Rather than study the institutions of a particular country, we aim to address broader questions such as:

Why should we obey governments?
How much freedom should individuals have?
Do we have rights and, if so, what are they?
Who is best fitted to rule?

To help us find answers to these questions, we study some of the works of political thinkers such as Machiavelli, Mill, Rousseau and Marx. At the end of the course, you should have a better understanding of political theories and concepts like democracy, authority and equality. You may not go into politics as a career, but you should feel more confident in discussing current issues and ideas.