The course starts from the fact that we live in a democracy and that this is considered to be the best form of government available. It studies how well our democracy functions, whether it needs further improvement, and the ways reforms might be carried out.
As such, it studies major ideologies, political organisations, elections, referendums, and the behaviour and beliefs of voters. It also studies our constitution and how politicians and institutions such as parliament, devolved bodies, the Supreme Court and the cabinet operate within our democratic system. A similar process is then followed in the study of global politics, though with a focus on the behaviour of world powers, nation-states and global governance institutions such as the United Nations.
