Are the Left wing and Right Wing Still relevant in polotics
Political Philosophy: Are’left wing’ and ‘right wing’ still relevant in politics now?
Mondays 2.30-4.30pm
Starts 26th January
16th February is a Holiday
(Bettina Lange)
8 week course £72.00
Political Philosophy:
Are ‘Left Wing’ and ‘Right Wing’ Still Relevant?
For over two centuries, the terms left wing and right wing have shaped our understanding of politics. Yet in modern democracies, the landscape has become far more complex. Parties once clearly aligned with one side now borrow ideas from the other, and new movements challenge traditional labels altogether.
In this course, Bettina invites you to explore whether the left–right divide still helps us make sense of politics today.
We will examine:
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Classic left-wing traditions: socialism, social democracy, anarchism
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Right-wing currents: conservatism, nationalism, fascism, libertarianism
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The rise of green politics and cross-ideological coalitions
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How populism blurs ideological boundaries
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Whether power is best centralised or distributed across society
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Ideas from key political theorists and modern commentators
Through discussion and guided reading, you will gain greater confidence in understanding political ideas, democratic values and the evolving spectrum of beliefs in the 21st century.
No prior political knowledge is required — just curiosity and an open mind.
