Department of Political Science, Sikkim Government College, Namchi

The number of general students enrolled is around 180 and 50 honours students every year. There are presently 4 faculties. Since its inception, it has churned out more than 500 honours graduates. The course focuses on quality learning and laying down a strong foundation of understanding politics and governance at the undergraduate level. Besides the central library, the departmental library has a

plethora of resources on various areas of Political Science which is open to access to all students and teaching faculties. Programmes such as conferences, seminars, talks, movie screenings, have been conducted in the past. Students are encouraged to think independently, analytically and critically which prepares them for post graduate courses in the same discipline or any other related programme. POLITICAL SCIENCE HONOURS SYLLABUS


POL-UG-E101: Introduction to Political Theory and Thought Unit I: Meaning, definitions, nature and scope of Political Science
Approaches to the study of Political Science: Traditional, Behavioral, Post-Behavioural and Marxist. Political Science and other Social Sciences-Interdisciplinary study. Unit II: Basic concepts in Politics
Liberty, Equality and Justice. Theories of origin of State and concept of sovereignty. Theories of nature of State: Individualist, Idealist, Marxist; Rights, Citizenship and Law. Unit III: Western Political Thought
Greek thought: Plato, Aristotle. Medieval thought: Church and the State. Renaissance and Machiavelli. Reformation (Luther and Calvin). Unit IV: Selected Political Thinkers
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, JJ Rousseau, Hegel and Marx. Select Readings:
 P Gauba: Principles of Political Thought.
 S P Verma: Modern Political Theory.
 J C Johari: Principles of Modern Political Science.
 Andrew Heywood: Politics.
 R C Agarwal: Political Theory- Principles of Political Science.
 A Mukhopadhyay: Western Political Thought.
 S Ramaswamy and S Mukherjee: History of Political Thought. POL-UG-E201: Indian Constitution and Government

Unit I: Historical Background of Indian Constitution
1919 and 1935 Acts. Constituent Assembly and Making of the Constitution. The Preamble; Fundamental Rights and Duties; Directive Principles; Nature of Federalism, Union-State relations. Unit II: Executive
President—Position and role with special reference to Coalition government; Vice President; Prime Minister; Council of Ministers and Cabinet; relationship between Prime Minister and President; Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers and Cabinet, relationship between Chief Minister and Governor. Unit III: Legislature
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha (with reference to financial and executive functions), law making process, privileges, relationship of the two houses, committees system; Speaker; State legislature: composition and functions. Local self governing institutions: Rural and Urban. Unit IV: Judiciary
Supreme Court and the High Court: Composition and Jurisdiction; Judicial Review and Judicial Activism; Judicial reforms: Lokpal/ Lokayukta. Procedure for Amendment to the Constitution. Provision for special status of a State: Case of Sikkim

Select Readings:
 D.D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India
 W.H. Morris Jones, Government and Politics of India
 M.V. Pylee, Constitutional Government of India
 J.C. Johari, Government and Politics of India
 S. Kashyab, Perspectives on the Constitution
 G. Austin, Working a Democratic Constitution: The Indian Experience
 S.P. Sathe, Judicial Activism in India
 Zoya Hasan and others, India's Livings Constitution
 G.Austin, Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation
 P. Brass, Politics of India since Independence
 P. Chatterjee, (ed.), State and Politics in India
 S. Kaviraj, Politics in India
 S. Corbridge and J. Harris, Reinventing India

