Semester

Subject Description

This subject is an introduction to conflict, control and corruption in the contemporary democratic state in western Europe. It explores boundaries of government and the issue of corruption in Europe as well as the conflict resolution models and practice of consociational democracy. In particular, it examines ethnicity, racism and the rise of right wing extremism in western Europe. Students will be introduced to the Northern Ireland conflict and alternative solutions including the Good Friday Agreement and consociationalism. Students who complete the subject should have an understanding of concepts of consociationalism, corruption, forms of democracy and party politics, through research into the particular cases of the Netherlands and Northern Ireland, UK, Italy, France and Germany. Students should be able to analyse the Northern Ireland conflict and alternative solutions including the Framework Agreement and consociationalism, and be able to understand and analyse comparatively the issue of corruption in western European states.