The central concern of this unit is to examine politics and its relationship to what Destut de Tracy termed 'ideology'. The unit begins by considering what kind of activity politics actually involves, arguing that political rule arises when a collection of people deemed to be formally equal form a government amongst themselves. The mode of political communication between these people is persuasion. A further consequence of politics is a literature of political thought. Politics accordingly is not a universal activity and even where it is established it is often regarded with hostility. This rhetorical style is contrasted with a rationalistic, scientistic and ideological style of thinking that emerged in the 19th century. In this context, the unit considers liberalism, nationalism, Marxism and fascism as ideological styles of rule located in modernity, and concludes by considering whether postmodernity offers any relief from the rationalistic certainties of modernity.
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Web supported - H Online access to some part of this unit online is optional
Fully online - I,N,L,W This unit is taught entirely online
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Web supported - H