1-     Course Description

2-         Objectives

This course seeks to provide students with a solid background in the organization and function of political parties, focusing on their role in elections and government. Much of the course explores partisan dynamics within the modern era and implications for the future political climate. Some of the topics include the relationship between individual parliament’s members and party leaders, changing bases of electoral support, interdependencies between political parties and the mass media, and the influence of campaign contributions on electoral victory. At the end of this course, students would be able to describe how and why political parties and interest groups form, the strategies each applies in order to influence policy, the ways in which each responds to public opinion, and how recent legal decisions, as well as emerging technological advances, might alter party behavior in the future. The format of this class primarily reflects that of a seminar, a significant amount of time is allocated to discussion. Critical thinking and a vibrant class discussion are essential to the structure of this course.

3-         Student Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, the students are expected to have:

• Understanding of the meaning, origin and development of  political parties
• Difference between political parties and pressure groups
• The significance of the political parties to operationalize the different forms of representative governments, either parliamentary or presidential system. A country decides to adopt a particular system of government that is appropriate to its environment.
• Analyzing circumstances of Pakistan with the historical evolution of political parties in response to the specific needs of society.
• Studying role of political parties in Pakistan with different linkage devises such as democracy and political parties.

4-  Teaching Methods

 The course is primarily lecture-based. Each lecture will be supported with the wide use of visuals, e.g. PPTs, handouts, etc., which would helpful in learning process as well as guiding students to concentrate what they are taught during the lecture. Strong interaction with students is of vital importance for the course and thus, an active education method will be adopted.

1.Course Structure

Assessment Criteria

Attendance Requirements

Required attendance is 75% for successful completion of the course. In case any student Attendance is less than he or she will be treated as per university policy.

 Submission and Collection of Assignment

All assignments should be handed in at the beginning of the class sessions within due time. All assignments may be handed back during scheduled classes.

12-       General Information

Students are required to be familiar with the university code Conduct, and to abide by its terms and conditions.

12.2     Academic Misconduct

Please refer to the Code of Conduct for definitions and penalties for Academic Misconduct, plagiarism, collusion, and other specific acts of academic dishonesty. Academic honesty is crucial to a student's credibility and self-esteem, and ultimately reflects the values and morals of the University as a whole. A student may work together with one or a group of students discussing assignment content, identifying relevant references, and debating issues relevant to the subject. Academic investigation is not limited to the views and opinions of one individual, but is built by forming opinion based on past and present work in the field. It is legitimate and appropriate to synthesize the work of others, provided that such work is clearly and accurately referenced. Plagiarism occurs when the work (including such things as text, figures, ideas, or conceptual structure, whether verbatim or not) created by another person or persons is used and presented as one’s own creation, unless the source of each quotation or piece of borrowed material is acknowledged with an appropriate citation. Encouraging or assisting another person to commit plagiarism is a form of improper collusion and may draw the same penalties. To prevent academic misconduct occurring, students are expected to familiarize themselves with the University policy, the Subject Outline statements, and specific assignment guidelines.

12.3     Guidelines to Avoid Plagiarism

Whenever you copy more than a few words from any source, you must acknowledge that source by putting the quote in quotation marks and providing the name of the author. Full details must be provided in your reference/bibliography. If you copy a diagram, statistical table, map, etc., you must acknowledge the source. The recommended way is to show this under the diagram. If you quote any statistics in your text, the source should be acknowledged. Again full details must be provided in your bibliography. Whenever you use the ideas of any other author you should acknowledge those, using the recommended reference style.

Students are encouraged to co-operate, but collusion is a form of cheating. Students may use any sources (acknowledged of course) other than the assignments of fellow students. Students may work together in obtaining references, discussing the content of the references and discussing the assignment, but when they write, they must write alone.

12.4     Referencing For Written Work

Referencing is necessary to acknowledge others' ideas, avoid plagiarism, and allow readers to access those others’ ideas.

Referencing should:

1. Acknowledge others' ideas

2. Allow readers to find the source

3. Be consistent in format and

4. Acknowledge the source of the referencing format

12.5     Reading Material

Andrew Heywood (1997). Politics, New York: Palgrave

Dennis L. Dresang and James J Cosling (1996). Poltics and Policy in American States and Communities. London: Allyn and Bacon.

James Jupp (1968). Political Parties, London: Routledge.

KK Aziz (1976), Party Politics in Pakistan, Islamabad: National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, Centre of Excellence, Quaid-i-Azam University.

M. Rafique Afzal (1976), Political Parties in Pakistan, 1947-1958, Volume 1

M. Rafique Afzal (1987), Political Parties in Pakistan, 1958-1969, Volume 2

M. Rafique Afzal, Political Parties in Pakistan, 1969-1971, Volume 3, Islamabad: National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, Centre of Excellence, Quaid-i-Azam University.

Maurice Duverger (1956). Political Parties, Rawalpindi: Priemer Printer 2004

Sandy L. Maisel (1999). Parties and Elections in America: The Electoral Process.  New York: Rowman and Littlefiled.

Theodore J. Lowi, Benjamin Cinsberg and Kenneth A Shepsle (2009). American Government: Power and Purpose, New York: WW Norton and Company.

Muhammad Wasim (1987), Pakistan under Martial Law, Lahore: Vanguard Books.

Ziring Lawrence, 1971 The Ayub Knan Era: Politics in Pakistan, 1958-69, New York: Syracus University Press. 

Further Readings:

Alan Ware (1987). "Parties and Demcracy" in David Held and Christopher Pollitt (eds.) New Forms of Democracy. London: Sage.

Alan Ware (1995). Political Parties and Party Systems. London: Oxford University Press.

Andrew Gamble (1974). The Conservative Nation. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

E. E. Schattschneider (1944).  Party Government. Rinehart. 

Giovanni Sartori (1976). Parties and Party Systems. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mosei Ostrogorski (1964). Democracy and the Organisation of Political Parties. Haskell House.

Thomas Poguntke "Anti-Party Sentiment - Conceptual Thoughts and Empirical Evidence - Explorations in a Minefield" European Journal of Political Research, 1996, Vol.29, No.3, pp.319-344. 

Sigmund Neumann (1956). (ed.) Modern Political Parties, Chicago University Press.