“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” - Plato Politics is not just about middle-aged men in grey suits; it is about how power is distributed in society and the way key decisions affecting our lives are made. The first year focuses on Politics in the UK. Students will investigate the role of different people in politics and evaluate the adequacy of existing arrangements for ensuring representative democracy. Students will also develop a critical awareness of the role and effectiveness of key institutions and the relationships between them in the context of multi-level governance. Key questions to be considered include: Is democracy in the UK in crisis? Are governments a force for good? How endangered are our human rights? What has the impact of constitutional reform been? Students will also learn about 3 core political ideas: conservatism, liberalism and socialism. Alongside this, they will study feminism as a non-core political idea. They will examine different strands of each ideology and look at the relevance of these to the modern day. The second year focuses on comparative politics and students will look in depth at the political system of the United States, which promotes itself as the most democratic state of them all. Students will study the representative processes of the American system and analyze how effectively power is distributed. Students will also investigate the relationships between the main governmental institutions and draw conclusions on the ‘health’ of federalism. Key questions explored include: Do US elections really hold politicians to account? Is there still a need for political strategies to further reduce racial inequality? Why are Americans so patriotic? Is being president just frustrating? They will also compare the UK and US political systems. Type and Nature of the Work Involved Students should be able to: • Demonstrate a keen interest in current political affairs by following the news every day • Be keen to pursue an academically challenging course of study • Have the ability to analyze, understand and judge opposing political viewpoints • Gather and assess evidence from a variety of sources, including evidence produced by the media, pressure groups, political parties and political thinkers • Produce logical written and verbal arguments Future Prospects Politics A Level can lead to the following careers: political commentator, politician, law, business management, lecturing, journalism, civil service, archaeology, museum curation, archive work, heritage management, politics, research, marketing, advertising, public relations and accountancy.