- Student Records
Programme & Unit Catalogues


PL30842: Italian politics and society II: the Berlusconi years (1994-2012)

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2016/7
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 33%, EX 67%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 33%)
  • Examination (EX 67%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
Reassessment exam (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: This unit is only available to Italian language students.
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
This unit seeks to:
* Describe the decay of 'democracy, Italian style' in the 1980s and account for its downfall.
* Examine the new political actors (Lega Nord, Forza Italia, Alleanza Nazionale, the Ulivo) which have emerged on the political scene.
* Analyse the institutional context of the crisis of the I Republic and the failure of Italy's politicians since 1995 to achieve any lasting constitutional reform.
* Make an informed assessment of Italy's ability to maintain the path of economic reform - a question not without interest for Italy's European partners.
* Analyse the Berlusconi phenomenon and its impact on Italian poltics and society.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the unit, students should be able to demonstrate:
* an understanding of the 'Italian State of crisis';
* A knowledge of the major aspects of the Berlusconi years;
* An awareness of recent debates and issues surrounding reform;
* An awareness of major academic debates about relevant issues, including different schools of thought (e.g. theories of European integration).

Skills:
Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, effective communication in the target language, teamwork and the planning/conduct/reporting of non-quantitative research are developed and assessed in this unit. Language skills are developed in this unit.

Content:
Lectures include: 1) Politics post-1945, 2) society post 1945, 3) The Italian state's crisis in 1994, 4) Berlusconi's rise to power, 5) Berlusconi's political and social reforms, 6) Berlusconi and the media, 7) The Northern League in Power, 8) The new party system, 9) The Left in Italy, 10) What future for Italian politics and democracy?
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL30842 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB16 : BA(Hons) Italian ab inito and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB14 : BA(Hons) Italian and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB08 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB04 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB06 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB02 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (German and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB20 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB19 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (Spanish and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)

Notes: