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How Politics Works: From the Individual to an International Scale

Prepare yourself for a degree in politics.

685 enrolled on this course

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How Politics Works: From the Individual to an International Scale

685 enrolled on this course

  • 4 weeks

  • 6 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

Find out more about how to join this course

  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    6 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
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    $244.99 for a whole yearLearn more

Understand politics on an individual and global scale

This introductory course is designed to help you prepare for a degree in politics at degree level, or to introduce you to the basics of politics.

You’ll learn the basics of democracy, the machinery of government, and the political economy and globalisation. Then you’ll move on to identity politics, looking at class and economic individualism. You’ll be introduced to some key texts, and given further reading to boost your learning.

Discover the meaning and function of democracy

In the first week of this course, you’ll explore the meaning and function of democracy, and learn how to identify and assess different models of democracy. You’ll then apply your new knowledge in a debate on which model of democracy is the best, drawing on key texts and examples.

Explore the machinery of government

In the second week, you’ll learn about key parts of government, including constitutions, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. You’ll be recommended further reading, to bolster your learning and to prepare you for future study.

Learn more about the political economy, globalisation, and identity politics

In the latter stages of the course, you’ll zoom out to look at how politics affects the economy, enterprise, social capitalism, and globalisation. Debates here include whether students should pay for their own tuition.

The last week of the course focuses on the individual role in politics. You’ll look at class analysis, economic individualism and neoliberalism, and the impacts of economic individualism. The course will be rounded off with some more recommended further reading.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Democracy

    • A young person sat studying on a laptop.

      Welcome to Week 1

      This activity introduces you to How Politics Works: From the Individual to an International Scale.

    • mpty Assembly Room Seat of European Parliament Brussels

      Conceptualising Democracy

      This activity considers what is meant by the term 'democracy', and how it is practised in different ways around the world.

    • Greece. Athens. Athenian Acropolis. The Acropolis hill "Sacred Rock" of Athens

      Classical and Protective Democracy

      This activity goes into further detail about different types of democracy.

    • Broken stone gavel

      Developmental Democracy

      This activity outlines third form of democracy that Heywood characterises: Developmental Democracy.

    • Russian House of Soviets, Lenin on Moscow Square. St. Petersburg

      People's Democracy

      In this activity, you will study People’s democracy which develops certain aspects of classical democracy and fuses them with a critique of bourgeois, capitalist society.

    • A person sat in front of laptop computer relaxing.

      Weekly Wrap Up

      Here you will find some additional resources to summarise the content of the week.

  • Week 2

    Machinery of Government

    • A young person sat studying on a laptop.

      Week 2 Introduction

      This activity introduces you to the week.

    • United States Bill of Rights Document Replica

      Constitutions

      In this activity, you learn about the first institution of contemporary governance: the constitution.

    • London Houses of Parliament Big Ben Westminster Palace panorama

      The Legislature

      Explore the basic forms of democratic legislatures and the five functions they perform.

    • USA, South Dakota, Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore National Monument

      The Executive

      This activity discusses the different features of political executives.

    • Lone justice scale on simple grey background

      The Judiciary

      In this activity, you will learn about the fourth and final machine of governance in contemporary democratic states: the judiciary.

    • Laptop computer sat next to books and a notepad.

      Assessment

      To help you prepare for this assessment you might wish to spend some time reviewing and revising.

    • A person sat in front of laptop computer relaxing.

      Weekly Wrap Up

      Here you will find some additional resources to summarise the content of the week.

  • Week 3

    Political Economy and Globalisation

    • A young person sat studying on a laptop.

      Political Economy and Globalisation

      This activity introduces the week ahead and helps to develop key academic skills.

    • Map of the world under construction by a crane.

      What is political about the economy?

      Discover the fundamentals behind the study of political economy.

    • Hands reaching for a dollar bill.

      Enterprise and Social Capitalism

      Enterprise and social capitalism are forms of political economy found in the United States of America and Europe.

    • US Capitol at dusk, Washington DC

      Statist Responses

      Further information about different forms of political economy.

    • Global Connection Lines

      Globalisation

      How has globalisation disrupted the traditional models of political economy?

    • A person sat in front of laptop computer relaxing.

      Weekly Wrap Up

      Here you will find some additional resources to summarise the content of the week.

  • Week 4

    Identity Politics

    • A young person sat studying on a laptop.

      Identity Politics

      This activity introduces the week ahead.

    • Image of working people being manipulated by the big hand of business.

      Class analysis

      How do you understand 'class'?

    • Spot lit piggy bank

      Economic Individualism

      Discover the factors that lead to a focus upon the individual instead of class.

    • young woman holding an LQBTQ+ flag.

      Typologies of Individuals

      This activity focuses on the elements of identity politics.

    • Person stood behind masks.

      The Critique of Identity Politics

      What are the key criticisms of identity politics?

    • Laptop computer sat next to books and a notepad.

      Assessment

      To help you prepare for this assessment you might wish to spend some time reviewing and revising.

    • A person sat in front of laptop computer relaxing.

      Weekly Wrap Up

      Here you will find some additional resources to summarise the content of the week.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify and assess different models of democracy
  • Compare the relative merits of Parliamentary and presidential electoral systems
  • Identify and assess different models of political economy
  • Investigate and compare the merits of identity and class politics

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for students who have excellent high school grades or partial A-level equivalent qualifications. It gives undergraduates a flavour of studying politics at degree level, and helps mature students return to study.

If you want to deepen your understanding of this subject, you may also be interested in this course, from the same provider, that shares the same overall learning outcomes:

Who will you learn with?

Chris Henry

Chris teaches Philosophy, Politics and Sociology on the International Foundation Programme at the University of Kent. His research is in the ethics of political resistance and the idea of truth.

Who developed the course?

The University of Kent logo

The University of Kent

The University of Kent, the UK’s European university, is one of the country’s most dynamic universities. Established in 1965, it now has 19,850 students studying at its various campuses.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$244.99 for a whole year

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$79/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 4 Mar 2025

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

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