Introduction to Politics

PO-131

Learning and Teaching Practicalities

PO- 131 = 20
PO-131A = 10

Self-study material: readings accessible electronically via library

Lectures: Mondays 16:00 – 18:00, Wallace 113
Seminars: Tuesdays 09:00 – 10:00, Vivian Tower 516
Tuesdays 11:00 – 12:00, James Callaghan 208
Tuesdays 17:00 – 18:00, James Callaghan 208
Thursdays 13:00 – 14:00, Talbot 224
You will be pre-allocated to a seminar group. If you have a valid reason that your
seminar group does not work for you, please contact the module convenor.

Teachers

Jack Tudor (module convenor): [email protected]

Dion Curry: [email protected]
Gideon Calder: [email protected] (PO-131A only)
Mike O’Carroll (seminar leader) [email protected]

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Jack will hold office hours in person on Tuesdays from 1 – 2pm and Thursdays from 3 – 4pm when
you can ask questions about the course. Please use these if you have questions, rather than starting
long email exchanges. These office hours run during term time. Meetings outside of office hours can
be arrange by appointment, including remote meetings via Zoom for those unable to attend in-
person.

Synopsis

Welcome to Introduction to Politics! This is module represents a jumping off point for the study of
politics here at Swansea University. Our core goals as a teaching team are to introduce students to
the key ideas and tools that are necessary to engage in the systematic study of politics at University.
As such, Introduction to Politics gives an overview of key topics in political studies, with a view to
familiarising students with the debates and concepts that inform these topics.

More generally, we would like this module to be a space where you as a student can both nurture
your passion for politics and refine and develop your ideas about the subject.

A key distinction made in the syllabus separates empirical and normative analysis of politics.
Empirical analysis focuses on studying what ‘is’ in the realm of politics. That is, it endeavours to
describe, understand, and explain political outcomes and realities. Normative analysis focuses on
what ‘ought’ to be. That is, it centres on moral debates about the extent to which aspects of politics
are ‘just or unjust’, ‘fair or unfair’, or, more simply ‘right or wrong’. As the course progresses, you
should begin to see that, while formally separate, often in political analysis these approaches are
intertwined.

The module begins with a focus on contemporary politics and empirical analysis. Topics dealt with in
this part of the course include democratic reform, elections and voting, and social identity. The focus
then moves to concepts vital for the normative analysis of politics, these include political ideology,
the state, forces of change and stability, and power. Each lecture introduces a new political topic,
and weekly seminars offer the chance for students to question, discuss, and elaborate on the topics
raised in the lectures. The course also integrates that develop students’ study and writing skills,
necessary for effective learning and doing well in assessment.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, you will have developed:

1. Knowledge and understanding of aspects of the empirical study of politics, especially the
evaluation of democratic reform proposals and the analysis of elections.

2. Knowledge and understanding of key conceptual and normative debates within the study of
politics.

3. An ability to apply both empirical and normative analyses to contemporary political topics,
using appropriate conceptual language and scholarly literature.

4. The ability to generate and communicate analyses of political issues – both in classroom
discussions and in written format.

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 5. Understanding and experience of a range of skills and forms of knowledge that enable you
to study effectively at undergraduate level. These will include essay-writing skills,
information-finding skills and an understanding of how to cite and reference sources
properly.

Transferable Skills

By the end of the module you will have developed the following transferable skills:

1. The ability to understand and critically evaluate theories and concepts.

2. The ability to formulate independent informed opinions; to formulate and defend
arguments; the ability to engage in discussion in a mature, informed and critical manner.
3. The ability to digest and utilize extensive reading.
4. Library and information retrieval skills.
5. Oral and written communication skills.
6. Analytical skills.
7. Self-motivation in a working environment

Syllabus

The syllabus lists required readings and recommended readings for each week. Required readings
must be read before the relevant class. Many of these readings are taken from the following text
book, which can be accessed as an e-book through the library or via the Oxford Politics Trove:
Garner, Ferdinand, and Lawson (2016) Introduction to Politics, 3rd edition (Oxford: Oxford University
Press). The Oxford Politics Trove can be accessed via https://www.oxfordpoliticstrove.com. You will
need to log in using your Swansea University identification in order to access the textbook.

