Syllabus and Scheme of Examination

For

B.A. (Honours)

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Under Choice Based Credit System

(w. e. f – July 2017)

 PROPOSED SCHEME FOR CHOICE BASED CREDIT
SYSTEM IN B.A (HONOURSE) POLITICAL SCIENCE
CORE Ability Ability Enhancement Elective: Elective: Generic
COURSE (14) Enhancement Elective Course Discipline (GE) (4)
Compulsory (AEEC) (2) (Skill Specific DSE (4)
Course (AECC) (2) Based)

I C1 (English/ MIL GE-1

Communication)/
C2 Environmental
Science

II C3 Environmental GE-2
Science/(English/
C4 MIL
Communication)

III C5 AEEC -1 GE-3

C6

C7

IV C8 AEEC -2 GE-4

C9

C 10

V C 11 DSE-1

C 12 DSE -2

VI C 13 DSE -3

C 14 DSE -4
 Details of courses under B.A (Honours)
Course *Credits
Theory+ Practical
=====================================================================
I. Core Course 14X5=70
(14 Papers)
Core Course Practical / Tutorial*
(14 Papers)
14X1=14
II. Elective Course
(8 Papers)
A.1. Discipline Specific Elective 4X5=20
(4 Papers )

A.2. Discipline Specific Elective

Practical / Tutorials* 4X1=4
(4 Papers)

B.1. Generic Elective/Interdisciplinary 4X5=20

(4 Papers)

B.2. Generic Elective

Practical / Tutorials* 4X1=4
(4 Papers)

 Optional Dissertation or project work in place of one Discipline Specific elective

paper (6 credits) in 6th Semester

III. Ability Enhancement Courses

1. Ability Enhancement Compulsory 2 X 2=4
(2 Papers of 2 credits each)
Environmental Science
English Communication/MIL

2. Ability Enhancement Elective (Skill Based)

(Minimum 2, Max. 4) 2 X 2=4
(2 Papers of 2 credits each)
_________________
Total credit= 140
Institute should evolve a system/policy about ECA/ General
Interest/Hobby/Sports/NCC/NSS/related courses on its own.

*wherever there is a practical there will be no tutorial and vice-versa.

 CHOICE BASED CREDIT SYSTEM
LIST OF PAPERS AND COURSES

B.A (HONOURS) POLITICAL SCIENCE

=================================================================

A. FIRST SEMESTER

PLSC – 101 : Understanding Political Thought

PLSC – 102 : Constitutional Government and Democracy in India
PLSGE – 101 : Nationalism in India

B. SECOND SEMESTER

PLSC – 201 : Political theory – Concepts and Debates

PLSC – 202 : Political process in India
PLSGE – 201 : United Nations and Global Conflicts

C. THIRD SEMESTER

PLSC – 301 : Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics

PLSC – 302 : Perspective on Public Administration
PLSC – 303 : Perspective on International Relations and world History
PLSGE – 301 : Politics of Globalization
PLSSEC : Legislative Practices and procedures

D. FORTH SEMESTER

PLSC – 401 : Political Processes and Institutions in Comparative Perspective

PLSC – 402 : Public Policy and Administration in India
PLSC – 403 : Global Politics
PLSGE – 401 : Governance : Issues and Challenges
PLSSEC : Public opinion and Survey Research

E. FIFTH SEMESTER

PLSC – 501 : Classical Political Philosophy

PLSC – 502 : Indian Political Thought – I
PLSDSE – Development Process and Social Movements in Contemporary India
PLSDSE – Understanding Global Politics

F. SIX SEMESTER

PLSC – 601 : Modern Political Philosophy

PLSC – 602 : Indian Political Thought – II
PLSDSE – Women, Power and Politics
PLSDSE – Public Policy In India
 CHOICE BASED CREDIT SYSTEM SYLLABI

B.A (HONOURS) POLITICAL SCIENCE

FIRST SEMESTER
PLSC – 101 : Understanding Political Theory

I: Introducing Political Theory (30 Lectures)

