1. Political Theory

• • Discuss the significance of normative approach to Political Theory. [2020]
  • Comment on resurgence of political theory. [2019]
  • Comment on the decline of Political Theory. [2018]
  • Comment on the post behavioural approach. [2016]
  • Examine the importance of behavioral approach in political theory. What led to its decline?. [2021]
  • Systems Approach. [2022]

2. Theories of State

• • Comment on Post Colonial theory of State. [2020]
  • Write a short note on pluralist theory of the State. [2019]
  • Critically examine the neoliberal theory of State. [2018]
  • Comment on neoliberal perspective of the State. [2017]
  • Discuss the feminist theory of the State. [2016]
  • Examine the challenges to sovereignty of the State in the contemporary world. [2015]
  • Feminist critique of the State. [2021]
  • Examine the liberal theory of State in contemporary politics. [2022]

3. Justice

• • Make a comparative assessment of Greek perspective of Justice and Rawlsian perspective of Justice. [2020]
  • Examine communitarian perspectives on justice. [2019]
  • Comment on distributive justice. [2018]
  • Analyse John Rawls’ justification of discrimination to achieve the goals of justice. [2018]
  • ‘Rawls’ theory of justice is both contractual and distributive’. Examine. [2017]
  • Critically examine John Rawls argument for democratic equality. [2016]
  • Comment on difference principle in the Rawls theory of justice. [2015]
  • How has Rawls enriched the idea of justice in liberalism? [2021]
  • Ambedkar''s idea of social justice leads to ''egalitarian justice'' as compared to Rawls'' ''justice as fairness'' which aims at the notion of ''pure procedural justice''. Comment. [2022]
  • Examine the entitlement theory of justice. [2022]

4. Equality

• • Comment on equality of opportunity. [2020]
  • Equality means fair treatment rather than equal treatment. Comment. [2018]
  • Comment on affirmative action. [2016]
  • Affirmative action. [2021]
  • Equality of estates caused equality of power, and equality of power is liberty." Comment. [2022]

5. Rights

• • Assess the significance of right to property in political theory. [2020]
  • Discuss the doctrine of ‘rights as trump’. [2019]
  • What do you understand by three generation of human rights? [2018]
  • What do you understand by multiculturalism? Discuss Bhikhu Parekh’s views on multiculturalism.[2017]
  • The implementation of human rights is regarded as a matter of changing the conduct of states. Comment. [2016]
  • Comment on the idea of Natural Rights. [2015]
  • Equality of outcome as a political idea. [2021]
  • Cultural Relativism [2022]
  • Can there be a universal conception of human rights? Give your arguments. [2021]
  • Human Rights are complex and contested social practice that organises relations between individuals, society and the State. Comment. [2022]

6. Democracy

• • Write a short note on Deliberative democracy. [2019]
  • Comment on Substantive democracy. [2018]
  • Critically examine MacPherson’s views on democracy. [2018]
  • Deliberative democracy does not have its salience without participation and Participatory democracy does not have its credence without deliberations. Comment. [2017]
  • Explicate the features of representative democracy. [2016]
  • Elaborate the difference between participatory and deliberative democracy. [2015]
  • Free and fair deliberation is key to the foundation of democracy.” Explain. [2021]
  • Elitist theory of democracy denies the possibility of democracy as ''rule of the people''. Elucidate. [2022]
  • "The Panchayats with gram Sabhas should be so organised as to identify the resources locally available for the development in agricultural and industrial sectors." Examine the statement in the context of Gram Swaraj. [2022]

7. Power

• • Examine the nature and meaning of power. [2020]
  • Explain the relationship between power, authority and legitimacy. [2018]
  • Distinguish between power and authority. [2015]
  • Discuss the ‘crisis of legitimacy’ in capitalist societies. (Habermas). [2015]
  • Tools of legitimating of the State. [2021]
  • Political ideology is primarily concerned with the allocation and utilization of Power.” Comment. [2021]
  • Bases of Power [2022]

8. Ideologies

• • Liberalism as a revolutionary idea. [2020]
  • Compare negative and positive concepts of liberty. [2019]
  • The political ideology of Globalisation is neoliberalism. Comment. [2016]
  • Define socialism. Discuss the salient features of Fabian socialism. [2017]
  • Discuss the key features of pre-Marxist socialist theory. [2015]
  • What is the contemporary relevance of Marxism? [2019]
  • ‘Nothing against the state, nothing over it, nothing beyond it’. (Mussolini). Comment. [2018]
  • Distinguish between liberal feminism and radical feminism. [2019]
  • Comment on Ecofeminism. [2017]
  • Comment on Postmodernism. [2017]
  • Factors like community, culture and nation weaken the hegemony of neo-liberalism today. Discuss. [2022]