If you have any problems with accessing literature, please notify me after you have tried to get help
from a librarian but before the relevant class – do not wait for the class to draw attention to any
access problems. Most links in this course plan will take you either to the digitised version of the text
stored online (and requiring login), or to the library holding of the text (also requiring login).

Assessment

The module assessment has three components:

1) 1,000-word critical text analysis (25% Monday 7th November 2022 at 14:00 via Turn-it-in in
Canvas)
2) 1,000-word literature review (25% Monday 9th January 2023 at 14:00 via Turn-it-in in
Canvas)
3) 2,000-word essay based on constructing and defending an argument (50% Monday 9th
January 2023 at 14:00 via Turn-it-in in Canvas)

The critical text analysis requires students to demonstrate the ability to (a) identify the central claim
made by an academic text, and to (b) identify the key elements of the argument that support that
claim. Students are further required to (c) identify which elements of the argument (perhaps

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premises or steps or conclusions) are controversial and explain how these elements might be
criticised. Finally, students must explain what is at stake in the discussion: what real world political
arrangements would change or remain the same if we accept or reject the main conclusion?

The literature review asks students to summarise the texts that are needed to read in order to
answer the essay question. Students must therefore choose an essay question before beginning the
literature review. A list of questions to choose from is provided in the course outline below: all
seminar questions marked with (*) can be taken as essay questions. The task of the literature review
is to state as concisely as possible the key elements and conclusions of the texts used. No critical
assessment is necessary, but students should identify key differences between the texts, where
these differences exist. The literature review should include at least two pieces of literature that
were not in the course guide. These must be found in a library search and must be academic articles
or book chapters found through the library databases; they cannot be entries in Wikipedia or a
similar online encyclopaedia or dictionary.

The essay requires students to construct their own argument on a topic in politics taken from the
course. A list of questions to choose from is provided in the course outline below: all seminar
questions marked with (*) can be taken as essay questions. Students must draw on the course
literature and beyond to build their own reasoned argument that supports or criticises a key political
claim. The essay should not summarise or paraphrase the course texts but should take arguments
and ideas from them that can be developed and assessed independently (proper referencing of
these arguments and ideas is, however, necessary and important). The intended learning outcome
of this component is that students can take claims, conclusions, and concepts from their original
textual context and critically examine them by re-organising, comparing, and contrasting them
within a new textual framework (the essay). Therefore, students must demonstrate that they can (a)
identify the importance of what the question is asking; (b) identify which parts of the course
literature are relevant for answering the question; and (c) arrange the relevant ideas and arguments
in a clear and persuasive way within the word-limit, and reference where those ideas and arguments
came from. The essay should take a stance on the issue in question and present the strongest case
possible for that stance (some initial weighing up of pros and cons may help, but the essay should
reach a clear conclusion on the topic in question, backed up by reasons).

Formalities. Referencing (citations, footnotes, bibliography) in the assessments can be in any major
referencing style, including APA, Harvard, or Chicago. This syllabus has been compiled in APA style.
Online guides to referencing styles are readily available and you will receive guidance on their use in
a study skills workshop. The maximum word-count for the assessments excludes bibliography and
cover page, but includes all footnotes and in-text referencing. Assessments that exceed the word-
limit will be marked down; assessments that fall well short of the word limit are unlikely to fully
answer the question and will lose marks accordingly. Consult the documents on ‘academic conduct’
uploaded in Canvas, for more on the rules concerning assessment. Assessments are submitted online
via TurnitIn in Canvas. Instructions on using TurnitIn can also be found under this tab – please
consult these before asking the instructor for help, but don’t hesitate to ask if you are still unsure.

Assessment for PO-131A (10 credit version for some joint honours students)

1) Coursework 1: 1000-word critical text analysis (see above): due 07.11.2022, weight: 40%)

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2) Take-home exam: total 1000 words (January exam period: 7 day completion period, weight: 60%)

Format: 4 compulsory questions involving the application of theoretical concepts to a set

policy text. Students will be briefed on this exam well in advance of January.

Course Overview

1. Introduction (JT) 3rd Oct

2. Models of democracy (DC) 10th Oct

3. Politics, Democracy and Trust (DC) 17th Oct

4. Social identity (JT) 24th Oct

5. Study skills (CAS+ JT) 31st Oct

6. Study Week 7th Nov

7. Key normative concepts (JT) 14th Nov

8. Major political ideologies (JT) 21st Nov

9. The modern state (JT) 28th Nov

10. Forces of change and stability (JT) 5th Dec

11. Power and rights/Revision and Questions (JT) 12th Dec

Detailed Course Plan

Week 1: Introduction
Lecture (03.10.2022): What is politics?

