This course seeks to philosophically pursue a richly interconnected set of questions.
What is the relation between democracy as a political ideal and our capacity as a society to respect and foster plurality? If democracy is a form of mass rule then how can it honour and do justice to cultural and individual differences? Can we think critically about our conceptions of democracy and our conceptions of difference in ways that might give us new approaches to problems of multiculturalism, of the place of religion in secular societies, or of racially based exclusion? What is the place of tolerance in addressing our differences? and which political models can help us best in identifying the major issues faced by democratic nations today?
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
The course aims to facilitate the development of (1) intellectual discrimination: the ability to pick out key points; to show a sense of the issues, to imaginatively relate ideas to contemporary issues 92) intellectual control: mastery of the material; coherent organisation; sensitivity to the use of concepts; ability to construct an argument/interpretation (3) techniques for engaging with challenging reading and going deeper into the insights and problems it poses (4) a suitable amount and quality of guided but independent research in the area of study, supported by proper notes and bibliography.
Indicative Assessment
1,000 word article review (25%), 2,500 word essay (55%), tutorial presentation (10%) and tutorial participation (10%).
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures, and 12 hours of tutorials; and, b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.Requisite and Incompatibility
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $3120 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4800 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
