PoliticsQ&A by dot point

Elections and electoral systems: how first-past-the-post and the single transferable vote work, where each is used in the UK and Northern Ireland, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Political parties: their role and functions in a democracy, the difference between the Northern Ireland and wider UK party systems, manifestos, and how parties form or share government.

Taking action in a democracy: the rights and responsibilities of the citizen, the ways people can participate including voting, petitioning, demonstrating and joining a party or pressure group, and the types and methods of pressure groups.

The Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement and the framework of devolution: the principle of consent, the three strands, and the key provisions on power-sharing, decommissioning, prisoner releases and policing reform.

The Northern Ireland Assembly: how MLAs are elected by single transferable vote across eighteen constituencies, and the Assembly's role in making laws, scrutinising the Executive and representing the public.

The Northern Ireland Executive: how ministers are appointed by the d'Hondt method, the joint roles of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, and power-sharing and consociationalism as the basis of devolved government.

The Prime Minister and Cabinet: how the UK government is formed, the powers and role of the Prime Minister, the role of the Cabinet, and collective Cabinet responsibility.

The role of the media in a democracy: informing citizens, scrutinising those in power and shaping opinion, the impact of social media, and concerns about bias, balance and regulation.

The UK Parliament at Westminster: the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the monarch, and Parliament's roles in making law, scrutinising government and representing the public, including Northern Ireland's place at Westminster.

Interdependence and globalisation: why countries are increasingly dependent on one another, the causes of globalisation, and the global issues, such as trade, the environment and security, that require international cooperation.

The European Union: its origins and aims, its main institutions, the rights and obligations of membership, and the arguments for and against belonging, including the UK's departure and Northern Ireland's position.

The United Nations and international cooperation: the aims and main bodies of the UN, its work in peacekeeping and humanitarian aid, the role of NATO and non-governmental organisations, and how effective international cooperation can be.