About Politics @ Otago

Politics involves the operation of power in society: physical power, economic power, legal power, and power over opinion. Power is used to pursue the interests of human beings. These interests are often aggregated into alliances, both within countries and across national borders. Politics is the academic discipline that tries to establish how power operates, how people use it to pursue common ends, and how conflict can arise as a result.

The study of politics is one of the oldest academic disciplines. Theories of politics and power are found in all the great civilizations of the world, both ancient and modern. Throughout the centuries students of politics have tried to understand power, but have also been concerned with creating the good society and balancing the pursuit of power with justice and order. Over time, the study of politics have become organized in four sub-disciplines: domestic politics and policy studies, including media and politics; political philosophy; comparative politics; and international relations.

All four sub-disciplines are covered by the Department. The Department offers papers in the fields of New Zealand Politics and Policy Studies; Political Philosophy; Comparative Politics; and International Relations. The Department's approach to the study of politics is a blend of traditional and modern analyses.

William Kennedy Prizes in Politics

There are three prizes on offer for students with Politics as their major:

• William Kennedy Prize for Best 300-level student in Politics
• William Kennedy Prize for Best 300-level Maori student in Politics
• William Kennedy Prize for Best 400-level Dissertation in Politics

Mr William Kennedy was a prominent citizen of Dunedin in the late 19th century, and his granddaughter made a bequest in his name to promote the study of Politics and International Relations at the University of Otago.

The 2012 winners are announced on the news page.

Student Enquiries

Student enquires or concerns relating to academic matters should be directed to the relevant tutor or lecturer in the first place. All administrative enquiries should be directed to the administrative staff of the Department. Students are welcome to raise issues that cannot be resolved by their tutors/lecturers or by the administrative staff with the Head of the Department.

Contacts

Head of Department	Professor William Harris will.harris@otago.ac.nz
The Secretary	Department of Politics University of Otago P O Box 56 Dunedin, NEW ZEALAND Tel: (03) 479-8663 Fax: (03) 479-5024 E-mail: politics@otago.ac.nz
International inquiries	International Office international.admissions@otago.ac.nz
Disability Information and Support	Disabilities The Department encourages students to seek support if they find they are having difficulty with their studies due to disability, temporary or permanent impairment, injury, chronic illness or deafness. Contact: Disability Information and Support Tel (03) 479-8253 E-mail: disabilities@otago.ac.nz or Professor William Harris will.harris@otago.ac.nz
Maori & Pacific Island Liaison	Maori and Pacific Island Students Maori and Pacific Island students are encouraged to make contact with our Liaison Officer, Dr Iati Iati, and with the Head of the Department. iati.iati@otago.ac.nz

Disclaimer:

The Department of Politics makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information provided on its web pages. However the matters covered, including the availability and structure of courses, are subject to regular review and no warranty or representation can be provided regarding the accuracy of such information.