1. What is Politics: Theorizing the ‘Political’

2. Traditions of Political Theory: Liberal, Marxist, Anarchist and Conservative
3. Approaches to Political Theory: Normative, Historical and Empirical
4. Critical and Contemporary Perspectives in Political Theory: Feminist and
Postmodern

II: Political Theory and Practice (30 Lectures)

The Grammar of Democracy

1. Democracy: The history of an idea

2. Procedural Democracy and its critique
3. Deliberative Democracy
4. Participation and Representation
PLSC – 102 : Constitutional Government and Democracy in India

I. The Constituent Assembly and the Constitution (16 lectures)

a. Philosophy of the Constitution, the Preamble, and Features of the

Constitution (2 weeks or 8 lectures)
b. Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles (2 weeks or 8 lectures)

II. Organs of Government (20 lectures)

a. The Legislature: Parliament (1.5 weeks or 6 lectures)

b. The Executive: President and Prime Minister (2 weeks or 8 lectures)
c. The Judiciary: Supreme Court (1.5 weeks or 6 lectures)

III. Federalism and Decentralization (12 lectures)

a. Federalism: Division of Powers, Emergency Provisions, Fifth and Sixth

Schedules (2 weeks or 8 lectures)
b. Panchayati Raj and Municipalities (1 week or 4 lectures)
PLSGE – 101 : Nationalism in India
I. Approaches to the Study of Nationalism in India (8 lectures)
Nationalist, Imperialist, Marxist, and Subaltern Interpretations

II. Reformism and Anti-Reformism in the Nineteenth Century (8 lectures)

Major Social and Religious Movements in 19th century

III. Nationalist Politics and Expansion of its Social Base (18 lectures)
a. Phases of Nationalist Movement: Liberal Constitutionalists, Swadeshi
and the Radicals; Beginning of Constitutionalism in India
b. Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation: Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil
Disobedience Movement, and Quit India Movement
c. Socialist Alternatives: Congress Socialists, Communists

IV. Social Movements (8 lectures)

a. The Women’s Question: Participation in the National Movement and its
Impact
b. The Caste Question: Anti-Brahminical Politics
c. Peasant, Tribals and Workers Movements

V. Partition and Independence (6 lectures)

a. Communalism in Indian Politics
b. The Two-Nation Theory, Negotiations over Partition
 SECOND SEMESTER
PLSC – 201 : Political Theory-Concepts and Debates

I. Importance of Freedom (10 Lectures)

a) Negative Freedom: Liberty
b) Positive Freedom: Freedom as Emancipation and Development
Important Issue: Freedom of belief, expression and dissent

II. Significance of Equality (12 lectures)

a) Formal Equality: Equality of opportunity
b) Political equality
c) Egalitarianism: Background inequalities and differential treatment
Important Issue: Affirmative action

III. Indispensability of Justice (12 Lectures)

a) Procedural Justice
b) Distributive Justice
c) Global Justice
Important Issue: Capital punishment

IV. The Universality of Rights (13 Lectures)

a) Natural Rights
b) Moral and Legal Rights
c) Three Generations of Rights
d) Rights and Obligations
Important Issue: Rights of the girl child

Section B: Major Debates (13 Lectures)

I. Why should we obey the state? Issues of political obligation and civil
disobedience.
II. Are human rights universal? Issue of cultural relativism.
III. How do we accommodate diversity in plural society? Issues of
multiculturalism and toleration.
PLSC – 202 : Paper IV- Political Process in India
I. Political Parties and the Party System (1.5 weeks or 6 lectures)
Trends in the Party System; From the Congress System to Multi-Party Coalitions

