POLITICS DEPARTMENT HANDBOOK
 |
Click here
for a
word version
of
these pages
|
What do I need to
know or be able to do before taking this course?
You do not need to
have studied Government and Politics at GCSE in order to take an AS or Advanced
GCE course in the subject. It is more important that you should have a lively
and enquiring mind, an
interest in politics and current affairs, a desire to explore new ideas and an ability to communicate your ideas
effectively.
What
will I learn on this Advanced GCE course?
How to develop a
critical awareness of the nature of politics and the relationship between political ideas, institutions and
processes; What
the structures of authority and power are within the political system of the
United Kingdom, and
how these may differ from those of other political systems; What
the rights and responsibilities of individuals are in order to encourage
participation by citizens within society; How
to develop personal effectiveness through a critical awareness of political
events and issues, an
empathetic understanding of the main political viewpoints and the skills
required to argue a case with
relevance and coherence; A
clear understanding of the theories, motives and values that underpin political
processes and governmental
decision-making and the role of institutions in resolving conflicts and
allocating scarce resources.
What kind of student
is this course suitable for?
This course will
appeal to you if you: enjoy
debating current affairs and politics generally; have
a keen appreciation of the need to participate in the decision-making process;
like doing a subject that affects
your everyday life; like
doing a subject that offers the opportunity to progress to a career in politics;
want to keep your options open –
Politics can be a useful choice for a wide range of careers and can
be combined with a wide range of science, social science and humanities
subjects.
What examinations
will I have to take to get my qualification?
AS
is short for Advanced Subsidiary. This is the first half of the Advanced GCE
course. It is a stepping-stone
to the full Advanced GCE qualification. You can take just the AS on its own, if
you and your teacher agree
that this is best for you. You can even decide at the end of the AS course whether to continue to take the full
Advanced GCE qualification. The AS in Government and Politics
consists of three units of assessment based on the following content:-
AS Topics
UNIT 1
- People and Politics
Topic 1: Democracy and
Political Participation
|
Key concepts |
Content explanation |
|
democracy
legitimacy
representation
direct democracy
representative
democracy
liberal democracy
parliamentary democracy
political participation
referendum
|
-
Nature of
democracy — a knowledge and understanding of the idea of democracy, of the
forms that democratic governance has taken, particularly the difference
between direct and representative forms of democracy and their strengths
and weaknesses, and the nature of liberal democracy.
-
Democracy in the
UK — a knowledge and understanding of the main features of democracy in
the UK; an awareness of both the strengths of the UK democratic system and
why it has been criticised, including reasons for and the extent of the
‘participation/legitimacy crisis’ in UK politics; how far the UK system
conforms to liberal democratic principles; and the implications of
developments such as devolution and EU membership.
-
Enhancing
democracy — a knowledge and understanding of reforms of the UK democratic
system that would extend participation and strengthen accountability, such
as the wider use of referendums, lowering the voting age, compulsory voting
and digital democracy and an assessment of their implications and possible
benefits.
|
Topic
2: Party Policies and Ideas
|
Key concepts |
Content explanation |
|
political party
left/right
liberalism
conservatism
socialism
factionalism
consensus politics
adversary politics |
-
Nature of political
parties — a knowledge and understanding of political parties, of their
distinctive features and of their key functions within the political system.
-
Traditions and policies of
parties — a knowledge and understanding of the central ideas, traditions
and policies of the major UK political parties, and the development of party
policies in recent years and of factors that influence
ideological and policy development, including policy and ideological
differences within parties. (Although extended questions will not be set
solely on political traditions, they may be set on sub-traditions such as
‘new’ Labour or ‘Thatcherism’.)
-
Comparing party policies
and ideas — a knowledge and understanding of similarities and contrasts
between the ideas and policies of the major parties and of the
ideological relationship between and amongst them.
|
Topic
3: Elections
|
Key concepts |
Content explanation |
election
majoritarian representation
mandate
proportional representation
electoral reform
party system
strong government
stable government |
-
Elections and
democracy — a knowledge and understanding of how and why elections
promote democracy, and of the limitations of this democratic role.
-
Elections in the
UK — a knowledge and understanding of the workings of the voting systems
used for elections to the House of Commons, to devolved bodies and local
authorities, and to the European Parliament, and an awareness of their
implications for party representation and government.