Required reading

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Introduction: the nature of politics and
political analysis. In Introduction to Politics (3rd ed., pp. 1 – 22). Oxford: Oxford University
Press.

Recommended reading

Fukuyama, F. (2011) The Necessity of Politics. In The Origins of Political Order: from
Prehuman Times to the French Revolution (pp. 3 – 25). London: Profile Books. Link to
content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=5e0b4648-a0d4-e911-80cd-
005056af4099

Ryan, A. (2012) Thinking about Politics. In On Politics: a history of political thought from
Herodotus to the present. London: Penguin. Link to content:
https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=3e48d919-2bcf-e911-80cd-005056af4099

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Seminar Questions

How do you currently view politics: as the opposite of violence, or as a continuation of it?

Is politics only about public life, or private life as well? And how do we draw the distinction?

What is the proper scope of politics? Should those studying politics take a ‘narrow’ view or a
‘broad’ view (as defined in the lecture)? Give reasons for your answer.

Week 2: Models of democracy

Lecture (10.10.2022): Contesting democracy (DC)

Required reading

Christiano, T. (2019). Democracy (Chapter 4). In Issues in Political Theory (4th ed.). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.

Flinders, M. (2014). The Problem with Democracy. Available at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRZVRprCl4U.

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Democracy and political obligation (Chapter 4).
In Introduction to Politics (3rd ed., pp. 68 – 92). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Democracies, Democratization, and
Authoritarian Regimes (Chapter 15). In Introduction to Politics (3rd ed., pp. 68 – 92). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.

Ferdinand, P., Garner, R. & Lawson, S. (2016) Democracy (Chapter 4). In Politics (1st ed.).
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Farrell, D. M., Suiter, J., & Harris, C. (2019). ‘Systematizing’ constitutional deliberation: the
2016–18 citizens’ assembly in Ireland. Irish Political Studies, 34(1), 113-123. Link to content:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07907184.2018.1534832

Recommended reading

Flinders, M. (2016). The Problem with Democracy. Parliamentary Affairs, 69(1), 181-203.

Held, D. (2006) What should democracy mean today? In Models of Democracy (3rd ed., pp.
259 – 289) Cambridge: Polity Press. Link to content:
https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=56dc8d8e-e5d2-e911-80cd-005056af4099

Ryfe, D. M. (2005). Does deliberative democracy work?. Annual Review of Political Science 8:
49-71. Link to content:
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.polisci.8.032904.154633

Powell, G. Bingham. “The Quality of Democracy: The Chain of Responsiveness.” Journal of

Democracy 15, no. 4 (2004): 91–105.

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Seminar Questions

What are some of the key shortcomings of liberal, representative democracy?

Is it possible for citizens to engage in rational deliberation as equals in modern political societies,
given the immense complexity of the modern state?

*What are the virtues and responsibilities of democratic citizenship? How are these manifested in
current political debates around the world? Your answer must use the course readings on this topic
and use examples where possible and appropriate.

Is participatory democracy politically realistic?

How can we deal with the potential tyranny of the majority in a democratic society?

How far is it true to say that we are witnessing a ‘democratic recession’?

Week 3: Politics, Democracy and Trust

Lecture: (17.10.2022)

Required reading

Gaskell, J., Stoker, G. and Jennings, W. (2020). Restoring Political Trust by Getting Brexit
Done? Insights from English focus groups. Political Insight, 11(4): 33-35. Available at
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2041905820978842

Abramson, J. (2017). ‘Trust and Democracy’. Aspen: Aspen Institute. Available at

https://www.aspeninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Abramson.Trust-and-
Democracy.pdf.

TrustGov Research Project (2022). The Trust Crisis. Available at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mJbplDCrWs

Recommended reading

Curtice, J. (2022). Trust in Government Numbers? Available at https://tdtgs.libsyn.com/trust-

in-government-numbers-a-conversation-with-professor-sir-john-curtice.

Baxter, J. (2021). Why this government may never regain the trust of the people. LSE British
Politics and Policy. Available at https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/why-this-
government-may-never-regain-the-trust-of-the-people/

Valgarðsson, V., Clarke, N., Jennings, W. and Stoker, G. (2020). The Good Politician and
Political Trust: An Authenticity Gap in British Politics? Political Studies, 69(4): 858-880.

