Who is this course for?

Course Content

The Higher Politics course covers three separate topic areas. As well as this pupils learn data handling and comparison skills and have to complete and assignment on a political issue of their choosing.

Unit 1: Political Theory

Unit 2: Political Systems

Unit 3: Political Parties and Election

Pupils study the key political concepts of power, authority and legitimacy, with particular reference to the work of Steven Lukes and Max Weber, and analyse the relevance of these concepts today

They study the nature of democracy and the arguments for and against direct and representative democracy, including the works of relevant theorists.

Pupils study the key ideas of two political ideologies (Conservatism and Socialism) including the works of relevant theorists, and draw balanced conclusions about the chosen ideologies.

Power:

• different definitions of power

• the conflict view of power and differing interpretations of how power is distributed in society

• Steven Lukes’ ‘three faces of power’: decision making, non-decision making and manipulating desires

Authority:

• authority as rightful power which implies an obligation to obey

• Max Weber’s three types of authority: traditional, charismatic and legal-rational

Legitimacy:

• the sense of rightfulness the relevance of Max Weber’s classifications

• the ways in which legitimacy may be enabled

• the impact on a political system of the loss of legitimacy

Direct and representative democracy:

• the nature of democracy and different forms of democracy

• arguments for and against direct democracy

• arguments for and against representative democracy

• theorists, for example: Plato, Schumpeter or Dahl

Conservatism:

• theorists, for example: Burke, Disraeli

• key ideas, for example: human imperfection, tradition, security, authority, organic society, private property

Pupils study the constitutional arrangements in different political systems. The detailed study of the political systems focuses on the roles of the executive and legislative branches within each system. Pupils compare and contrast the respective powers of individual branches of government within the two political systems, and draw balanced conclusions about these.

Pupils study two of the following four political systems: the UK political system; the Scottish political system; the political system of the United States of America; or the European Union political system.

Pupils take a comparative approach which reaches conclusions about the sources of power within two political systems.

Constitutional Arrangements:

Pupils compare the nature and status of the different constitutional approaches within two chosen systems, including:

• the type and nature of the constitutional approach

• the origins and development of the constitutional arrangements

• key underlying principles

• the flexibility and adaptability in each system

• the position of the judiciary

• the role of the constitution in safeguarding individual rights

The Legislative Branch:

Pupils compare the influence of the legislative branch within two chosen systems, including:

• the passage of legislation

• the ability to scrutinise the actions of government

• the role of committees

The Executive Branch:

Pupils compare the influence of the executive branch within two chosen systems, including:

• the distribution of power

• the policy-making function

• the relationship between the executive and other branches of government

Pupils compare the electoral impact of two different dominant ideas. These will be Thatcherism and New Labour. These ideas are studied alongside the impact of political campaign management strategies and theoretical analyses of voting behaviour.

Relevant case studies are used from Scotland, the United Kingdom, or both Scotland and the United Kingdom

The dominant ideas within or between political parties:

Conservative

• Thatcherism

Labour

• New Labour

The impact of political campaign management strategies:

Pupils analyse, evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the following:

• traditional grassroots campaign strategies

• media strategies

• use of new technology

Theories of voting behaviour

Candidates analyse, evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the following:

• rational choice model

• sociological model

• party identification model

Assessment

Exam - 2 papers. Essay paper 1hr 45mins, source paper 1hr 15mins

Assignment - Pupils choose political issue and after completing research write up findings under exam conditions in 1hr30mins. Marked externally by SQA.

Pupils will also have regular timed assessments as well as continuous homework and self study.

Progression

This course prepares S6 pupils well for their next steps in further and higher education. For pupils studying this in S5, progression into another Social Subject at Higher would be possible.