DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 25

30 Mar

Study break

Study Guide Weeks 25-27

Week 1 of a study break - guess its catch up time on some of the stuff I skim read..... :-)

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : BOOK 5, best yet ?

I had a bit of time on my hands between flights and road moves today, so having packed nothing else to read, and still having Book 5 in my laptop bag, I started reading the chapter on disability.

I haven't got half way through it yet but it is really interesting and I can;'t help feeling that this part of the course has been, at least the book has been very interesting, except perhaps for Chapter 5 which was just a bit odd. A narritive of three students conversation as they review the first four chapters of the book - good revision, but I was put off concentratign entirely as I was hoping that thestudents would review Chapter 5 within Chapter 5 and could just watch everythign just turn itself inside out....... how disappointed was I.

I can not posibly see how it is possible to study and successfully use Chapter 5 for the exam, so if I am going to concentrate on 3 of the 5 books for the exam, Book 5 is looking likely.

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : TMA05 Submitted

Well, thank goodness that is over.

Pretty much stuck to the plan, but the word count was really a challenge, I could have written much more - may not have made any more sense but felt there was a lot more to say on the subject.

Oh well, I think there was something mentioned about study break - may well end up as revision and catch up if I can find the motivation........

Lets see what Easter brings.......

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Writing TMA05

I have read most of the book (not Chapter 4), and made loads of notes, and listened to the audios and video on GM crops. I have never been this prepared to write an essay, but it is really hard going, this essay is going to the wire, 23:59 GMT on the 28th, which oddly gives me an extra four and a half hours to finish it - if I need to pull an all-nighter.

The structure of the essay is coming in fits and starts, as is the motivation to write, but I'm taking tomorrow as my Sunday off - having worked the weekend - so after a lie in and some personal admin I will be trying to get some ideas down.

The essay looks like it will be structured as,

• Intro
• Define policy making
• Discuss Formulation
• Discuss Decision making
• Discuss Implementation
• Wrap it up
• Conclusion

Just need a little inspiration......

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 24

23 Mar

TMA week

• Study Guide Week 24 URL
  
• Assessment Guidance Repeat
  
• TMA 05 Repeat
  

Events

• Assignment: TMA 05 (cut-off date 28 Mar)

DD209 Running The Economy : Registration is open

The march towards a PPE degree goes on, at least as far as registration for the next course goes.

I have now registered, but not paid for yet, DD209 Running The Economy, not what George Osbourne is currently up to which is Ruining The Economy.

Economics was what I was initially interested in, so I am really looking forward to starting this course,  just got to get the politics course done and dusted first.

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : TMA05 isn't going to write itself....

Done a power of reading this week. Chapter 3 on Welfare I found pretty interesting and it did seem to bring some of the issues of policy making to the fore. I then had to skip Chapter 4, in order to see what Chapter 5 was all about, and it just seems to be a review or revision of Chapter 5, useful in its way, but not really anything new..... not sure what it is all about at all.

So due to my remote location, I am slowly, oh so slowly, downloading the audio and video files. I will base the TMA on the EU, NHS and Welfare, unless the audio/video is extremely strong.

I also need to read the TMA advice and try and get an 'in' to the essay, something to hang it on. At present I am thinking of equating policy making to project management, as the reasons for success or failure seem to be pretty similar.

Just got to find the inspiration...... maybe it will come to me during the World Cup qualifiers.....

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : TMA04 Marked and Returned

Well, TMA04 has been marked and returned and I am pretty happy with the mark, just made it to a Pass1.

The TMA was a bit rushed on my part, partly becuase the prevous TMA took so long to be returned and so I didn't start that section until late, and partly because of the catalgue of domestic disasters that befell me, which just took afternoons and evenings away from me.

So, even though I got an extension of a couple of days, for me TMA was not nearly as thorough as I would have liked and was really written around an expanded analogy found in the text, and the rest of the eassy was filler or a way to bring in this analogy.

Luckily, my tutor liked the thought process and the ideas behind the analogy. They have also made some very useful critisisms of other parts of the text where I have tried to link political theory and scientific theory. This part of the essay was a bit thin, and they have certainly torn it apart. I had to make some pretty big assumptions and unreferenced opinins in orer to get where I wanted to be, and had I had more time I could have 'crafted' this part a lot better, however, between burst pipes, broken down cars and faulty domestic appliances, home life took priority over this essay.

So, the next TMA is about policy. If I chose the case studies of the EU and NHS, I can get away with just reading Chapters 1,2, & 5, but disability policy interests me so I may dip in there and see if there is anything obvius for the TMA there.

Best get cracking, next TMA due 28th March.

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 23

16 Mar

• Study Guide Week 23 URL
  
• Activity: Audio Feature 9, 'The politics of spin'; Book 5: Chapter 5, 'Talking about policy'

Just finished Chapter 2, so I now know why the NHS is so knackered and also that I am seriously behind - well at least 2 chapters behind, but my work schedule and being away from home is not helping with the study.

Still no mark from my last TMA which is somewhat disappointing.

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 22

9 Mar

• Study Guide Week 22 URL
  
• Activity: Audio Feature 8, 'The politics of citizenship'; Book 5: Chapter 4, 'Fair policy or special treatment?'
  
  No news of TMA04 yet, although I've made a tentative start on book 5.  This has not been helped by a hectic travel schedule which meant I didn't have a decent sleep for around 60 hours and ended up being so fatigued I was sort of hallucinating or at least vivid dreaming  while standing. Now had 4 hours good sleep and am pretty awake at 2 AM - oh the joys of travel :-(

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Tutorial for Book 5

We had a reasonable tutorial at the weekend. If was a fun and interesting discussion, but not really a great deal of use for TMA05, especially as few people have had a chance to read much of the next book.

Also learned that the suggestion that TMA04 would be turned round quickly may now come to nothing.

The next TMA is due on the 23rd March, less than 3 weeks away,  I don't want to be late for this one so better get reading.

TMA05

"Who or what makes policy in a contemporary democratic political system? Please illustrate your answer with evidence drawn from at least two case studies presented in the module."

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 21

2 Mar

• Study Guide Week 21 URL
  
• Activity: Video case study, 'The commercialization of GM crops'; Book 5: Chapter 3, 'Welfare, participation and dissent in public policy'