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Home / SPPU / Syllabus / Law / B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) / First Year / Semester 2 / Political Theories and Ideologies

B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) Political Theories and Ideologies Syllabus - SPPU 2026

Political Theories and Ideologies Syllabus.pdf
Semester 2 · First Year · 4 credits

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Syllabus for Political Theories and Ideologies

Semester 2 · First Year · 4 credits

Objectives of the Course

  • This is an introductory paper for the concepts, ideas and ideologies in political theory. It seeks to explain the evolution and usage of these concepts, ideas and theories with reference to individual thinkers both historically and analytically. The different ideological standpoints with regard to various concepts and theories are to be critically explained with the purpose of highlighting the differences in their perspectives and in order to understand their continuity and change. Furthermore, there is a need to emphasize the continuing relevance of these concepts today and explain how ideas and theories of yesteryear gain prominence in contemporary political theory.

Module 01: Introduction

  • 1. Meaning, definitions, types and significance of Political Theory
  • 2. Decline and Resurgence of Political Theory
  • 3. Impact of Political Theory on Society and Law

Module 02: Political Concepts and Theories (Part I)

  • 1. Liberty- Evolution of the concept, J. S. Mill’s views on Liberty, Positive and Negative Liberty
  • 2. Equality- Concept of Equality and Theories of Equality- Equality of Welfare by Utilitarian’s, Equality of Resources by Ronald Dworkin, Equality of Capability by Amartya Sen and Complex Equality by Michael Walzer
  • 3. Justice- Procedural Justice and Distributive Justice, John Rawls Theory- Justice as fairness
  • 4. Rights- Negative and Positive rights, Types- Civil-Political-Socio-Economic-Cultural, Human Rights- UDHR

Module 03: Political Concepts and Theories (Part II)

  • 1. Power and Authority- Nature, Significance and forms of Power and Authority, Difference between Power and Authority and Legitimacy, Max Weber’s View on Authority, Theories of Power: Elite Theory (Ideas of Pareto, Mosca, C. Wright Mills, Robert Michels) and Group Theory
  • 2. State, Political Obligation and Punishment - Meaning of Political Obligation, Political Obligation Theories: Force Theory- Consent Theory- Marxist Theory- Utilitarian Theory
  • 3. State and disobedience, Concept of Punishment and Theories of Punishment: Deterrent Theory- Retributive Theory-Preventive Theory- Reformative Theory - Expiatory Theory

Module 04: Political Ideologies

  • 1. Concept of Ideology, Difference between Theory and Ideology and their interrelation, End of Ideology
  • 2. Liberalism - Core Values- Main currents of liberalism (Classical Liberalism, Modern Liberalism and Neoliberalism), Liberal Democracy and Constitutionalism, End of History by Francis Fukuyama
  • 3. Socialism- Core Values and its variants - Fabian: Syndicalism, Guild Socialism- Democratic Socialism
  • 4. Marxism- Theories of - Historical Materialism, Class and Class Struggle, Exploitation, Alienation, Role of State, Contemporary relevance of Marxism
  • 5. Utilitarianism- Jeremy Bentham and Contribution of J.S. Mill
  • 6. Nationalism and its facets, Challenges before Nationalism: Sub-nationalism - Regionalism
  • 7. Fascism and Nazism- Core values
  • 8. Gandhism- M. K. Gandhi’s Ideas of Truth, Non-Violence, Purity of Ends and Means, Religion & Politics, Satyagraha and Sarvodaya
  • 9. Social Justice Theory of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Module 05: Contemporary Political Ideologies

  • 1. Ecologism
  • 2. Feminism
  • 3. Multiculturalism

Recommended Readings

  • 1. Arneil, Barbara, Politics and Feminism, Oxford, Blackwell, 1999.
  • 2. Bealey, Frank, The Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science, Oxford, Blackwell, 1999. Beetham, David, The Legitimation of Power, Hound mills, Macmillan, 1991. 35 SPP University • Law Faculty Revised Curriculum • B.A., LL.B., B.B.A., LL.B. and LL.B.
  • 3. Rajeev Bhargava & Ashok Acharya, Political theory: An Introduction, Pearson Longman, Delhi, 2008.
  • 4. De Crespigny, Anthony, et.al. (Eds.) Contemporary Political Theory, London, Nelson, 1970. 8)Dodson, Andrew, Green Political Thought, London, Routleflge, 2000, reprint.
  • 5. Dunn, John, The History of Political Theory and Other Essays, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1996.
  • 6. Heywood Andrew, Political Ideology: An Introduction, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2004
  • 7. Heywood Andrew, Political Theory: An Introduction, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2004
  • 8. Jain, P.V. Political Science I (Political Theory), Allahabad: Central Law Publication, 2016.
  • 9. S. Ramaswamy, Political Theory: Ideas and Concepts, Delhi, Macmillan, 2002.
  • 10. Mukherjee and S. Ramaswamy, A History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx, New Delhi, Prentice Hall, 1999.

Reproduced from the Savitribai Phule Pune University Revised Curriculum of Undergraduate Degree Programs of Law, the 2023 pattern as amended on 18 July 2024. Wording is as printed in that syllabus. Module numbering is as printed there too.

The complete syllabus

Every subject above is cut from the revised syllabus. Open the document here if you want the whole thing rather than a single subject.

PDF Complete law syllabus Revised syllabus (CBCS 2023 pattern), as amended on 18 July 2024 Read full PDF Read
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