Undergraduate

Power, dissent, equality: understanding contemporary politics

On this page

• What you will study
• Entry
• If you have a disability or additional requirement
• Study materials
• Teaching and assessment
• Students also studied
• Future availability

Tumultuous events like 9/11 and the war in Iraq have reminded people how vital – and sometimes how deadly – the world of politics can be. Even at the very local level, the everyday politics of petitioning, local council debate, and of schools and hospitals affects people’s lives. This course invites you into the world of politics in a fresh and accessible way, using a wide variety of case studies drawn from the UK and beyond. It sheds light on the inner workings of power, decision making and protest, and it covers politics from parliament to the street, and the politics of ideas as well as institutions.

Course facts

Register for the course

This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.

What you will study

The course is designed around five core themes, each of which expresses key political dilemmas and debates in the UK and beyond.

Powers and structures explores the meaning and location of power – what is it, and who has it? – in contemporary societies, and asks about some of the more enduring structures within which power is to be found. This includes study of familiar political institutions like the House of Commons in the UK, but just as importantly involves power in our everyday practices as citizens.

Centre and periphery looks at issues like: what is the role of the state in our lives, how is it changing and why? What is nationalism, and why has it revived in the post-Cold War world?

Participation and dissent leads us to look, on the one hand, at voting and elections, and on the other hand at demonstrations and new, unconventional forms of political protest (such as anti-globalisation protest loosely coordinated via internet).

Equality and difference takes us through how we are seen as ‘equal’ and ‘different’ to each other and how this matters politically. As part of that, it leads us to look at the ways in which justice and policy ‘construct’ us as citizens – are we the same or are we different, and how does this feed into how we ought to be treated by governments (and each other)?

And finally, Evidence and argument takes a fresh angle on what counts as evidence and argument in political debate and political science.

Vocational relevance

Courses in government and politics are relevant to a wide range of employment. Politics graduates can be found in all financial and commercial occupations – such as business management, banking and insurance – and in a variety of other professions, including the law and accountancy. They are particularly attracted to the public sector – the civil service, local government and health administration.

Entry

This is a Level 2 course and you need to have the study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning, obtained either through Level 1 study with the OU, or by doing equivalent work at another university.

Although the course is self-contained and provides all the resources you need for a full understanding of the subject, it is a Level 2 course and some knowledge of social sciences ideas would be useful. Our Level 1 course Introducing the social sciences (DD101) gives an excellent grounding for this Level 2 course.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

If you have a disability or additional requirement

You will need to make use of a personal computer and the internet. Some of the study materials are presented on audio CD and DVD. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.

If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publication Meeting Your Needs.

You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.

Study materials

What's included

Course books, DVD programmes, and audio CDs. A website is also provided for study guidance and online activities.

You will need

A television and DVD player, an audio CD player.

Computing requirements

This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.

You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where your tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course.

Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.

You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.

Students also studied

Students who studied this course also studied at some time:

• Introducing the social sciences (DD101)
• Living political ideas (DD306)
• Economics and economic change (DD202)
• A world of whose making? (DU301)
• Exploring philosophy (A222)

Future availability

The details given here are for the course starting in October 2012. We expect it to be available once a year.

Fees 2012

See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.

Study explained

Financial support

- find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.

Study explained

- all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.

A taste of OU study

Student Reviews

A very stimulating and challenging module. The course material is well written and mostly easy to follow, and the audios ...
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This was my favourite course out of four that I took. I also did well, which perhaps highlights the interesting ...
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Your questions

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Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35

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