Postgraduate Module Descriptor

POLM806: Topics and Texts in Social and Political Thought

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Aims

This module is part of the core for MA programmes in the History of Political Thought, Modern Continental Political Thought, and Social and Political Thought, but it is also open to other students on related philosophy and other MA programmes. It will be run in conjunction with the Political Theory Reading Group, a postgraduate and faculty research seminar series in the Politics Department, and it will allow some freedom for MA students to shape the content of the reading group with the agreement of the reading group organizers. Its aims are: to familiarise postgraduate students with some key texts and topics in social and political philosophy and cognate philosophical disciplines; to develop analytical skills by close reading of texts; to expose students to a variety of approaches and methodological positions in theoretical and philosophical disciplines; and to promote interdisciplinarity.It will also aim to help students to select the topic for their final dissertation and equip them with the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to carry out an independent piece of research.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Critically analyse arguments by reading and discussing key texts in seminars; 2. Present concisely sophisticated arguments; 3. Explain difficult points to an audience also of non specialists; 4. Identify key aspects of a philosophical and theoretical debate.
Discipline-Specific Skills	5. Analyse arguments; 6. Criticise texts 7. Introduce discussions, 8. Write well-argued essays, and question received ideas.
Personal and Key Skills	9. Construct and evaluate ideas, 10. Formulate and express ideas at different levels of abstraction, 11. Assess and criticise the views of others and to undertake an individual research project.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module will engage with some of the 'foundational texts' covered in the core modules of the relevant MA. It will also involve reading a wider variety of texts in philosophy and social and political theory, exploring the interconnection between different philosophical fields and different philosophical approaches. The selection of texts and topics for the Reading Group meetings will be student-led. Students will also be supervised for the selection of the topic of their dissertation.

A series of two-hour seminars, also with the participation of staff, research students, and students from others MAs, introduced by the students taking the Ma Programmes in Political Theory. A series of preparatory classes to select the topics for presentation and the topic for the final dissertation.

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
19	131	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	15	10 x 1.5 hour seminars
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	4	Supervision
Guided independent study	131	Independent study

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).