II. Determinants of Voting Behaviour (2 weeks or 8 lectures)

Caste, Class, Gender and Religion

III. Regional Aspirations (2 weeks or 8 lectures)

The Politics of Secession and Accommodation

IV. Religion and Politics (2 weeks or 8 lectures)

Debates on Secularism; Minority and Majority Communalism

V. Caste and Politics (1.5 weeks or 6 lectures)

Caste in Politics and the Politicization of Caste

VI. Affirmative Action Policies (1.5 weeks or 6 lectures)

Women, Caste and Class

VII. The Changing Nature of the Indian State (1.5 weeks or 6 lectures)
Developmental, Welfare and Coercive Dimensions
PLSGE – 201 : UNITED NATIONS AND GLOBAL CONFLICTS

I. The United Nations (29 Lectures)

(a) An Historical Overview of the United Nations
(b) Principles and Objectives
(c) Structures and Functions: General Assembly; Security Council, and
Economic and Social Council; the International Court of Justice and the
specialised agencies (International Labour Organisation [ILO], United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO], World Health
Organisation [WHO], and UN programmes and funds: United Nations
Children’s Fund [UNICEF], United Nations Development Programme
[UNDP], United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP], United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR])
(d) Peace Keeping, Peace Making and Enforcement, Peace Building and
Responsibility to Protect
(e) Millennium Development Goals

II. Major Global Conflicts since the Second World War (20 Lectures)
(a) Korean War
(b) Vietnam War
(c) Afghanistan Wars
(d) Balkans: Serbia and Bosnia

III. Assessment of the United Nations as an International Organisation:

Imperatives of Reforms and the Process of Reforms (11 Lectures)
 THIRD SEMESTER
PLSC – 301 : Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics

I. Understanding Comparative Politics (8 lectures)

a. Nature and scope
b. Going beyond Eurocentrism

II. Historical context of modern government (16 lectures)

a. Capitalism: meaning and development: globalization
b. Socialism: meaning, growth and development
c. Colonialism and decolonization: meaning, context, forms of colonialism;
anti-colonialism struggles and process of decolonization

III. Themes for comparative analysis (24 lectures)

A comparative study of constitutional developments and political economy in
the following countries: Britain, Brazil, Nigeria and China.

I. Understanding Comparative Politics

PLSC – 302 : PERSPECTIVES ON PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
I. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AS A DISCIPLINE [ 15 lectures ]
 Meaning, Dimensions and Significance of the Discipline
 Public and Private Administration
 Evolution of Public Administration

II. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES [ 25 lectures ]

CLASSICAL THEORIES
 Scientific management (F.W.Taylor)
 Administrative Management (Gullick, Urwick and Fayol)
 Ideal-type bureaucracy (Max Weber)

NEO-CLASSICAL THEORIES
 Human relations theory (Elton Mayo)
 Rational decision-making (Herbert Simon)

CONTEMPORARY THEORIES
Ecological approach (Fred Riggs)
 Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Peter Drucker)

III. PUBLIC POLICY [ 10 lectures ]

 Concept, relevance and approaches
 Formulation, implementation and evaluation

IV. MAJOR APPROACHES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION [ 20 lectures ]

 New Public Administration
 New Public Management
 New Public Service Approach
 Good Governance
 Feminist Perspectives
PLSC – 303 : Perspectives on International Relations and World History

A. Studying International Relations (15 Lectures)

i.How do you understand International Relations: Levels of Analysis
(3 lectures)
ii.History and IR: Emergence of the International State System (2 Lectures)
iii.Pre-Westphalia and Westphalia (5 lectures)
iv.Post-Westphalia (5 lectures)

B. Theoretical Perspectives (25 Lectures)

i Classical Realism & Neo-Realism (6 lectures)
ii. Liberalism & Neoliberalism (5 lectures)
iii. Marxist Approaches (5 lectures)
iv. Feminist Perspectives (4 lectures)
v. Eurocentricism and Perspectives from the Global South (5 Lectures)

C. An Overview of Twentieth Century IR History (20 Lectures)

i. World War I: Causes and Consequences (1 Lecture)
ii. Significance of the Bolshevik Revolution (1 Lecture)
iii. Rise of Fascism / Nazism (2 Lectures)
iv. World War II: Causes and Consequences (3 Lectures)
v. Cold War: Different Phases (4 Lectures)
vi. Emergence of the Third World (3 Lectures)
vii. Collapse of the USSR and the End of the Cold War (2 Lectures)
viii. Post Cold War Developments and Emergence of Other Power Centers of
Power (4 Lectures)
PLSGE – 301 : Politics of Globalization
1. Concept of Globalisation: Globalisation debate; for and against.

