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Free course

Political ordering

Free statement of participation on completion
Political ordering

This free course, Political ordering, asks questions about what states are and how they are involved in the processes of governing and ordering social life. Building from an awareness of just how much of everyday life involves the state, the course questions whether states have this authority to govern. It also asks about situations in which states may not be able to command such authority where their governing role is not accepted as legitimate.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

  • understand key social issues and debates in contemporary UK society, such as: how social and material lives are related; how our identities are made; and how societies are ordered and governed
  • understand inequalities, difference and diversity in contemporary societies
  • construct a simple social science argument using appropriate concepts; theories and evidence
  • interpret and criticise different forms of evidence, both quantitative and qualitative
  • read and understand information from tables, graphs, charts and diagrams.

First Published: 10/08/2012

Updated: 24/02/2016

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