Module Identifier |
IP32220 |
Module Title |
POLITICAL THEORY |
Academic Year |
2006/2007 |
Co-ordinator |
Professor Howard L Williams |
Semester |
Semester 1 |
Other staff |
Professor Howard L Williams |
Course delivery |
Lecture | 14 Hours. (11 x 1 hour) |
|
Seminars / Tutorials | 7 Hours (7 x 1 hour) |
Assessment |
Assessment Type | Assessment Length/Details | Proportion |
Semester Exam | 3 Hours | 100% |
Supplementary Exam | Students may, subject to Faculty approval, have the opportunity to resit this module. For further clarification please contact the Academic Administrator in the Department of International Politics. | |
|
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of politics and ideology.
- Discuss the content and significance of at least three major political doctrines.
- Analyse critically an original text in political theory.
- Evaluate a political argument.
- Demonstrate an ability to construct a political argument.
Brief description
This module provides an advanced introduction to political theory and a close analysis of specific ideas and thinkers.
Aims
The aims of this course are to introduce the student to the use and critical appraisal of some of the principal texts in political thought. This will be done through the study of key classical writers and the investigation of a number of ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism, fascism, socialism, and anarchism.
Content
These are the anticipated lecture topics:
1. Plato's Republic
2. Augustine and the City of God
3. Machiavelli's The Prince
4. The social contract and Liberal political theory ¿ Hobbes, Locke & Rousseau
5. Liberalism and Utilitarianism - John Stuart Mill, James Mill & Bentham
6. Conservatism - contemporary and classical
7. Fascism - is there a coherent ideology?
8. Anarchism - Bakunin, Godwin and Kropotkin
9. Feminism - classical and contemporary
10. Socialism - is there a non-marxist socialism?
Transferable skills
This module will provide the opportunity for students to develop their oral, intellectual and communication skills. In the lectures emphasis will be placed on understanding, following the argument and summarizing it concisely. In the seminars emphasis will be placed on developing clear, cogent and persuasive arguments. The seminars offer the opportunity for students to show independent reasoning and judgement. Essay writing will encourage students to carry out research on their own initiative and to develop their IT presentation skills. The examination will test knowledge retention, comprehension and skills of analysis under conditions of time constraint.
10 ECTS credits
Reading Lists
Books
** Recommended Text
Goodwin, Barbara. Using political ideas /[by] Barbara Goodwin.
0471973432
Hoffman, John Introduction to Political Theory
058247373X
Williams, Howard Ll. International relations in political theory /Howard Williams.
0335156274
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 6