POLS 542 - Political Ideologies

Credits: 3
After an introduction to the concept of ideology and various approaches to studying ideologies, the course will examine many of the ideologies that developed during the twentieth century and that continue to shape the world in which we live. Topics for reading and discussion include: liberalism and conservatism, socialism and communism, fascism and nationalism, fundamentalism, liberation theology, feminism, environmentalism, and anarchism. The class will examine what each of these have in common as ideologies, how the proponents of each understand the world, and how each has been used to encourage and control political action.