Course Details in

Module Title	LH Political Sociology A
School	School of Social Policy
Department	Dept of Soc Pol and Soc (DNU)
Module Code	08 08417
Module Lead	Dr Will Leggett
Level	Honours Level
Credits	10
Semester	Full Term
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites	LH Political Sociology B - (08 08418)
Restrictions	none
Contact Hours	Lecture-10 hours Seminar-10 hours Guided independent study-80 hours Total: 100 hours
Exclusions	none
Description	Political Sociology seeks to understand political ideas, action, identities and institutions in their social context: how do we understand the politics-society relation? Semester 1 explores core political-sociological concepts such as the nature of power, the state, ideology, ruling elites and violence. Semester 2 addresses how more recent developments in social and cultural theory are changing the shape of political sociology. It pursues this through contemporary topics such as identity politics; new forms of political participation/apathy; the politics of the internet; new forms of governance; the role of discourse and ideas for a radical democracy. What do these new developments tell us about the scope of politics and the nature of social change, power and resistance in contemporary societies?
Learning Outcomes	On completing the module students will be able to:- Critically assess the major theoretical traditions and debates in political sociology. Apply these to a range of substantive contemporary topics in the field
Assessment	08417-01 : Essay 4000 words : Coursework (50%) 08417-02 : Exam 3 hr : Exam (Centrally Timetabled) - Written Unseen (50%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	1 x 3000 word essay (50%) 1 x 3 hour unseen examination
Other	none
Reading List	Eds. Nash, K. and Scott A. (2000) The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology, Oxford: Blackwell. Nash, K. (2000) Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalisation, Politics and Power, Oxford: Blackwell. Faulks, K (2002) Political Sociology: A Critical Introduction, NY: NYU Press.