Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

This course examines key concepts and ideologies for analyzing and interpreting global social, political, and economic realities, ranging from Conservatism, Liberalism, and Socialism to more contemporary ideological criticism and approaches. The course applies both a historical and comparative framework to the study of ideology. What is the role of ideas in shaping one’s view of the world? This is the primary question that the course seeks to address.

There is one required textbook: Heywood, Andrew. Political Ideologies: An Introduction, Seventh Edition. London, Red Globe Press, 2021. The textbook is available for purchase at the PCC Bookstore.

The course learning objectives are oriented toward building both descriptive knowledge of the course topic as well as analytical and critical thinking skills. Students should come away from the course able to:

•   Define what political ideology is and why it matters
•   Identify the main assumptions underlying different political ideologies
•   Distinguish between different forms of political ideology and discuss historical and contemporary examples of their expression
•   Explain the practical consequences of political ideologies
•   Offer an informed opinion in assessment of different political ideologies
•   Analyze the appeal of different political ideologies and evaluate the ways in which different ideological lenses impact how one interprets the contemporary world