Ideologies are responses to concrete social and political problems and aspire to orient people’s understanding and behaviour. This course will focus on the most influential political ideologies, illustrating their key themes, historical context, social origins, values and goals. The readings and class discussions aim to help students orient themselves within the many ideologies which have influenced politics, and to help them understand their own political awareness and understanding. Topics include liberalism and Western democracies; capitalism; conservatism; Marxism and anarchism; Socialism and Communism; Fascism and finally ‘post-modern ideologies’ such as nativism, Feminism and Ecologism. The focus of the course is very much on debate and contemporary relevance and in addition to seminars students will attend relevant talks and lectures held during the semester at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government and other academic institutions. Some background study in politics will be required to take this course.