POL-UG-E301: Introduction to Comparative Politics

Unit I: Comparative Government and Comparative Politics
Need and scope of Comparative Politics. Approaches towards the study of Comparative Politics: Systems analysis and Structural-functionalism. Post-World War developments: Modernisation and Development theories. Unit II: Concept of Political System
Classification of Political Systems: Liberal and Socialist political systems. Authoritarian systems. Post Colonial political systems. Federal and Unitary systems. Parliamentary and Presidential systems. Note: Relevant portions may be covered in reference to USA, UK, Chinese and Indian systems. Unit III: Foundations of Political Systems in the UK, USA and PRC
Conventions and Rule of Law in the UK. Separation of powers and checks and balances in the USA. Democratic centralism in the PRC. Legislature in the UK: Parliamentary sovereignty, American Legislature, the second Chamber in the US Congress, Speakers in the UK and the USA. National People’s Congress (NPC) in the PRC. Unit IV: Executive in UK, USA, Switzerland and PRC: A Comparative Study
(a) UK: Crown, Prime Minister and Cabinet
(b) USA: President and Cabinet
(c) PRC: State Council
(d) Switzerland: Collegial Executive Judiciary in UK, USA and PRC
Party System in the UK, USA. Role of Communist Party in the PRC. Role of military in politics. Select Readings:
 G. Roberts, An Introduction to Comparative Politics.
 R H Chilcote, Theories of Comparative Politics.
 R. Chatterjee, Comparative Politics
 S N Ray, Comparative Politics
 Almond and Powell, Comparative Politics.
 Allan R Ball, Modern Government and Politics.
 Harvey and Bather, British Constitution
 A.H. Birch, British System of Government
 H.G. Nicolas, The Nature of American Politics
 M. Prichett, The American Constitution
 Harry Harding, China’s Second Revolution: Reform after Mao
 Mackerras and Yarke, The Cambridge Handbook of Contemporary China
 June T. Drayer, China's Political System: Modernisation and Tradition. POL-UG-C401: Political Sociology

Unit I: Introduction to Political Sociology
Meaning, Definitions, Nature and Scope. Concepts: Power, authority and legitimacy
Theories: Modernisation and Political Development, Elite theories, Class. Unit II: Political Culture and Political Socialisation
Nature, types and agencies. Political Culture in Indian politics. Political Communication: Concept and features. Political Participation: Concept and forms of Political Participation. Voting behaviour and its determinants with reference to India. Political Change and Development. Unit III: Society and Politics
(I) : Caste, Class and Politics (II): Role of Ethnicity, Language and Religion in Politics. State: Origins of State. Theories of State: Liberal, Marxist and Neo Marxist. State and Civil Society. Unit IV: Groups in Politics
Political Parties, Their Functions and role. Pressure Groups and interest groups: Different Types, Functions. Select social groups in India: Role of Business groups. Role of Trade Unions, Role of women groups. Select Readings:
 Tom Bottomore, Political Sociology
 Amal Mukhopadhyay, Political sociology
 Hamsa Alavi and Theodor Shanin ‘Introduction to the Sociology of Developing Societies’.
 Robert Michels ‘Iron Law of Oligarchy’
 Alan R. Ball, Modern Government and politics.
 Pye and Verba, Political Culture and Political Development
 Karl Deutch: The Nerves of Government: Models of Political Communication and Control.
 John A. Hall ‘States in History’.
 Gabriel Almond and Sydney Verba, The Civic Culture Revisited.
 Nirja G Jayal and Pratap Bhanu Mehta Oxford Companion to Politics in India. POL-UG-C402: Public Administration Unit I: Public Administration: Meaning and Scope
Theories of Organisation: The Classical Theory, Scientific Management, Bureaucratic Theory; The Human Relations theory, Decision Making. Unit II: Principles of Organisation
Hierarchy, Unity of Command, Authority and Responsibility, Coordination, Span of Control, Supervision, Centralisation and Decentralisation, Delegation; Structures of Organisation: Line, Staff and Auxiliary Agencies, Departments, Corporations, Companies, Boards and Commissions. Unit III: Trends in Public Administration
New Public Administration, New Public Management, Comparative Public Administration, Development Administration; Good Governance; Public Administration in the age of globalisation and liberalization, e-governance/digital governance. Unit IV: Personnel Administration
Concept and Problems of Recruitment, Training and Promotion of Public Personnel, Civil Service Neutrality, Integrity in administration
Financial Administration: Concept of Budget, Preparation and Execution of the Budget, Legislative Control

Select Readings:
 Gerald E. Caiden, Dynamics of Public Administration: Guidelines to Current Transformations in Theory and Practice
 Robert A. Golembiewski, Public Administration as a Developing Discipline: perspectives on Past, Present and Future
 Felix Nigro and G. Lyodi Nigro, Modern Public Administration.
 Peter Self, Administrative Theories and Politics: An Inquiry into the Structure and Process of Modern Government
 M. Bhattacharya, Public Administration
 Rumki Basu, Public Administration
 Bidyut Chakrabarti and Mohit Bhattacharya,
 Amitai Etzioni , A Sociological Reader on Complex Organizations
 Noorjahan Bava, The Social Science Perspective and Method of Public Administration
 Ramesh K. Arora, Comparative Public Administration
 S. Verma and S. Swaroop, Personal Administration, EROPA, 1993


POL-UG-C501: International Relations Unit I: International Relations
Nature and Scope. Actors in International Relations. Theories of International Relations: Traditional Theories: Realist, Idealist (Liberalism, Neo-Liberalism), Neo-realist and Marxist Theories. Contemporary Theories (Critical Theories and Feminist Theories). Unit II: Key Concepts in International Relations
National Power. National Interest. National Security. Balance of Power and Nuclear deterrence (Balance of Terror). Foreign Policy and Diplomacy. War and conflict in contemporary World. Arms Race, Arms-Control and Disarmament


Unit III: Issues in International Relations
Cold War and Military Alliances, post cold war world order (EU, Unipolar or Multipolar? Expansion of NATO, Emergence of new Groups. Non-Alignment in the Post Cold War Period; North South Conflict and Dialogue,
Global Terrorism, Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention, Globalisation Problem of Conflict and Peace (Case of Afghanistan)

Unit IV: International Organisations
League experiment, The United Nations: origins; purposes and principles; major organs: powers, functions and role of GA, SC, Secretary General, ECOSOC, Achievements of UN, UN Reforms Regional organizations in World Politics: Case Study of SAARC

Select Readings:
 Robert J. Art and Robert Jervis, (eds.), International Politics Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues :
 John Baylis and Steve Smith, (eds.), The Globalisation of World Politics
 K. Mingst and Snyder, Essential Readings in World Politics
 M. Nicholson, International Relations
 Andrew Linklater et al Theories of International Relations
 Clive Archer, International Organisations
 Peter Calvocoversi World Politics since 1945
 Margaret P. Karns and Karen A. Mingst, International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance
 Rumki Basu, United Nations Organization
 V.N. Khanna, International Relations

POL-UG-C502: Political Thought-Western and Indian Unit I: Idea of State in Plato and Aristotle-Comparison between the two
Machiavelli, Power and Modern Politics. Jean Bodin: Theory of Sovereignty Thomas Hobbes: Method and Absolutism
John Locke: Foundations of Liberalism; Property and Consent JJ Rousseau: General Will

Unit II: JS Mill: Liberty and Representative Government
Jeremy Bentham: Utilitarianism Hegel: Dialectics, Freedom and State
T.H. Green: State and Political Obligation
Karl Marx: Historical and Dialectical Materialism, concept of Class, Theory of State. H J Laski: Libertarianism

Unit III: Dharmashastra and Arthashastra Traditions in ancient India
Kingship in Manusmriti

Kautilya’s Arthashastra: King’s position, function and policies, saptanga theory of the state. Mediaeval Islamic ideas (General features)
Bengal renaissance and Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Social reform and political liberalism. Thoughts of Swami Vivekananda and Dayananda Saraswati

Unit IV: Aurobinda’s ideas of nationalism
M K Gandhi: Satyagraha, Swaraj and Trusteeship
M.N Roy: Radical Humanism Jawaharlal Nehru: Democratic Socialism Savarkar: Idea of Hindutva
Ambedkar and Dalit Consciousness

Select Readings:
 Panthem and Deutsch, Political Thought in Modern India.
 V R Mehta, Foundations of Indian Political Thought: An Interpretation - From Manu to the Present Day
 Bidyut Chakrabarty and R K Pandey, Modern Indian Political Thought
 M K Gandhi, Hind Swaraj
 V.P Verma - modern Indian Political Thought
 Mehta V. R., (1992), Foundations of Indian Political Thought, New Delhi, Manohar Publishers.
 Kangle, R.P, (1960), Arthashastra of Kautilya, Motilal Benarasidass.
 Hatcher, Brian. (August, 2006), ‘A Remembering Rammohan; An Essay on the (Re)- Emergence of Modern Hinduism’, History of Religions, Vol. 46, No. 1, August 2006.
 Strauss, Leo and Joseph Cropsey, (1987), History of Political Philosophy, 2nd Edn. Chicago University Press.
 Forsyth Murray and Keens- Soper, Maurice (eds.), (1998), A Guide to the Political Classics: Plato to Rousseau, Oxford University Press, 1988.
 Nelson Brian, (2008), Western Political Thought, Pearson Longman. POL-UG-C601: Indian Politics, Administration and Policies

