Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC3120: Political Thinkers of the Early Twentieth Century

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Please note that this module is only delivered on the Penryn Campus.

Module Aims

This module aims to introduce you to the work of several exemplary thinkers of the early twentieth century who were often also participants in the events they reflected on. You will be encouraged to read closely and interpret seminal political texts that informed and animated these thinkers’ contemporaries and have continued to be read and to influence political actors since their publication. The module aims to enhance your understanding of the relation between the biographies of the thinkers examined, the historical context in which they wrote and their enduring significance for contemporary political life.

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 detailed and substantive knowledge of the thinkers and texts studied 2. Understand and critically reflect on the role that various thinkers and debates have played in shaping modern political thought
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Assess the coherence, plausibility and significance of political arguments 4. Critically evaluate how political concepts are shaped and transformed by historical context and deployment in action
Personal and Key Skills	5. Present complex arguments with clarity and concision 6. Communicate effectively in speech and writing

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The module will survey a range of exemplary thinkers and texts from the early twentieth century. While the specific thinkers and texts surveyed may vary from year to year, they will be selected to reflect a range of themes (such as freedom, revolution, oppression and social order) and ideologies (such as conservativism, socialism, anarchism, libertarianism). An indicative list of thinkers whose work the module might examine includes: W.E.B. Du Bois, Emma Goldman, Rosa Luxemburg, Vladimir Lenin, Mahatma Gandhi, Carl Schmitt, Benito Mussolini, Antonio Gramsci, Simone Weil, and Friedrich August von Hayek.

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
20	130	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 Activity	20	Weekly seminars (10 x 2 hours)
Guided Independent Study	40	Reading and preparation for seminars
Guided Independent Study	90	Preparation and completion of assessment tasks

Online Resources

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