GI5055 - Political Ideas in Modernity: From Renaissance to Revolution (2024/25)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2024/25 | ||||||||||||
| Module title | Political Ideas in Modernity: From Renaissance to Revolution | ||||||||||||
| Module level | Intermediate (05) | ||||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||||||
| School | School of Social Sciences and Professions | ||||||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||||||
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| Running in 2024/25(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
This module traces the development of western political thought in from the 15th to the twenty-first centuries by investigating and criticising a series of key texts from Machiavelli’s Prince to Karl Marx’s writing on revolution, and 19th century anarchism. It places particular emphasis on the changing role of the state, and the relationship between citizens and the state; it encourages reflection on the meaning and practice of political concepts including rights, equality, liberty, and political participation.
You will be encouraged to:
1. understand the relevance of political theory to politics and international relations,
2. understand the different approaches to justifying and criticising political action,
3. explore the development of political ideas and theories,
4. develop an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of current political
5. issues,
6. develop transferable skills in analysis of texts and ideas, articulation of arguments,
7. and presentation of research findings, as well as academic reading and writing.
Prior learning requirements
None. Available for Study Abroad
Syllabus
The syllabus will include:
• Renaissance and Modernity: Machiavelli and Christine de Pisan;
• Rethinking the State: Patriarchy, Contract and Thomas Hobbes
• Rethinking Obligation: John Locke
• French Enlightenment: the philosophs, Rousseau and Olympe de Gouges
• English Enlightenment: Burke and Paine
• The Radicals: Godwin and Wollstonecraft
• Scottish Enlightenment: Adam Smith
• Liberal Democracy: Bentham, the Mills and Harriet Taylor
• Revolution: Marx
• Rediscovering Anarchism: Kropotkin, Emma Goldman and Lucy Parsons
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
Each student has 3 contact hours per week over 15 weeks: a two-hour interactive lecture and one hour seminar. Students are expected to undertake a further 9 hours per week of preparation and private study.
Discussion and debate is central to the module, hence, participation in lecture-time is encouraged as well as participative seminars. Student presentations may be included in seminars. (LO 3, 4, 5)
Research and writing skills are encouraged through classes devoted to practising writing and feedback on writing, as well as the inclusion of writing tasks that are excluded from the final module classification. (LO 3, 4, 5)
Blended learning is achieved through the use of weblearn to suggest on-line resources and activities as well as providing sources for research and writing support, lecture notes, and feedback on assessments.
Employability is addressed through the development of analytical abilities, presentation skills, research and writing practice and encouragement of the ability to think and argue clearly. (LO 1-5)
Learning outcomes
On completion of the is module you will have developed:
1. An understanding of the development of political thought from the 15th century, to the 20th century, covering both influential writers and key concepts
2. An appreciation of the relevance of political theory to the study of politics and international relations
3. An enhanced ability to construct an argument using appropriate texts
4. An ability to present and defend an argument
5. Oral and written presentation skills