BCS 100 Module 6: Political Systems

• Main Author: Wilson, Gary N.
• Format: Course Material
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Arctic Council; Greenland
• Online Access: http://library.vlt.is/44/; http://library.vlt.is/44/1/BCS_100_Mod_6__Revised_2011.pdf

This module introduces students to the political systems of the circumpolar North. Part one will compare majoritarian and consensual democracies, using examples from Canada and the Nordic countries to illustrate the specific characteristics of these two different democratic models. Part two will explore liberal and social democracies. The third part of the module looks at the broad spectrum of federal and unitary systems, as well as the concepts of decentralization and devolution. The Arctic states offer a wide range of federal, quasi-federal and unitary models, and some innovative examples of devolved and decentralized government. Case studies from the Russian Federation, Greenland and Canada will be used to illustrate the differences among these models of government. Finally, part four examines circumpolar cooperation through multilateral organizations, such as the European Union and the Arctic Council.