ATS2961 · Political ideas

Overview

In this unit you will survey a broad spectrum of political thinkers and explore their ideas and the historical contexts in which these ideas emerge. You will gain an understanding of key concepts and arguments in political philosophy concerning order and disorder, power and authority, tradition and change. The thinkers studied, such as Socrates, Plato, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Burke, and Marx, are discussed with reference to both the contexts in which they lived and the significance of their ideas both within and beyond those contexts.

Areas of study: Politics

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Describe and compare ideas from different strands of political thought.
2. Recognise and evaluate the role of cultural and social contexts in the formulation of political ideas.
3. Critically discuss political theories concerning nature and reason, power and morality, tradition and revolution.
4. Effectively research the signification and significance of terms, ideas and arguments in political theory.
5. Communicate perceptively the key ideas, arguments and contexts of political theories.
6. Explain explicit or implicit ethical values and assumption/s in various political theories.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.