History of Political Thought
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| INTS1020 | School of International Studies | 1 | 20 | Spring China |
- Code
- INTS1020
- School
- School of International Studies
- Level
- 1
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring China
Summary
This module introduces students to the ideas of a selection of the canonical thinkers in the history of Western political thought, ranging from antiquity to the post-world war two modern era. This may include but not be restricted to Plato, Cicero, Augustine, Hugo Grotius, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Edmund Burke, G.W.F. Hegel, J. S. Mill, Max Weber, Carl Schmitt and Hannah Arendt. The module considers a contextualised approach of these thinkers following the study of key thinkers in their historical, political and social context. Students will be able to evaluate these contributions to modern political thought and practice with reference to key political ideas and deep historical contextualisation in intellectual history. The course takes the history of concept and the Cambridge School of Intellectual history as a framework for interpretation and will be based mainly on primary sources of the discussed thinkers.
Please note: This module is assessed at the end of Spring semester. First sit/ Re-sit exams are scheduled normally in the summer and can take the same form as the missing/ failed component of the assessment (exam, essay etc.) or other form, as decided by the School.
Target Students
Available to second year UG students in the School of International Studies. Also available to students in the Faculty of FHSS. Available to JYA/Exchange/ Erasmus+ students.
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 10 weeks
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks
Students will be expected to prepare for seminar discussion tasks in the form of short non-assessed ‘mock’ essays, summaries, and interpretations of selected primary sources (‘gobbets’).
Assessment
- 50% Coursework 1: 2000 word essay
- 50% Exam (2-hour): 2 hour exam
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
1. To provide students with an introduction to the history of Western political thought and intellectual history;2. To introduce students to some major figures and key texts in the canon of the history of Western political thought;3. To place the authors, their texts and their arguments within an appropriate historical context;4. To introduce students to some of the central conceptual issues and debates in political and social thought, intellectual history and the history of concepts;5. To introduce students to technical skills in the approach to the interpretation of the texts.6. to encourage students to be aware to the social, historical and cultural contexts which shape epistemologies, and address issues of inclusion and exclusionLearning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding:
• Students will be able to engage critically with primary sources in historical context and their arguments.
• Students will be able to engage critically with the interpretations of these texts offered by others.
• Students will improve their ability to develop their own coherent, systematic arguments.
• Students will be able to engage critically in groups with their fellow students in interpreting primary sources and their interpretations.
• Students will be able to demonstrate a deep understanding of the key texts in the history of Western political thought and intellectual history.
• Students will be able to demonstrate a familiarity with and understanding of the relevant historical context within which the canonical texts were written.
Transferable/Key Skills:
• Students will be able to engage in effective communication with others employing electronic media on-line.
• Students will be able to use the internet to identify relevant sources of information for their coursework.
• Students will be able to communicate their knowledge and understanding of the issues addressed by the module effectively in writing and discussions.
• Students will be able to summarise and present other people’s ideas coherently in a variety of formats
• Students will develop their skills in relation to effective time management.
Intellectual Skills:
• Students will be able to analyse and consider the relationship between the historical context and the canonical text.
• Students will be able to interpret and apply abstract concepts.
• Students will be able to analyse and interpret key intellectual texts.
• Students will be able to engage in conceptual analysis in relation to texts and their meaning.
Conveners
- Dr Joseph Askew