Introduction: How to use this booklet
Transcription
Introduction: How to use this booklet
Introduction: How to use this booklet The purpose of this booklet is to help you select your modules for Part II (the second and third years). You will be able to choose your modules on line from 24 April – 4 May 2014. Instructions about how to access this system will be sent to you nearer the time. Although you will be required to select your third year modules at the same time as selecting your second year modules you will have the opportunity to change these choices for 2015/2016. Current third years will have the chance to choose again or confirm their options. In order to select your modules you need to understand how the Part II structure works. At Lancaster a degree is composed of 360 credits. 120 of these are used in the first year. In the second and third years the remaining 240 credits must be used (120 in the second year and 120 in the third year). There are basically three kinds of modules in PPR. Second year 15 credit modules (one term) and 30 credit modules (two term). All of our third year modules are 15 credits. Our dissertation module (PPR.399) is 30 credits. Your degree scheme will either be a single major, a joint major, or a triple major. You will be required to choose a number of options from the core lists for your major, and then you may choose freely from anything on offer in PPR. The module descriptions should help you to decide whether a module is suitable for you. If you are in any doubt ask the module convenor. On all degree schemes students must choose a range of modules from the second year lists and a range from the third year lists. On all degree schemes (except joint History majors) third year students are allowed to choose one second year module as a part of their third year choices. However, second years cannot choose third year modules. The dissertation is an option for all third year students. We try to deliver as many modules as possible. However, in any given year some members of staff will be unavailable and so some modules might not run. In addition, we keep a few modules on our lists so that we can vary the selection from year to year. Having said this, we try to keep as many of our second year modules running as possible as both second and third years can select from this list. If modules become available that are not currently listed as available we will advertise this via an email announcement. Page 2 presents a list of all the modules which are running in the department in 2014/2015. On the core lists (pages 5-8) we have indicated all the possible modules for that degree scheme but have highlighted in bold those which are running in 2014/2015. The reason for listing modules that are not running in 2014/2015 is that they might be available in future years. Students currently choosing for their second and third years should bear this in mind when making their selections. 1 POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION Part II modules available in 2014-2015 PPR.305 PPR.321 PPR.324 PPR.325 Logic and Language Reading Political Theory The Politics of Global Danger International Political Economy of Globalization PPR.330 Britain in the World PPR.339 Elections, Voters & Political Parties PPR.341 Contemporary Issues in Human Rights PPR.344 Politics of Cultural Diversity PPR.350 Indian Religious and Philosophical Thought PPR.354 Reading Buddhism PPR.356 Religion in Schools PPR.360 Modern Christian Thought PPR.361 The Ritual and Social Contexts of Spirit Possession PPR.363 Media, Religion and Politics PPR.391a Religions in the Modern World PPR.391b China in the Modern World PPR.392a Future Generations Lent Term PPR.301 Aesthetics PPR.307 History of Twentieth Century Philosophy PPR.309 Practical Philosophy PPR.328 Understanding External Intervention in Violent Conflicts PPR.333 Contemporary Issues in the Middle East PPR.336 Africa and Global Politics PPR.340 Islamic Politics PPR.343 Corporations, Global Political Economy and the Law PPR.345 Exploring the Persian Gulf PPR.351 Modern Religious and Atheistic Thought PPR.352 New Religions and Alternative Spiritualities PPR.357 Religion and Politics PPR.362 Religion and Violence PPR.390 PPR in Education PPR.391c Philosophy of Medicine PPR.392d The Imagination Michaelmas and Lent PPR.393 Dissertation with Field Studies PPR.394 Dissertation with External Collaboration PPR.399 Dissertation Second Year Michaelmas Term 15 credit modules PPR.211 Philosophical Questions in the Study of Politics and Economics PPR.212 Metaphysics PPR.250 Christianity in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations PPR.252 Buddhism and Modernity in Asian Societies Lent Term 15 credit modules PPR.210 Philosophy of Science PPR.213 Epistemology PPR.251 Islam: Tradition, Community and Contemporary Challenges PPR.253 Hinduism in the Modern World Michaelmas and Lent 30 credit modules PPR.201 History of Philosophy PPR.202 Ethics: Theory and Practice PPR.204 Philosophy of the Mind PPR.220 Modern Political Thought PPR.221 International Relations and Security PPR.222 The Politics of Development PPR.223 The United Kingdom: State, Politics & Policies PPR.224 Politics of the European Union PPR.225 Introduction to Peace Studies PPR.226 Comparative Politics of the Asia Pacific and the Middle East PPR.227 Foreign Policy of Contending Powers PPR.239 Indian Politics, Society and Religion PPR.242 Religion and Society PPR.243 Constructing Ethics: Christianity and Islam Summer Vacation 2014 PPR.359 Religion in Contemporary Indian Life Third Year All modules are 15 credits and run in either Michaelmas or Lent (except PPR.359 and PPR.399 which are 30 credits). Michaelmas Term PPR.302 Continental Philosophy PPR.304 Themes in the Philosophy of the Sciences 2 Scheme of Study Specifications Single Major Students are required to take at least 180 credits in Part II. Usually this will be divided evenly across years two and three. In the second year three modules must be chosen from the core list below (totalling 90 credits). The remaining module(s) can be freely chosen from all second year modules. In the third year there is the option (but not requirement) to take PPR.399 (the dissertation unit – 30 credits). In the third year the 90 credits will be composed by following one of the following options: (1) Six half modules chosen from the core list (below). Remaining modules may be freely chosen from across the range of third year modules. (2) PPR.399, plus 4 half modules chosen from the core list (below). Remaining modules may be freely chosen from across the range of third year modules. (3) PPR.399, plus a maximum of 30 credits chosen from the second year core list (to be counted as a third year module), plus 2 half modules from the third year list. Remaining modules may be freely chosen from across the range of third year modules. Joint Majors (except History joint majors) Students are required to take at least 120 credits in Part II. Usually this will be divided evenly across years two and three. In the second year modules must be chosen from the core list below (totalling 60 credits). In the third year there is the option (but not requirement) to take PPR.399 (the dissertation unit). In the third year the 60 credits will be composed by following one of the following options: (1) Four half units chosen from the core list. (2) PPR.399, plus 2 half modules chosen from the core list (below). (3) PPR.399, plus a maximum of 30 credits chosen from the second year list (to be counted as a third year module). Triple Majors Students are required to take at least 60 credits in Part II. There is no requirement for this to be divided evenly across years two and three. In the third year there is the option (but not requirement) to take PPR.399 (the dissertation unit). In both years modules are chosen from the core list below. V0L0 History, Philosophy and Politics N.B. There can be no option to take a second year module in the third year. L0V0 Philosophy, Politics and Economics N.B. There can be no option to take a second year module in the third year. 3 VV56 Ethics, Philosophy and Religion Students are required to take 240 credits in Part II. Usually this will be divided evenly across years two and three. All students will be required to take PPR.399 (the dissertation unit – 30 credits). In the second year all students must take two of the following (one Philosophy and one Religious Studies): PPR.202 Ethics: Theory and Practice, PPR.242 Religion and Society, PPR.243 Constructing Ethics: Christianity and Islam. The remaining two modules must then be selected from the core list. In the third year the 90 credits will be composed by following one of the following options: (1) PPR.399, plus 4 half modules chosen from the core list (below). Remaining modules may be freely chosen from across the range of third year modules in PPR. (2) PPR.399, plus a maximum of 30 credits chosen from the second year core list (to be counted as a third year module), plus 2 half modules from the third year list. Remaining modules may be freely chosen from across the range of third year modules in PPR. LL92 BA Hons Peace Studies and International Relations Students are required to take 240 credits in Part II. Usually this will be divided evenly across years two and three. In the second year all students must take PPR.225 (Introduction to Peace Studies). The remaining three modules must be chosen from the International Relations core list below. In the third year there is the option (but not requirement) to take PPR.399 (the dissertation unit – 30 credits). In the third year students must take at least four options from the Peace Studies and IR core list (below). PPR.399 (Dissertation) may be taken and will count as two of the six options (30 credits). The balance