Government and Politics

Course summary

There has never been a better time to study politics! Over the last few years, our politics students have witnessed the resignations of key political figures, a complete overhaul of the way the country is governed, political scandals and intrigue. Politics affects us in so many ways and this course is your chance to find out how it all works. You will study political participation, issues of democracy and the phenomenon of voting behaviour, as well as learning about how the UK political system works. You will be able to visit the Houses of Parliament, meet the local MP and much more! You will also study electoral systems around the world, how governments work, and the influence the media has on politics. The UK political parties and their changing makeup and policies will also be investigated, as well as a brief exploration of how the EU affects us all. You will also study ideologies such as socialism, liberalism and conservatism, how they have developed and how they affect us today. There will also be an option to study feminism, ecologism or anarchism. If you have an interest in big ideas and philosophy, you’ll really enjoy this! Finally we will examine issues surrounding global politics, including key areas such as globalisation, nationalism and the global balance of power, ever relevant in our changing society. You will be expected to read widely and write essays of course, but more important is your willingness to debate ideas with others, and have opinions of your own. A love of current affairs and debating is essential. Politics is an excellent qualification for those of you thinking of a career in Law, the Media and of course Government itself.