Explore UCD

UCD Home >

POL36320

Academic Year 2026/2027

Political Institutions & Dev. (POL36320)

Subject:
Politics
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Politics & Int Relations
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Krishna Chaitanya Vadlamannati
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This course takes as its starting point the new literature on institutional economics and comparative political economy, with a focus both on the basic theory and on contemporary empirical research. Institutions have proven important for economic and social development. The course will look at how institutions shape the incentives of economic agents, and how this influence economic outcomes in various contexts. Much discussion nevertheless revolves around which types of institutions matter for economic growth and development, and to what extent these institutions change over time. The course covers these and other topics including: the role of geography, corruption; democracy and economic development; understanding democracy deficit in the middle east and failed states, discussed recently in institutional economics.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Explain and critically evaluate the key concepts, theories, and debates in New Institutional Economics and Comparative Political Economy.

2. Analyse how institutions shape economic and political incentives and outcomes, including their implications for economic growth, development, democracy, corruption, and state capacity.

3. Evaluate competing explanations for institutional variation across countries and over time, including the roles of geography, political structures, historical factors, and economic interests.

4. Analyse the processes through which institutions emerge, evolve, and persist, with particular attention to the actors, incentives, and power relations that shape institutional change.

5. Critically assess contemporary empirical research on institutions, including the evidence concerning whether, how, and under what conditions institutions affect economic and social development.

6. Apply institutional and comparative political economy perspectives to real-world cases, including democracy deficits, corruption, state failure, and differences in development outcomes across regions and countries.

Indicative Module Content:

The key topics that will be addressed in this module include:

1. The concept of institutions. Types of institutions. What are they and why they are important?
2. How institutions shape economic and political outcomes.
3. How are institutions shaped?
4. Who shapes institutions and why?
5. Why explains variation in institutions across the world?
6. Do institutions really matter?

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Competent

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Competent

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Advanced Beginner

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 3

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 3

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 5
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

176
Lectures

24
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The teaching and learning approaches used in this module will be as follows:

1. Lectures
2. Intensive class discussions.
3. Critique of published research papers.
4. Problem-based learning.
5. Case study-based learning.
6. Group task.*

*TBC

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Quizzes/Short Exercises: A 60-minute in-class exercises mid-term [week 6/7], contributing 40% of the overall grade. Week 6, Week 7 Graded No
40
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: A 60-minute in-class exercises towards the end of the term [week 12/14], contributing 40% of the overall grade. Week 12, Week 14 Graded No
40
 No
Group Work Assignment: A group task involving students to work in small groups to critically evaluate a research paper previously covered in the course, accounting for 20% of the overall grade. Week 9 Graded No
20
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Written feedback is provided to students on their in-class exercises and presentations following the assessment but prior to the end of the term (by week 15).

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 13:00 - 14:50
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.