Power, dissent, equality: understanding contemporary politics
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| 6 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| Examination | No residential school |
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Summary
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 content
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
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) (or its predecessor DD100) gives an excellent grounding for DD203.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
If you register for the course we will send you the Preparatory Guide, which provides a broad introductory background to studying DD203. It offers insight into the skills and techniques of study appropriate for university level, and contains material and exercises that will indicate whether your essay writing and other study skills are sufficient to cope with the early parts of the course.
Qualifications
DD203 is a compulsory course in our
DD203 is an optional course in our
- BA/BSc (Honours) Social Sciences (B06)
- BA/BSc (Honours) Social Sciences (B06) (with Politics)
- BA/BSc (Honours) International Studies (B11)
- Diploma in Politics and Government (D53)
- Diploma of Higher Education in Social Sciences (E50)
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is equally appropriate to a BA or BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
You will need to make use of a personal computer and the internet. Some of the course 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 booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course 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.
Course materials
What's included
Course books, printed study guide material, course folder, other printed materials, DVD programmes, and audio CDs. A course website is also provided for the 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 2002 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 course 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.
Assessment is an essential part of the teaching, so you are expected to complete it all. But if you unavoidably miss or do badly in an assignment some courses allow you a ‘substitution score’. In DD203 this rule can apply to one of the six assignments. You will be given more detailed information when you begin the course.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course starting in October 2010. We expect it to be available once a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Environment, Development and International Studies and Social Sciences.
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Student Reviews
This course is a must for everyone, it is informative and explains that politics is not just for politicians. Politics ...
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This was my first course with the OU and was generally an enjoyable and satisfying experience. I liked the wide ...
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