must be made of options from the International Relations core list. VL16 History Joint Majors Students are required to take at least 120 credits in Part II. Usually this will be divided evenly across years two and three. In the second year modules must be chosen from the core list below (totalling 60 credits). In the third year the 60 credits will be composed of four half units chosen from the core list, or two half units plus PPR.399 (dissertation unit). N.B. There can be no option to take a second year module in the third year. 4 Core Options Lists Politics PPR.349 Politics and Ethics in Indian Philosophy PPR.357 Religion and Politics PPR.359 Religion in Contemporary Indian Life PPR.360 Modern Christian Thought PPR.362 Religion and Violence PPR.363 Media, Religion and Politics PPR.390 PPR in Education PPR.391b China in the Modern World PPR.393 Dissertation with Field Studies PPR.394 Dissertation with External Collaboration PPR.399 Dissertation Year-two core options PPR.202 PPR.220 PPR.222 PPR.223 PPR.224 PPR.225 PPR.226 PPR.227 PPR.239 Ethics: Theory and Practice Modern Political Thought The Politics of Development The United Kingdom: State, Politics and Policies Politics of the European Union Introduction to Peace Studies Comparative Politics of the Asia Pacific and the Middle East Foreign Policy of Contending Powers Indian Politics, Society and Religion International Relations Year-two core options Year-three core options PPR.308 PPR.309 PPR.311 PPR.320 PPR.321 PPR.322 PPR.328 PPR.330 PPR.331 PPR.332 PPR.333 PPR.336 PPR.337 PPR.339 PPR.340 PPR.341 PPR.342 PPR.343 PPR.344 PPR.345 PPR.221 PPR.222 PPR.223 Moral, Legal and Political Philosophy Practical Philosophy Applied Philosophy Political Ideas: Liberal Thought Reading Political Theory Liberals and Communitarians Understanding External Intervention in Violent Conflicts Britain in the World The European Union and the World United States Foreign Policy Since 1945 Contemporary Issues in the Middle East Africa and Global Politics Society and Politics in Latin America Elections, Voters and Political Parties Islamic Politics Contemporary Issues in Human Rights Global Political Economy and the World Today Corporations, Global Political Economy and the Law Politics of Cultural Diversity Exploring the Persian Gulf PPR.224 PPR.225 PPR.226 PPR.227 PPR.239 International Relations and Security The Politics of Development The United Kingdom: State, Politics and Policies The Politics of the European Union Introduction to Peace Studies Comparative Politics of the Asia Pacific and the Middle East Foreign Policy of Contending Powers Indian Politics, Society and Religion Year-three core options PPR.323 PPR.324 PPR.325 PPR.326 PPR.328 PPR.330 PPR.331 PPR.332 5 Ruling the World: Global Governance and Legal Structures Politics of Global Danger International Political Economy of Globalization Globalization and Transnational Politics Understanding External Intervention in Violent Conflicts Britain in the World The European Union and the World United States Foreign Policy Since 1945 PPR.333 PPR.336 PPR.337 PPR.340 PPR.341 PPR.342 PPR.343 PPR.344 PPR.345 PPR.359 PPR.360 PPR.362 PPR.390 Contemporary Issues in the Middle East Africa and Global Politics Society and Politics in Latin America Islamic Politics Contemporary Issues in Human Rights Global Political Economy and the World Today Corporations, Global Political Economy and the Law Politics of Cultural Diversity Exploring the Persian Gulf Religion in Contemporary Indian Life Modern Christian Thought Religion and Violence PPR in Education Peace Studies and International Relations Year-two core options Students must take: PPR.225 Introduction to Peace Studies The remaining options must be chosen from the IR core list. Year-three core options Students must take at least four of the following options: PPR.328 PPR.330 PPR.331 PPR.332 PPR.391b China in the Modern World PPR.393 Dissertation with Field Studies PPR.394 Dissertation with External Collaboration PPR.399 PPR.333 Dissertation PPR.336 PPR.337 PPR.341 PPR.342 PPR.343 PPR.345 PPR.357 PPR.360 PPR.362 PPR.390 Understanding External Intervention in Violent Conflicts Britain in the World The European Union and the World United States Foreign Policy Since 1945 Contemporary Issues in the Middle East Africa and Global Politics Society and Politics in Latin America Contemporary Issues in Human Rights Global Political Economy and the World Today Corporations, Global Political Economy and the Law Exploring the Persian Gulf Religion and Politics Modern Christian Thought Religion and Violence PPR in Education PPR.391b China in the Modern World PPR.393 Dissertation with Field Studies PPR.394 Dissertation with External Collaboration PPR.399 Dissertation The remaining options must be chosen from the IR core list. 6 Philosophy Religious Studies Year-two core options Year-two core options PPR.201 PPR.202 PPR.204 PPR.210 PPR.211 PPR.202 PPR.239 PPR.242 PPR.243 PPR.212 PPR.213 PPR.220 PPR.243 PPR.244 History of Philosophy Ethics: Theory and Practice Philosophy of the Mind Philosophy of Science Philosophical Questions in the Study of Politics and Economics Metaphysics Epistemology Modern Political Thought Constructing Ethics in Christianity and Islam Western Philosophy and Religious Thought PPR.244 PPR.250 PPR.251 PPR.252 PPR.253 Ethics: Theory and Practice Indian Politics, Society and Religion Religion and Society Constructing Ethics in Christianity and Islam Western Philosophy and Religious Thought Christianity in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations Islam: Tradition, Community and Contemporary Challenges Buddhism and Modernity in Asian Societies Hinduism in the Modern World Year-three core options Year-three core options PPR.301 PPR.302 PPR.303 PPR.304 PPR.305 PPR.306 PPR.307 PPR.308 PPR.309 PPR.310 PPR.311 PPR.320 PPR.321 PPR.322 PPR.349 PPR.350 PPR.351 PPR.360 PPR.390 PPR.391c PPR.392a PPR.392d PPR.394 PPR.399 Aesthetics Continental Philosophy Issues in the Philosophy of Mind Themes in the Philosophy of the Sciences Logic and Language Reading Philosophical Texts History of Twentieth Century Philosophy Moral, Legal and Political Philosophy Practical Philosophy Philosophy of the Human Sciences Applied Philosophy Political Ideas: Liberal Thought Reading Political Theory Liberals and Communitarians Politics and Ethics in Indian Philosophy Indian Religious and Philosophical Thought Modern Religious and Atheistic Thought Modern Christian Thought PPR in Education PPR.302 PPR.309 PPR.311 PPR.321 PPR.349 PPR.350 PPR.351 PPR.352 PPR.354 PPR.355 PPR.356 PPR.357 PPR.358 PPR.359 PPR.360 PPR.361 PPR.362 PPR.363 PPR.390 Philosophy of Medicine Future Generations The Imagination Dissertation with External Collaboration Dissertation Continental Philosophy Practical Philosophy Applied Philosophy Reading Political Theory Politics and Ethics in Indian Philosophy Indian Religious and Philosophical Thought Modern Religious and Atheistic Thought New Religions and Alternative Spiritualities Reading Buddhism Reading Islam Religion in Schools Religion and Politics Early Christianity Religion in Contemporary Indian Life Modern Christian Thought Spirit Possession in Social Contexts Religion and Violence Media, Religion and Politics PPR in Education PPR.391a Religions in the Modern World PPR.399 Dissertation 7 Ethics, Philosophy and Religion Year-two Two modules must be chosen from the following list: PPR.202 PPR.242 PPR.243 PPR.244 PPR.362 PPR.363 PPR.390 Philosophy Moral, Legal and Political Philosophy Practical Philosophy Applied Philosophy Political Ideas: Liberal Thought Reading Political Theory Liberals and Communitarians Understanding External Intervention in Violent Conflicts Islamic Politics Contemporary Issues in Human Rights Politics and Ethics in Indian Philosophy Indian Religious and Philosophical Thought Modern Religious and Atheistic Thought New Religions and Alternative Spiritualities Religion in Schools Religion and Politics Religion in Contemporary Indian Life Modern Christian Thought The Ritual and Social Contexts of Spirit Possession Religion and Violence Media, Religion and Politics PPR in Education PPR.391a PPR.391c PPR.392a PPR.392d PPR.399 Religions in the Modern World Philosophy of Medicine Future Generations The Imagination Dissertation PPR.308 PPR.309 PPR.311 PPR.320 PPR.321 PPR.322 PPR.328 Ethics: Theory and Practice Religion and Society Constructing Ethics in Christianity and Islam Western Philosophy and Religious Thought PPR.340 PPR.341 PPR.349 The remaining two modules must be chosen from the list below: PPR.350 PPR.351 PPR.201 PPR.202 PPR.220 PPR.225 PPR.239 PPR.242 PPR.243 PPR.250 PPR.251 PPR.252 PPR.253 History of Philosophy Ethics: Theory and Practice Modern Political Thought Introduction to Peace Studies Indian Politics, Society and Religion Religion and Society Constructing Ethics in Christianity and Ethics Christianity in the Modern World: Tradition and Transformations Islam: Tradition, Community and Contemporary Challenges Buddhism and Modernity in Asian Societies Hinduism in the Modern World PPR.352 PPR.356 PPR.357 PPR.359 PPR.360 PPR.361 Year-three core options PPR.302 Continental Philosophy PPR.307 History of Twentieth Century 8 MODULE DETAILS Second year modules 9 PPR.201 History of Philosophy Tutor: Terms: TBC (Michaelmas) and Dr Cain Todd (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: Western philosophy has a long and rich history, and many of the questions that occupy present-day philosophers have been around for hundreds or even thousands of years. This module looks at some figures and debates from philosophy’s past and considers how they bear on philosophy in the present. The exact make-up of the course will vary from year to year, but themes covered may often relate closely to religion and politics. In particular, themes covered may include: What is the nature of the mind, and how does it relate to the body? Can we have any reliable knowledge of the world outside our minds? To what extent does thought depend on language? Is there a God? What is the relation between religious faith and knowledge? What is history, and has there been progress over the course of world history? Most generally, how should we understand the relation between philosophy and its history? These problems and others are studied by close consideration of a selection of texts from the history of Western philosophy. This may include the ‘early modern’ period, i.e. the 17th and 18th centuries, encompassing Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant. Figures from the medieval period may sometimes be studied, and so may figures from 19th century philosophy such as Hegel, Feuerbach, Kierkegaard and Marx. