Sri Lanka Advanced Level (A/L) Examination Syllabus - Political Science

This syllabus, implemented from 2017, is designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of political science, enabling them to analyze political processes, institutions, and change. It aims to foster critical thinking and responsible citizenship. The syllabus is structured around 15 competencies, divided across Grades 12 and 13. [

Grade 12

• Introduction to Political Science: This section introduces the nature of politics and political science as a discipline, exploring various approaches to studying politics, including philosophical, comparative, multi-disciplinary, scientific, political-economic, sociological, and feminist approaches.
• Themes of Political Science: This section delves into the core themes of political science, including political philosophy, thought, ideologies, theory, institutions (state, government, political parties, pressure groups, civil society), comparative politics, public administration, and international relations.
• The State: This section examines the concept of the state, its role, different models of states (tribal, city-state, monarchy, colonial, liberal democratic, socialist, fascist, post-colonial, neo-liberal), and theoretical approaches to understanding the state (social contract theory, Marxist theory, liberal theory, feminist theory). Concepts such as state sovereignty, citizenship, functions, institutional structure, and the relationship between state, government, and regime are also explored.
• Models of Government: This section analyzes different models of government based on the distribution of state power (unitary, federal, quasi-federal, confederate) and the organization of executive power (cabinet, presidential, mixed, autocratic). The current government system in Sri Lanka is also analyzed using these models.
• Political Ideologies: This section explores various political ideologies, including liberalism, socialism, republicanism, social democracy, fascism, nationalism, secularism, and feminism. The impact of these ideologies on political processes and institutions is examined.
• Conflicts and Conflict Resolution: This section focuses on the theoretical and practical aspects of conflicts and conflict resolution, including early warning processes, conflict prevention, management, transformation, post-conflict peacebuilding, negotiation, mediation, peace agreements, and reconciliation.
• Colonial Transformation and its Consequences: This section examines the economic, social, and political transformations in Sri Lanka under colonial rule, including the introduction of colonial capitalism, changes in social stratification, the beginnings of representative democracy, and the laying of the foundation for a modern state. The Donoughmore Constitution is specifically referenced.

Grade 13

• Democratic Governance: This section explores the conceptual foundations of democratic governance, including liberal and representative democracy. Characteristics of democratic governance such as constitutionalism, popular sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, rule of law, human rights, limited government, free and fair elections, and public accountability are discussed. The application of these concepts in the Sri Lankan context is also examined.
• Contemporary Models of Government: This section compares different contemporary models of government, including federal systems (American, Indian, Swiss), transforming unitary states (Britain, Sri Lanka), and unitary and centralized states (France).
• Public Policy and Political Processes: This section examines the relationship between public policy and political processes, the role of political parties, civil society, and bureaucracy in policy making and implementation.
• 1978 Constitution: This section analyzes the structure, institutional composition, and balance of power established by the 1978 constitution of Sri Lanka. The impact of the 13th, 17th, 18th, and 19th amendments is also discussed.
• Political Party System in Sri Lanka: This section examines the origin, evolution, features, and trends of the political party system in Sri Lanka, including the dominant two-party system, left and minor parties, ethnicity-based parties, coalitions, and the relationship between the party system and political leadership.
• International Politics: This section explores the differences between national and international politics, governmental and non-governmental actors (nation-states, IGOs, NGOs, multinational companies, eminent persons, terrorist organizations), national power and interests, and main trends in modern world politics (multi-polar world system, alternative international relations networks, new social movements, insurgency movements). The impact of these trends on Sri Lanka is also discussed.
• Sri Lanka and the World: This section examines the foreign policy of Sri Lanka, including the factors influencing its conduct, its features and trends, contemporary trends, challenges, and problems. Sri Lanka's relationship with international organizations such as the UN, Commonwealth, Non-Aligned Movement, and international economic and financial organizations is also discussed.