Module Information

Module Identifier
IP35020
Module Title
Wales and Devolution
Academic Year
2014/2015
Co-ordinator
Dr Elin Royles
Semester
Semester 1
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Lecture 15 Hours. (15 x 1 hour)
Seminars / Tutorials 8 Hours. (8 x 1 hour)
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment 1 x 3,000 word essay  50%
Semester Exam 2 Hours   (1 x 2 hour exam)  50%
Supplementary Assessment 1 x 3,000 word essay  50%
Supplementary Exam 2 Hours   (1 x 2 hour exam)  50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should 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, legal and organisational features of devolution to Wales
- Describe and evaluate the nature of the policy-process in post-devolution Wales
- 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 governance arrangements established in Wales by the Government of Wales Act 1998 and subsequently by the Government of Wales Act 2006. Following discussion of the earlier proposals for devolution, the module focuses on examining different facets of the constitutional arrangements and politics of devolution to Wales post-1999. On this basis, the module also 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 comparatively considering the various plans for a form of Parliament for Wales put forward before 1997;
- the main constitutional and organisational features of devolution to Wales;
- the nature of the policy-process post-devolution;
- the nature of party-competition and political culture in a devolved Wales.
- key issues associated with the future of devolution to Wales.

Content

Introduction

Devolution: the historical 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 original design: The Government of Wales Act 1998

The evolution of devolution: 1999 - 2006

The Government of Wales Act 2006 Part III

The Government of Wales Act Part IV

The policy process and Welsh devolution

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 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 List

General Text
Welsh Assembly Government (2004). Report of the Richard Commission (HMSO)_ Primo search Chaney, P., Hall, T. Pithouse, A. (eds.) (2001) New Governance - New Democracy? Post Devolution Wales Cardiff : University of Wales Press Primo search Hazell R (ed.) (2003) The state of the Nations: The Third Year of Devolution in the United Kingdom Exeter: Imprint Academic Primo search Morgan, K. O. (1998) Rebirth of a Nation: A History of Modern Wales Oxford: Oxford University Press Primo search Osmond, J.,Jones, J. B. (eds.) (2003) Birth of Welsh Democracy: The First Term of the National Assembly Cardiff: Institute of Welsh Affairs Primo search Rawlings, R. (2003) Delineating Wales Cardiff: University of Wales Press Primo search

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6