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Explain what is involved in most of the problems covered. • Set out some of the influential arguments that have been made in relation to each. • Relate these arguments to the philosophers of the period. • And begin an independent evaluation of them. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Scruton, R, Solomon, R & Higgins, K A Short History of Modern Philosophy, Routledge 1995 A Short History of Philosophy, Oxford University Press 1996. PPR.202 Ethics: Theory and Practice Tutor: Term: TBC (Michaelmas) and Dr Christopher Macleod (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: This module will address central issues in ethics by means of several strands: The critical reading of classic texts in the history of the subject (such as Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, David Hume’s Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals; Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals; or John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism); • Selected topics in moral philosophy (such as the nature, strength and weakness of consequentialism, deontology, and virtue ethics); • Selected topics in meta-ethics (such as the ‘moral problem’, non-cognitivism, realism and quasi-realism); • Topics in applied and practical ethics (such as, issues in life and death in biomedical practice, the ethics of war, and the ethics of the personal life). Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Explain in outline what is involved in ethical approaches to particular issues. • Set out some of the influential arguments that have been developed and defended in respect of these approaches. • Acquire and apply critical reading skills. • Write critically about philosophical debates on the topics covered. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Baron, M, Pettit, P & Slote, M David Copp (ed) Hugh LaFollette (ed) Richard Norman Peter Singer (ed.) Three Methods of Ethics: A Debate, Blackwell, 1997 The Oxford Handbook of Ethical Theory, Oxford University Press, 2006 The Oxford Handbook of Practical Ethics, Oxford University Press, 2006 The Moral Philosophers 2nd ed, Oxford University Press, 1998 Companion to Ethics, Blackwell, 1993. 10 PPR.204 Philosophy of the Mind Tutors: Terms: Dr Cain Todd (Michaelmas); and Dr Rachel Cooper (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: We start by examining issues in the metaphysics of mind. What is the relation between mentality and life? How do mental states connect up with behaviour? Is the mind really just the brain? Is the mind a kind of computer? Do we think in a ‘language of thought’? How do our thoughts manage to reach out to reality and be about anything? Can we explain consciousness? We then move on to epistemological issues: How can we gain knowledge of our own mental states, or of other people’s? How should psychologists seek to investigate the mind? For the most part, this course will be structured around contemporary texts. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Outline and expand upon some of the main issues and theoretical positions in philosophy of mind. Begin an independent evaluation of these problems and be in a position to make some progress towards developing authoritative views of their own. Set out some of the influential argumentation that has been developed in relation to the various issues and problems discussed in this module. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Dennett, D Lyons, W Searle, J Consciousness Explained Matters of the Mind Minds, Brains and Science. Especially ch.1. PPR.210 Philosophy of Science Tutors: Terms: Dr Brian Garvey Lent 15 CREDITS Course Description: This course considers philosophical issues that arise in connection with the sciences. It will consider what scientific method is, how science relates to the rest of knowledge, whether it provides an ideal model for rational inquiry in general, and whether we should think of science as describing reality. In the first few weeks we will consider traditional accounts of scientific method and theory-testing, and then examine philosophical challenges to the status of science as a rational form of enquiry. We give particular consideration to three of the most important twentieth-century philosophers of science: Popper, Kuhn, and Feyerabend. Next we will consider whether and in what sense we should be confident that our best current scientific theories are accurate descriptions of reality. It is not assumed that students have an extensive knowledge of science: the relevant scientific concepts will be presented in a simple and accessible way, and there will be no maths. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Engage critically with the arguments of major twentieth-century philosophers of science and philosophical critics of science. • Have a considered critical opinion on whether it is possible to clearly distinguish between science and pseudo-science • Have a considered critical opinion on whether there is such thing as a single scientific method that is common to all the sciences • Have a considered critical opinion on whether we should think of entities we can’t directly observe (e.g. subatomic particles) as real. • Take a critical perspective towards the currently-popular scientistic view that science is an appropriate tool for approaching a great number of questions that are not traditionally considered scientific - e.g. moral and religious questions. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 2500 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly Introductory Reading: A.J. Chalmers What is this Thing Called Science? (Third ed., Open University, 1999) Susan Haack Defending Science – Within Reason: Between Scientism and Cynicism (Prometheus, 2007) Ian Hackin Representing and Intervening (Cambridge U.P., 1983) James Ladyman Understanding Philosophy of Science (Second ed., Routledge, 2014) 11 PPR.211 Philosophical Questions in the Study of Politics and Economics Tutors: Terms: Dr Garrath Williams Michaelmas 15 CREDITS Course Description: This module considers some of the difficulties involved in gaining knowledge about human societies. We focus especially on economins and politics, disciplines which raise some of the largest questions about society – for example: Who gets what? Who rules whom? Can individual choices generate social change? In this module we will not address such questions empirically, but instead step back to ask what sort of methods have been used to answer them, what sorts of modes of explanation or understanding are appropriate, and what assumptions are built into the ways economists and political scientists frame their enquiries. The aim of the module, then, is to critically examine methods and assumptions in both disciplines, in order to appreciate the scope and limits of their claims to knowledge. Learning Outcomes: This module aims to develop: The capacity to analyse complex arguments and construct responses and evaluations of those arguments. Written and verbal communication skills through course reading, seminar discussions, and course work assessments. Confidence in approaching written materials, including the ability to analyse the key claims and arguments, and to offer critical Interpretation and evaluation of them. Independent research skills and the ability to undertake self-directed reading around a topic. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 2500 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly Introductory Reading: Barry Barnes (1995) Jon Elster (1989) D Hausman (ed) Martin Hollis Steven Lukes Michael Martin and Lee C. McIntyre (eds), Mancur Olson Alexander Rosenberg Alan Ryan The Elements of Social Theory (UCL Press) Nuts and Bolts for the Social Sciences (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) (1994) The Philosophy of Economics: an anthology (2nd ed, Cambridge University Press) (1994) The Philosophy of Social Science: An Introduction (Cambridge University Press) (1974/2005) Power: a Radical View (Macmillan) Readings in the Philosophy of Social Science (MIT, 1994) (1971) The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups (Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA) (1988/1995/2008) Philosophy of Social Science (Westview Press) (1970) The Philosophy of the Social Sciences (MacMillan) PPR.212 Metaphysics Tutors: Terms: Dr Nick Unwin Michaelmas 15 CREDITS Course Description: Studying this module should improve students' knowledge and understanding of some key issues in metaphysics as determined by the syllabus. This focuses primarily on some issues concerning space and time, the nature of physical objects and persons, and some key philosophical distinctions. Studying this module should also enable them to see connections between various philosophical issues that should be of value to them with regard to other philosophy modules that they are studying. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a good understanding of some key philosophical distinctions and a good knowledge of some basic metaphysical issues. Articulate and analyse several of the problems that arise in this area, and show how they relate to each other and to other problems within philosophy. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 2500 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly Introductory Reading: Baldwin, Thomas, Crane, Tim and Katalin Farkas, Loux, Michael J., Lowe, E. J., Merricks, Trenton, Kant, Immanuel, Wiggins, David, Williams, Bernard, Metaphysics : key concepts in philosophy. London : Continuum, 2008 Metaphysics: A Guide and Anthology. Oxford: OUP, 2004 Metaphysics : a contemporary introduction / Michael J. Loux. - 2nd ed. London : Routledge, 2002. A survey of metaphysics. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2002 Objects and Persons. Oxford: Clarendon, 2001 Critique of Pure Reason, Introduction Sameness and Substance. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1980 Problems of the Self. Cambridge: CUP, 1973 12 PPR.213 Epistemology Tutors: Terms: Dr Neil Manson Lent 15 CREDITS Course Description: The aim of this course is to give you a good, broad introduction to some of the key themes in epistemology (the theory of knowledge). We being with the question what is knowledge? This then leads us on to questions about how knowledge relates to other things, like belief, and truth. Our answers to these questions have implications for how we think about the structure of knowledge (e.g., must all of our knowledge rest upon a “firm foundation”?). Throughout the term we will see that it is much harder to answer our core question than you might think and this raises the question of why it is so hard to give a clear, general, account of what knowledge is. We also look at different sources of knowledge - especially, perception, self-knowledge and “testimony” (other people’s say-so) and, towards the end of term explore some of the relationships between epistemology and ethics, ending the term with the question whether we ever ought to refrain from seeking knowledge. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to... • Explain some of the central problems of epistemology and explain how epistemology relates to other areas of philosophy. • Understand and apply key epistemic concepts in the critical analysis of epistemological problems and more widely • Explain and critically assess some of the central theories and approaches to epistemological problems and understand their implications for wider concerns Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 2500 words. Exam: 2 hours Teaching Method: Introductory Reading: Duncan Pritchard Dan O’Brien Dancy, J. 1985. Huemer, M. and Audi, R eds. What is this thing called knowledge? Routledge 2008 (especially Chapters 1-8) An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge Polity 2006 (especially chapters 1,2, 4-8) Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology. Oxford: Blackwell. Epistemology: Contemporary Readings. Routledge 2002 PPR.220 Modern Political Thought Tutors: Terms: Dr Matthew Johnson (Michaelmas) and Dr Patrick Bishop (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: This course explores a range of ideas which are central to any understanding of politics focusing on four related themes: Liberty, the Individual, Equality, and Community. It proceeds by reading and discussing some of the core-texts of modern political thinkers. The course is divided into two sections over two terms. In the first term we will read, examine and discuss thinkers who make a contribution to our understanding of the notions of liberty and the individual (Hobbes, Locke, J S Mill, and Hayek). In the second term we will explore the thought of thinkers who are associated with the ideas of equality and community (Rousseau, Marx, the Fabians, and Rawls). Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Have an understanding of the key ideas of the thinkers under review. Be able to assess the contribution that these thinkers have made to our wider understanding of politics. Be able to recognise the relevance of these thinkers to our current political debates, and to be able to employ their ideas within those debates. Evaluate the key features of an argument, be confident to express their own views, and evaluate the responses of others. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Boucher D & Kelly P Hampsher-Monk I McClelland J S Political Thinkers: From Socrates to the Present A History of Modern Political Thought: Major Political Thinkers from Hobbes to Marx A History of Western Political Thought. 13 PPR.221 International Relations and Security Tutors: Terms: TBC (Michaelmas) and Dr Astrid Nordin (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: The principal objective of this course is to provide a relatively comprehensive and integrated foundation to the study of international relations by introducing students to its basic conceptual vocabulary and theoretical concerns and by applying this conceptual knowledge to an understanding of changes and developments in the international system. The course covers the historical development of the discipline in the 20th century into the 21st century, moving from the orthodoxy that has come to dominate mainstream Anglo-American international relations (Realism and Liberalism) through to the various challenges that have emerged from critical schools of thought. The course examines how different theories of international relations illuminate and interrogate some of the central ethico-political problems of the 'international' in modern history. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Demonstrate an understanding of the key positions in Security studies and International Relations theories. • Demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts employed in the debates on security and international politics. • To be able analyse and review the arguments of key thinkers in both verbal and written assessment. • Articulate their own position in relation to the thinkers and debates examined in the course. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Baylis J & Smith S Burchill S & Linklater A Dunne T Weber C The Globalisation of World Politics Theories of International Relations International Relations Theories International Relations Theory: A critical introduction (2nd edition). PPR.222 The Politics of Development Tutors: Terms: Dr Ngai-Ling Sum (Michaelmas) and Dr Julie Hearn (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: This course introduces students to the main approaches to development. It provides students with an overview of the main theoretical approaches, especially modernisation theory, World Systems Analysis, feminist theories, and postcolonialism. It relates these theories to issues and case studies from the South, including the debt question, the impact of globalisation, intellectual property rights, corporate social responsibility, poverty and inequality, social movements and the activities of NGOs. The course comprises two interrelated parts. The first term deals with the main theoretical approaches to development and applications to global issues. The second term pursues the links between the conceptual issues raised in term one and connects them to global- and national-focused perspectives on the politics of development. These perspectives are illustrated by examples and cases drawn from Africa and Latin America. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Outline and analyze the different theoretical conceptions of ‘development’. Understand and examine the impact of globalization upon developing countries and its unevenness. Understand and examine the roles of international organizations, multinational corporations, and non-government organizations upon North-South relations. • Apply these issues to cases and regions (e.g., Asia, Latin America and Africa) in the development of North-South relations. • Develop the capacity to think creatively about how to assess questions of national development, globalization and north-south relations. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1 ½ hours) and Workshop (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Cammack P et al. Elson D Escobar A Hoogvelt A McMichael P Peet R Schuurman F (ed) Slater David Third World Politics (2nd edition) Male Bias in the Development Process Encountering Development: the Making and Unmaking of the Third World Globalisation and the Postcolonial World (2nd edition) Development and Change: A Global Perspective (2nd edition) Theories of Development Beyond the Impasse: New Directions in Development Theory Geopolitics and the Post-Colonial: Rethinking North-South Relations. 14 PPR.223 The United Kingdom: State, Politics and Policies Tutors: Terms: Dr Mark Garnett Michaelmas, Lent and Summer 30 CREDITS Course Description: The course aims to deepen students' understanding of the major ideas, arrangements, policies and controversies which have characterised post-war British politics. The course examines the evolution of the politics of the United Kingdom from an era broadly characterised by consensus and stability (1945-70) to one which has proved much more turbulent in a variety of ways (1970 onwards). This examination is set within the context of rival political traditions and of competing theories of representative government. Topics covered in the first term include changes in electoral behaviour and developments in the political parties, as well as consideration of the problems of governing the component parts of the United Kingdom (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). In the second term the focus is on the key institutions of central government (Parliament and the executive) and on the UK's changing relationship with Europe. The last part of the course examines the development of public policy in the areas of welfare and the economy. