Living political ideas
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Should religious beliefs shape how politics are conducted in the contemporary world? Does violence have a role in politics? Should animals as well as humans be represented in politics? What do bodies and sexuality have to do with politics? Living political ideas is an exciting Level 3 politics and international studies course that debates these and similar questions. It demonstrates the relevance of political ideas for understanding contemporary issues in national and world politics. The award winning study materials include software, video, audio, websites and print (British Universities Film & Video Council, Learning on Screen Awards 2009).
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Social Sciences.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | DD306 |
| Credits | 60 |
| OU Level | 3 |
| SCQF level | 10 |
| FHEQ level | 6 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 6 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| End-of-module assessment |
| No residential school |
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 organised around an introduction and five parts. In each part, you’ll be thinking about the different ways that political ideas ‘live’.
The first part is called Representing the People and investigates the idea of political representation. It traces some of the history and development of the idea in Europe and beyond, and considers whether there is now a crisis of representation.
The second part, Political Animals, looks at how distinctions between humans and animals constitute and challenge modern notions of politics. Do we have good reasons for excluding animals from the political domain? Should nature be given a strong political voice in our era of global environmental degradation?
The third part, Politics and Religion, explores the contentious area of the relationship between religion and politics. Should religious beliefs play an explicit part in politics? Or is it important that church and state be kept separate? Should politics be a secular matter with room for a plurality of religious convictions expressed by citizens in their private lives? How do religious ideas impact on riots in France, the abortion debate in the US and state formation in Iran?
The fourth part is called The Body in Politics. It discusses how explanations of the body are both incorporated into politics and challenge them. Politics is often thought of as being the concern of the mind – making rational policies. How do the treatment of disabled people, the question of care for the elderly, matters of sexuality, and developments in genetic screening and modification challenge this notion?
The final part, Violence and Politics, examines how the problem of violence underpins modern understandings of politics. Is politics always, at root, about violence? And what are we to make of the notion of state violence? How did various ideas about the relationship between violence and politics play out in the civil war in Sierra Leone, the struggle for national independence in Algeria, and the break-up of Yugoslavia?
You’ll be attracted to this course if you’ve an interest in the importance of political ideas in politics and international relations or want to make sense of current events. The course is delivered primarily through six DVD-ROMs and audio. However, print versions of political texts are provided, so you won’t always be studying at your computer. We also want you to learn to become independent learners through this course, and plenty of help is given for you to build these skills.
You will learn
How to interpret contemporary political events by using political theory texts. This will help you bring out the underlying ‘living’ ideas at stake, as well as the historical resonances often to be found in the political debates of the present. You’ll also build on your ability to reflect on the meaning of a piece of text and analyse it, whether it is a political theory extract, a newspaper article, or a work memo.
Vocational relevance
Courses in government and politics are relevant to a wide range of employment. Politics graduates can be found in 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 attractive to the public sector: the civil service, local government and health administration.
Entry
This is a Level 3 course. Level 3 courses build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from studies at Levels 1 and 2. They are intended only for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject, preferably with the OU.
Our Level 1 course Introducing the social sciences (DD101) and Level 2 course Power, dissent, equality: understanding contemporary politics (DD203) provide an excellent grounding for this course. A world of whose making? (DU301) also provides some relevant politics and international relations background.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
No specific preparatory work is required.
If you have studied DD203, you might like to revisit Part 4 of the course, called Living Political Ideas (including its book and the three audiovisual components), to gain an initial sense of what is meant by ‘living political ideas’ in DD306.
If you’ve not studied DD203, you might like to consider getting hold of Living Political Ideas, Andrews, G. and Saward, M. (eds) (2005) Edinburgh University Press.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
You will need to be able to work with multimedia audiovisual materials. You will acquire a broad range of skills in the use of these materials as part of the learning experience that the course provides.
The main components of the course are DVD-ROM packages. You will need to spend significant amounts of time using a personal computer and the internet. If you use special hardware or software you must, well before the course begins, find out whether it will work with the study materials.
One of the course learning outcomes is to access, manage and analyse information in a software-driven multimedia environment. Blind and severely partially sighted students may experience difficulty in achieving this learning outcome.
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Other alternative formats of the course materials may be available in the future. 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
Six multimedia DVD-ROMs, audio CD, printed materials and course print binders, website.
You will need
Some elements of the multimedia packages can be played on television through a DVD player, and some of the audio content can be played on a CD player.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. Some of your course software will be provided on disk.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new Windows 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. Please note that you cannot use an Apple Mac or Linux computer unless it is running Windows using Boot Camp or similar dual-boot system.
Materials to buy
Set books
- Hannah Arendt On Violence, Harcourt Brace International £6.99 - ISBN 9780156695008
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.
The end-of-module assessment (EMA) is a project that takes the place of an examination.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in October 2012. We expect it to be available once a year.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Social Sciences.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | DD306 |
| Credits | 60 |
| OU Level | 3 |
| SCQF level | 10 |
| FHEQ level | 6 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 6 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| End-of-module assessment |
| No residential school |
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.
Student Reviews
A really interesting and thought provoking course. It deals with very up to date ideas, allowing you to apply them ...
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A very interesting course, and my first Politics course (student advisors told me not to do it!) ...But, I had ...
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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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