POLS0113: Judicial Politics
This is a website for the module POLS0113: Judicial Politics
convened at the Department of Political Science, University College London by Dr Michal Ovádek.
Description
This course provides a detailed exploration of judicial politics across a variety of political systems. As predominantly non-majoritarian institutions, both domestic and international courts have become increasingly contested in recent years. We will seek to understand the importance and behaviour of courts from different angles: judiciaries’ place in democratic theory, the design of judicial institutions, and judges’ interactions with other political actors and society more broadly. Among others, we will be delving into why and how politicians balance delegating decision-making to courts with constraining their room for manoeuvre through appointment procedures and threat of override. We will also compare the institutional features of judiciaries across different political contexts, from democracies to autocracies and from presidential to parliamentary systems. The aim is to equip students with a clear understanding of courts as both subjects and objects of their political environment.
Module Name | Judicial Politics |
Module Code | POLS0113 |
Module Convenor | Dr Michal Ovádek |
Faculty | Social and Historical Sciences |
Department | Political Science |
Credits | 15 |
Assessment | 3000-word research paper (100%) |
Timetable
The first lecture takes place on 13 January 2024. The last lecture is on 24 March 2024. There are no classes during the reading week.
Weeks | What | When | Where |
---|---|---|---|
21–25, 27–31 | Lecture | Monday, 15:00–16:00 | Room 114, Foster Court, Gower Street |
21–25, 27–31 | Seminar | Monday, 16:00–17:00 | G04 (Council Room), 29 Tavistock Square |
Student support and feedback hours take place after the seminar in Room 202, 36 Gordon Square.