POLS1002 Introduction to Politics
First Year Course
| Offered By | School of Social Sciences |
|---|---|
| Academic Career | Undergraduate |
| Course Subject | Political Science |
| Offered in | First Semester, 2009 and First Semester, 2010 |
| Unit Value | 6 units |
| Course Description |
The first aim of this course is to introduce students to some of the key concepts in the discipline of Political Science: power, influence, authority, legitimacy, coercion, conflict, interests, policy-making, bureaucracy, political communication, accountability and democracy. The second aim is to use these and other concepts to examine the major institutions of Australian politics, often in a comparative perspective. Students will explore the Constitution, Federalism, Parliament, Cabinet, the Public Service, the Electoral System, the High Court, Political Parties, Interest Groups, Social Movements and the Media. |
| Indicative Assessment |
Written work (55%), examination (40%) and tutorial participation (5%). |
| Workload | Two lectures and one tutorial a week. Lectures will be recorded. Summaries of lectures will be available on the web. |
| Areas of Interest | Political Sciences |
| Preliminary Reading |
Regular reading of any one of The Canberra Times, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age or The Australian Financial Review. Eccleston, R., Williams, P. and Hollander, R. Foundations of Australian Politics, (Pearson, 2006). |
| Majors/Specialisations | American Studies, Australian Studies, Contemporary Europe, International Relations, Political Science, and Social Research Methods |
| Academic Contact | Dr Errington |
The information published on the Study at ANU 2009 website applies to the 2009 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2008 website.
