Political Science-I (Fundamentals of Political Science)

Unit I — INTRODUCTION

Definition, Meanings, Aims and Scope · Nature of Political Science · Relationship between Political Science and other social sciences · Relationship between Political Science and Law

Unit II — IDEOLOGIES

Meaning and Spectrum of Political Ideologies; Liberalism: Concept, Elements, and Criticism; Developmental Phases: Classical, Modern and Neo- liberalism, Conservatism · Socialism: Concept, Elements and Criticism; Schools of Socialism: Fabianism, Syndicalism and Guild Socialism; Marxism: Class Identity, Dialectical Materialism, Historical Materialism, Scientific Socialism, Forms: Classical, Orthodox and Modern · Totalitarianism: Concept, Elements and Criticism, Fascism and Nazism; Secularism: Meaning, Political Secular, Western and Indian Secularism · Feminism: Origin and Development, Public-Private Debate, Patriarchy, Sex and Gender, Equality and Difference, Forms: Liberal Feminism, Socialist Feminism, Radical Feminism, New Feminist Traditions

• Liberalism
• Meaning and Definition, Basic Principles, Arguments in Favour and Against. Shift from Negative Liberty to Positive Liberty (Classical and Modern Liberalism)
• Socialism
• Meaning and Definition, Basic Principles, Arguments in Favour and Against

Unit III — STATE

Definitions and Elements of the State · Salient Features & Functions · Theories of State: Divine and Force Theory, Organic Theory, Idealist and Individualist Theory, Theory of Social Contract, The Saptang Theory of State · Classification of the State: Minimal, Monarchical, Developmental, Social Democratic, Collectivized, Totalitarian

• The Concept of the State — Meaning and Definition
• Definitions of State
• Constituent Elements of State and importance of each Element
• Social Contract/Consent Theory. (Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau)

Unit IV — CONCEPTS-I

Liberty: Meaning and Definition, Evolution of the Concept, Negative-Positive · Equality: Meaning and Definition, Evolution of the Concept, Rationale and Scope of the Concept · Justice: Meaning and Nature, Theories of Justice, Kinds of Justice, Views of John Rawls and Nozick · Sovereignty, Nationalism and Supranationalism

• Sovereignty as the Basic Element of the State
• Meaning and Definition of Sovereignty
• Two Aspects of Sovereignty: Internal and External
• Essential Characteristics of Sovereignty

Unit V — CONCEPTS-II

Power, Authority and Legitimacy · Rights, Obligations and Citizenship · Law: The Rule of Law, Natural and Positive Law, Law and Liberty · Property: Concept of Property, Property under Socialism, Welfarism and Libertarianism

• Power as a concept in Political Science
• Meaning and definitions of Power
• Exercise of political power and role of the Government in decision making
• External influences on Exercise of Political Power
• Theories of Power — Elite theory and Marxist theory of Power (Specified)
• Authority as a Concept in Political Science
• Meaning and Features of Authority — De jure and De facto Authority
• Max Webber's Classification of Authority
• Sources — How is Power legalised?
• Comparative Study — Power and Authority (Specified)
• Legitimacy — Concept and Relevance of Legitimacy in the Exercise of Political Power