Course syllabus
Politics 756 New Zealand Government
SEMESTER 2, 2018
15 points
Lecturer: Dr Tim Fadgen - timothy.fadgen@auckland.ac.nz
Course delivery format: One two-hour seminar, once per week.
When: Wednesday, 2:00-4:00 pm
Where: Building 114-G01
Summary of Course Description:
An examination of the structure, functions and powers of New Zealand’s political institutions under MMP. Analyses the extent to which factors such as constitutional arrangements, political leadership, policy, electoral and parliamentary tactics and relations between the major and minor parties contribute to a government’s success.
Course outcomes:
By the end of this course, students will:
-Gain a better understanding of how New Zealand government and how it works.
-Enhance research and writing skills and develop a research topic of their personal interest.
-Learn and practice important applied research, design and presentation skills on a current topic germane to New Zealand government.
Assessment Summary:
The final mark will be based entirely on coursework. There will be no final examination. The assignments, and weighting, are as follow:
Seminar Presentation and Supporting Materials 25 marks
Research Proposal 10 marks
Research Essay 40 marks
Group Presentation 25 marks
TOTAL 100 marks
- Seminar Presentation
This will take the form of a pre-seminar handout and at least one class reading (5 marks), an oral presentation and submission of presentation materials and summary (20 marks). This written report can take the form of your presentation materials (PowerPoint slides together with an outline and any notes or other materials you rely on in crafting your presentation). In the written report you are encouraged to use headings, sub-headings and numbered points (described below). The report should include footnotes and a list of all relevant bibliographic sources. It must be handed in no later than one week after your presentation.
In addition, a one page student handout (complete with discussion questions) should be made available to the class one week prior to your scheduled presentation. You are also asked to provide class members with a scanned copy of the most pertinent reading or readings. These should be circulated one week before your presentation.
Resources on Effective Presentations:
https://hbr.org/2011/03/create-an-effective-presentati.html
- Research Proposal
This proposal will introduce the topic of your Research Essay, which will be drawn from the theme of democratic governance in New Zealand. This 750-word assignment will pose the research question, assess its significance and describe how you are going to go about answering it. The proposal must be submitted by 15 August 2018 at 5:00 pm via Canvas.
- Research Essay
Each student will write one major essay (3,000 words—excluding footnotes and bibliography) on a topic within the overall theme of democratic governance in New Zealand. As well as demonstrating a sound grasp of the relevant literature, the essay will address the research question posed in the Research Proposal. It must meet the structural, presentational and deadline requirements for essays as set forth by the Coursework Guide. This essay is due by 1 October 2018 by 5:00 pm via Canvas. Late essays are subject to penalty and will only be accepted with prior approval and only for special circumstances. Essays submitted more than one week from the deadline, without an extension, will not be marked.
- Group Presentation
A design challenge will be presented in Week 1. Students will be divided into small groups of 3-4 within the first several weeks of the semester and will collaborate on a joint presentation for 15-20 minutes in our final class meeting. The presentation will be evaluated thusly:
-The quality of the story you tell about the problem space.
-How knowledgeable every person on your team appears about the research, data, models / maps, and the overall problem space.
-How well you tell the story, as a team, of where you came from and where you've ended up.
-The design and production values of your slide presentations and any supporting materials/documents.
-
Seminar Presentations
PREPARATION
- Read at least six relevant sources (use the recommended list but try your hand at some light research to identify some additional sources).
- Shape the presentation around a thought-provoking issue or question.
- One week before the presentation, distribute a brief handout to members of the class (Note – this does not apply to the brave group volunteering for Week 2, they need only use the required and recommended materials). It should include:
- Summary of the main points to be covered (make generous use of headings, sub-headings, bullet points and enumeration).
- Design four to six discussion questions that are likely to spark class interest and debate.
- Provide at least one reading (either scanned and shared or detailed information on the author, title, page numbers and catalogue number/journal name provided) at least 1 week before your session.
PRESENTATION
- Try to speak either extemporaneously or from brief notes (avoid reading as much as possible).
- Plan to speak for 20-30 minutes.
- Prepare a presentation using Power Point or other visual presentation program.
- Try to make the presentation as animated, punchy and provocative as possible (yet maintain a coherent, respectful argument).