-
Debating
electoral systems — a knowledge and understanding of the advantages and
disadvantages of the UK electoral systems and, in particular, of the
benefits or otherwise of changing the Westminster electoral system. ( Extended
questions will not be set on particular electoral systems, except for the
simple plurality system.)
|
Topic
4: Pressure Groups
|
Key concepts |
Content explanation |
pressure group
sectional/promotional groups
insider/outsider
groups
pluralism
elitism
functional
representation
pluralist democracy |
-
Nature of
pressure groups — a knowledge and understanding of the features and
functions of pressure groups; of how and the extent to which they differ from
political parties; and an awareness of the different kinds of pressure
groups.
-
Pressure group
power — a knowledge and understanding of how pressure groups exert
influence and of the extent of their influence, and an awareness of the
distribution of power amongst pressure groups, including the factors that
influence this.
-
Pressure groups
and democracy — a knowledge and understanding of the relationship
between pressure groups and democracy and, in particular, of the extent to
which they promote political participation and responsive government.
|
UNIT 2:- GOVERNING THE UK
Topic 1:- The
Constitution
|
Key concepts |
Content explanation |
|
constitution
constitutionalism
codified/uncodified
constitution
unitary/federal
constitution
parliamentary
sovereignty
pooled sovereignty
devolution
quasi-federalism
elective dictatorship |
-
Nature of the
constitution — a knowledge and understanding of the features of a
constitution and of the benefits of constitutional government, including the
differences between codified and uncodified constitutions, and an
understanding of the nature, sources and key features of the UK
constitution.
-
Sovereignty and
the constitution — a knowledge and understanding of debates about the
location of sovereignty within the UK constitutional system, particularly in
relation to the significance of European Union membership and devolution.
-
Reforming the
constitution — a knowledge and understanding of key reforms to the
constitution since 1997, such as devolution and Lords reform, and an
awareness of their advantages and disadvantages; and an understanding of
ongoing debate about constitutional reform, including the possible
introduction of a ‘written’ constitution.
|
Topic 2: - parliament
|
Key concepts |
Content explanation |
|
Parliament
Westminster model
representative
and responsible
government
parliamentary
government
presidential
government
fusion/separation of
powers
bicameralism
accountability |
-
Legislatures and
executives — a knowledge and understanding of the different
relationships between legislatures and executives in parliamentary and
presidential systems of government, and an awareness of the advantages and
disadvantages of each.
-
Role of
Parliament — a knowledge and understanding of the composition, role and
powers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and an awareness of
the functions of Parliament and how effectively it discharges them,
including an awareness of the relationship of Parliament to the European
Union and devolved assemblies. (A detailed knowledge of the workings of
Parliament is not necessary.)
-
Reforming
Parliament — a knowledge and understanding of recent and proposed
reforms of Parliament, including an awareness of their implications and
alleged benefits or drawbacks.
|
Topic 3:- Prime Minister and Cabinet
|
Key concepts |
Content explanation |
|
cabinet government
core executive
prime ministerial
government
presidentialism
political leadership
collective
responsibility
individual
responsibility |
-
Role of the Prime Minister and Cabinet — a knowledge
and understanding of the role of the Prime Minister and Cabinet within the
context of the core executive and the conventions of collective and
individual responsibility. (Separate questions will not be set on the
civil service.)
-
Powers of the Prime Minister — a knowledge and
understanding of the sources of prime ministerial power and of key
constraints on the Prime Minister, including external factors that affect
executive policy making.
-
Prime ministerial leadership — a knowledge and
understanding of the leadership style adopted by Prime Ministers and of the
changing relationship between Prime Ministers and their parties, cabinet and
Parliament, including debates about the presidentialisation of UK politics.
|
Topic 4:- Judges and Civil Liberties
|
Key concepts |
Content explanation |
|
judiciary
judicial independence
judicial neutrality
civil liberty/civil
liberties
rule of law |
-
Role of the judiciary — a knowledge and understanding
of the role and significance of the judiciary in promoting rule-based
governance.
-
Power and influence of judges — a knowledge and
understanding of the relationship between the judiciary and other branches
of government, and of the extent to which judges can check the power of the
executive and the legislature.
-
Civil liberties and individual rights — a knowledge
and understanding of the impact of the courts on the issues of civil
liberties and individual rights including the implications of the Human
Rights Act and possible reforms such as the introduction of a supreme court
and a constitutional bill of rights, and of the relationship between the
judiciary, the European courts and EU law
|
