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
Courts often decide questions of great political consequence, yet their judges are rarely elected and they rely on other branches of government for enforcement and funding. This module studies courts as political institutions. It asks why political actors create and empower courts, how judges make decisions, how courts relate to the litigants, governments and publics who use, constrain or support them, and what effect their rulings have. The approach is comparative, covering domestic and international courts in democracies and autocracies worldwide, and draws on state-of-the-art empirical research in political science and related disciplines.
| 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 5 October 2026. The last lecture is on 14 December 2026. There are no classes during the reading week.
| Weeks | What | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6–10, 12–16 | Lecture | Monday, 15:00–16:00 | IOE, 20 Bedford Way, Room W3.05 |
| 6–10, 12–16 | Seminar 1 | Monday, 16:00–17:00 | 40 Bernard Street, Room 408 |
| 6–10, 12–16 | Seminar 2 | Monday, 17:00–18:00 | 40 Bernard Street, Room 408 |
Student support and feedback hours (office hours) take place in Room 202, 36 Gordon Square every Tuesday between 1.30pm and 2.30pm unless otherwise indicated.