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Explain in detail a range of contrasting interpretations of major developments in UK politics since 1945; Evaluate the role of key institutions, such as parliament, the cabinet and the media; Understand the effects on UK politics of changes in the global context since 1945. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1 hour) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Beer S H , Budge I et al, Denver D, Dunleavy P et al (eds) Fisher J et al (eds) Garnett M & Lynch P Richards D & Smith M Britain Against Itself: the Political Contradictions of Collectivism The New British Politics Elections and Voters in Britain Developments in British Politics 8 Central Debates in British Politics Exploring British Politics Governance and Public Policy in the UK. PPR.224 The Politics of the European Union Tutors: Terms: Dr Karolina Follis (Michaelmas) and Dr Martin Steven (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: ‘There is no more important time to study and understand European politics’ This 20 week module focuses on all aspects of European politics, government, economics and public policy. At a time of unprecedented financial crisis and the prospect of a British exit from the EU itself, the module offers a comprehensive focus on all key issues. It includes an analysis of the process and dynamics of European integration, especially since the collapse of the Soviet Union; an account of the various European institutions which have developed (including the work of the Commission in Brussels), a discussion of key public policy areas (with an emphasis on the European Social Model) and finally a focus on European party politics, covering influential European ideologies such as Social Democracy, Christian Democracy and also Euro-scepticism. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Assess the merits of the different theories of European integration Come to a view about the nature of the democratic deficit in the European Union Identify the main policy areas in the EU, including economic and social Be aware of the importance of different European political parties and ideologies Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: M. Cini and N. Borragan (eds.) I. Bache, S. George and S. Bulmer S. Hix and B. Høyland J. McCormick European Union Politics (2013) Politics in the European Union (2011) The Political System of the European Union (2011) European Union Politics (2011) 15 PPR.225 Introduction to Peace Studies Tutors: Terms: Dr Simon Mabon (Michaelmas) and Dr Amalendu Misra (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: To investigate and critically examine the theoretical and practical issues surrounding peace and violence within modern society. To examine the conditions of peace and war, and assess the scope for conflict resolution, non-violence and reconciliation. To understand the main approaches to peace studies and apply them to contemporary issues. The first term introduces the main approaches within peace studies, exploring the development of ideas in the field as they bear on the roots of violence and the understanding of peace and peace-making. In the second term we apply this thinking to contemporary conflicts and focus on policies of conflict prevention and conflict resolution. The course is taught in a non-dogmatic and interdisciplinary manner, and students are encouraged to develop their own perspectives and come to their own conclusions following discussion and debate throughout the year. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate an understanding of the recent political history of the Balkans and the Caucasus Compare the two regions and identify key dynamics and underlying causes Discuss competing views of the causes of conflict in the two regions Critically examine attempts made at resolving the conflicts. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1 hour) and workshop (1 hour) weekly. The course is supported by online materials on the dedicated course web-site. Introductory Reading: Axelrod R Barash D Cochrane F Jeong Ho-won Lederach J P Miall, H, Ramsbotham O & Woodhouse T Misra A Rapoport A Smoker P Vayrynen R (ed) Wallensteen P (ed) Walzer M The Evolution of Co-operation Introduction to Peace Studies Ending Wars Peace and Conflict Studies: An Introduction Building Peace: Towards Sustainable Reconciliation Contemporary Conflict Resolution Politics of Civil Wars 'Introduction' to Clausewitz , On War (Penguin edition) Reader in Peace Studies The Quest for Peace Peace Research: Achievements and Challenges Just and Unjust Wars. PPR.226 Comparative Politics of the Asia Pacific and the Middle East Tutors: Terms: Dr Sossie Kasbarian (Michaelmas) and Dr Kunal Mukherjee (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: This module will survey the comparative politics of Asia Pacific and the Middle East respectively. The syllabus will typically include the following topics: Introducing the region: a theoretical framework; Nationalism and nation-building; Democratisation; Colonialism and its Legacies; Gender and Politics; State and Citizenship; Social and Political Movements; Political Culture. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate an understanding of the key issues in the Middle East and Asia Pacific; Demonstrate an understanding of the key debates in and about the Middle East and Asia Pacific; Demonstrate an understanding of a range of case studies; Be able to review and assess the main arguments and positions, demonstrated through verbal and written assessment; Articulate their own position in relation to these arguments. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and workshop (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: H Afshar C Baxter D Butenschon and Hassassian (eds) R Khalidi I H Malik R Owen I Pappe Women and Politics in the Third World Government and Politics in South Asia Citizenship and the State in the Middle East Resurrecting Empire: Western Footprints and America’s Perilous Path Islam, Nationalism and the West: Issues of Identity in Pakistan State, Power and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East The Modern Middle East. 16 PPR.227 Foreign Policy of Contending Powers Tutors: Terms: DrTom Mills, Dr Astrid Nordin, Dr Simon Mabon Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: The aim of this module is to examine the foreign policy developments of the USA, China and Iran, to provide an understanding of their historical development, key concepts and issues, as well as an evaluation of key challenges. The module will consider and explore: The logics that underpin the foreign policies of three states that are of central importance to contemporary world politics: the USA, China and Iran How these three states have developed distinct foreign policies with greatly varying policy processes and interests The ways that these foreign policies have been developed on distinct traditions of thought, each deploying a different set of concepts rooted in a different history of ideas The history of thought on which foreign policy is based, its recent historical development, key concepts, key issues, implementation and policy making process, and finally crises and future challenges. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate an understanding of the key issues, concepts and challenges in the foreign policies of the USA, China and Iran Demonstrate an understanding of the development of foreign policy from different philosophical-cultural traditions Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Ansari, A. Callahan, William A.& Barabantseva, E. Cox, M. & Stokes, D. Ehteshami, A. Lanteigne, M. Wittkopf, Eugene R. Confronting Iran, New York: Basic Books, 2006 China orders the world?: normative soft power and foreign policy,Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, MD; Woodrow Wilson Center Press: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011 US Foreign Policy, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 2012 After Khomeini: The Iranian Second Republic, London, Routledge, 1995 Chinese Foreign Policy: An Introduction, 2nd edition, Abingdon, Routledge, 2013 American Foreign Policy: Pattern and Process, 7th edition, Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Publishing, 2008. PPR.239 Indian Politics, Society and Religion Tutors: Terms: Katan Alder (Michaelmas) and Dr Anderson Jeremiah (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: This module aims to introduce and familiarise students to the interplay between politics, society and religion in the world’s largest democracy, India. At a time when India is emerging as a global power and economic powerhouse despite persistent poverty and various socio-political fissures, a critical balance must be struck in our understanding between its potential and its problems. India offers powerful lessons on the challenges and achievements of democracy in a deeply pluralistic and unequal society. An examination of these issues opens up our conceptual preconceptions about democracy, religion, secularism, discrimination, globalization and political mobilization, which tend to be structured by knowledge of Western polities. The particular issues concerning large populations of many different religions and huge social differences offer pathways of understanding to many pressing global issues. