ATS1071 Political theory in a changing world: Concepts, issues and debates
Faculty of Arts
ATS1071 Political theory in a changing world: Concepts, issues and debates is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Caulfield and Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Caulfield, Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 5 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Reviews
No reviews yetNo reviews yet. Be the first to review ATS1071.
Overview
This unit will introduce you to key ideas in political theory by applying them to cases and controversies central to public debate and policymaking in a rapidly changing world. Through a series of online lectures, tutorials and in-class collaborative activities, as well as a variety of assessment tasks, the unit will provide you with an understanding of key concepts such as freedom, democracy, equality and justice by showing how they underlie government policies as well as social and political mobilization.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Caulfield | On campus |
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
Assessment
- DiscussionDemonstration10%
- Online testsQuiz / Test20%
- Exercise15%
- EssayWritten35%
- MultimediaArtefact20%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
identify and explain key concepts in political theory;
- 2
recognize and evaluate potential tensions and trade-offs between different concepts in political theory;
- 3
analyse contemporary cases and controversies through the critical lens provided by key concepts in political theory;
- 4
apply critical research skills to develop and communicate arguments in written form.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Tutorials24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
Learning resources
Required resources
This unit requires access to a laptop that meets minimum specifications (https://www.monash.edu/esolutions/students/bring-your-own-device-byod). Free specialist software is available via MoVE (https://www.monash.edu/learning-teaching/innovation/learning-technologies/move).
Where it fits
ATS1071 is part of 2 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Nathan Fioritti
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Nathan Fioritti
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS1071?
ATS1071 has no prerequisites.
When is ATS1071 offered?
In 2026, ATS1071 runs in Semester 1 at Caulfield and Clayton.
How much work is ATS1071?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS1071 have an exam?
No. ATS1071 has 5 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS1071?
ATS1071 is part of Politics.