Government and Politics

Course summary

If you want to gain an understanding of the world in which we live, then this course is for you. In the first year, you will explore the nature of politics in the UK and look at the various ways people engage in the political process. You will research different political institutions in the UK, giving presentations, engaging in debate, and evaluating election material. It is useful to be interested in current affairs, researching and watching political debates, but you don’t need formal prior knowledge of the UK political system. The second year looks at Global Politics, addressing issues such as global terrorism, poverty, economic instability, weapons proliferation, failing states and environmental degradation. These challenges require global cooperation if they are to be resolved. You will develop your knowledge and understanding of key political concepts, learn to analyse and evaluate areas of global politics and use key terminology to compare contemporary global issues. You will study the nature of political ideology examining Liberalism, Conservatism, Socialism and Anarchism across both years.