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This course introduces the basic tools and techniques used in political science, including essay writing, methods of analysis, and formulation of hypotheses. It also introduces students to a selection of key theories and frameworks. It covers topics such as democracy, authoritarianism, people’s power, civil society, conflict, globalisation, and the future of our world. This course will be of great benefit to Political Science majors of all levels and to students who desire a broad-based introduction to the field.
POLS102 -15S1 (D) is offered as Distance Learning and under the STAR programme. Distance Learning and STAR programme students may enrol in this course. For the campus based option please see POLS102 -15S1 (C).This course is designed to introduce the tools, techniques, and topics of Political Science. It is also a course full of questions. We begin by discussing the nature of Political Science. Is politics a science? an art? madness? something else? We then turn to some more basic and more difficult questions. Who are we? Here we will explore the nature of identity and its relationship to politics. Nation, religion, and ethnicity are all sources of identity powerful enough to cause tremendous destruction in our world, and will all be considered. How are we governed? Since politics and politicians have a major impact on our daily lives, we will explore how political systems work. How does democracy come about? Over the last few decades, thousands of people like you and I have battled armed soldiers in the streets in order to win the right to participate in a democratic system. We will try to understand the reasons they care so passionately. Finally, we ask the most intriguing questions of all: Where do we go from here? Is globalization our future? Does the future hold peace and prosperity? Or war and chaos?
Students enrolled in this course will learn the scope and basic methods of Political Science and its subfields. They will learn some key concepts used in Political Science, and learn to apply those concepts, in a variety of contexts. They will learn how to use library and internet resources useful for research in the social sciences. They will learn to write research papers appropriate to the field of Political Science. The research skills and techniques for analysis will transfer to a wide range of future careers. By studying the nature of identity, students will learn more about their own place in bicultural and multicultural settings.For further information on the skills introduced at each level in Political Science, see the programme learning outcomes statement on the Political Science Resources site on Learn.
James Ockey
The textbook is recommended to supplement your learning, but not required. Michael Roskin, et. al., Political Science: An Introduction (Pearson, 2016), available in the bookstore or as an etext at http://www.pearsoned.co.nz/9781292156248, is the preferred supplemental text.For distance students unable to access the Roskin text, alternative supplementary readings from Andrew Heywood, Politics are listed below. The etext version of Heywood is available through the library, at http://canterbury.eblib.com.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1180856.All tutorial readings will be available through Learn.
Library portalhttp://canterbury.libguides.com/pols Learn Assignment Sheet Cover Academic Integrity Guidance for Staff and Students PDF document Referencing for Political Science Using EndNote for referencing Writing guides for Political Science
Domestic fee $732.00
International fee $2,975.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .