PART II : Comparative Politics and International Relations.
1. Comparative Politics: Nature and major approaches; political economy and political sociology perspectives; limitations of the comparative method.
2. State in comparative
perspective: Characteristics
and changing nature of the State in capitalist and socialist economies, and,
advanced industrial and developing societies.
3. Politics of Representation
and Participation: Political
parties, pressure groups and social movements in advanced industrial and
developing societies.
4. Globalisation: Responses from developed and
developing societies.
5. Approaches to the Study of
International Relations: Idealist, Realist, Marxist, Functionalist and
Systems theory.
6. Key concepts in
International Relations: National interest, Security and power; Balance of
power and deterrence; Transnational actors and collective security; World
capitalist economy and globalisation.
7. Changing International
Political Order:
a. Rise of super
powers; strategic and ideological Bipolarity, arms race and Cold War; nuclear
threat;
b. Non-al igned movement : Aims and achievements;
c. Collapse of the Soviet Union; Unipolarity and American hegemony; relevance
of non-alignment in the contemporary world.
8. Evolution of the
International Economic System: From Brettonwoods to WTO; Socialist economies and
the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance); Third World demand for new
international economic order; Globalisation of the world economy.
9. United Nations: Envisaged role and actual
record; specialized UN agencies-aims and functioning; need for UN reforms.
10. Regionalisation of World
Politics: EU, ASEAN, APEC,
SAARC, NAFTA.
11. Contemporary Global
Concerns: Democracy, human
rights, environment, gender justice, terrorism, nuclear proliferation.
India and the World:
1. Indian Foreign
Policy: Determinants of foreign policy; institutions of policy-making;
continuity and change.
2. India's Contribution to the Non-Alignment Movement: Different phases;
current role
3. India and South Asia:
a. Regional
Co-operation: SAARC' past performance and future prospects.
b. South Asia as a Free Trade Area.
c. India's "Look East" policy.
d. Impediments to regional co-operation: river water disputes; illegal
cross-border migration; ethnic conflicts and insurgencies; border disputes.
4. India and the Global
South: Relations with
Africa and Latin America; leadership role in the demand for NIEO and WTO
negotiations.
5. India and the Global
Centres of Power: USA,
EU, Japan, China and Russia.
6. India and the UN
System: Role in UN
Peace-keeping; demand for Permanent Seat in the Security Council.
7. India and the Nuclear
Question: Changing
perceptions and policy.
8. Recent developments in
Indian Foreign policy: India's position on the recent crisis in
Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia, growing relations with US and Israel; vision
of a new world order.
