COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST - POLI 111: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE EDUCATION

POL 111: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST

FIRST SEMESTER, 2018/2019

Lecturer: Isaac Brako, Ph D

Tel No.: +233243503616

Email: isaacbrako@yahoo.com; ibrako@uew.edu.gh

Venues/ Times: Monday, 7.30—10.30 am FES202 & 1.30—4.30 pm FES202

Tuesday, 10.30—1.30m FES 302     Thursday, 1.30—4.30 pm  FB 102

Friday, 7.30—10.30 am OP & 1.30—4.30 pm FB 201.

Course Overview

This course introduces students to the key concepts and ideas underpinning modern western politics. Under this rubric, we will consider ideas such as the nature and scope of political science, the state, nation, nation- state, stateless-nation, power, authority, sovereignty and legitimacy. Other concepts include political socialization and political culture, citizenship, forms of government, the trajectory of democracy, democratic transition, consolidation and deepening, good governance, political ideology and state systems.

In order to examine how these concepts make a difference in our daily political lives, tutorial sessions will be blended with the regular teaching sessions. Contemporary case studies will be used in the lecture to make our discussion specific, concrete and relevant.

Course Objectives

After a successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

·         Identify and explain the nature and scope of political science.

·         State and explain at least fifteen of the basic concepts

·         Apply the concepts in real life situations.

·         State some of the similarities and differences associated with the concepts.

Course Requirements

·         Attend lectures regularly and on time. Tardiness will not be countenanced. Lectures are compulsory for students.

·         Students should participate in all assignments, class tests, quizzes and end of semester examination.

·         Access and study thoroughly all relevant learning materials the lecturer will recommend in class.

Assessment

There will be two examinations to be taken by students of this course. The first is a continuous assessment examination, which carries forty per cent (40%) of the total assessment score. The second is the end of semester examination, which also carries the remaining sixty per cent (60%). The end of semester examination will be in two sections, A and B. Section A will be comprised of 80 multiple choice questions and section B which will be essay type questions.

Course Outline and Readings.

1.      Nature and Scope of Political Science

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter 1.

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2014). The ABC of political science. Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter 1.

Hague, R. & Harrop, M. (2010). Comparative government and politics: An introduction. (8^th ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Chapter 1.

Heywood, A (2007). Politics. (3^rd ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 1-22.

Nnoli, O. (1986). Introduction to politics. Ibadan: Longman. pp. 1-15.

Jackson, R. J. & Jackson, D. (2003). An introduction to political science: Comparative and world politics. (4^th ed.). Toronto: Prentice-Hal.

Magstadt, T. M. (2006). Understanding politics, ideas, institutions and issues. (7^th ed.). Thomsom Wadsworth.

2.      State, Nation, Nation-State, Nationless-state and Stateless-nation.

(Meaning, features, origins, functions and theories)

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter 2.

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2014). The ABC of political science. Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter 2.

Appadora, A. (1968). The substance of politics. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. pp 33-117.

Brako, I. & Asah-Asante, K. (2016). International relations: An introduction. Tema: Digi   

  Books.

Combee, J. H. (1995). History of the world in christian perspective. (3^rd ed.)  A Beka  

  Book.

Mingst, K. A. (2004). Essentials of international relations. New York: N. W. Norton Co. Chapter 2.

3.      The Concepts of Power, Authority, Influence, Legitimacy and Sovereignty.

(Meaning, sources, features, types, limitations, etc.)

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter .

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2014). The ABC of political science. Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter 3.

4.      Citizenship, Rights and Responsibilities.

(Meaning, rights and responsibilities).

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter 4.

Political Socialization and Political culture

(Meaning of political socialization, agent and agencies of political socialization and roles, political culture).

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter 13.

5.      Forms of Government

(Meaning of government, reasons for studying government, functions of government, types pf government).

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapters 6 & 7.

6.      Trajectory of Democracy and Democratic Transition

(Meaning of democracy, trajectory of democracy from Cylon to Pericles, Classical versus representative democracy, waves of democratization, democratic transition, deepening and quality).

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapters 6 & 7.

Diamond, L. (1999). Developing democracy: Toward consolidation. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkin University Press. In S. P. Huntington (1991). The third wave: Democratization in the late twentieth century. London: University of Oklahoma Press.

Lijphart, A. (1993). Constitutional choices for new democracies. In L. Diamond & M. Linz, J. J. & Stepan, A. (1996). Problems of democratic transition and consolidation: Southern Europe, South America and Post-Communist Europe. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkin University Press. Beetham, D. (1994). Conditions for democratic consolidation. Review of African Political Economy, 21(60), 157-172.

Hansen, M. H. (1992). The tradition of the Athenian democracy, AD 1950-1990. Greece and Rome, 39 (1), 14-30.

7.      State Systems

(Unitary, Federalism and Confederation).

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapter 9.

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2014). The ABC of political science. Accra: Black Mask Ltd.

Chapter 5.

Asah-Asante, K. & Brako, I. (2015). Understand political institutions: Accra: Black Mask Ltd.

Magstadt, T. M. & Schotten, P. M (1996). Understanding politics: Ideas and issue. (4^th ed.). New York: St Martin’s Press. pp. 203-236.

Danziger, J. N (1998). Understanding the political World (New York: Longman) pp 177-179.

Jackson, R .J. & Jackson D. (2003) An introduction to political science: Comparative and world politics. (4^th ed.). Toronto: Prentice Hall.

Badwan, V. & Bushan, V. (2009), World Constitutions: A comparative study. (9^th ed.). New Delhi: Sterling Publishing.

8.      Ideology.

(Meaning, features, functions, classification, left-right and centre, communalism, feudalism, liberalism, conservatism, capitalism, socialism, Marxism-Leninism, Communism, Social Democracy, Fascism, Nazism and Anarchism).

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of political science. (2^nd ed.). Accra: Black Mask Ltd. Chapters 11-13.

Brako, I. & Asah- Asante, K. (2014). The ABC of political science. (Accra: Black Mask Ltd).

Chapter 4.

Funderburk, C., Thobaben, R. G. & Green, D. (2006). Political ideologies: left, center, right. Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing. Chapters 1-7.

Ball, T. & Dagger, R. (1999). Political ideologies and the democratic ideal. New York: Addison Wesley.

Baradat, L. P. (1997). Political ideologies. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Sargent, L. T. (2006). Contemporary political ideologies: A comparative analysis. (13^th ed.). Wadsworth: Thompson.

Skidmore, M. J. (1993). Ideologies: politics in action. Philadelphia: Harcourt Brace.

Heywood, A. (2007). Politics. (3^rd ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.