| Module Identifier |
IP35020 |
| Module Title |
WALES AND DEVOLUTION |
| Academic Year |
2006/2007 |
| Co-ordinator |
Dr Elin Royles |
| Semester |
Semester 1 |
| Course delivery |
Lecture | 16 Hours. (16 x 1 hour) |
| |
Seminars / Tutorials | 7 Hours. (7 x 1 hour) |
| Assessment |
| Assessment Type | Assessment Length/Details | Proportion |
|---|
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | Essay: 1 x 3,000 words | 50% |
| Supplementary Exam | Students may, subject to Faculty approval, have the opportunity to resit this module. For further clarification please contact the Academic Administrator in the Department of International Politics. | |
|
Learning outcomes
On completing the module students will be able to:
- critically analyse, assess and evaluate the main constitutional and organisational features of the various plans for a form of Parliament for Wales put forward before 1997;
- critically analyse, assess and evaluate the main constitutional and organisational features of the National Assembly for Wales;
- describe and evaluate the nature of the policy-process in the National Assembly;
- analyse the nature of the Assembly's inter-governmental relations with other layers of government, in particular the UK and European levels.
- describe and analyse the nature of party-competition and political culture in a devolved Wales.
- critically examine the different proposals for deepening devolution to Wales.
Brief description
This module will introduce students to the form of developed government established in Wales in 1999 as part of the UK government's programme of constitutional reform. Following discussion of the previous plans for devolution, the module focuses on examining different facets of the National Assembly during the First and Second terms of devolution. On this basis, the module seeks to assess the future prospects of devolution to Wales.
Aims
This module aims to allow students to develop the ability to analyse, evaluate and discuss:
- contextualise devolution by comparitavely considering the various plans for a form of Parliament for Wales put forward before 1997;
- the main constitutional and organisational features of the National Assembly for Wales;
- the nature of the policy-process in the National Assembly;
- the nature of party-competition and political culture in a devolved Wales.
- the alternative plans for advancing devolution to Wales.
Content
Introduction
Devolution in Context
An overview of the historical attempts at devolution to Wales
From Kilbrandon to the 1979 debacle
Resurrecting the dream: The Road to the Assembly
The National Assembly for Wales
The constitutional basis of the National Assembly
The internal structures of the National Assembly
From the `corporate body¿ to cabinet government ¿ developments in Welsh governance
The policy process in the National Assembly
The National Assembly, the UK State, the European Union and the World
Political Culture in Post-Devolution Wales
Electoral Politics in Post-devolution Wales
The Political Parties post-devolution
The National Assembly and Civil Society in Wales
Representation and the National Assembly
The Future of Devolution?
The road to the Government of Wales Act 2006 and the responses
The future of devolved government
Transferable skills
Students will have the opportunity to develop, practice and test a wide range of transferable skills that will help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate events, examples and ideas. Throughout the course, students should practice and enhance their reading, comprehension and thinking skills, as well as basic numeracy skills and self management skills. In lectures students will develop listening and note-taking skills, as well as analytical skills. In seminars students will enhance their analytical skills and will practice listening, explaining and debating skills, as well as team-working skills. Essay writing will encourage students to practice their independent research, writing and IT skills, and the examination will test analytical and written communication skills under conditions of time-constraint.
10 ECTS credits
Reading Lists
s
** General Text
Chaney P., Hall T., Pithouse A. (eds.) (2001) New Governance - New Democracy? Post Devolution Wales
University of Wales Press, Cardiff
Hazell R (ed.) (2003) The state of the Nations: The Third Year of Devolution in the United Kingdom
Exeter, Imprint Academic
Osmond, J. and Jones, J.B. (eds.) (2003) Birth of Welsh Democracy: The First Term of the National Assembly
Cardiff Institute of Welsh Affairs
Books
Morgan, K. O. Rebirth of a nation :a history of modern Wales /Kenneth O. Morgan.
0198217609
Rawlings, Richard. Delineating Wales :constitutional, legal and administrative aspects of national devolution /by Richard Rawlings.
0708317391
** Recommended Text
Welsh Assembly Government (2004) Report of the Richard Commission
HMSO
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6