Gaskell, J., Stoker, G., Jennings, W. and Devine, D. (2020). Will getting Brexit done restore
political trust? UK in a Changing Europe. Available at

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 https://ukandeu.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Will-getting-Brexit-done-restore-
political-trust.pdf

Whiteley, P. (2022). Boris Johnson’s bad behaviour: how declining trust in the prime minister
affects trust in British democracy. The Conversation. Available at
https://theconversation.com/boris-johnsons-bad-behaviour-how-declining-trust-in-the-
prime-minister-affects-trust-in-british-democracy-181316.

Duncan, G. (2018). How to restore trust in governments and institutions. The Conversation.
Available at https://theconversation.com/how-to-restore-trust-in-governments-and-
institutions-106547.

Bottasso, A., Cerruti, G. and Conti, M. (2022). Measuring the impact of Covid-19 on political
trust. LSE European Politics and Policy Blog. Available at
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2022/03/31/measuring-the-impact-of-covid-19-on-
levels-of-political-trust/

Devine, D. (2022). Trust in politics has a reasonable correlation with a range of outcomes,
including vote choice, turnout, and policy preferences. LSE British Politics and Policy Blog.
Available at https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/political-trust-meta-analysis/

Seminar Questions

In this week’s seminar, you will discuss the Gaskell, Stoker and Jennings article on which your
critical review will be based, so it is essential that you read that piece before the seminar.

What do current political debates such as those revolving around Covid, Brexit, populism and the
role of the media tell us about the state of political trust in society? What effects has this had on
democracy?

*What factors may explain the decline in trust in Western democracies? What institutional,
political and external factors like world events influence trust in politics and government? Draw on
both real-world examples and theoretical conceptions of trust to build your answer, drawing on
both readings from the module and your own research.

How does political trust fit into conceptions of democracy and politics? Is a certain level of mistrust
healthy in politics?

Week 4: Social identity

Online Lecture (24.10.2022): Gender, Ethnicity and Race

Required reading

Fraser, N. (2005) Mapping the feminist imagination: from redistribution to recognition to

representation. Constellations 12(3), 295 – 307. Library holding: https://whel-

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 primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/8n921c/TN_wj10.1111/j.1351-
0487.2005.00418.x

Nussbaum, M. (1999). The feminist critique of liberalism. In Sex and Social Justice (pp. 55 –
80). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Link to content:
https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=f6b8e46d-96d4-e911-80cd-005056af4099

Mills, C. W. (1997) Overview. In The Racial Contract (pp. 9 – 40). Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press. Link to content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=c7993ca6-
e6da-e911-80cd-005056af4099

Recommended reading

Serwer, A. (2020) The Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was
Dying. The Atlantic. May 8. Available
at: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/americas-racial-contract-showing/
611389/

Fanon, F. (1959) Reciprocal Bases of National Culture and the Fight for Freedom. Available
at: https://www.marxists.org/subject/africa/fanon/national-culture.htm

Seminar Questions

What are the central charges made by gender and/or race theorists (specify which or both you are dealing
with in your answer) against traditional forms of political theory (e.g., liberal theory and social contract
theory)? Are those criticisms well-founded? Argue for your conclusion using real-world examples.

How much gender equality is there in contemporary UK society?

Compare liberal, socialist, and post-structuralist feminism: which is most relevant to the challenges faced
by feminists today?

*Is ‘race’ still a blind spot for contemporary political culture, institutions and parties? Your answer must
use the course readings on this topic and use examples where possible and appropriate. You may focus on
a society of your choice, or compare societies, if this will clarify your answer.

Should contemporary societies that have inherited the legacy of racial divisions seek to directly
compensate social groups that have inherited this as a disadvantage? If so, how?

Week 5: Study skills: Criticality and synthesis in writing

Centre for Academic Success & module convenor: Criticality in writing

No required readings

Centre for Academic Success & module convener: Synthesis in writing

No required readings

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Seminar Questions

• What is critical analysis and how is it conducted?

• What is a literature review and how does it synthesis academic texts?

Week 6: Study week

No required readings. While there will be no lectures this week, there will still be optional contact
hours (TBD) to discuss your coursework with the module convenor. You should make use of the
study week to research and write your assessments in this module and others.

