DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Course Review

Although I am still waiting for the exam result, this course is effectively over bar the uncertainty over the final grade. I am therefore effectively half way through the PPE course, 3 courses and 180 points completed, 3 courses and 180 points left to go (albeit at a higher level).

I would be surprised and probably devastated to get less than a Pass2, and if the markers are generous and the grade boundaries are a bit flexible then there is always the possibility, and maybe even an outside chance, of a Pass1. The OU website course information says that the results will be available by the 2nd August, which means, going by last years experience, that they will be released ON the 2nd August.

So what did I think of DD203. It was a broadly interesting course, although there was a lot less discussion of ideologies and political ideas than I imagined there would be, but maybe that happens a bit more at Level 3. It does however encourage you to think differently about 'how' and 'why' things are as they are and 'who' and 'how' it can be changed, and this is probably more important that out of date ideologies. I think the main thing I would say to anybody starting DD203 is get engaged with the "reading across as well as down" themes of the course early. It all became clear towards the end and I possibly failed to benefit from recognising where the themes were until too late.

I would also say that people should listen and watch the videos ahead of the course timetable. As soon as the website is open download all of the audios and especially the theme lectures at the end of the course and spend a while going through these before the course gets going proper, and then return and review them periodically. I'm not sure what the materials will be like for the economics module but I intend to try and make better use of the audio/video materials next time round. I was listening to the audios almost solidly in the car for the week or so before the exam and that really helped with the revision.

The other thing is that different tutors can make a real difference to your experience. I have heard of some who were fairly poor and others who were extremely helpful. I had a tutor who held good tutorials but nothing really happened on the tutorial group forum. Others had very active tutorial group forums and lots of additional material from their tutor pointing them in the correct direction for the TMAs. As with the last course (A222) the main course forum didn't really do it for me, too much happens too quickly and it just takes too long to separate the useful and interesting posts from the dross. A222 at least split the forum up into sections which helped keep discussions on track and that was better than this course - but maybe I'm just not a forum orientated person.

Breaking the course down, this is what I think I got out of it.........


Book 1 : What Is Politics

 

Discussion of where politics happens and who does politics. Wide/Narrow and Sceptical/Optimistic views discussed. The book's discussion revolves around immigration and asylum seekers.


Book 2 : Exploring Political Worlds

 Discussion of comparative explanation of political differences between countries, and the problems with using comparisons.


Book 3 : Politics and Power in the UK

Does what it says on the cover. How the UK came to be, the constitution, devolution, the power of the PM and women's under representation in politics.

Book 4: Living Political Ideas

This book just didn't grab me. Strange, 'cos it was what I thought I would have been most interested in. It all just seemed a bit devoid of substance, left me feeling we were trying to "knit a jumper from fog". The Smith 'workbench and toolbox' analogy which was made out to be important just seemed incomplete.

Book 5 : Making Policy, Shaping Lives

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. There was some interesting case studies and the chapter on disability politics was a great read, really interesting. Chapter 5 seemed a bit lost, being a narrative conversational account of the previous 4 chapters, so I couldn't really see what it achieved.

Power and Structures : Chapter 1s

This was my back-up theme for the exam, but didn't need/use it. What is power and what structures and systems allow power to be exercised.

Centre and Periphery : Chapter 2s

Most interesting and probably the most easily understood theme. C&P comes up almost everywhere and can be applied to almost any situation. It was a real shame that this was TMA06 and not in the exam.

Participation and Dissent : Chapter 3s

Didn't really get totally in to this theme. Dissent is a form of participation, insider/outsider, associational/promotional groups etc. Power networks and the like......

Equality and Difference : Chapter 4s

The politics of equality and difference is far more interesting, the notion of equal but different, equality on different levels and equality versus justice are all very relevant and there were good and interesting case studies to backup this theme.

Evidence and Argument : Chapter 5s

Constructing arguments - explanation, recommendation and case studies. Rational Choice Model, Functional Model or Interpretative Model, comparative study of politics. The study of spin, use of language, control of media and presentation of information - all very relevant to dissecting the argument.

So, that was DD203, mostly interesting, sometimes a bit of a slog. The trick is to get the Books and Themes sorted early on and keep re-reading the books and notes so that the ideas sink in well before the revision has to start.

Like all study, easy to say, but harder to do.