Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL2059: Political Thought of Modernity

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

Module Aims

To introduce you to the major idioms of political theorising and ideological discourses (e.g. Republicanism, Liberalism, Romanticism, Idealism, Historicism - idealist and materialist, Utilitarianism) from C18th and C19th Europe through the study of selected texts by the major thinkers in the period. To introduce you to the major themes and issues addressed in these texts and some of the major interpretations offered of those texts. To develop your ability to critically assess such interpretations against the texts themselves. To understand the significance of some of the major historical events and contexts both in reading and understanding those texts and as topics addressed in the formation of early modern and modern states, the role of religious controversy, civil war, emergence of commercial society, the French Revolution, industrial capitalism.

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. demonstrate knowledge of major Western political theories of the modern period (Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Marx and J.S. Mill); 2. understand, summarise and interpret complex and abstract arguments in politics and summarise and precis a political theory; 3. appreciate the part played by these theories in the emergence of modern understandings of the state and politics;
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. identify and discuss the major concepts deployed in a theory and their argumentative articulation; 5. engage in both sympathetic interpretation and reasoned criticism of such theories, and to evaluate different interpretations in the light of appropriate evidence;
Personal and Key Skills	6. evaluate ideas, arguments and texts; 7. prepare essays and presentations 8. learn from others by undertaking peer evaluation and take a critical attitude towards your work

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Discussions in lectures and tutorials	During lectures and tutorials	1-6, 8	Verbal

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay one	50	2,000 words	1-8	Written
Essay two	50	2,000 words	1-8	Written
	0
	0
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Essay one	Essay (2,000 words)	1-8	August/September assessment period
Essay two	Essay (2,000 words)	1-8	August/September assessment period

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Indicative Basic Reading List

I. Kant: Political Writings (Cambridge, ed., Reiss)

F. G. Hegel: Philosophy of Right

K. Marx:, Selected Writings (Oxford, ed. D.McLellan)

J.S. Mill: On Liberty and Other Writings

F. Nietzsche: On the Genealogy of Morality

Secondary reading:

Hampsher-Monk, I. (1992) A History of Modern Political Thought: Major Political Thinkers from Hobbes to Marx, Oxford, Blackwell