Politics

Why study Politics?

There has never been a better or more vital time to study politics in this country and around the world. The consequences of Brexit and COVID-19 continue to dominate the political landscape in the United Kingdom, alongside the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda. We have recently seen a hotly contested and controversial Presidential election in the United States, the consequences of which are resulting in a pivot once again in America’s world view and its role in international relations. This course is set amid the rise of populism and nationalism, in addition to globalisation and the influence of supra-national government.

Course content

The AQA course is divided into three components, each intensely relevant to our lives. They are as follows: • Government and politics of the UK: When looking at the government of the UK, we study the constitution, parliament, the prime minister and the executive, and the relationships between branches of government. When studying the political landscape of the UK, we discuss political participation, political parties, electoral systems, voting behaviour and the impact of the media

• Government and politics of the USA: Our work on the government of the USA begins with the

US Constitution, followed by the three branches of government enshrined by their separation of powers: the legislature – Congress, the executive – Presidency and the judiciary –

Supreme Court. In studying politics in the USA, we will look at the electoral process, the political parties, civil rights, and the role of pressure groups and lobbyists, including the media • Political ideas: We will investigate the core political ideas that underpin most political systems in the world, such as conservatism, liberalism and socialism. We will also learn about non-core political ideas, such as feminism, anarchism, multi-culturalism and nationalism

At all times and in all topics, we will be able to draw on the most contemporary of examples to illustrate our studies, such as Brexit, the campaign for Scottish independence, the government’s response to COVID-19, the aftermath of Trump’s America, the recent Presidential election, the Black Lives Matter movement and the international response to climate change.

Assessment

Examination board: AQA Specification Code: 7152

Who can give me more information? Mrs Elliott

s.elliott@sherborne.com