- The post-presentation discussion will be divided into two parts:
- Points of clarification or suggestions for improvement (don’t forget to keep notes, since you will have the opportunity to refine the presentations/argument before submitting the written Seminar Report).
- Student responses to the set of questions. Encourage as many class members as possible to participate in this part of the discussion (possible strategies may including dividing the class into groups, with each group allocated a question or staging a mini-debate).
- Allow five minutes at the close of discussion for a warp-up of the min points (and possibly some suggestions for future dissertation or thesis research).
Required Text:
Hayward, J. (Ed.). 2015. New Zealand Government and Politics (6th ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:
The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – check course information for details.
Weekly Topics:
SEMINAR OUTLINE
Please note that the following timetable may be subject to some adjustment as the course develops and if guest speakers are available. Any changes will be announced in advance.
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Reading |
Discussion Leader/Guest |
1 |
18 July |
Introduction and Overview of Course Assessments and Design Challenge |
|
Tim |
Part I - Democratic Governance: How do the people govern in New Zealand? |
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2 |
25 July |
Dynamics of democratic governance, Problems of citizen engagement and MMP |
Required Arseneau, T and Roberts, N., The MMP Electoral System, in Hayward, J. 2016
Inglehart, et al, Development, Freedom and Rising Happiness. Norris, The decline and Fall of Political Activism? Nagel, J., 1994, How many Parties will NZ have under MMP? Political Science 46: 139.
Vowles, J., Why Voting Matters, in Hayward, J., 2016
Recommended Donovan, Bowler, Hanneman and Karp, Social groups, sport and political engagement in New Zealand.
Edwards, Minor Parties. Iusitini and Crothers, Turnout and voting choices at general elections of Pacific peoples in New Zealand.
McKenzie, New Zealand By-Elections and MMP: The Labour party and the M t Albert By-election.
Miller, Changing Party System.
Simon-Kumar, Translating inclusion into influence in New Zealand.
Vowles, J., Voter Turnout, in Hayward, J., 2016
Vowles, The 2014 New Zealand election in perspective
Vowles, J, 2018, Surprise, surprise, the New Zealand general election of 2017.
Vowles, Karp, Banducci, Aimer and Miller, Reviewing MMP. |
Tim |
|
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Students |
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3 |
1 August |
The Constitution and Treaty of Waitangi |
Required Allen, No to a written constitution.
Harris, The Constitutional Future of New Zealand.
Hayward, J. The Constitution, in Hayward, J., 2016.
Mulholland, M, The Treaty of Waitangi, in Hayward, J., 2016.
Recommended
Geddis, A. 2006. A dual track democracy? The symbolic role of Maori seats in New Zealand’s electoral system. Election Law Journal. 5: 4.
Keith, K. On the constitution of New Zealand: An introduction to the foundations of the current form of government. In Cabinet Manual, 2017.
Palmer, G. Constitution in Crisis (1992); Unbridled Power (1979) and A Constitution for New Zealand (2016).
Williams, D. 2007. The Treaty of Waitangi: A Bridle on Parliamentary Sovereignty? New Zealand Universities Law Review, 22: 598. |
Tim |
Students |
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Part II – The Machinery of Government: How do our institutions shape policy? |
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4 |
8 August |
Transitions and Government Formation
|
Required Boston, Government formation in New Zealand under MMP: theory and practice.
Cabinet Manual, Chapters 6
Church, S, Government Formation in Hayward, 2016
Martin, L and Vanberg, G. 2015. Coalition Formation and Policymaking in Parliamentary Democracies. (Canvas)
McGee, Chapters 1,3 and 8
Recommended Bargh, M., The Maori Seats, in Hayward, J. 2016.
Kelso, Parliament and political disengagement: neither waving nor drowning.
Miller and Curtin, Counting the costs of coalition: The case of New Zealand’s small parties.
Miller and Vowles, Public attitudes towards MMP and coalition government.
Shaw, R, The Westminster Tradition, in Hayward, J, 2016 |
Tim |
Students |
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5 |
15 August |
Cabinet Decision-Making
|
Required Cabinet Manual, Chapter 3-5, 7
Democratic Audit UK, What will the long term impact of the Cabinet Manual be? Developments in New Zealand may hold the answer.
