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PSI 1101 Introduction to Political Science
Professor: Gabor Drexler
Credits: 4
The course is intended as an introduction to the theory of political science and the various forms of government. It gives an overview of the political ideologies that shaped the course of history and led to diverse social and political orders. The main emphasis is, however, on the concept and institutions of Western democracy, although other political systems that exist in the world today will also be discussed in some depth.
McDaniel Plan: Social, Cultural and Historical Understanding
By the end of the course
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You will understand why Political Science is not an exact science like Mathematics or Physics and how Political Scientists struggle to overcome the shortcomings of their discipline
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You will know how Aristotle classified the various types of government on the basis of the experience of ancient Greek city states and what he thought of democracy as a form of government
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You will understand why the separation and balance of the three main branches of power (legislative, executive and judiciary) are the most important safeguards of good government and democracy
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You will understand why parties and candidates win or loose elections and what is needed to elaborate effective campaign strategies
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You will understand the underlying causes of the evolution of the two-party system in the U.S. and the multi-party systems in Europe.
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And you will have the knowledge to judge whether the 21st century is going to witness the "final victory" of Western democracy as was suggested by Francis Fukuyama in 1989 or we are heading for a "clash of civilizations' as was predicted by Samuel Huntington in 1993
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Last but not least, the course will enable you to gain experience in writing intelligent papers on specific topics in Political Science.
Question: What actual power does the British monarch have?
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