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Other ideologies optional routes
This topic contains the optional ideology routes in the AQA Politics specification: nationalism, feminism, multiculturalism, anarchism and ecologism. Each route includes its key concepts, debates, internal traditions and prescribed thinkers. The routes are alternatives for Paper 3 rather than a requirement to study every ideology in one examination. Answers should preserve option boundaries, define the ideology precisely, relate a thinker to the relevant tradition, and distinguish disagreements within an ideology from disagreements between ideologies. Evaluation should test assumptions about identity, freedom, equality, authority, culture, nature, the state and political change using the evidence specific to the chosen route. Strong A-level responses should define the relevant political concepts, distinguish institutions and actors, use precise evidence and explain the consequences of the argument. Evaluation should test an alternative interpretation, consider the limits of the evidence and reach a judgement that answers the exact command word rather than repeating a general topic description.
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AqaA LevelPoliticsPaper 3 Political ideas
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Nationalism optional route8 objectives
- Understand the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for nationalism.
- Analyse and evaluate debates about the nature of nationalism.
- Analyse and evaluate minority nationalism, state nationalism, recent developments and the extent to which types of nationalism vary.
- Relate Jean-Jacques Rousseau's general will, popular sovereignty and opposition to representative assembly to nationalist thinking.
- Relate Johann Gottfried von Herder's emphasis on language, cultural traditions, nationality and patriotism to nationalist thinking.
- Relate Giuseppe Mazzini's republicanism, nationalism and concept of thought and action to nationalist thinking.
- Relate Marcus Garvey's global mass movement, African economic empowerment and pan-Africanism to nationalist thinking.
- Relate Charles Maurras's integral nationalism, anti-France doctrine and rejection of democratic principles to nationalist thinking.
Feminism optional route9 objectives
- Understand the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for feminism.
- Analyse and evaluate debates about the nature of feminism.
- Analyse and evaluate core feminist views and values concerning equal treatment, recognition of gender differences and affirmative action.
- Analyse and evaluate liberal feminism, radical feminism, difference feminism and post-feminism.
- Relate Charlotte Perkins Gilman's reform Darwinism, role of women and criticism of androcentric culture to feminist thinking.
- Relate Simone de Beauvoir's feminist existentialism and analysis of patriarchal society to feminist thinking.
- Relate Kate Millett's theory of sexual politics and radical feminism to feminist thinking.
- Relate Sheila Rowbotham's analysis of oppression of women and the working class and socialist feminism to feminist thinking.
- Relate bell hooks's intersectionality and analysis of educational and leadership gaps within feminism to feminist thinking.
Multiculturalism optional route9 objectives
- Understand the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for multiculturalism.
- Analyse and evaluate debates about the nature of multiculturalism.
- Analyse and evaluate multiculturalist ideas and values concerning equality of opportunity, anti-discrimination and assimilation.
- Analyse and evaluate integration and segregation.
- Relate Isaiah Berlin's negative and positive freedom to multiculturalist thinking.
- Relate Will Kymlicka's account of minority cultures, rights, status and toleration to multiculturalist thinking.
- Relate Charles Taylor's account of human rights, dignity and a benevolent formula for mutual existence to multiculturalist thinking.
- Relate Tariq Modood's analysis of multiculturalism, cosmopolitanism, assimilation and liberalism to multiculturalist thinking.
- Relate Bikhu Parekh's cultural pluralism and limits of diversity to multiculturalist thinking.
Anarchism optional route9 objectives
- Understand the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for anarchism.
- Analyse and evaluate debates about the nature of anarchism.
- Analyse and evaluate anarchist views concerning individual autonomy, abolition of coercive relationships, opposition to government and society without government.
- Analyse and evaluate individualist and collectivist anarchist traditions.
- Relate Max Stirner's accounts of freedom, the state, individualist anarchism and property to anarchist thinking.
- Relate Mikhail Bakunin's collectivist anarchism and syndicalism to anarchist thinking.
- Relate Emma Goldman's accounts of freedom, self-expression and tactical violence in revolutionary struggle to anarchist thinking.
- Relate Peter Kropotkin's mutual aid and anarchist communism to anarchist thinking.
- Relate Pierre-Joseph Proudhon's anarchy, order without power, workers' associations, co-operatives and property to anarchist thinking.
Ecologism optional route9 objectives
- Understand the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for ecologism.
- Analyse and evaluate debates about the nature of ecologism.
- Analyse and evaluate ecologist views concerning the intrinsic relationship between humankind and nature and sustainability.
- Analyse and evaluate light-green and dark-green approaches.
- Relate Aldo Leopold's wilderness protection, wildlife management and conservation as harmony between people and land to ecologist thinking.
- Relate Rachel Carson's grassroots environmentalism, environmental protection and sustainable resource management to ecologist thinking.
- Relate EF Schumacher's appropriate technology, empowerment, sustainable development and technology transfer to ecologist thinking.
- Relate Carolyn Merchant's analysis of interactions between people and nature, moral concern and participatory democracy to ecologist thinking.
- Relate Murray Bookchin's communalism, anti-capitalism, decentralisation and libertarian municipalism to ecologist thinking.
Key terms
political ideology and prescribed argumentNationalism focusDebates about the nature of nationalism focusMinority nationalism, state nationalism, recent developments and the extent to which types focusconstitutional principles and territorial powerRelate Jean-Jacques Rousseau's general will, popular sovereignty and opposition to representative assembly focusRelate Johann Gottfried von Herder's emphasis on language, cultural traditions, nationality and focusRelate Giuseppe Mazzini's republicanism, nationalism and concept of thought and action to focusRelate Marcus Garvey's global mass movement, African economic empowerment and pan-Africanism to focusRelate Charles Maurras's integral nationalism, anti-France doctrine and rejection of democratic principles focusFeminism focusDebates about the nature of feminism focus
Exam tips
- Nationalism optional route Politics exam tip 1: Use a precise political example to support each developed point. Apply this to understand the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for nationalism..
- Nationalism optional route Politics exam tip 1: Use a precise political example to support each developed point. Apply this to analyse and evaluate debates about the nature of nationalism..
Common mistakes
- Nationalism optional route Politics mistake 1: Add a competing viewpoint, test it with political evidence, explain its limit and reach a substantiated judgement. Keep AO1, AO2 and AO3 distinct.
- Nationalism optional route Politics mistake 1: Add a competing viewpoint, test it with political evidence, explain its limit and reach a substantiated judgement. Keep AO1, AO2 and AO3 distinct.
Practice preview
- What evidence would allow a candidate to assess prescribed concepts terminology nationalism — the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for nationalism? Use the relevant political concepts and evidence from Nationalism optional route.
- Which factor deserves greatest weight when evaluating prescribed concepts terminology nationalism — the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for nationalism? Use the relevant political concepts and evidence from Nationalism optional route.
- Which political example would most clearly test prescribed concepts terminology nationalism — the meaning of the prescribed key concepts and terminology for nationalism? Use the relevant political concepts and evidence from Nationalism optional route.
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