Shaw, R. & Eichbaum, C. 2015. Follow the Yellow Brick Road: New Directions in Studying Political Advisers in Executive Government. (Canvas)
Recommended Hayward, The Prime Minister, in Hayward, J., 2016
Higbee, P., Cabinet and Ministers, in Hayward, J, 2016
Malone, R, The Executive, in Hayward, J., 2016
McGee, Chapters 1-2; 19-23. |
Tim |
Students |
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WEDNESDAY, 15 AUGUST - ESSAY PROPOSAL/PLAN DUE BY 12:00 pm |
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6 |
22 August |
The House and Select Committees |
Required Cabinet Manual, Chapter 7
Duncan, G. and Gillon, G., Members of Parliament, in Hayward, J., 2016
McLeay, Parliamentary Committees in new Zealand: A house continuously reforming itself?
Recommended Marsh & Miller, Democratic Decline and Democratic Renewal: Political Change in Britain
Martin, J, Parliament, in Hayward, J., 2016
McGee, Chapters 19-23; 24-27.
McLeay, E, Geiringer, C. and Higbee, P. 2012. Urgent Legislation in the New Zealand House of Representatives and the Bypassing of Select Committee Scrutiny. (Canvas). |
Tim |
Students |
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|
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--Mid-Semester Break – 25 August – 9 September-- |
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7 |
12 September |
Bureaucracy, New Public Management and New Public Governance |
Required Boston, et al. eds., 1991, “The Theoretical underpinnings of Public Sector Restructuring in New Zealand.” In Reshaping the State. (Canvas) Halligan, J. 2012, Changing Approaches to Public Sector Reform (Canvas) Shaw, The Public Sector. In Hayward. Shaw, Advisers and Officials. In Hayward.
Recommended Boston, ed. 1995, Contracting and Accountability, In The State Under Contract. Boston, ed. 1995, Measuring Performance When there is No Bottom Line, In The State Under Contract. Dickinson, H. (2016). From New Public Management to New Public Governance: The Implications for a ‘New Public Service.’. The three sector solution: Delivering public policy in collaboration with not-for-profits and business, 41-60. (Canvas) Kelsey, J. 1993. An Entrepreneurial Public Service, in Rolling Back the State. (Canvas) |
Tim |
Students |
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8 |
19 September |
Referenda and Other Grassroots Modes of Participation |
Required Parkinson, J. 2014. Direct Democracy. in R Miller ed. NZ Government and Politics, 4th ed. Simon-Kumar, R. 2018. Translating Inclusion into Influence in New Zealand: The Conundrum of Engaging Gender Organizations in Public Policy. (Canvas) Tenbensel, T. 2014. Interest Groups. in R Miller ed. NZ Government and Politics, 4th ed. Recommended Harris, 2017, People Power. In The New Zealand Project, Ch. 11. (Canvas) |
Student-led seminar, hour 1 |
Guest: Professor Jennifer Curtin, hour 2 |
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9 |
26 September |
NO CLASS – READING WEEK FOR RESEARCH ESSAY |
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MONDAY, 1 OCTOBER - ESSAY DUE BY 5:00 pm |
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Part III - Designing Government: Operating the Machine |
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10 |
3 October |
Local Government and Devolution |
Required Reid, Mike, Policy Quarterly, 2015. https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/pq/article/view/4539 Cheyne, Christine, 2008, https://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/cjlg/article/view/754 Blakeley, 2015, https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/pq/article/view/4572/4060 Recommended Cheyne, C, Local Government, in Hayward, J., 2016 Drage, J., Local Government Elections, in Hayward, J., 2016 |
Students (in first hour) |
Pam Ford, General Manager Economic Development, ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) (second hour) |
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11 |
10 October |
Public Finance, Appropriations & Authorisation |
Required Chapter 3 (Fiscal Rules) in book by Scott Brenton, The Politics of Budgetary Surplus. Springer ebook available online. Familiarise themselves with the steps of the NZ budget process available here: https://www.budget.govt.nz/budget/guide/budgeting-practices/index.htm Morrisey, Gender Budgeting. A Useful Approach for Aotearoa New Zealand. Available here: https://treasury.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2018-04/twp18-02.pdf Recommended McGee, Chapters 30-33. Public Finance Act. |
Tim |
Students |
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12 |
17 October |
GROUP PRESENTATIONS – IN CLASS |
All |
Course summary:
Date | Details | Due |
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