COURSE OUTLINE: The major objective of this course is to introduce the students to some of the key concepts and ideas of politics which shape our political discourse. These concepts are essentially contested concepts and yet inevitable for understanding and explaining the politics of any country or society. A clear understanding of these debates or contestations over some of the key concepts and ideas of politics, it is hoped, will help the students develop their own independent views and judgments about politics and democracy in their own societies as well as in the world at large.