Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information
for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
Political Concepts |
| Unit code |
POLI11101 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
C/4
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
|
| Unit director |
Professor. Squires |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department |
School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Description including Unit Aims
This unit provides an introduction to political concepts, such as power, the state, freedom and citizenship. It explores these concepts through the use of key writers and contemporary examples. The unit aims to encourage students to explore ways in which the study of abstract concepts informs our understanding of political events.
Aims:
- To provide an introduction to political theory.
- To analyse key political concepts such as power, the state, freedom, equality, justice, democracy, citizenship, human rights and difference.
- To analyse key political texts, including selected writings of Thomas Hobbes, J.S. Mill and John Rawls.
- To explore the ways in which political concepts relate to political realities.
Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of the unit a successful student will be able to:
- Describe the content of key political concepts.
- Explain and discuss various conceptualizations of key political concepts including power, political obligation, freedom, equality, justice, gender, democracy, citizenship, and human rights.
- Analyse and compare the writings of some key political theorists.
- Construct articulate, concise and persuasive arguments in written essays, which integrate theoretical and empirical materials.
Both the summative essay and the unseen exam will assess the extent to which students have achieved all four of these outcomes.
Teaching Information
2 hours of lectures and 1 hour seminar.
Assessment Information
Reading and References
- Hoffman, J. and P. Graham (2006) Introduction to Political Concepts. Harlow: Pearson Education
- Dryzek, J., B. Honig and A. Phillips eds. (2006) The Oxford Handbook of Political Theory Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Heywood, A. (2004) Political Theory: An Introduction Basingstoke: Palgrave
- Kymlicka, W. (2002) Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Introduction Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Swift, A. (2001) Political Philosophy: A Beginners' Guide for Students and Politicians Oxford: Polity.
