Global Teachers Academy (UGC-NET-JRF)

Unit - 1 : Political Theory

• Concepts
• Liberty, Equality, Justice, Rights, Democracy, Power, Citizenship,
• Political Traditions
• Liberalism
• Conservatism
• Socialism
• Marxism
• Feminism
• Ecologism
• Multiculturalism
• Postmodernism

Unit - 2 : Political Thought

Confucius, Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hegel, Mary Wollstonecraft, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, Gramsci, Hannah Arendt, Frantz Fanon, Mao Zedong, John Rawls

Unit - 3 : Indian Political Thought

Dharamshastra, Kautilya, Aggannasutta, Barani, Kabir, Pandita Ramabai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Swami Vivekanand, Rabindranath Tagore, M.K Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo, Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, Muhammad Iqbal, M.N.Roy, V D Savarkar, Dr. B.R.Ambedkar, J L Nehru, Ram Manohar Lohia, Jaya Prakash Narayan, Deendayal Upadhyaya

Unit - 4 : Comparative Political Analysi

• Approaches: Institutional, Political Culture, Political Economy and New Institutionalism; Comparative Methods
• Colonialism and decolonization: forms of colonialism, anti-colonial struggles and decolonization
• Nationalism: European and non-European.
• State theory: debate over the nature of state in capitalist and socialist societies; post-colonial state; welfare state; globalization and nations-states
• Political regimes: democratic (Electoral, Liberal, Majoritarian and Participatory) and non-democratic regimes (Patrimonialism, Bureaucratic authoritarianism, Military dictatorship, Totalitarianism, and fascist).
• Constitutions and Constitutionalism: forms of constitutions, rule of law, judicial independence and liberal constitutionalism; emergency powers and crisis of constitutionalism.
• Democratisation: democratic transition and consolidation.
• Development: Underdevelopment, Dependency, Modernization, World Systems Theory, development and democracy.
• Structures of Power: ruling class, power elites, democratic elitism
• Actor and Processes: Electoral Systems, Political Parties and Party System, Interest groups, Social movements, new social movements, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and civil society campaigns; Revolutions.

Unit - 5 : International Relations

• Approaches to the study of International relations: Idealism, Realism, Structural Marxism, Neoliberalism, Neorealism, Social Constructivism, Critical International Theory, Feminism, Postmodernism.
• Concepts: State, state system and non-state actors, Power, Sovereignty, Security: traditional and non- traditional.
• Conflict and Peace: Changing Nature of Warfare; Weapons of mass destruction; deterrence; conflict resolution, conflict transformation.
• United Nations: Aims, Objectives, Structure and Evaluation of the Working of UN; Peace and Development perspectives; Humanitarian intervention. International law; International Criminal Court
• Political Economy of IR; Globalisation; Global governance and Bretton Woods system, North-South Dialogue, WTO, G-20, BRICS.
• Regional Organisations: European Union, African Union, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, ASEAN.
• Contemporary Challenges: International terrorism, Climate change and Environmental Concerns, Human Rights, Migration and Refugees; Poverty and Development; Role of Religion, Culture and Identity Politics.

Unit - 6 : India’s Foreign Policy

• Perspectives on India’s Foreign Policy: India’s Identity as postcolonial, development, rising power and as emerging political economy
• Continuity and change in India’s Foreign Policy: Principles and determinants; Non-Alignment movement: historical background and relevance of Non Aligned Movement; India’s Nuclear Policy
• India’s relations with major powers: USA, USSR/Russia, People’s Republic of China
• India’s Engagement with multipolar world: India’s relations with European Union, BRICS, ASEAN, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, African Union, Southern African Development Community, Gulf Cooperation Council
• India’s relations with neighbourhood: SAARC, Gujaral doctrine, Look Eas t/ Act East, Look West.
• India’s Negotiation Strategies in International Regimes: The United Nations, World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Contemporary challenges: maritime security, energy security, environmental security, migrants and refugees, water resources, international terrorism, cyber security

Unit - 7 : Political Institutions in India

• Making of the Indian Constitution: Colonialism heritage and the contribution Indian National Movement to the making of the Indian Constitution
• Constituent Assembly: Composition, Ideological Moorings, Constitutional Debates
• Philosophy of the Constitution: Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles
• Constitutionalism in India: Democracy, Social Change, National Unity, Checks and Balances, Basic Structure Debate, Constitutional Amendments
• Union Executive: President, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
• Union Parliament: Structure, Role and Functioning, Parliamentary Committees
• Judiciary: Supreme Court, High Court, Judicial Review, Judicial Activism, Judicial Reform.
• Executive and Legislature in the States: Governor, Chief Minister, State Legislature
• Federalism in India: Strong Centre Framework, Asymmetrical Federal Provisions and Adaption, Role of Intergovernmental Coordination Mechanisms, Inter-State Council, Emerging Trends.
• Electoral Process and Election Commission of India: Conduct of Elections, Rules, Electoral Reforms.
• Local Government Institutions: Functioning and reforms.
• Constitutional and Statutory Bodies: Comptroller and Auditor General, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, National Commission for Human Rights, National Commission for Women, National Commission for Minorities.

Unit - 8 : Political Processes in India

• State, Economy and Development: Nature of Indian State, Development Planning model, New Economic Policy, Growth and Human Development.
• Process of globalisation: social and economic implications.
• Identity Politics: Religion, Tribe, Caste, Region, Language.
• Social Movements: Dalit, Tribal, Women, Farmers, labour
• Civil Society Groups: Non-Party Social Formations, Non-Governmental Organisations, Social Action Groups.
• Regionalisation of Indian Politics: Reorganisation of Indian States, States as Political and Economic Units, Sub-State Regions, Regional disparities, Demand for New States,
• Gender and Politics in India: Issues of Equality and Representation.
• Ideology and Social basis of Political Parties: National Parties, State Parties.
• Electoral Politics: Participation, Contestation, Representation, Emerging trends.

Unit - 9 : Public Administration

• Public Administration: meaning and evolution; public and private administration Approaches: System Theory, Decision Making, Ecological Approach
• Public administration theories and concepts: Scientific Management Theory, Rational Choice theory, New Public Administration, Development Administration,
• Comparative Public Administration, New Public Management, changing nature of Public Administration in the era of liberalisation and Globalisation
• Theories and Principles of Organization: Scientific Management Theory, Bureaucratic Theory, Human Relations Theory
• Managing the organization: Theories of leadership and motivation.
• Organisational Communication: Theories and Principles, Chester Bernard Principles of Communication, Information Management in the organization
• Managing Conflict in the Organization: Mary Parker Follett
• Management by Objectives- Peter Drucker

Unit – 10 : Governance and Public Policy in India

• Governance, good governance and democratic governance, role of state, civil society and individuals.
• Accountability and control: Institutional mechanism for checks and balances, legislative control over executive, administrative and budgetary control, control through parliamentary committees, judicial control over legislature and executive, administrative culture, corruption and administrative reforms
• Institutional mechanisms for good governance: Right to Information, Consumer Protection Act, Citizen Charter; Grievance redress system: Ombudsman, Lokpal, Lokayukta
• Grassroots Governance: Panchayati Raj Institutions and their functioning
• Planning and Development: Decentralised planning, planning for development, sustainable development, participatory development, e-governance; NITI Aayog
• Public policy as an instrument of socio-economic development: public policies with special reference to housing, health, drinking water, food security, MNREGA, NHRM, RTE
• Monitoring and evaluation of public policy; mechanisms of making governance process accountable: jansunwai, social audit.