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POL126Social Sciences3 Unitsintermediate

Citizens And The State

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of citizenship and its relationship with the state, with a focus on the Nigerian context. It explores the theories of the state, the rights and obligations of citizens, and the limitations of public authority. The course also examines issues such as legitimacy, political obligation, and the termination of citizenship, while also addressing the challenges of corruption and gender equality in citizenship.

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32.5h

Study Time

13

Weeks

3h

Per Week

none

Math Level

Course Keywords

CitizenshipStateRightsObligationNigeria

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level

Builds on foundational knowledge

65%

intermediate

📚

Math Level

No Math

📖

Learning Type

Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Theories of the State

2

Citizenship and Rights

3

Political Obligation

4

Government Responsibilities

5

Legitimacy and Authority

6

Nigerian State

Total Topics6 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (3 methods)

Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Tutor-Marked Assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Final Examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Computer Based Test

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Political Analyst

Apply your skills in this growing field

Policy Advisor

Apply your skills in this growing field

Civil Servant

Apply your skills in this growing field

Human Rights Advocate

Apply your skills in this growing field

Governance Expert

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

GovernmentNon-Governmental OrganizationsInternational OrganizationsCivil ServicePolitical Consulting

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week

1

Module 1: State in Political Analyses

2h

Unit 1: State in Political Analysis

2 study hours

•Read Unit 1: State in Political Analysis. Understand the definition of a state and its features.
•Define the concept of a state and differentiate it from a political system.
•Identify and explain the key features of a state, including effective governmental authority and sovereignty.

Week

2

Module 1: State in Political Analyses

2h

Unit 2: Origin of the State

2 study hours

•Read Unit 2: Origin of the State. Explore the theory of divine origin and the force explanation.
•Examine the theory of divine origin and its implications for state legitimacy.
•Analyze the force explanation and its role in the formation of states.

Week

3

Module 1: State in Political Analyses

2h

Unit 3: Theories of the State

2 study hours

•Read Unit 3: Theories of the State. Study the social contract theory and the Marxist theory.
•Compare and contrast the social contract theories of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.
•Understand the Marxist theory of the state and its critique of liberal democracy.

Week

4

Module 1: State in Political Analyses

2h

Unit 4: The Nigerian State

2 study hours

•Read Unit 4: The Nigerian State. Review the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial periods.
•Analyze the historical context of the Nigerian state and its impact on citizen-state relations.
•Evaluate the challenges of re-orienting the Nigerian society towards democratic values.

Week

5

Module 1: State in Political Analyses

2h

Unit 5: Society and State Relations

2 study hours

•Read Unit 5: Society and State Relations. Understand the relationship between society and the state.
•Examine the dislocations in state-society relations due to colonialism.
•Assess the role of civil organizations in strengthening the relationship between the state and society.

Week

6

Module 2: Legitimacy and Political Obligation

4h

Unit 1: Principles of Political Obligation

2 study hours

•Read Unit 1: Principles of Political Obligation. Explore the principles of fairness.
•Define political obligation and its basis in social contract theory.
•Understand the principles of fairness as they relate to a citizen's obligation to the state.

Unit 2: Principles of Natural Duty

2 study hours

•Read Unit 2: Principles of Natural Duty. Study the natural duty of justice.
•Explain the principles of natural duty and their application to political obligation.
•Differentiate between negative and positive natural duties.

Week

7

Module 2: Legitimacy and Political Obligation

4h

Unit 3: Moral Constraints of Political Obligation

2 study hours

•Read Unit 3: Moral Constraints of Political Obligation. Understand the concept of morality.
•Define morality and its role in political obligation.
•Examine the conceptions of morality, including individualist ethics and trans-individual ethics.

Unit 4: Public/Basic Goods

2 study hours

•Read Unit 4: Public/Basic Goods. Study the provision of public goods.
•Define public goods and their characteristics.
•Understand the basic principles in the distribution of public goods.

