166-020 Modern Political Thought

Usually one first-year politics subject.

This subject is an accessible survey of the development and principal arguments of the major schools of political thought in the past 250 years, especially those that have motivated and expressed the needs of large groups of people. The schools of political thought surveyed include liberalism, Marxism, feminism, anarchism, syndicalism, communism, nationalism, fascism, socialism, social democracy, conservatism, neo-liberalism and environmentalism. Tutorial discussion centres on primary source documents for each school of thought, which include classical political essays such as Marx's Communist Manifesto and Mill's On Liberty.

• be able to research through the competent use of the library and other information sources, and be able to define areas of inquiry and methods of research in the preparation of essays;

• be able to conceptualise theoretical problems, form judgements and arguments and communicate critically, creatively and theoretically through essay writing, tutorial discussion and presentations;

• be able to communicate knowledge ideologically and economically through essay writing and tutorial discussion;

• be able to manage and organise workloads for recommended reading, the completion of essays and assignments and examination revision;

• be able to participate in team work through small group discussions.

An essay of 2000 words 50% (due mid-semester) and a 2-hour examination 50% (during the examination period).

A subject reader will be available.

• A Heywood, Political Ideologies. (3rd ed) 2003.