Week 7: key normative concepts

Webcast: Key concepts: equality and inequality

Required reading

Therborn, G. (2013) Three Kinds of (In)equality. In The Killing Fields of Inequality (pp.48 - 67).
Cambridge: Polity Press. Link to content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?
id=071add6a-07d6-e911-80cd-005056af4099

Recommended Reading/listening

Dorling, D. (2018) Peak Inequality. New Statesman (July 6th – 12th), 30 -35. Available at:
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2018/07/peak-inequality

Dorling, D. (2017) The equality effect: improving life for everyone. Retrieved from:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/International-Inequalities/Videos-Podcasts/The-Equality-Effect-
improving-life-for-everyone [online lecture]

Online Lecture (02.11.2021): Key concepts: freedom and justice

Required reading

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Freedom and Justice. In Introduction to Politics
(3rd ed., pp. 93 – 112). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Recommended reading

Berlin, I. (1969) Two concepts of liberty. In Four Essays on Liberty (pp. 118 – 172). Oxford:
Oxford University Press. Link to content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?
id=322d37eb-49d5-e911-80cd-005056af4099

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 Hayek, F. (1991 [1944]) Security and Freedom. In The Road to Serfdom (pp. 89 - 99) London:
Routledge. Link to content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=49311113-ecd2-
e911-80cd-005056af4099

Seminar Questions

*How can the value of equality and the value of freedom come into conflict with one another in both political
ideology and real world politics? Give examples that illustrate your argument, and explain how our specific
conception of each of these values affects our view of the relationship between them.

Why is it important to distinguish both different kinds of inequality and different mechanisms of inequality
reproduction? Are some forms of inequality more acceptable than others? Give examples to illustrate your
argument and reasons to justify your conclusion.

Where and how is inequality reproduced in the UK today?

What political responses are possible to problems of inequality? And how desirable are they?

What is the difference between positive and negative freedom? And can an individual have freedom without the
resources to act as she would wish?

What is the ‘harm-principle’ and why is it important to a liberal view of politics?

Week 8: Major political ideologies

Webcast: The Foundation of Different Political Ideologies

Required reading

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Traditional Ideologies. In Introduction to
Politics (3rd ed., 113 – 124). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Traditional Ideologies. In Introduction to
Politics (3rd ed., pp. 124 – 133) Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Recommended reading

Bellamy, R. (2000) Liberal Rights, Socialist Goals, and the Duties of Citizenship. In Rethinking
Liberalism (pp. 141 – 161). New York, NY: Pinter. Library holding: https://whel-
primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/8n921c/TN_pq_ebook_centralEBC436230

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Seminar Questions

What is ‘ideology’? Is it a useful concept?

* What are the basic claims of liberal political ideology? What political issues illustrate the dilemmas
that arise when translating liberal principles into political and legal practice? Give a reasoned defence
or critique of liberalism as a political ideology.

What is the difference between revolutionary socialism and evolutionary socialism?

Liberal rights have been criticised by socialists and others for failing to achieve social justice. Why are
liberal rights controversial? Your answer should examine what it means to ‘have a right’, and refer to
the difference between civil and political rights, on the one hand, and economic and social and cultural
rights, on the other.

What is the difference between ‘civic nationalism’ and ‘ethnic nationalism’?

Is conservatism a coherent ideology? What are its central claims?

Is anarchism utopian and lacking in influence on real-world politics?

Week 9: The Modern State

Lecture: The State in Context: Coercion, Legitimacy, and Authority

Required reading

Pierson, C. (1996) Placing the state in modernity. In The Modern State (pp. 35 – 63). London:
Routledge. Link to content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=9c56d3e5-ecda-
e911-80cd-005056af4099

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Politics and the state. In Introduction to Politics
(3rd ed., pp. 27 – 47). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Recommended reading

Axtmann, R. (2004) The state of the state: the model of the modern state and its
contemporary transformation. International Political Science Review 25(3), 259 – 279. Link to
library holding:
https://whel-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/8n921c/TN_jstor_archive_71601
667

Hay, C. (2014) Neither real nor fictitious but ‘as if real'? A political ontology of the state.
British Journal of Sociology 65(3), 459-480. Library holding: https://whel-
primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/8n921c/TN_wj10.1111/1468-4446.12082

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Seminar Questions

The modern state is a particular way of organising power in society. Describe other possible political orders
that differ significantly from the modern state form.