2. Approaches to understanding globalisation:

a. Liberal approach
b. Radical approach

3. International Institutions/Regimes
a. World Bank
b. International Monetary Fund
c. The World Trade Organisation

4. Issues in Globalisation: Alternative Perspectives on its nature and character,

critical dimensions: economic, political and cultural

5. Globalisation and democracy: State, sovereignty and the civil society.

6. Globalisation and Politics in developing countries

a. Globalisation and social movements
b. Globalisation and the demise of Nation State
c. Globalisation and human migration

7. The inevitability of globalisation: Domestic and Global responses

PLSSEC : Legislative Practices and Procedures
I. Powers and functions of people’s representative at different tiers of governance
(6 lectures)
Members of Parliament, State legislative assemblies, functionaries of rural and
urban local self - government from Zila Parishad, Municipal Corporation to
Panchayat/ward.

II. Supporting the legislative process (2 lectures)

How a bill becomes law, role of the Standing committee in reviewing a bill,
legislative consultants, the framing of rules and regulations.

III. Supporting the Legislative Committees (6 lectures)

Types of committees, role of committees in reviewing government finances,
policy, programmes, and legislation.

IV. Reading the Budget Document (6 lectures)

Overview of Budget Process, Role of Parliament in reviewing the Union
Budget, Railway Budget, Examination of Demands for Grants of Ministries,
Working of Ministries.

V. Support in media monitoring and communication (4 lectures)

Types of media and their significance for legislators; Basics of communication
in print and electronic media.
 FOURTH SEMESTER
PLSC – 401 : Political Processes and Institutions in Comparative
Perspective
I. Approaches to Studying Comparative Politics (8 lectures)
a. Political Culture
b. New Institutionalism

II. Electoral System (8 lectures)

Definition and procedures: Types of election system (First Past the Post,
Proportional Representation, Mixed Representation)

III. Party System (8 lectures)

Historical contexts of emergence of the party system and types of parties

IV. Nation-state (8 lectures)

What is nation–state? Historical evolution in Western Europe and postcolonial
contexts ‘Nation’ and ‘State’: debates

V. Democratization (8 lectures)
Process of democratization in postcolonial, post- authoritarian and post-
communist Countries

VI. Federalism (8 lectures)

Historical context Federation and Confederation: debates around territorial
division of power.
PLSC – 402 : PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION IN
INDIA
I. Public Policy [ 10 lectures ]
a. Definition, characteristics and models
b. Public Policy Process in India

II. Decentralization [ 10 lectures ]

a. Meaning, significance and approaches and types
b. Local Self Governance: Rural and Urban

III. Budget [ 12 lectures ]

a. Concept and Significance of Budget
b. Budget Cycle in India
c. Various Approaches and Types Of Budgeting

IV. Citizen and Administration Interface [ 15 lectures ]

a. Public Service Delivery
b. Redressal of Public Grievances: RTI, Lokpal, Citizens’ Charter and E-
Governance

V. Social Welfare Administration [ 20 lectures ]

a. Concept and Approaches of Social Welfare
b. Social Welfare Policies:
Education: Right To Education,
Health: National Health Mission,
Food: Right To Food Security
Employment: MNREGA
PLSC – 403 : Global Politics
I. Globalization: Conceptions and Perspectives (23 lectures)
a. Understanding Globalization and its Alternative Perspectives (6 lectures)
b. Political: Debates on Sovereignty and Territoriality (3 lectures)
c. Global Economy: Its Significance & Anchors of Global Political Economy:
IMF,
d. World Bank, WTO, TNCs (8 lectures)
e. Cultural and Technological Dimension (3 lectures)
f. Global Resistances (Global Social Movements and NGOs) (3 lectures)

