Niall O Dochartaigh Contact Information

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Niall O DochartaighContact Information

• Room 318, Aras Moyola
• 091 493594
• Niall.ODochartaigh_at_nuigalway.ie
• Mondays 3.30-4.30
• Tuesdays 10.00-11.00
• www.nuigalway.ie/soc

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Why study politics?
Because its interesting Because its
important Because it shapes our daily
lives Because change is possible
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Studying politics at NUI, Galway
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Soc. and Pol. first year opinion poll 2003/04
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What is Politics?

• An aspect of collective human behaviour
• Making, changing and preserving the rules
• Decision making
• Conflict resolution
• "Politics is the activity through which people
  make, preserve and amend the general rules under
  which they live
• Heywood (1997) Politics, p.4.

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• Is it about parties?
• Is it about government?
• Is it about big ideas?
• The link to power

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Politics and power

• Power in a liberal democracy
• Sovereignty supreme power
• A sovereign state
• The people are sovereign

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• Power and Sovereignty in the Irish constitution
• Article 1
• The Irish nation hereby affirms its inalienable,
  indefeasible, and sovereign right to choose its
  own form of government.
• Article 6
• All powers of government, legislative, executive
  and judicial, derive, under God, from the people