Government & Politics
Aims and philosophy
The aim of this course is to develop in students a critical awareness of the nature of government and politics, and to promote a sense of the rights and responsibilities of the individual within society.
Curriculum by year-group
AS: in the 'People and Politics' module students are introduced to the study of politics by looking at the central ideas of citizenship, democracy and participation, and by examining the representative processes that operate in the UK. Subjects covered include political parties and pressure groups, and two key questions are addressed: why are political participation and democracy important, and do elections guarantee democracy? In the 'Governing the UK' module the emphasis is more on institutions - Parliament, cabinet, the government, the judiciary - and the aim is for the students to understand the place of such institutions in the British constitution and the relationship between them. A third module, 'The Changing UK System', examines the key issues affecting the development of the British political system and considers the impact and desirability of political and constitutional change.
A-level: 'Introducing Political Ideologies' focuses on the core ideas, theories and doctrines of the three main ideological traditions of liberalism, conservatism and socialism. 'Other Ideological Traditions' looks at various ideologies that have developed out of, or have emerged in opposition to, liberalism, conservatism and socialism. These include nationalism, anarchism, fascism and feminism. A synoptic module draws together all the material that has been studied over the course of the two years. Called 'Ideological Development in the UK' it aims to highlight the relationships between ideological belief and practical politics in the UK.
Outside the classroom
Visits are made to the House of Commons and House of Lords and to the European Parliament. Study is augmented by well-known speakers visiting the two related societies, The Palmerston Society and the '27 Club. Recent speakers include:
- David Trimble, First Minister of Northern Ireland: "The prospects of peace in Northern Ireland"
- Former Prime Minister, Sir Edward Heath
- Michael Portillo
- Michael Heseltine
The department is well provided with ICT resources and textbooks and, through the generosity of Sir John Page OH, former MP for Harrow West, recently acquired a full set of Hansard, the record of Parliamentary proceedings, covering the years 1960 to 1987.
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