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of democracy and change in India’s complex society Demonstrate an understanding of the various dynamics of discrimination and political responses to it in the Indian polity Review and assess the strengths of a range of arguments and viewpoints about the nature of Indian society and politics Articulate their own views about various factors at work in the complex relationship between religion, politics and society in India Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1 hour) and workshop (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Brown J Chaudhuri, M (ed) Frykenberg, R E Khilnani, S Mehta, N (ed) Shah, G (ed) Modern India. The Origins of an Asian Democracy Feminism in India Christianity in India: from beginnings to the present The Idea of India Television in India: satellites, politics and cultural change Caste and Democratic Politics in India. 17 PPR.242 Religion and Society Tutors: Terms: Dr Mairi Levitt (Michaelmas) and Dr Andrew Dawson (Lent) Michaelmas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: In the main, this course introduces the sociological study of religion. Two major themes will run through the course: it will deal with selected key figures in the history of the sociological study of religion and also tackle a selection of basic issues. Examples drawn from a range of contexts will also be considered. Topics covered may include: Marx, Weber, Durkheim or others; secularisation, definitions of religion, religious organisation, and so on. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts, topics and debates associated with the sociology of religion. Demonstrate understanding of the methods (theoretical and practical) employed in the academic study of religion in its social contexts. Use appropriate resources to formulate a coherent argument that takes account of divergent opinions and their implications for the sociological study of religion. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Davie, G Dawson., A Hamilton, M Kurtz, L McGuire, M O'Toole, R The Sociology of Religion Sociology of Religion The Sociology of Religion: Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives Gods in the Global Village: The World's Religions in Sociological Perspective Religion: The Social Context Religion: Classic Sociological Approaches. PPR.243: Constructing Ethics: Christianity and Islam Tutors: Terms: Dr Gavin Hyman (Michaelmas) and Dr Shuruq Naguib (Lent) Michalemas and Lent 30 CREDITS Course Description: This course explores the emergence and construction of ethics within the context of two world religions: Christianity and Islam. It examines the ways in which religious attitudes to ethical concern and practice are influenced by traditional, textual and cultural factors. Some of the ethical concerns to be covered throughout the course are: Politics and Economics; Justice and War; Sex and Sexual practice; Rights and Law. Finally, the course will encourage students to explore some of these areas cross-culturally through the consideration of questions of difference and otherness. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Describe, analyse and evaluate the ethical discourses of two major religious traditions. Discuss and appraise the manner in which these ethical discourses treat a number of concrete ethical issues. Recognise, summarise and evaluate the ways in which the ethical discourses of tehse traditions present and develop contending narratives of identity, life and purpose. Demonstrate intelligent and critical use of primary and secondary sources in written presentation and articulate their own judgements of ethical decision making in oral and written form. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% unseen examination Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Examination: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly Introductory Reading: Boulton, W, Kennedy, T & Brockopp, J Brown, Malcolm Fakri, M Le Roy Long, E Verhey, A (eds) Islamic Ethics of Life Tensions in Christian Ethics Ethical Theories in Islam A Survey of Recent Christian Ethics From Christ to the World: Introductory Readings in Christian Ethics. 18 PPR.244 Western Philosophy and Religious Thought Tutor: Terms: Dr Gavin Hyman Not available in 2014/15 30 CREDITS Course Description: This course aims to encourage students to think philosophically about religious issues. Using the work of both classical and contemporary philosophers and religious thinkers, it addresses some of the central philosophical questions raised by religious belief. In addition, students will be encouraged to think historically and contextually, in order to understand the ways in which understandings of the role of philosophy in relation to religion in the west has changed over time. The course introduces students to the work of some of the most important philosophers from Plato to Wittgenstein and the implications of their thought for religion. It will also address themes and issues which may vary from year to year but will be drawn from the following: the nature of theism, immortality, the problem of evil, religious experience and the implications of postmodern thought for religious belief. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a thorough grounding in both historical and contemporary debates in philosophy and religious thought. Use developed critical and philosophical skills in order to address some of these questions for themselves. Think historically and contextually, showing an awareness of the implications of changing contexts for philosophy and religious belief. Begin to reflect systematically and argue coherently about the fundamental philosophical issues raised by religious belief. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 essays of 2500 words each. Exam: 3 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Davies, B Sherry, P J (ed.) Smart, J J C & Haldane, J An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion Philosophers on Religion Atheism and Theism. PPR.250 Christianity in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations Tutors: Terms: Professor Christopher Partridge Michaelmas 15 CREDITS Course Description: This module aims to: Survey and critically examine the main themes, key concepts, debates and approaches to the study of Christianity and theological change in the modern word. Develop an analytical and interpretive framework within which to situate competing Christian traditions and theologies in a historical context. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical awareness of established debates, theoretical literature and emerging insights in respect of the modern history of Christianity Evidence an understanding and critical evaluation of developments and debates within Christian theology and history. Critically analyse developments in Christianity in relation to changing social and cultural contexts. Apply various theoretical frameworks and critical tools in order to understand, explain and analyse developments in the field. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 2500 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Steve Bruce, George Chryssides & Margaret Wilkins Jenny Daggers Fundamentalism, second edition (London: Polity Press, 2008) Christians in the 21st Century (Sheffield: Equinox, 2011) Postcolonial Theology of Religions: Particularily and Pluralism in World Christianity (Abingdon: Routledge, 2013) Ben Pink Dandelion An Introduction to Quakerism (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007) David Ford (ed.) The Modern Theologians, third edition (Oxford: Blackwell, 2007) Lisa Isherwood and Dorothea McEwan Introducing Feminist Theory, second edition (Sheffield, Sheffield Academic Press, 2001) Philip Kennedy A Modern Introduction to Theology: New Questions for Old Beliefs (London: I.B.Tauris, 2006) Christopher Rowland (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Liberation Theology ( Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999) Linda Woodhead An Introduction to Christianity (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004) Linda Woodhead, Hiroko Kawanami, Christopher Partidge (eds) Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations (London: Routledge, 2009) 19 PPR.251 Islam: Tradition, Community and Contemporary Challenges Tutors: Terms: Dr Shuruq Naguib Lent 15 CREDITS Course Description: This module examines the historical formation of Islam; its renewal movements past and present; and modern reform discourses on gender, politics, and law. The aim is to grain an understanding of continuities and discontinuities in the Islamic tradition in relation to religious authority, theology, politics and contemporary practice. Some of the topics studied include: the formation of Shari'a (Islamic law); competing Sunni and Shi'i orthodoxies; the rise of radical political movements and global Jihad; Islamic feminisms; Islam and the West; and Islam in Britain. The module offers a strong foundation for more specialised study in second and third year courses. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical awareness of established debates, theoretical literature and emerging insights in respect of the pre-modern and contemporary history of Islam; Evidence a critical awareness of developments and debates within Muslim history, juristic thought and religious practice; Critically analyse developments in Islam in relation to its encounter with modernity in various contexts; Apply various theoretical frameworks and critical tools in order to understand, explain and analyse developments in the field. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 2500 words each. