NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY

Department of Political Science and Sociology

POL 101: Introduction to Political Science

2023 SPRING: Course outline

Course Instructor

Salman Haider (SHr1)

Lecturer
Department of Political Science & Sociology
North South University
+8801776088202
[email protected]
[email protected]

1. Course Introduction

Primarily the course will focus on political phenomena and will deepen your understanding
of political life as a graduate and as a global citizen. POL101 will discuss on contemporary
politics and presents an overview of the discipline, including the core concepts, theories and
approaches of political science, such as state, sovereignty, constitution, comparative political
culture, democracy, political parties, civil society and the functioning of political systems in
national and global perspective. The goal of this course is to introduce you to the discipline’s
concepts, terminology, and methods and to explore instances of applied political science
through real world examples.

2. Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, and having completed the essential readings and academic exercises,
the graduate should be able to:

- Understand the fundamental concepts of political science and their relationships, and how
politics functions in a state and how individual think and behave about political and
social structure, institutions and process.
- Define selected concept such as government, law, power, democracy, state, society,
freedom and equality. They will also be able to explain the basic features of political
ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism and socialism.
- Develop ability to think and write critically about functioning politics and political
processes in a society. It helps them to construct arguments, questions and hypotheses
about political process.
- Engage in active national and global citizenship and begin to develop an ongoing interest
in national and global political process. It helps them understanding the importance of
engaging in citizenship and a realization of political competence and the values of
citizenship and its beneficial consequences.

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 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
Department of Political Science and Sociology
POL 101: Introduction to Political Science

3. Course outlines: Weekly layout

Week 1: Political Science: An Introduction (Ch1 & 2)
Session 1: Breaking silence! Intro: Why study politics and political science? Introducing
the course contents
Session 2: Approaches to the science of political science; Classical origins of political
science; Political philosophers: Plato, Aristotle and Machiavelli

Week 2& 3: Idea of State and Government (Ch 4)

Session 3: The Bases of Politics: Politics and Political Science
Session 4: States: Institutionalized Power, Effective, Weak & Failed States
Session 5: Understanding state: Elements and different types of state
Session 6: Government: Understanding different forms, branches/organs and functions

Week 4: Power and Authority

Session 7: Separation of power and checks and balance
Session 8: Understanding sovereignty: Why state is able to make law?

Week 5: Power and Authority (contd…)

Session 9: Understanding power and authority: different types and sources
Session 10: Review class

Week 6: Political System and Culture

Session 11: Understanding political system model (David Easton, 1953)
Session 12: Political culture

Week 7: Political System and Culture (contd….)

Session 13: Understanding political system model (David Easton, 1953)
Session 14: Political culture

Week 8: Different Types of Political System (Ch6)

Session 15: System Type 1: Democracy
Session 16: Democracy (cont.) Definitions, measures, indicators

Week 9: Non-democratic system (Ch 17)

Session 17: System Type 2: Authoritarianism
Session 18: Authoritarianism (cont.), Types of authoritarianism, how they survive?

Week 10: Elections and public opinion (Ch 8)

Session 19: Elections and Public Opinion
Session 20: MID TERM 1

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 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
Department of Political Science and Sociology
POL 101: Introduction to Political Science

Week 11: Case Studies

Session 21: In-class case study 1
Session 22: In-class case study 2

Week 12: Political Parties and Party System (Ch 11, 10)
Session 23: The role and importance of political parties
Session 24: Party system: Is the party system fading away?

Week 13: Political Ideologies & Belief System

Session 25: Understanding the Ideologue and Ideology
Session 26: The Origins and Emergence of Political Ideologies

Week 14: Form of Government (Regimes)

Session 27: Understanding types of regimes, set of rules, cultural & social norms 1
Session 28: Understanding types of regimes, set of rules, cultural & social norms 2

Week 15: The role of non-state actors

Session 29: Non-state actor: Civil society and social movements
Session 30: Violent non-state actors: Understanding VE and CVE

Week 16: Political Institutions

Session 31: Function and Importance of Legislative & Judicial Branch
Session 32: Role of Executive & Bureaucracy in Govt. System

Week 17: Governance and political process

Session 32: Understanding governance: Actors and process
Session 33: Challenges to governance: Ethical dilemma

Week 18: Review and Wrap-up

Session 34: Individual and/ or Group presentation
Session 35: Individual and/ or Group presentation
Session 36: Individual and/ or Group presentation

Final Exam: Will be announced later.

4. Readings

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 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
Department of Political Science and Sociology
POL 101: Introduction to Political Science

The following book by Roskin et al. is the common text for all POL101 sections.

Roskin, Michael, Robert Cord, James Medeiros and Walter Jones, Political Science-An
Introduction(New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 2014)

Reference/Supplementary Readings

Andrew Heywood, Key Concepts in Politics( Mcmillan Press: Basingtoke and London, 2000)
Barrie Axford et al. Politics: An Introduction( London: Routledge, 2002)
Clark, William R., Matt Golder, and Sona N. Golder. 2013. Principles of Comparative Politics
2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 CQ Press.
Ellen Grigsby Analyzing Politics: An Introduction to Political Science( Wadsworth: USA, 2012)

Note: You are requested to read a local and an international newspaper every day before
attending the class.

5. Composition of the Grade

Class attendance and participation-- 10%
Quizzes & short question-- 20%
Mid-term -- 20%
Assignment - 10%
Comprehensive viva -- 10%
Final Exam 30%

6. Students Responsibility

 Participation (and not simply presence) is important. It is your job to raise questions and
debate their answers, always backed with facts and evidences. If you bring your own
question about the topic to class that will gel the topic to your personal experience and
help you remember better.
 Make-up quizzes/ exams will not be taken, unless in a case of serious emergency. Make-
ups will automatically get a few marks deducted, and can lower grades.
 More than two absences from the class without any acceptable reason(s) will have the
potential to lower the grade, and repeated lateness without acceptable reason(s) will also
have negative consequences on the grade. Both you and I are likely to enjoy the classes
much more if we arrive on time for class. Late entrance to class interrupts the class and
disturbs your fellow students.
 NSU has a no tolerance policy for plagiarism. I respect you all as adults and understand
that you will follow the honor code of producing your own written work and referencing
(in writing) book and article titles as sources where suitable.

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 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
Department of Political Science and Sociology
POL 101: Introduction to Political Science

Wishing you a great semester!