This module examines the political theories and social criticism of a series of influential figures in twentieth-century European and American thought. Distinct in both their styles of thinking and ways of communicating, these figures not only address some crucial events in their own time and/ or lives, but also some topics that overlap and recur, including the role of the intellectual, the place of language in politics, exploitation, repression, marginalisation, identity, and violence. This recurrence makes it productive to study the relevant texts and their authors alongside one another, as well as from the perspective of the present day. The selection of figures studied enables consideration of a wide range both of political ideologies (from liberalism through to fascism) and broader intellectual movements (from existentialism through to poststructuralism).
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Summarise, explain and evaluate the ideas and arguments of key authors and political writings in twentieth-century political thought
Explain the context in which political thinkers wrote and how understanding this context furthers our understanding of their thought
Be able to apply insights drawn from political thinkers studied on the module to contemporary social and political problems
Assessment
37479-01 : 1,000 Word Assessment : Coursework (25%)
37479-02 : 2,500 Word Assessment : Coursework (75%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions
Assessment: 1 x 1000 word written assignment (25%) 1 x 2500 word written assignment (75%).
