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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Former School/College

Former School of Arts and Social Sciences

Pre-requisites

POL10244 - Australian Politics AND 36 credit points in any SCU units

Anti-requisites

POL00005 Political Ideologies

Unit aim

Examines the range of political ideologies within Western political thought. In particular, it explores the dynamic of the political spectrum from the Right to the Centre and to the Left. Critically evaluates Fascism, Nazism, Conservatism, Liberalism, Democratic Socialism, Communism and Anarchism. Also explores the impact of ideological shifts toward green, feminist and anti-racist theories.

Unit content

  • Context
  • Fascism and Nazism
  • Conservatism
  • Liberalism
  • Democratic Socialism
  • Communism
  • Anarchism
  • Cross-spectrum ideologies: imperialism, racism, feminism, environmentalism, fundamentalism

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 explain the range of political ideologies which exist within the context of Western political thought
2 critically explain the dynamic of the ideological spectrum
3 critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of contrasting ideologies
4 develop reflective positions on political theory and present these positions as coherent arguments.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. explain the range of political ideologies which exist within the context of Western political thought
    • GA4:
  2. critically explain the dynamic of the ideological spectrum
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
  3. critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of contrasting ideologies
    • GA1:
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
  4. develop reflective positions on political theory and present these positions as coherent arguments.
    • GA1:

Prescribed texts

  • Copies are available from the Co-op Bookshop. The 4th edition is dated 2007, but a new edition may be available: Heywood, A, 2007, Political Ideologies, 4th edn, Palgrave MacMillan, London.
Prescribed texts may change in future teaching periods.