Skip to site navigation

Parliaments, Political Parties & Policy Making

Course Code: PUBLG057

Course Tutor: Professor Meg Russell (Department of Political Science)

Assessment: One 1,000 word exercise (30%) + One 2,000 word essay (70%)

Credit Value: 15

About this course

This course explores the role and functions of legislatures and the parties that dominate them, in the modern state. Taking a comparative approach, illustrated with numerous case studies of different countries, it asks which factors matter to the role of parliaments/legislatures today.

Does it, for example, matter that just 21% of the world's legislators are women? Why do some parliaments have two chambers rather than one? How do parties choose the people who make up the majority of parliamentarians? What influence does party discipline have on the functioning of modern parliaments, and does the dominance of parties in the legislative process exclude citizens? What factors influence parliaments' strength with respect to their core functions of scrutiny, law making and representation, and how much of a policy difference do they make? By taking a joint focus on parliaments and political parties the course gives an insight into some of the most important functions of both, and of how public policy is made.

Related links

Contact us

School of Public Policy,
The Rubin Building,
29/31 Tavistock Square,
London, WC1H 9QU.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 4999,
Fax: +44 (0)20 7679 4969,

Postgraduate enquiries

Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 4982/4950

Register with us

Register at UCL

How to find us

Connect with us



Site feedback

Page last modified on 07 jul 14 13:38

Footer menu