Unit I: Colonial legacy of Indian politics and Discernible features of Indian politics
Political Culture in India
Social foundations of Indian politics: Language and Ethnicity, Religion and their role. Caste politics in India. Constitutional provisions for SCs. Tribals in Indian politics: Special provisions for STs. Regionalisation of Indian politics. Unit II: Party System
Features and trends-major national political parties in India: Ideologies and programmes; Role of regional parties in the context of national coalition politics
Classes and Interests: Role of pressure groups, trade unions and peasant organizations Women in Indian politics. Unit III: Administrative structure of the Union Government

Staff Agencies: UPSC, Finance Commission. Civil Service in India: Recruitment, Service Conditions and Issue of neutrality: Role of Bureaucracy. District administration in India. Administrative reforms. Unit IV: Planning in India
Objectives, mixed Economy, Structure of Planning (organization and role of Planning Commission)- Planning and Liberalisation. Determinants of India's Foreign Policy: Domestic and External
Making of India's Foreign Policy: Role of Pressure Groups, Parliament, Cabinet, MEA and PMO Major issues in India's Foreign Policy: The Security Issues; Energy
Practice of Foreign policy of Indian Government: Non Alignment and its Relevance, Non Alignment in Post Cold War scenario, Gujral Doctrine, -India’s relations with USA. India and USSR/ Russia. India’s relations with neighbours (Pakistan, China). Select Readings:
 Jayantanuj Bandopadhyay, The Making of India's Foreign Policy: Determinants, Institutions, Processes, and Personalities.
 Kanti P. Bajpai & Siddharth Mallavarapu, International Relations in India: Theorising the region and nation.
 Bimal(a) Prasad (ed), India's foreign policy: studies in continuity and change
 Sriram Maheswary, Planning in India
 Bidyut Chakrabarti and Mohit Bhattacharya, Public Administration: A Reader.
 Atul Kohli, Democracy and Discontent: India's Growing Crisis of Governability (1991).
 Rajani Kotari, Politics in India; Caste in Indian Politics
 Partha Chattejee, The Nation and its Fragments: Colonial and Postcolonial Histories.
 Paul Brass, Politics of India since independence
 U.R.Ghai- Foreign policy of India.
 Ramesh K.Arora and Rajni Goyal - Indian Public Administration.
 V.N. Khanna, India’s Foreign Policy

POL-UG-C602: Modern Political Theory Unit I: Meaning, need for and functions of Theory of Politics
Concepts, models and theory. Different types of Theories: Normative, Empirical, Critical- General Theory. Theories on Equality, Justice (John Rawls) and Rights and their critiques. Theory of Nationalism- Nationalism in the Third World-Nationalism and Globalisation. Unit II: Democracy and Liberalism
Democracy: Theories of Protective, Developmental and Participatory Democracy Political Obligation and Resistance: Hobbes and Locke
Liberalism: Classical and Modern-Neo-liberalism. Unit III: Critiques of Liberalism
Communitarianism (main arguments and ideas), Feminism (Different variants of Feminism and Indian Feminist Ideas) and Environmentalism. Conservatism
Fascism and Neo right ( General Features)

Unit IV: Marxist Analysis
Theory of Class Struggle- Theory of State- Question of Relative Autonomy of the State (Gramsci and recent Marxist authors). Neo-marxism-Herbert Marcuse and one dimensional man. Select Readings:
 Bhargava Rajeev and Ashok Acharya (eds.), (2008), Political Theory: An Introduction.
 Antonio Gramsci, Prison Notes
 Tom Bottomore, Dictionary of Marxist Thought
 Alison Jaggar (1983), Feminist Politics and Human Nature.
 Meszaros Istvar, (1970), Marx’s theory of Alienation.
 Nicoloson Lynda J. (ed.), (1990), Feminism/ Postmodernism.
 Rodinson Maxine, (1980), Marxism and the Muslim World.
 Goodin, Robert E. and Hans-Dieter Klingemann (ed.), (1996), A New Handbook of Political Science.
 Harrison Ross, (1993), Democracy.
 Miller David and Larry Siedentop (eds.), (1983), The Nature of Political Theory.
 Rawls John, (1971), A Theory of Justice.
 McKinnon Catriona (ed), (2008), Issues in Political Theory.