Political Actors - ARTS3846
Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
School: School of Social Sciences
Course Outline: School of Social Sciences
Campus: Sydney
Career: Undergraduate
Units of Credit: 6
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
Enrolment Requirements:
Prerequisite: 48 UOC overall, including 6 UOC at level 1 and 6 UOC at level 2 in one of the following streams, Australian Studies, International Relations, or Politics
CSS Contribution Charge: 1 (more info)
Tuition Fee: See Tuition Fee Schedule
Further Information: See Class Timetable
View course information for previous years.
Description
This course can also be studied in the following specialisations: Australian Studies, International Relations
Who makes decisions in democracies? Presidents and prime ministers are often depicted as all-powerful individuals. However, for their own political survival, leaders are dependent on a range of relationships with other people and organisations and have to act in circumstances not of their choosing.
This course explores these complexities through examining democracies around the world. In 2016 this course will focus on Australian prime ministers and American presidents. You will learn about political elites, citizens and intermediary organisations between citizens and leaders. You will learn to identify the different and conflicting roles of these political actors, the interactions between them, and the conditions under which conflict or cooperation occurs. You will leave this course with a better understanding of the powers and constraints on political elites, and the role that citizens and intermediary organisations can play in influencing public policy.