II. Contemporary Global Issues (20 lectures)

a. Ecological Issues: Historical Overview of International Environmental
Agreements, Climate Change, Global Commons Debate (7 lectures)
b. Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (3 lectures)
c. International Terrorism: Non-State Actors and State Terrorism; Post 9/11
developments (4 lectures)
d. Migration (3 lectures)
e. Human Security (3 lectures)

III. Global Shifts: Power and Governance (5 lectures)

PLSGE – 401 : GOVERNANCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
1. GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE: CONCEPTS [ 12 lectures ]
Role of State In The Era Of Globalisation State, Market and Civil Society

2. GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT [ 12 lectures ]

Changing Dimensions of Development Strengthening Democracy through
Good Governance

3. ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE [ 12 lectures ]

Human-Environment Interaction Green Governance: Sustainable Human
Development

4. LOCAL GOVERNANCE [ 12 lectures ]

Democratic Decentralisation People's Participation In Governance

5. GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVES IN INDIA: BEST PRACTICES

[ 20 lectures ]
 Public Service Guarantee Acts
 Electronic Governance
 Citizens Charter & Right to Information
 Corporate Social Responsibility
PLSSEC : Public Opinion and Survey Research
I. Introduction to the course (6 lectures)
Definition and characteristics of public opinion, conceptions and
characteristics, debates about its role in a democratic political system, uses for
opinion poll

II. Measuring Public Opinion with Surveys: Representation and sampling (6

lectures)
a. What is sampling? Why do we need to sample? Sample design.
b. Sampling error and non-response
c. Types of sampling: Non random sampling (quota, purposive and snowball
sampling); random sampling: simple and stratified

III. Survey Research (2 lectures)

a. Interviewing: Interview techniques pitfalls, different types of and forms of
interview
b. Questionnaire: Question wording; fairness and clarity.

IV. Quantitative Data Analysis (4 lectures)

a. Introduction to quantitative data analysis
b. Basic concepts: correlational research, causation and prediction, descriptive
and inferential Statistics

V. Interpreting polls (6 lectures)

Prediction in polling research: possibilities and pitfalls Politics of interpreting
polling
 FIFTH SEMESTER
PLSC – 501 : Classical Political Philosophy
I. Text and Interpretation (2 weeks)

II. Antiquity
Plato (2 weeks)
Philosophy and Politics, Theory of Forms, Justice, Philosopher King/Queen,
Communism Presentation theme: Critique of Democracy; Women and
Guardianship, Censorship

Aristotle (2 weeks)
Forms, Virtue, Citizenship, Justice, State and Household Presentation themes:
Classification of governments; man as zoon politikon

III. Interlude:
Machiavelli (2 weeks)
Virtu, Religion, Republicanism
Presentation themes: morality and statecraft; vice and virtue

IV. Possessive Individualism

Hobbes (2 weeks)
Human nature, State of Nature, Social Contract, State Presentation themes:
State of nature; social contract; Leviathan; atomistic individuals.

Locke (2 weeks)
Laws of Nature, Natural Rights, Property, Presentation themes: Natural rights;
right to dissent; justification of property
PLSC – 502 : Indian Political Thought-I
I. Traditions of Pre-colonial Indian Political Thought (8 lectures)
a. Brahmanic and Shramanic
b. Islamic and Syncretic.