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly Introductory Reading: Ira Lapidus, A History of Islamic Societies. Andrew Rippin, Muslims: their religious beliefs and practices, Vol.2: The contemporary period. Yvonne Haddad, Contemporary Islam and the Challenge of History. David Waines, An Introduction to Islam, [Part III] (Available in the University Bookshop). Daniel Brown, A New Introduction to Islam [Part IV]. William Shepherd, Introducing Islam. Linda Woodhead, Hiroko Kawanami, Christopher Partridge (eds), Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations. PPR.252 Buddhism and Modernity in Asian Societies Tutors: Terms: Dr Hiroko Kawanami Michaelmas 15 CREDITS Course Description: This module aims to provide: Solid knowledge base and understanding of a range of important issues, key concepts, contemporary debates, and approaches regarding Buddhist and modernity in Asian countries. Understanding of different historical, social, political, and economic factors that have impacted on the development of Buddhism in respective societies. Understanding of the intersection between secular power and religious authority. An analytical and interpretive framework within which to situate issues of modernity in Buddhist countries. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to... Make informed judgements and present their own views on key concepts and important issues that have impacted on Buddhism in the past and present of select countries in Southeast Asia and in the Far East. Articulate the differences and describe critically the transformations taking place in regard to Buddhism through discussing concepts of modernity, authority, gender, development, and power. Demonstrate and awareness of the variety of issues that exist in Buddhist countries in Asia as well as the problems and potential of imposing Western categories in the study of Buddhism. Demonstrate a solid foundation and understanding of issues regarding Buddhism and modernity in Asian societies. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 2500 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly Introductory Reading: Harris, Ian, ed. Buddhism and Politics in Twentieth-Century Asia. London: Pinter, 1999. Gombrich, Richard and Gananath, Obeyesekere. Buddhism Transformed: Religious Change in Sri Lanka. Princeton, NJ: PUP, 1988. Jerryson, Michael, K. and Mark, Juergensmeyer, eds. Buddhist Warfare. Oxford: OUP, 2010. Lopez, Donald, S. Jr. ed. Religions of China in Practice. Princeton, NJ: PUP, 1996. Pittman, D. A. Toward a Modern Chinese Buddhism: Taixu’s Reforms. Honolulu: UHP, 2001. Queen, Christopher. S. and Sallie, B. King, eds. Engaged Buddhist:Buddhist Liberation Movements in Asia. Albany, NY: SUNY, 1996. Reader, Ian & George J. Tanabe. Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan. Honolulu: UHP, 1998. Woodhead, Linda, et al., eds. Religions in the Modern World. London: Routledge, 2002. 20 PPR.253 Hinduism in the Modern World Tutors: Terms: Dr Brian Black Lent 15 CREDITS Course Description: This course surveys and critically examines the main themes, key concepts, debates and approaches to the study of Hinduism. It pays particular attention to Hinduism in the modern world and Hinduism's relationship with other religions of South Asia during and since the 19th century. In this course, students will develop an analytical and interpretative framework within which to situate competing Hindu traditions in a historical context. Lectures will include topics such as: religious pluralism, the limitations of the term 'Hinduism', the impact of colonialism on Indian religious traditions, gender, the caste system, yoga, and the relationship between Hinduism and politics. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical awareness of issues and debates relating to the study of Hinduism Critically analyse developments in Hinduism in relation to changing social and cultural contexts; Apply various theoretical frameworks and critical tools in order to understand, explain and analyse developments in the field Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 2500 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly Introductory Reading: Dalrymple, William Flood, Gavin -- (ed) Fuller, Chris Hirst, Jacqueline Suthren and Zavos, John Jha, D.N. Kumar, Pratap (ed) Larson, Gerald Mittal, Sushil and Thursby, Gene (eds) -- (2009) Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India. London: Bloomsbury. (1996) An Introduction to Hinduism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (2003) The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. (1992) The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton: Princeton University Press. (2011) Religious Traditions in Modern South Asia. London: Routledge. (2009)Rethinking Hindu Identity. London: Equinox. (2013) Contemporary Hinduism. Durham: Acumen. (1995) India’s Agony Over Religion. Albany: State University of New York Press. (2004) The Hindu World. New York: Routledge. (2008) Studying Hinduism: Key Concepts and Methods. New York: Routledge 21 22 Third year modules All 15 credits each 23 PPR.301 Aesthetics Tutor: Term: Professor Alison Stone Lent Course Description: This module introduces central issues, problems and theories in philosophical aesthetics by critically examining specific topics in the philosophy of art and by examining the theories of major figures who have contributed to the tradition of philosophical aesthetics. The course uses concrete examples from most of the arts, including painting, literature, film, and music, to illuminate theoretical debates and issues. Topics and major aesthetic theorists covered may include the following (note this list is indicative and not all topics or theorists will be covered each year):• Aesthetics in the analytic and continental traditions of philosophy • The aesthetic theories of Plato, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, the Frankfurt School • Definitions of art • What is tragedy and what is its aesthetic significance? • Beauty and its definition • The relations between art, religion and philosophy • The connections between art and morality: Can or should ethical evaluations affect aesthetic evaluations? • The changing historical context and circumstances of art, including in the ancient world and in modernity • The ‘culture industry’ and its impact on our responses to art • Can aesthetic judgements ever be objective? If so, how? • Disinterestedness • The relations between aesthetics and politics: Should art be politically committed? If so, in what ways? Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a solid grasp of some central issues in philosophical aesthetics. Show understanding of how these issues are connected to other issues in philosophy. Be able to present this knowledge and understanding in a systematic written form. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Bowie, A Cazeaux, C Hammermeister, J Lamarque, P & Olsen, S H (eds) Neill, A & Ridley, A (eds) From Romanticism to Critical Theory, Routledge 1997 The Continental Aesthetics Reader, Routledge 2000 The German Aesthetic Tradition, Cambridge University Press, 2002 Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art: The Analytic Tradition, Blackwell 2003 Arguing about Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates, Routledge 2001. PPR.302 Continental Philosophy Tutor: Term: Dr Garrath Williams Michaelmas Course Description: This module considers the work of three figures in nineteenth and twentieth century continental philosophy: Nietzsche is primarily a theorist of morality. Foucault and Arendt are two of the most important political thinkers of the twentieth century. We begin by looking at Nietzsche’s polemic on the origins and development of morality (Toward a Genealogy of Morality). His speculative but insightful history aims to undermine the self-evidence of morality’s claim to be the ‘value of values.’ He also tries to suggest the desirability of different perspectives on human action and flourishing – although he offers little practical guidance concerning the implications his critique. We next turn to Foucault, who adapts Nietzsche’s method of historical analysis in order to challenge our assumptions – in his case, about progress toward freedom and welfare in modern societies. For example, in his book Discipline and Punish, Foucault suggests that modern societies can be interpreted as systems of discipline on the model of the prison, rather than as liberal regimes of freedom and rights. We then turn to Hannah Arendt. Her political thought begins with totalitarian politics. Using a parallel method of historical analysis, Arendt pictures disparate elements – anti-semitism, racism, imperialism, bureaucratic secrecy and more – as coming together in the totalitarian ambition to remake the world. She subsequently develops a picture of politics that places great value on human differences and political freedom. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Explain in outline what is involved in the theories and perspectives of the philosophers studied on the course. • Set out some of the influential argumentation that has been developed in relation to each. • Develop an informed evaluation of these views and arguments, and offer your own judgments as to their insights and limitations. