Concepts and Practices in Politics and Sociology

This module takes at its focus the issue of social and political change; how and why do societies change in sociologically and political profound ways? The relationship between ideas and action are explored through the concept of ideology. Examining the origins of modern political ideologies, the course begins with liberalism, socialism, conservatism, and nationalism, focusing in particular on how these ideologies have changed over time, and how they have shaped the meaning of ?freedom?, ?equality?, ?solidarity?, and ?authority?. Building on this survey of key political ideas, the second part of the course looks at feminism, ecologism, contemporary anarchism, and religious fundamentalism, and maps the contours of a number of key challenges in the 21st century: power and gender after ?second wave? feminism; order and cohesion in situations of cultural pluralism; the politics of climate change; and conflicting conceptions of ?globalisation?. By exploring interrelated processes of formation and change, students will have the opportunity to study how the social and political landscape is formed and transformed, not only in terms of parties, government and state, but also in terms of social identities and cultural practices. At the end of this module, students will have a deeper appreciation of a core theme in sociology and political science, namely how and why do societies change they way they do, and what alternatives for social organisation might be possible.

This module is examined by an end of semester two hour written examination.