Government and Politics

Course summary

How democratic is the UK? What is freedom? What will be the long-term consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic? The war in Ukraine? If you take an interest in these sorts of questions, this course will certainly be of interest to you. Politics is an ever-changing field of study which explores the ‘here and now’ of decision-making in the UK and beyond. Be warned: This subject will change the way you think. Studying politics will open your eyes to the world around you and ultimately, make you a more interesting person. In the first year of the course, you will consider important concepts such as democracy, power and influence. You will learn how Parliament works, and why some are now calling for big changes to the system. Topical questions tackled by our students include: • Why do we have an unelected House of Lords making laws on our behalf? • What sort of PM is Rishi Sunak? • How has Keir Starmer changed the Labour party? • Are our elections fair? In the second year, you will focus on global politics and on the development of political ideology. Political ideology is important because it allows us to ask the deep questions surrounding the nature of government and the role of the state. Topical questions tackled by second-year students include: • How is individual freedom maximised? • Why is Marxism still relevant? • Why is it so difficult to tackle climate change? • Is global politics dominated by the rich and powerful?