LC Politics & Society study guide
LC Politics & Society · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
LC Politics & Society is a subject examination in politics and sociology, typically taken as part of the Irish Leaving Certificate. It suits students who want to understand how power is organised, how societies are stratified, and how ideas shape institutions, rather than memorise a list of facts. The LC Politics & Society study guide has 9 sections and about 2,745 words.
01Political Structures and Institutions
Political Structures and Institutions is the architecture domain: it asks you to explain who holds what power, how institutions check one another, and how the Irish system compares with the EU and international bodies. Exam questions typically require both description and evaluation - for example, 'discuss the effectiveness of the Oireachtas' or 'compare the Irish and EU legislative processes'.
372 words, about 2 min02Power, Authority and Legitimacy
Power, Authority and Legitimacy is the conceptual heart of the course. It tests whether you can distinguish the capacity to make others act (power) from the recognised right to do so (authority), and whether you can apply Max Weber and Steven Lukes to Irish and international examples rather than reciting definitions.
343 words, about 2 min03Democracy, Participation and Representation
Democracy, Participation and Representation tests how democratic systems convert preferences into decisions. You need to distinguish models of democracy, evaluate participation mechanisms, and judge whether representation is descriptive, substantive or symbolic.
287 words, about 1 min04Ideology and Political Thought
Ideology and Political Thought asks you to decode the assumptions behind policies and party programmes. You must define ideology, place thinkers and parties on a spectrum, and apply concepts to concrete debates rather than listing 'isms'.
317 words, about 2 min05Social Stratification, Class and Inequality
Social Stratification, Class and Inequality tests whether you can describe structured inequality, measure it, and explain its reproduction. The exam rewards precise use of Irish data and concepts rather than moralising.
301 words, about 2 min06Identity, Culture and Diversity
Identity, Culture and Diversity examines how people come to see themselves and others, and how culture and power shape that process. You need to show that identity is socially constructed, not simply natural, and apply this to Irish society.
287 words, about 1 min07The State, Economy and Public Policy
The State, Economy and Public Policy connects political authority to economic outcomes. It tests whether you can define the state, explain its economic roles, and analyse a policy cycle using Irish and EU evidence.
275 words, about 1 min08Civil Society, Social Movements and the Media
Civil Society, Social Movements and the Media tests how organised citizens influence power between elections, and how media shape what the public thinks about. You must distinguish civil society from the state and market, and analyse movement tactics and media effects with Irish examples.
292 words, about 1 min09Globalisation and International Relations
Globalisation and International Relations examines interdependence and power beyond the state. You need to define globalisation across dimensions, evaluate its winners and losers, and explain Ireland's place in international institutions.
271 words, about 1 min