Modules
Module: PS101
- Introduction to Political science I
Credit
value: 12
Programme:
B.A.
PS General objective:
This is a broad-based foundation course that
introduces students to the basic concepts of political science, prior to future specialisation. The course
examines the main features of political organisation on national
and supra-national level, for example the distribution of power, types of state, ideologies, and political systems. Many of the themes of this module will recur in a more detailed form at later stages of the course, and so the module provides an
important and necessary introduction.
Learning
outcomes:
On
the successful completion of the module the students
will be able to:
• Critically examine the basic differences amongst
political science, political philosophy and political theory.
• Trace the origins
of the state, and demonstrate an insight in to various theories about
the origin and nature of the state.
• Explain the link between the concepts like liberty, equality
and justice.
• Examine the evolution and nature of the concept of democracy with a special reference to third world countries.
• Evaluate the recent conceptual debates
of the discipline.
• Understand the concept of sovereignty
of states and challenges to sovereignty.
• Grasp
the importance of political values
in daily life.
Learning
and teaching approach:
Lectures
(60 hours) Tutorials (20 hours)
Assignments and self-study (40 hours)
This module counts for 12 credits and is divided over a period of 15 weeks. With a maximum
of 8
hours per week, the number of teaching hours is four per week. There will be a one-hour
tutorial, once per week, and three hours are
being
reserved for self-study
and research.
Assessment:
End Semester
Examination (40%) Mid Semester Examination (20%) Written
assignment (25%)
Assignment presentation (10%) Class participation (05%)
Subject
matter:
Part 1: Introduction
to Politics
1. Defining
politics and political concepts
2. Defining
political science
3. Why
we study politics?
4. Evolution of Political Science as a discipline: differentiating between political science,
political philosophy and political theory.
Part
2: State
1.
Origin and Development
2. Theories
of State
3.
Elements of State
Part
3: Sovereignty
1. Concept
and its Evolution
2. Theories of Sovereignty:
Traditional, Pluralist.
3.
Globalization and challenges to Sovereignty
Part
4: Political Concepts
1. Liberty
2. Equality
3. Justice
4. Rights and Duties
5. Civil
Society
6. Multiculturalism
7. Gender
8. Citizenship
Part
5: Democracy
1. Conceptual Understanding of Democracy
2. Historical Evolution of Democracy
3. Theories of Democracy
4. Electoral Systems
5. Critical
Evaluation
Part
6: Political Regimes
1.
Liberal democracy
2.
Monarchy
3.
Authoritarianism
4.
Theocracy
5.
Communism
Reading
list: Text Books
Ball, A and Guy Peters (2000) Modern Politics and Government,
Palgrave, New york.
Ball,
T., Dagger, R.(2003) Ideals and Ideologies: A Reader, Longman, London. Heywood, A. (2007). Politics, Palgrave Foundations Series, New York.
Haywood,A (2006),
Political Theory : an introduction, Palgrave
Foundations Series, New
York.
Kapur,
A.C(2007) Principles of political science,OUP,Delhi.
Reference
Books and Articles
Budge,
I., Keman, H.(1993) Parties and Democracy Coalition
Formation and Government Functioning in Twenty States. (Comparative European Politics)
Oxford University Press,
London.
Dahl, Robert(1984) Modern political analysis,
OUP, London.
Gaus, G.F., Kukathas, C. (eds.), (2004), Handbook of political
theory. Sage Publications Ltd, London.
Mclean, I., Mcmillan,
A.(2003) The Oxford Concise
Dictionary of Politics. Oxford
University
Press, London.
Siaroff, A., (2005), Comparing
Political Regimes: A Thematic Introduction to Comparative
Politics,
Broadview Press, New York.