Course code

RIT6101.YK

old course code

Course title in Estonian

Riik, poliitika ja valitsemine

Course title in English

State, Politics and Government

ECTS credits

6.0

Assessment form

assessment

lecturer of 2026/2027 Autumn semester

Joonatan Nõgisto (language of instruction:English, Estonian)

lecturer of 2026/2027 Spring semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

To provide a foundation for the scientific understanding of state power, politics, and systems of governance by introducing central concepts and theories in political science and their application in the conceptualization and explanation of political institutions and processes.

Brief description of the course

The course will address the following topics: the basic concepts of state, politics and government, and their study in political science; theories of political power, authority and statehood; political regimes and democratic governance; political ideologies; political culture, political participation and social movements; political parties, party systems and elections; the organisation of state power, including key institutions, their functions, interrelations and checks and balances; the public sector and political economy; the policy-making process; and governance at the state, local and international levels.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- understands and correctly uses the core concepts and theories related to the state, politics, and government;
-distinguishes and compares important scientific approaches to state power, politics, and systems of governance, understanding their theoretical foundations;
-compares political systems across countries, identifying differences in political culture, patterns of political participation, institutional structures, and systems of governance;
-analyzes and explains political institutions and processes using appropriate concepts and theoretical frameworks.

Teacher

Joonatan Nõgisto

The course is a prerequisite

Study programmes containing that course

Journalism (BFAB/27.FK)
Law (AKLB/26.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/26-t.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/26-o.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/26.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/26-o.YK)
Social Pedagogy (STSPB/26-o.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/26-o.YK)
History (AIAJB/26.HT)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/26.YK)
Law (AKOB/26-o.YK)
Journalism (KOAB/26.FK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/26-t.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/26-o.YK)
Social Pedagogy (STSPB/26-t.YK)
Philosophy, Politics and Economics (HFPMB/26.HT)
Social Work (STSTB/26-t.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/25-t.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/25.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/25-o.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/25-o.YK)
Social Pedagogy (STSPB/25-o.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/25-o.YK)
Social Pedagogy (STSPB/25-t.YK)
Law (AKLB/25.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/25-t.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/25-o.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/25-t.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/25.YK)
Journalism (KOAB/25.FK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/25-t.YK)
History (AIAJB/25.HT)
Law (AKOB/25-o.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/24-o.YK)
Social Pedagogy (STSPB/24-o.YK)
Social Pedagogy (STSPB/24-t.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/24-t.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/24-o.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/24-t.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/24-t.YK)
History (AIAJB/24.HT)
Social Work (STSTB/24-o.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/24.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/24.YK)
Law (AKOB/24-o.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/24-t.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/24-o.YK)
Journalism (KOAB/24.FK)
Law (AKLB/24.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/23.YK)
Law (AKLB/23-hel.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/23-o.YK )
Social Work (STSTB/23-t.YK)
Law (AKOB/23-o.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/23-o.YK)
Law (AKLB/23.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/23-o.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/23.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/23-t.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/23-o.YK)
Journalism (KOAB/23.FK)
History (AIAJB/23.HT)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/23-t.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/23-t.YK)
Law (AKLB/22-hel.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/22.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/22-o.YK)
History (AIAJB/22.HT)
Law (AKOB/22-t.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/22.YK)
Journalism (KOAB/22.FK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/22-t.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/22.YK)
Law (AKLB/22.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/22.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/22.YK)
Law (AKOB/22-o.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/21.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/21.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/21.YK)
Law (AKLB/21.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/21.YK)
Teacher of Computer Science (IFIOM/22.DT)
History (AIAJB/21.HT)
Sociology (RASLB/21.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/21.YK)
Law (AKLB/21-hel.YK)
Journalism (KOAB/21.FK)
Law (AKOB/21.YK)
History (AIAJB/20.HT)
Journalism (KOAB/20.FK)
Law (AKOB/20.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/20.YK)
Teacher of Computer Science (IFIOM/21.DT)
Social Work (STSTB/20.YK)
Law (AKLB/20.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/20.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/20.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/20.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/20.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/19.YK)
Law (AKLB/19.YK)
Teacher of Computer Science (IFIOM/20.DT)
Journalism (KOAB/19.FK)
History (AIAJB/19.HT)
Law (AKOB/19.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/19.YK)
Primary School Teacher (KAKLI/17.HR)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/19.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/19.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/19.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/19.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/18.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/18.YK)
History (AIAJB/18.HT)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/18.YK)
Law (AKOB/18.YK)
Law (AKLB/18.YK)
Teacher of Computer Science (IFIOM/19.DT)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/18.YK)
Journalism (KOAB/18.FK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/18.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/18.YK)
Journalism (KOAB/17.FK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/17.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/17.YK)
Law (AKLB/17.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/17.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/17.YK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/17.YK)
History (AIAJB/17.HT)
Sociology (RASLB/17.YK)
Law (AKOB/17.YK)
Law (AKOB/16.YK)
Sociology (RASLB/16.YK)
Politics and Governance (RIPGB/16.YK)
Liberal Arts in Social Sciences (KKLSB/16.YK)
Social Work (STSTB/16.YK)
Law (AKLB/16.YK)
History (AIAJB/16.HT)
Journalism (KOAB/16.FK)
Public and Business Management (RIHKB/16.YK)
Politics and Government (RIRIB/16.YK)
History (AIAJB/00.HT)