Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3194: Rethinking the Politics of Communities

This module descriptor refers to the 2024/5 academic year.

Module Aims

This module will:

  1. Familiarise you with the history of critical perspectives on the political theory of communities
  2. Introduce you to a series of ways in which the theory of communities has been radicalised in recent political theory
  3. Introduce you by way of a series of case studies to concrete examples of how the concept of community is functioning in contemporary political practices
  4. Reflect on the role the concept of community is likely to play in future developments of political theory

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 Skills1. Articulate what is distinctively political about the concept of community
2. Identify and critically evaluate one or more case studies of how theory and/or practice of community is informing contemporary political activities
Discipline-Specific Skills3. Deploy political theory to assess the significance and import of contemporary theorising of community for politics and public/social policy
4. Evaluate the relative insightfulness of competing theoretical interpretations of political phenomena
Personal and Key Skills5. Engage in constructive peer-evaluation
6. Work effectively in collaboration with peers