*How useful is the idea of the ‘nation state’ in analysing politics in the world today? Explain and justify your
answer making use of the course readings, and using examples where appropriate.

What are the minimum functions of a state (the ‘night-watchman state’) and what are the broader aims of
‘welfare states’?

Is the historical expansion of taxation and state spending justified? Give reasons for your answer.

Should the state occupy the centre of political studies? Explain and justify your answer.

What is political legitimacy?

Explain the function of the political myth of the social contract.

Week 10: Forces of change and stability

Lecture: Civil Society, Social Movements, and Revolution

Required reading

Edwards, M. (2014) What’s the big idea? In Civil Society (3rd ed., pp. 1 – 17). Cambridge:
Polity Press. Link to content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=6191fd4b-06d6-
e911-80cd-005056af4099

DeFronzo, J. (2015) Social movements and revolutions. In Revolutions and Revolutionary

Movements (5th ed., pp. 9 – 32). New York: Routledge. Library holding: https://whel-
primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/8n921c/TN_credo21191246

Recommended reading

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Civil society, interest groups and the media. In
Introduction to Politics (3rd ed., pp. 273 – 294). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Edwards, M. (2014, May 30th) When is civil society a force for social transformation?
OpenDemocracy. Retrieved from: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1530409350?
accountid=14680

Bennett, W. L. & Segerberg, A. (2012) The Logic of Connective Action. Information,

Communication, and Society 15(5), 739 – 768. Library holding: https://whel-
primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/8n921c/TN_informaworld_s10_1080_1058460
9_2014_956034

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Seminar (25.11.2021): discussion questions

Why has ‘civil society’ been such an attractive idea and target in policy-making in the last 30 years and is that
attraction correct or misplaced?

*Does social media provide a new framework for people organising in civil society? Is it different in important
ways from earlier forms of organising? If so what are the consequences of these differences?

Is civil society a Western-centric political concept? If so, is that a problem?

What makes something a ‘revolution’?

Does the proliferation of civil society organisations show a healthy political society or the failure of the state to
find legitimacy?

Why are some states more prone to revolution than others?

What factors can affect the loyalty of the military and police?

Week 11: Power and Rights

Lecture – key concepts: power and rights

Required reading

Lukes, S. (2005) Power: a Radical View. In Power: a Radical View (2nd ed., pp.14 -59).
London: Red Globe Press. Link to content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?
id=549bd5dd-4cd5-e911-80cd-005056af4099

Jones, P. (1994) Introduction & Forms of rights. In Rights (pp. 1 – 25). Basingstoke:
Macmillan. Link to content: https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=bffa24f3-0cd3-
e911-80cd-005056af4099

Recommended reading

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2016) Political power, authority and the state. In
Introduction to Politics (3rd ed., pp. 48 – 67). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Scott, J. (2001) Patterns of Power. In Power (pp. 1 – 30). Cambridge: Polity. Link to content:
https://contentstore.cla.co.uk/secure/link?id=cb5148b4-f0d2-e911-80cd-005056af4099

United Nations (orig. 1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Available at:
https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html

Edmundson, W. (2012) The Universal Declaration and a revolt against utilitarianism. In An

Introduction to Rights (pp. 85 – 95). New York: Cambridge University Press. Library holding:
https://whel-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1pk86k3/44WHELF_SWA_ALMA_
DS5191625000002417

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Seminar Questions

Why does Lukes differentiate between preferences and real interests? What advantages and
disadvantages does that distinction bring?

What are the respective problems of a view of power that is too narrow (captures too little) and a
view of power that is too broad (captures too much)? In answering, defend or criticise Lukes’
radical view of power, and use examples to illustrate your answer.

Is power well dispersed in British society? Would Dahl‘s and Lukes’ respective approaches lead to
different conclusions on that question? Explain your conclusion using examples and referring to
Lukes argument.

*What does it mean when we say that a person ‘has a right’? Why is the language of rights such a
prominent feature of modern politics, and what reasons might we have for being sceptical about
the language of rights as a vehicle for justice?

Coursework deadline reminders:

Coursework 2: literature review: xx.xx.xxxx (submit via TurnitIn in Canvas BY TIME X)

Coursework 3: essay: xx.xx.xxx (submit via TurnitIn in Canvas BY TIME X)

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