{ psci362 }
political ideologies
This course explores how political ideologies have shaped the world we live in. We will begin with the “classic” ideologies that shaped the twentieth century (liberalism, socialism, and fascism) before moving on to some of the new ideologies that have emerged more recently. By the end of the semester, you should have a clear understand of what is (and what is not) a political ideology. You should also understand the key distinctions between different ideologies and the role ideologies play in political life.
A political ideology is “a comprehensive set of ideas that explains and evaluates social conditions, helps people understand their place in society, and provides a program for social and political action.” This means that ideologies are more than just opinions about political issues. Rather, they are comprehensive sets of beliefs that: (1) explain why social, political, and economic conditions are as they are; (2) provide standards to evaluate these conditions; (3) provide a sense of identity; and (4) prescribe a program for political action.
This course does not promote any one political ideology. You will learn about a variety of ideologies, including some you may disagree with. The textbook covers several political ideologies, introducing their key concepts and beliefs. The reader provides excerpts from political writings that support the various political ideologies. Both the reader and textbook allow us to engage more deeply in a variety of issues that, I hope, you will find interesting. Using the texts as background information, you should think critically and analyze each of the political ideologies.
Ball, Terence and Richard Dagger. 2002. Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal, 4th ed. New York: Longman.
Ball, Terence and Ricard Dagger. 2002. Ideals and Idealogies: A Reader, 4th ed. New York: Longman.
The course requirements are broken down as follows:
| Attendance | 5 |
| Class participation | 20 |
| Paper | 30 |
| Quiz | 15 |
| Final Exam | 30 |
I am not in the habit of giving long lectures and prefer interactive class environments. Notice that a significant portion of your grade is based on in-class participation. Come to class having already read the assigned material. I will provide brief overviews of the key points, as well as other material (when appropriate), but the bulk of the class will consist of in-class discussion. Be able to demonstrate familiarity with the assigned reading, as well as the ability to think critically and apply that material to real-world examples.
In addition to regular in-class participation, I encourage you to regularly read and post in the class weblog. Although I will not make posting in the weblog mandatory, it will help your participation grade to do so. I will visit the weblog periodically to review the most recent posts. The only way I know that you have visited the weblog is if you post a comment, question, or concern. Please take advantage of this opportunity.