Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Synopsis This subject, focusing on the interaction between political and social phenomena, probes key concerns in the sociological analysis of politics. A wide variety of concepts and empirical evidence will be reviewed but principal emphasis will be placed on the Australian context. Topics to be considered include conflict and consensus models of political life; class, elite and mass analyses; values, culture and politics; new social movements; structures of power in industrial society; social roots of political attitudes and participation; analysis of electoral choice; women and politics; and public opinion, political protest and social change.
Assessment Essay (2500-3000 words): 40% + Tutorial presentation and participation 10% + Examination (3 hours): 50%