IGNOU-BA-General-Political Science

BPSC131- Introduction to Political Theory

Question Bank based on PYQ latest June2023 exams

Block 1/ Unit 1 INTRODUCING POLITICAL THEORY

Discuss Politics as a vocation and as a practical activity
Discuss the essential nature of Politics
Write an essay on legitimate use of power
Write a note on politics as a political activity

Write short notes on

Politics as a political activity (B1/Unit 1)

Block 1/ Unit 2 What is Political Theory?

Define Political Theory
Discuss major approaches to study political theory
Examine if political theory is dead
Political theory is dead. Discuss
Distinguish political theory from other interrelated terms
Examine the interface of political theory and inter-related terms

Write short notes on

Normative approach of politial theory(B1/Unit 2)
.

Block 2/ Unit 3 Liberty

Distinguish between positive and negative conceptions of liberty.
What is Liberty? Discuss some of the contemporary ideas on Liberty and JSMill views
on Liberty
What are Isaiah Berlin’s ‘Two concepts of a liberty’ Explain
Elaborate upon justice as a term of synthesis.

Write short notes on

JSMill notion of liberty (B2/Unit3)
Marxist critique of freedom(B2/Unit3)
Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of liberty (B2/Unit3)

Block 2/ Unit 4 Equality

Examine the inter relationship of equality and liberty
Discuss the relationship between liberty and censorship
What is equality of income? How is it different from equality of opportunity? What are
some of the basic principles of equality?
Discuss equality of opportunity
What is the principle of fairness? Explain.

Block 2/ Unit 5 Justice

Elaborate upon justice as a term of synthesis.

Write short notes on

Concept of Social justice(B2/Unit5)
John Raut’s theory of Justice (B2/Unit 5)

Block 2/ Unit 6 Rights

Write short notes on Social welfare theory of Rights?
How do the Marxist view the concept of rights?

Write short notes on

Equality & Feminism (B2/Unit 6)
Nature of rights(B2/Unit6)
Human rights(B2/Unit6)
Theory of Natural Rights (B2/Unit6)

Block3/ Unit 7 Democracy

What are the advantages and disadvantages of democracy over other forms of
government?
What is Communitarian theory of citizenship? Elaborate.
Examine the view that ‘democracy and economic growth are not compatible’.

Write short notes on

Democracy(B3/Unit7)
Overview of Indian democracy(B3/Unit7)
People’s Democracy (B3/Unit7)
Types of Democracy (B3/Unit7)
E-democracy (B3/Unit7)
Substantive democracy(B3/Unit7)

Block3/ Unit 8 Gender

Write short notes on
Patriarchy(B3/Unit 8)
Gender equality (B3/Unit 8)
Gender mainstreaming as a strategy (B3/Unit 8)

Block3/ Unit 9 Citizenship

What is meant by global citizenship?
Explain feminist views on citizenship
Write short notes on
Factors of Citizenship (B3/Unit 9)
Civil Society (B3/Unit 9)
Meaning of gender (B3/Unit 9)
Gender and Politics (B3/Unit9)
Communitarian theory of citizenship (B3/Unit 9)
Libertarian theory of citizenship (B3/Unit 9)

Block3/ Unit 10 Civil Society & State

Explain the concept of Civil society
Elaborate the inter-relationship of state and civil society

Write short notes on

Concept of State (B3/Unit10
Hegal’s view of Civil society (B3/Unit 10)

Block4/ Unit 11 Democracy vs Economic Growth

Write short notes on
Economic growth (B4/Unit11)

Block4/ Unit 12 Liberty Vs Censorship

Write short notes on
Censorship(B4/Unit12)

Block4/ Unit 13 Protective discrimination Vs Principle of fairness

What is the principle of fairness? Explain

Write short notes on

Formal Vs Substantive equality (B4/Unit 13)
Principles of fairness (B4/Unit 13)

Block4/ Unit 14 Family Law & State

What is Social control? Is family still a source of Social control?
Describe the relationship between Justice and Law

Write short notes on

Social control (B4/ Unit 14)
Family (B4/ Unit 14)
Features of Ideal state (B4/Unit 14)
Marxist theory of State(B4/Unit 14)