Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POC3137: The Politics of Knowledge and Ignorance

This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.

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

Module Aims

To introduce students to key theories of knowledge and how they relate to core political concepts, approaches and debates in the contemporary world.

To enable students to apply these different theoretical/analytical lenses to political issues of interest to them.

To provide students with a challenging provocation about their own assumptions of knowledge

To support students to develop their original proposal.

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 theoretical work in knowledge politics and critical debates inherent 2. Apply theory to critically analyse contemporary examples of knowledge politics
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Critically analyse theoretical and empirical materials using appropriate theoretical concepts and frameworks. 4. Define complex political problems and identify their relative significance. 5. Exercise informed judgement concerning the practical implications of different standpoints 6. Locate arguments within their historical contexts.
Personal and Key Skills	7. Construct a reasoned and logical argument through well-structured speech and writing 8. Communicate effectively through well-structured speech and writing. 9. Work independently and with peers to achieve common goals.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover at least some of the following topics:

Theories of knowledge, discourse and power
Epistemological injustice
Self-knowledge and sexual politics
Knowledge economies - ownership and commodification of knowledge
Government and secrets / freedom of information
Knowledge and evidence in policy making and political life
Environmental knowledges and controversies
Dissertation proposal development

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
22	128	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	22	11 x 2 hour weekly seminars
Guided independent study	128	Reading assignments 58 hours Formative assessment preparation 10 hours Presentation preparation 20 hours Critical Knowledge Project 40 hour

Online Resources

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

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.

Power/Knowledge. Selected writings by Michel Foucault Edited by Colin Gordon

The Politics of Knowledge. Edited by Fernando Domínguez Rubio and Patrick Baert

Epistemic injustice: Power and the ethics of knowing. Miranda Fricker

The Epistemology of Resistance. /Jose Medina

On Colonial Unknowing. Ed Manu Vimalassery et al. Special issue of Theory & Event20 (4) 2017

Decolonisation of Universities: the Politics of Knowledge. Edited by Jonathan D. Jansen

The Politics of Sex Amia Srinivasan