A-Level Links

Politics

  
Political Science Resources   Guardian Unlimited Politics  
As Politics sites go, this is probably one of the best if you're looking for a launch-site from which to start an investigation / search. In basic terms, the site has collected a huge range of links on a large number of topics (too many to list here, but it includes British and International politics, Political Theory, Elections around the world - you probably get the picture). As the author says, if it's not linked from this site then it's not worth linking to... This is another in the burgeoning "Guardian Unlimited" series of web sites that look set, at the very least, to take-over the English-speaking world. As we've come to expect, it's the usual sophisticated effort laid-out in the usual  Guardian house style. It's basically a spin-off from the main news site but with the added advantage of focusing on politics stories, so you don't have to wade / search through all the other stuff in order to find up-to-the-minute political items...
10 Downing Street   Self-Government  
If you fancy giving that Nice Mr. Blair Move along there sunshine, there's noting to see here... a piece of your mind then you're out of luck. "Open Government" in the UK doesn't actually meaning getting anything from our political masters and mistresses that "they" don't want you to know, but if they want you to know it then it's probably on this site. In basic terms, unless you want to "Take the No.10 tour", the site's mainly useful if you want to keep up-to-date with government policies and initiatives (and who in their right mind wouldn't?). From the trivial (Popular Names!) to the deadly serious (social exclusion and sleeping rough), there's something and nothing for everyone here...  A nicely-designed site providing all kinds of goodies for both teachers and students - it's just a shame it's a (New Right) libertarian site. However, if you want to understand something about this particular political form there are worse sites than this to choose...

You might also want to have a look at the "celebrity supporters of libertarianism" section, containing such famous names as Clint Eastwood and...err...Will Weaton (you know, the horrible kid who was featured in Star Trek: The Next Generation - yeah, the one who made you want to kick the screen every time the little horror appeared).
The Political Compass   British Studies Web Page  
Want to know where you stand politically? Do you see yourself as somewhere to the Left of Bush and Right of Blair (or is that the other way round)? Confused about your "politicality" (a word I've just made-up...)? Then take the test here and find-out your real position on the political map. There's also some more-useful stuff relating to current UK politics and political alignments... A British Council web British Studies web pagesite produced, oddly-enough, in Poland (I'm sure there's a good reason - probably because it's aimed at Polish people perhaps?). Don't let that put you off, however, since the site contains a nice range of articles about various aspects of British politics (from devolution, through government systems, to National Identity). The site also features some quizzes and crossword to keep you amused...
Sociology Bytes Politics   American Politics and Society  
A "Webquest" (a structured web-based scenario involving a task, a process, a reflection and a conclusion) with a sociological spin, this involves reading about three mythical political parties (based on the ideas of Marx, Durkheim and Weber) and answering questions / speculating about possible polices, taking on roles and drawing conclusions. Although designed by an American teacher and with a decidedly US political focus, the task could easily be adapted to UK political studies. Although this may not, at first site, seem particularly relevant to UK students the sample chapters available focus on a range of ideas (such as the function and role of political parties) and issues (global politics, for example) that reflect some of the concerns and preoccupations of the Sociology specification. Teachers looking for potential material to stimulate discussion might also find the "controversies" (non-voting, gun control and immigration controls) useful.
Tutor2u   Politics UK  
Although aimed at students of politics many of the revision topics here are suitable for Sociology students (although the depth and emphasis does tend to be slightly different). The site combines notes with PowerPoint presentations on areas like political parties, voting behaviour and pressure groups (amongst many other things). A publisher's web site promoting, you probably won't be too surprised to learn, Politics UK (5th edition). The main attraction is a large file (650k) of around 30 pages of revision notes. While some of the topics covered are particular to politics A-level there's still plenty of useful information here. The site also has a range of "update files" available (the latest of which is April 05)
DirectGov   UK Politics  
If its public service information you're after - anything from Access to Work to Zimmer frames (I kid you not...) - then this is the site for you. In addition to general information, the site has extensive links to government departments, commissions and so forth that could prove useful for students doing coursework in any of the areas covered (sexual, racial or disability discrimination, for example). Part of the BBC's AS Guru General Studies site, there's some general information about UK political parties and polices here and the chance to "create your own political manifesto" that might occupy you for a few minutes (on a wet afternoon when there's nothing interesting on TV and you've already washed your hair). Flash is used to create some interactive work (such as placing parties on a "Left-Right" Continuum (not, it has to be said, the most exciting activity ever devised) but it's all pretty minimal (and I don't mean that in a "less-is-more" kind of way).
British Election Study 2001/02   CREST  
This web site, promoting the book of the same name, has a number of useful Pdf files available for download on themes like party identification and the relationship between social class and voting - not things likely to set the pulse of the "Person in the street" racing but interesting enough to students and teachers of political sociology (which probably says more than you need to know...). The Centre for Research into Elections and Social Trends, based at Oxford University, boasts some famous political researchers (such as Anthony Heath) amongst its contributors. The site itself is the general repository for a wide range of research papers, all of which are freely-availably for download. A lot of the material is aimed at undergraduates but there's enough here for the dedicated A-level student to get their teeth into.
 General Sociology Links

Politics

  
Red Pepper   British Politics Page  
Advertising itself as the "magazine of the green and radical left", the Red Pepper site contains a couple of sections that may prove useful to A-level students and teachers. The Directory, for example, contains a wide range of links on topics such as Politics, Development, Gender and so forth, while the Archive section contains a selection of articles that have appeared in past issues of the magazine. A wide range of issues (environmentalism, politics, economics, gender, sexuality and so forth) are covered in this section which is worth checking-out for potential classroom / project materials. This is a more-general politics site containing biographical material, election archives, constituency profiles and a massive number of links to political web sites. The site also contains a chat room, news forum and link to Politico's Bookshop (the site sponsor) where, no-doubt, you'll find a range of political books to browse and buy...
Houses of Parliament   Political Parties  
Not as flashy to look at as the No.10 site, but the new design is pleasant enough and the site does, more-or-less, what it aims to do - keep those interested in such matters up-to-date with what's happening (dude) in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The site's quite useful, therefore, if you need to know about the UK parliamentary system - although the material is a little basic and not really aimed at an a-level audience. However, in addition to information about what's going on in Parliament you'll find a huge range of Factsheets here, plus some rather naff Panoramas (for which you'll need QuickTime and a lot of patience unless you have Broadband). Party political web sites are not, in the normal run of events, very exciting places to visit so, in the spirit of political impartiality, I'm just going to list the addresses of any Party sites I find (and don't blame me if you're disappointed when you visit them...):
Labour Party Conservative Party
Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party
Green Party Plaid Cymru
SDLP Alliance Party
Ulster Unionist Democratic Unionist
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