End of Ideology:

• Discuss the end of Ideology debate. [2019]
• Write a brief note on the End of History. [2017]

9. Western Political Thought

• • Trace the evolution of western political thought from ancient to contemporary period. [2020]

Plato:

• Explain Aristotle’s critique of Plato’s Idealism. [2019]
• ‘Plato was an enemy of the open society’. (Popper). Comment. [2015]

Aristotle:

• Explain Aristotle’s critique of Plato’s Idealism. [2019]
• Everywhere inequality is a cause of revolution’. (Aristotle). Comment. [2017]
• Comment on Aristotle’s conception of equality. [2015]
• Explain the Aristotelian view of politics. To what extent do you think it has contributed to the development of modern-day constitutional democracies? [2021]

Machiavelli:

• Comment on Machiavelli on secularism. [2020]
• Critically examine Machiavelli’s views on religion and politics. [2018]
• Compare and contrast the views of Kautilya and Machiavelli on statecraft. [2015]

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke:

• Comment on Hobbesian notion of political obligation. [2017]
• How would I and my fellow human beings behave if we were to find ourselves in a state of nature, and what does this behaviour tell us about our innate predispositions? Thomas Hobbes. Discuss. [2016]
• John Locke is a father of liberalism. Explain. [2018]
• Locke''s Social Contract [2022]
• Individualism is inherent in Hobbes'' absolutist ideology. Comment. [2022]

J.S. Mill:

• Representative democracy…means the people as a body must be able to control the general direction of government policy. (J.S. Mill) [2020]
• John Stuart Mill is a ‘reluctant democrat’. (CL Wayper). Comment. [2018]
• S. Mill''s ideas on women suffrage. [2021]

Karl Marx:

• Discuss Karl Marx’s concept of class. [2020]
• Differentiate between freedom and liberty. Discuss Marx’s notion of freedom. [2017]
• Explain Marx’s understanding of human essence and alienation. [2016]
• Discuss the relationship between base and superstructure in Marxist theory. [2015] 
• Marx''s concept of ''alienation'' is an essential part of the reality in capitalism. Explain. [2021]
• "Revolution in Permanence"[2022]

Gramsci:

• • According to Gramsci, ‘hegemony is primarily based on the organisation of consent.’ Comment. [2019]
  • Comment on Gramsci’s concept of hegemony. [2016]
  • Discuss Gramsci’s notion of organic intellectuals. [2015]

Hannah Arendt:

• • Critically examine Hannah Arendt’s conceptual triad of labour, work and action. [2019]
  • Discuss Hannah Arendt’s analysis of the role of ideology in the modern totalitarian regime. [2016]

10. Indian Political Thought

Ancient thought and Kautilya:

• • Explain the sources of ancient Indian Political Thought. [2020]
  • Discuss Kautilya’s views on the elements of the State. [2019]
  • What do you understand by the notion of statecraft? Discuss the theory of statecraft as given by Kautilya. [2017]
  • Compare and contrast the views of Kautilya and Machiavelli on statecraft. [2015]

Buddhist Political Thought:

• • Do you think that the Buddhist traditions have lent greater ethical foundation to the ancient Indian political thought? Give your arguments. [2021]

Sri Aurobindo:

• • According to Sri Aurobindo, Swaraj is a necessary condition for India to accomplish it’s destined goal. Comment. [2017]
  • Discuss Sri Aurobindo’s views on cultural nationalism. [2016]

Gandhi:

• • Explain ideological components of Gandhism. [2020]
  • Discuss MK Gandhi’s concept of Swaraj. [2019]
  • Examine Gandhi’s critique of modernisation. [2016]
  • Comment on Gandhi’s views on the state. [2015]

B,R. Ambedkar:

• • Comment on Ambedkar on Constitutionalism. [2020]
  • Discuss Ambedkar’s ideas on Annihilation of Caste. [2018]
  • ‘Political democracy could not last unless social democracy lay at its base’. (BR Ambedkar). Comment. [2017]
  • Discuss Dr. BR Ambedkar’s idea of state socialism. [2016]

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan:

• • “When a nation becomes devoid of arts and learning, it invites poverty.” (Sir Syed Ahmad Khan). In the light of this statement, assess the role of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan as a reformer in modern India. [2021]

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