2024-25

Politics is perhaps best conceptualised as the study of power – or, as some would put it, “Who gets what, when, how?” The study of politics strives to equip us with an understanding of not only what governance is and how we are governed, but also the value-judgment questions and philosophical backdrop underpinning governance. This course will delve into the various aspects of contemporary political studies, focusing on four critical sub-fields – firstly, political theory, in which interpretive questions such as “What is democracy?” and “What kind of equality matters the most to the state?” are examined; secondly, political sociology, where key empirical theses and phenomena – including the interactions between race, religion, media, and electoral preferences – are compared and contrasted across a multitude of countries and societies. The third revolves around international relations – how does the global order operate, and how has it evolved over time? The fourth and final area we shall look at concerns the study of comparative politics: understanding how politics varies from country to country, sub-group to sub-group, and individual to individual in accordance with foundational concepts very much needed for our comprehensive understanding and grasping of the world we inhabit today. Students are encouraged to draw upon their knowledge and experience in non-political fields and disciplines to enrich their comprehension of the concepts discussed in this course.