Week

8

Module 2: Legitimacy and Political Obligation

2h

Unit 5: Civil Disobedience

2 study hours

•Read Unit 5: Civil Disobedience. Explore the concept of civil disobedience.
•Analyze civil disobedience as a form of protest and its features.
•Understand the arguments for and against civil disobedience as an act of law violation.

Week

9

Module 3: Citizenship and Rights

4h

Unit 1: Liberty/Freedom

2 study hours

•Read Unit 1: Liberty/Freedom. Understand the concept of liberty.
•Define liberty and freedom and their significance in a political system.
•Explain Berlin's two types of freedom: negative and positive liberty.

Unit 2: Citizenship and Rights

2 study hours

•Read Unit 2: Citizenship and Rights. Study the concept of citizenship.
•Define citizenship and its relationship to rights and obligations.
•Understand the different ways of acquiring citizenship.

Week

10

Module 3: Citizenship and Rights

4h

Unit 3: Contentious Issues of Citizenship

2 study hours

•Read Unit 3: Contentious Issues of Citizenship. Explore the issues of statism and religion.
•Analyze the contentious issues of citizenship, including statism and religion.
•Understand the concepts of patriotism and loyalty in a diverse society.

Unit 4: Gender and Citizenship

2 study hours

•Read Unit 4: Gender and Citizenship. Study the concept of gendered citizenship.
•Differentiate between sex and gender and their relevance to citizenship.
•Understand the issues in contention in gendered citizenship.

Week

11

Module 3: Citizenship and Rights

2h

Unit 5: Rights of Citizenship

2 study hours

•Read Unit 5: Rights of Citizenship. Understand the rights of a citizen.
•Identify the rights of citizenship and their justifications.
•Analyze the relationship between rights and responsibilities.

Week

12

Module 5: Obligations, Termination of Citizenship in Nigeria

4h

Unit 1: General obligation of citizens in Nigeria

2 study hours

•Read Unit 1: General obligation of citizens in Nigeria. Understand the general obligation of citizens in Nigeria.
•Discuss the general obligations of citizens in Nigeria.
•Understand the duties and responsibilities of citizens to the state.

Unit 2: Duties and responsibilities of Citizen to the State

2 study hours

•Read Unit 2: Duties and responsibilities of Citizen to the State. Understand the duties and responsibilities of citizens to the state.
•Discuss the duties and responsibilities of citizens to the state.
•Understand the entitlements of a citizen.

Week

13

Module 5: Obligations, Termination of Citizenship in Nigeria

4h

Unit 3: What are the entitlements of a Citizen?

2 study hours

•Read Unit 3: What are the entitlements of a Citizen?. Understand the entitlements of a citizen.
•Discuss the entitlements of a citizen.
•Understand the termination of citizenship in Nigeria.

Unit 4: Termination of citizenship in Nigeria

2 study hours

•Read Unit 4: Termination of citizenship in Nigeria. Understand the termination of citizenship in Nigeria.
•Discuss the termination of citizenship in Nigeria.
•Understand combating corruption in Nigeria.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

Read the complete course material as provided by NOUN.

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Review all module introductions and summaries to reinforce key concepts.

2

Create flashcards for key terms like 'sovereignty,' 'legitimacy,' and 'citizenship.'

3

Focus on understanding the different theories of the state (social contract, Marxist) and their implications.

4

Practice essay questions comparing and contrasting the perspectives of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

5

Analyze case studies of Nigerian political events to apply course concepts to real-world situations.

6

Create a timeline of key events in the development of Nigerian citizenship and statehood.

7

Pay close attention to the constitutional provisions related to rights, obligations, and limitations of power.

8

Prepare arguments for and against civil disobedience, considering different ethical frameworks.

9

Study the various forms of corruption and their impact on Nigerian society.

10

Review all Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) and self-assessment exercises for potential exam questions.

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