II. Ved Vyasa (Shantiparva): Rajadharma (5 lectures)

III. Manu: Social Laws (6 lectures)

IV. Kautilya: Theory of State (7 lectures)

V. Aggannasutta (Digha Nikaya): Theory of kingship (5 lectures)

VI. Barani: Ideal Polity (6 lectures)

VII. Abul Fazal: Monarchy (6 lectures)

VIII. Kabir: Syncretism (5 lectures)

PLSDSE : Development Process and Social Movements in
Contemporary India
I. Development Process since Independence (2 weeks)
a. State and planning
b. Liberalization and reforms

II. Industrial Development Strategy and its Impact on the Social Structure
(2 weeks)
a. Mixed economy, privatization, the impact on organized and unorganized
labour
b. Emergence of the new middle class

III. Agrarian Development Strategy and its Impact on the Social Structure
(2weeks)
a. Land Reforms, Green Revolution
b. Agrarian crisis since the 1990s and its impact on farmers

IV. Social Movements (6 weeks)

a. Tribal, Peasant, Dalit and Women's movements
b. Maoist challenge
c. Civil rights movements
PLSDSE : Understanding Global Politics
I. What Makes the World What it is? (30 lectures)
a. The Sovereign State System (10 lectures)
i Evolution of the state system
ii The concept of Sovereignty

b. The Global Economy (13 lectures)

i Discussing the Bretton Woods Institutions and WTO
ii Ideological underpinnings
iii Transnational Economic Actors

c. Identity and Culture (7 lectures)

II. What Drives the World Apart? (10 lectures)

a. Global Inequalities
b. Violence: Conflict, War and Terrorism

III. Why We Need to Bring the World Together? (8 lectures)

a. Global Environment
b. Global Civil Society
 SIXTH SEMESTER
PLSC – 601 : Modern Political Philosophy
I. Modernity and its discourses (8 lectures)
This section will introduce students to the idea of modernity and the discourses
around modernity. Two essential readings have been prescribed.

II. Romantics (16 lectures)

a. Jean Jacques Rousseau (8 Lectures)
Presentation themes: General Will; local or direct democracy; self-government;
origin of inequality.
b. Mary Wollstonecraft (8 Lectures)
Presentation themes: Women and paternalism; critique of Rousseau’s idea of
education; legal rights

III. Liberal socialist (8 lectures)

a. John Stuart Mill Presentation themes: Liberty, suffrage and subjection of
women, right of minorities; utility principle.

IV. Radicals (16 lectures)

a. Karl Marx (8 Lectures)
Presentation themes: Alienation; difference with other kinds of materialism;
class struggle
b. Alexandra Kollontai (8 Lectures)
Presentation themes: Winged and wingless Eros; proletarian woman;
socialization of housework; disagreement with Lenin
PLSC – 602 : Indian Political Thought-II
I. Introduction to Modern Indian Political Thought (4 lectures)
II. Rammohan Roy: Rights (4 lectures)
III. Pandita Ramabai: Gender (4 lectures)
IV. Vivekananda: Ideal Society (5 lectures)
V. Gandhi: Swaraj (5 lectures)
VI. Ambedkar: Social Justice (5 lectures)
VII. Tagore: Critique of Nationalism (4 lectures)
VIII. Iqbal: Community (5 lectures)
IX. Savarkar: Hindutva (4 lectures)
X. Nehru: Secularism (4 lectures)
XI. Lohia: Socialism (4 lectures)
PLSDSE : Women, Power and Politics
I. Groundings (6 weeks)
1. Patriarchy (2 weeks)
a. Sex-Gender Debates
b. Public and Private
c. Power

2. Feminism (2 weeks)

3. Family, Community, State (2 weeks)

a. Family
b. Community
c. State

II. Movements and Issues (6 weeks)

1. History of the Women’s Movement in India (2 weeks)
2. Violence against women (2 weeks)
3. Work and Labour (2 weeks)
a. Visible and Invisible work
b. Reproductive and care work
c. Sex work
PLSDSE : Public Policy in India

I. Introduction to Policy Analysis (12 Lectures)

II. The Analysis of Policy in the Context of Theories of State (12
Lectures)
III. Political Economy and Policy : Interest Group and Social
Movements (12 Lecture)
IV. Models of Policy Decision – Making (12 Lectures)
V. Ideology and Policy : Nehruvian Vision, Economic
Liberalisation and recent development (12 Lectures)

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