EdX

Discover Political Science (edX)

Offered by LouvainX, Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL,
Discover Political Science (edX)

Understand current political stakes as you learn about important concepts and how to analyze politics with a critical point of view. Politics impact all of us. Everyday, political decisions impact many areas of our lives. In the 21st century, multiple paradoxes blur our vision of these decisions. The course aims at understanding and explaining political phenomena from a critical standpoint.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see EdX's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

  • In which context are these decisions made?
  • What is power in a multi-level society?
  • Does the state remain the main political actor, if it is in competition with international and regional organizations?
  • Can democracy – pushed forward by the international community – coexist with authoritarian, or even totalitarian, regimes?
  • What is the role of ideologies in contemporary politics?

The course material and exercises are in English but please note that the videos are in French with English subtitles.

What you'll learn
At the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Define and explain concepts of political science
  • Link concepts with their authors and, more broadly, with the concrete phenomena they refer to
  • Understand how to analyze political events
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Il potere dei sondaggi (edX) EdX
University of Naples Federico II,FedericaX

Il potere dei sondaggi (edX)

Social Sciences

Ascoltare, capire e governare l'opinione pubblica. I sondaggi sono diventati un elemento centrale della cassetta degli attrezzi degli attori della politica e dell'informazione. Questo corso offre un viaggio all'interno del mondo dei sondaggi, nel modo in cui sono stati usati nel tempo, per riscoprire il loro valore principale di strumento della democrazia e per eliminare i rischi di un utilizzo distorto dei sondaggi. Gli insuccessi incassati negli ultimi anni dagli exit polls hanno contribuito a rilanciare il dibattito sull’attendibilità e l’utilità dello strumento sondaggistico.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Politics Communication Strategy Public Opinion
Details
Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World (Coursera) Coursera
University of London,SOAS University of London

Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World (Coursera)

Social Sciences

The course offers a well-researched and broad-ranging primer to the United Nations system. Consisting of an introduction to the complex UN family and its history, and a series of ‘snapshots’ of key UN functions, which are used to explore important UN themes and help learners develop important analysis, communication, and policy-based skills.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Politics Human Rights Social Sciences
Details
Le droit, est-ce pour moi ? (FUN) FUN
Université Panthéon-Assas Paris II

Le droit, est-ce pour moi ? (FUN)

Education Law

Le Droit vous passionne depuis toujours. C’est cette voie que vous voulez choisir. Mais êtes-vous sûr de ne pas vous tromper ? Comment savoir si les études de vos rêves ne vont pas virer au cauchemar ? Plongez tout de suite au cœur de cet univers fascinant pour les uns, hermétique pour les autres. Venez découvrir le secret des cours, de la vie étudiante et des métiers du droit avec l’Université Panthéon-Assas. Et ne restez pas sans réponse face à cette cruciale question : « Le droit, est-ce vraiment pour moi ?

Oct 19th 2021
5-12 Weeks
Law Political Science Student
Details
China’s First Empires and the Rise of Buddhism (edX) EdX
HarvardX,Harvard University

China’s First Empires and the Rise of Buddhism (edX)

Humanities History

Learn about the Qin and Han dynasties, and how Buddhism and ideas of self-realization influenced the medieval period. This course, the second in a collection on Chinese history and culture, addresses how the Qin dynasty conquered China and established a new system of government and how the Han dynasty built a stable, centralized empire that lasted for hundreds of years. We cover the early history of Buddhism in China and how the rising feudal aristocracy responded to the loss of empire by looking inward.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
History Art China
Details
Gender and Development (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Deakin University

Gender and Development (FutureLearn)

Management & Leadership Social Sciences

Does gender matter in international and community development? Find out in this free online course. Explore the relationship between gender and development. This online course explores why gender matters in contemporary international and community development, asking you to: explore the challenges for achieving gender justice throughout the world; examine the concepts of gender, development and what brings gender and development together.

Jul 3rd 2023
2 Weeks
Community Politics Gender
Details
Transitology – Pathways to and from Democracy (GCHumanRights) Global Campus of Human Rights
Global Campus of Human Rights

Transitology – Pathways to and from Democracy (GCHumanRights)

Education Humanities

In this MOOC, academic lecturers in the field of Regime/System Transformation, Quality of Democracy, Elections, and Comparative Politics have been invited to teach, as well as practitioners, data analysts, and policymakers from countries that are currently struggling with the backsliding of democratic institutions and/or are in demanding political regime change in their countries. **Registration deadline: 12 March 2023**

Feb 20th 2023
5-12 Weeks
Democracy Human Rights Political Science
Details
Come ci si governa nel mondo (e in Italia) (Federica Web Learning) Federica Web Learning
University of Naples Federico II

Come ci si governa nel mondo (e in Italia) (Federica Web Learning)

Social Sciences

Com’è organizzato il potere politico nelle nostre democrazie? Chi comanda e perché? Su quali basi giuridiche? Secondo quali soluzioni organizzative, o 'modelli', appunto? Sviluppatisi sulla base di quali criteri e principi? Adottati seguendo quali tradizioni culturali? Con quali vantaggi e quali svantaggi? Perseguendo quali obiettivi e nel rispetto di quali valori? E come si comportano quei diversi 'modelli' nella loro dinamica? Questo, è un corso giuridico, anche se, come vedremo subito, si avvale di altre discipline fino al punto che lo si potrebbe considerare – in realtà – multidisciplinare.

May 11th 2017
No Information
Politics Political Science Political Power
Details
Digitalization in International Relations (Coursera) Coursera
Saint Petersburg State University

Digitalization in International Relations (Coursera)

Security & Networking

Course participants will gain fundamental knowledge and practical skills regarding how to apply big data analysis, social media methods of analysis, how to build a digital information campaign strategy, how to operate by legal and technical components of global Internet governance in the practice of multilateral negotiations, and how to detect flaws and threats in the field of digital voting.

Jul 18th 2022
5-12 Weeks
Analysis Security Politics
Details
Civic Engagement in American Democracy (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

Civic Engagement in American Democracy (Coursera)

Social Sciences

So how does the American political system work? Who are some of the key actors? What are key concepts for a student trying to understand what’s going on? How can I as a citizen influence politics? Civic Engagement in American Democracy takes on these and other key questions. We’re Dr. Nicholas Carnes and Dr. Bruce Jentleson, the principal course instructors. Along with our Duke faculty colleagues who also contributed modules, we’ve designed the course to provide a strong foundational introduction to US politics.

Aug 10th 2026
4 Weeks
Government Politics Democracy
Details