• Offered by School of Politics and International Relations
  • ANU College ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
  • Course subject Political Science
  • Areas of interest Political Sciences, Politics
  • Academic career UGRD
  • Course convener
    • Dr William Bosworth
  • Mode of delivery In Person
  • Offered in First Semester 2022
    See Future Offerings

Ideas in Politics explores some of the central ideas and debates in politics today, including claims regarding the nature of freedom, democracy, power, and the state. An understanding of these ideas and debates is essential for coming to terms with the key ideological clashes that shape politics today and for making effective interventions into these contests. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

  1. understand the key concepts used in political theory;
  2. identify some of the divergent aims for which these concepts are mobilised;
  3. demonstrate theoretical familiarity with some of the major thinkers in the canon of western political thought, including Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Mill, and Marx;
  4. theorise politics in the manner of contemporary political theory;
  5. produce powerful written arguments; and
  6. produce persuasive verbal accounts of politics.

Indicative Assessment

  1. Essay, 3000 words (45%) [LO 1, 3, 4, 5] (45) [LO 1,3,4,5]
  2. Final Examination, in formal examination period, 2hrs (45%) [LO 1, 2, 3, 5] (45) [LO 1,2,3,5]
  3. Tutorial work (10%) [LO 6] (10) [LO 6]

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.

Inherent Requirements

Not applicable

Requisite and Incompatibility

To enrol in this course you must have completed 6 units of 1000 level POLS and 6 units of POLS or HIST or SOCY courses; or permission of the convenor. You are not able to enrol in this course if you have previously completed or enrolled in POLS1003.

You will need to contact the School of Politics and International Relations to request a permission code to enrol in this course.

Prescribed Texts

The Broadview Anthology of Social and Political Thought (Broadview, 2012).

Fees

Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.  

Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you 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). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees

Student Contribution Band:
14
Unit value:
6 units

If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found 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
Domestic fee paying students
Year Fee
2022 $4200
International fee paying students
Year Fee
2022 $5700
Note: Please note that fee information is for current year only.

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.

The list of offerings for future years is indicative only.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.

First Semester

Class number Class start date Last day to enrol Census date Class end date Mode Of Delivery Class Summary
2462 21 Feb 2022 28 Feb 2022 31 Mar 2022 27 May 2022 In Person View

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