Government and Politics at AS and A-Level
Whether we like it or not, politics affects the very fabric of our lives and, in Britain at least, we have the opportunity - as citizens in a democracy - to be participative or not in our country's politics. This course is for those who want to know more about Britain's political structures ("Why do we not have a written constitution?", "Is Parliament really democratic?", "What are the structures of the secret state?") and who want to pursue a study of current political affairs. The syllabus followed at Sutton Grammar School also offers the chance to study and discuss political ideologies, those dangerous ideas that can sometimes move entire peoples! Amongst the ideologies, we consider Marxism, Conservatism, Liberalism, Fascism, Anarchism, Socialism, Radical Feminism and a host of others in between. Such study involves discussion of the core ideology, but also endeavours to place them in their historical context.
The course is not just for the activist looking to take over the world, but may also appeal to the analytical observer who wants to see what all the fuss is about!
Course Outline
Exam Board: Edexcel
AS-Level
Unit 1: People and Politics
Introduction to the study of politics by looking at the central ideas of citizenship, democracy and participation, and by examining the representative processes in the UK.
Unit 2: Governing the UK
Introduction to the major institutions of UK government, their relationship with one another and their effectiveness.
Unit 3: The Changing UK System
Key issues affecting the development of the United Kingdom's political system and the impact, and desirability, of political and constitutional change.
Throughout the AS (and A2) parts of the course, students use textbooks, current affairs magazines, newspapers and websites to gain their information.
The Spectator magazine is a good example of one of these resources; the magazine is a conservative weekly edited by Tory MP Boris Johnson, and contains many stimulating, opinionated articles on current affairs and culture.
A-Level
Unit 4: Introducing Political Ideologies
Research into the major ideas of
Liberalism, Conservatism and Socialism.
Unit 5: Other Ideological Traditions
Nationalism, Fascism and Nazism, Anarchism and Feminism.
Unit 6: Ideological Development in the UK
Synoptic unit, looking at the development of certain ideologies in Great Britain today, focusing mostly on
Conservatism and Socialism.
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