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Critchley, S Continental Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002) Downing, L The Cambridge introduction to Michel Foucault (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008) Kohn, J ‘Three Essays: The Role of Experience in Hannah Arendt’s Political Thought’ on-line at www.memory.loc.gov/ammem/arendthtml/special.html Nietzsche, F Toward a Genealogy of Morality [1884] - either Carol Diethe's translation (Cambridge University Press) or Douglas Smith's (Oxford University Press) - NB please do not use any other translations Solomon, Robert Living with Nietzsche: what the great “immoralist” has to teach us (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003) Tanner, M Nietzsche: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995) 24 PPR.303 Issues in the Philosophy of Mind Tutor: Term: Dr Rachel Cooper Not available 2014/15 Course Description: This course will introduce students to some advanced topics in the philosophy of mind. Through the debates examined students will be exposed to a number of methodological approaches in the philosophy of mind - including the use of empirical evidence in philosophy, conceptual analysis, ordinary language philosophy and thought experimentation. Topics examined will vary from year to year but may include: consciousness understanding other minds self-knowledge emotions understanding abnormal mental states the self perception evolutionary psychology animal minds, alien minds and computer minds mental causation Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Outline and critically assess a number of debates in the philosophy of mind. Understand the uses of a variety of methods in philosophy. Develop their own philosophical arguments present philosophical ideas clearly both orally and in writing. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Robert Kirk (2003) Mind and Body. PPR.304 Themes in the Philosophy of the Sciences Tutor: Term: Dr Brian Garvey Michalemas Course Description: The theme this year is “Darwinism and Philosophy” The module will look at philosophical issues that arise out of Darwin’s theory of evolution. These include questions about how best to understand the theory of evolution, and questions about what evolution implies for our view of the world, and in particular of ourselves. The course breaks down into three broad areas: • Different ways to understand the theory of evolution, e.g. Is evolution, as some would have us believe, all about genes? Is natural selection the only important factor in evolution? • Conceptual issues relating to biology, e.g. How do we define ‘function’? Is there one right way to classify living things? • Implications of Darwinism for understanding human nature, e.g. Does the fact that we have evolved affect how we should see human nature? Why are evolutionary theories of human nature so controversial? Does Darwinism have any implications for moral questions? Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Demonstrate an understanding and ability to discuss key philosophical issues that arise from the theory of evolution • Demonstrate an ability to see what the theory of evolution does and does not imply for broader issues. • Assess the relative merits of different arguments and critically engage with competing arguments derived from academic literature. • Take a more critical stance towards popular and semi-popular presentations of evolution and its implications. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: B Garvey T Lewens A Rosenberg and D McShea K Sterelny and P Griffiths Philosophy of Biology, Acumen 2007 Darwin, Routledge, 2007 Philosophy of Biology: A Contemporary Introduction, Routledge, 2008 Sex and Death, University of Chicago Press, 1999. 25 PPR.305 Logic and Language Tutor: Term: Dr Nick Unwin Michaelmas Course Description: The module provides an introduction to formal logic together with an examination of various philosophical issues that arise out of it. The syllabus includes a study of the languages of propositional and quantificational logic, how to formalize key logical concepts within them, and how to prove elementary results using formal techniques. Additional topics include identity, definite descriptions, modal logic and its philosophical significance, and some criticisms of classical logic. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Prove results using truth-tables and trees. Translate English sentences into quantificational logic and vice versa. Explain the philosophical significance of certain technical results. Understand certain controversies that arise in logic, and present these ideas in an essay format. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 2 in-class unseen tests and 2 essays of 1000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Peter Smith An Introduction to Formal Logic, Cambridge University Press, 2003. PPR.306 Reading Philosophical Texts Tutor: Term: Dr Nick Unwin Not available 2014/15 Course Description: This course gives students the opportunity to read and study the thought of seminal thinkers in the philosophy. In so doing we develop a more thorough understanding of the ideas of the thinker in question, and see how those ideas linkup into a wider systematic and philosophic whole. Possible works of philosophy include: Aristotle Hegel David Hume Kant John Locke J.S.Mill Nietzsche Nicomachean Ethics (Harmondsworth; New York: Penguin, 1976) Phenomenology of Spirit (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977) A Treatise of Human Nature (Oxford University Press, 1978) Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002) Essay Concerning Human Understanding (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1975) On Liberty (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985) Beyond Good and Evil (Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1973) Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: A knowledge and understanding of the thinkers under review. An understanding and appreciation of the contribution to wider debates generated by those thinkers. An appreciation of the benefits of a close and deep reading of a thinker. The ability to explain, discuss and reflect on the themes raised by the thinkers. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. 26 PPR.307 History of Twentieth Century Philosophy Tutor: Term: Dr Neil Manson Lent Course Description: This course focuses upon some key aspects of the history of Twentieth Century Philosophy. We start off by examining a “revolution” in philosophy at the very start of the C20 with the origins of analytic philosophy. We then focus on Wittgenstein’s radical philosophy (or “anti-philosophy”). Wittgenstein’s own philosophical development brings to the fore a deep schism, or tension, that has existed throughout C20 philosophy: the schism between those who hold that philosophy should align itself with natural science and mathematics, and those who reject this view. We ask whether philosophy should seek to emulate the natural sciences and illustrate the tension between “scientistic” and “humanistic” philosophy via mid-C20 debate about the nature of historical explanation. The final two lectures look at the distinction between analytic and continental philosophy in C20, and upon the emergence of applied philosophy in the late C20, asking whether philosophy can ever really be “applied” to real-life problems. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Expound and critically assess the arguments and positions in Twentieth Century philosophy introduced in this module. Begin an independent evaluation of these problems and be in a position to make some progress towards developing authoritative views of their own. Set out some of the influential argumentation that has been developed in relation to the various issues and problems discussed in this module. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Avrum Stroll Steve Schwartz, Marie McGinn's Neil Levy ‘Twentieth Century Analytic Philosophy’ in Richard H. Popkin (ed) The Pimlico History of Western Philosophy (London: Pimlico Press, 1999) A Brief History of Analytic Philosophy: From Russell to Rawls. (Wiley 2012). Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Wittgenstein and the Philosophical Investigations (Routledge, 1997). ‘Analytic and Continental Philosophy: Explaining the Differences’ Metaphilosophy 2003, 284-304 PPR.308 Moral, Legal and Political Philosophy Tutor: Term: TBC Not available 2014/15 Course Description: This module will address central issues in contemporary ethical (including meta-ethical), legal and political philosophy, and will allow a systematic critical exploration of the connections between ideas and arguments in each of the three areas of the subject. Topics covered will include some of the following: modern theory of moral motivation, value theory, contractualism, the ‘moral problem’; responsibility and criminal liability, the justification of punishment, the proper scope of the law; democratic theory, egalitarianism, justice, nationalism, multiculturalism, liberty and human rights. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Explain in outline what is involved in the different philosophical views and positions covered in the module. Set out some of the influential arguments that have been developed and defended in respect of these perspectives. Write critically about philosophical debates on the topics covered. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: R. Goodin and P. Pettit (eds.) H.L.A. Hart S. Scheffler (ed.) M. Smith M. Tebbit W. Kymlicka Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Anthology, Blackwell 1997 Punishment and Responsibility, Oxford University Press 1968 Consequentialism and its Critics, Oxford University Press 1988 The Moral Problem, Wiley-Blackwell 1994 Philosophy of Law: An Introduction, 2nd edition, Routledge 2005 Contemporary Political Philosophy 2nd edition, Oxford University Press 2002. 27 PPR.309 Practical Philosophy Tutor: Term: Dr Sam Clark Lent Course Description: In this module, we will make a philosophical investigation of a pressing ethical problem: capitalism, the form of life which has transformed the world over the last few hundred years and which deeply shapes how all humans now live. We will pursue central normative concerns potentially including the morality of markets; the demands and worth of freedom, democracy, equality, wellbeing, and other values; the goals and possibilities of capitalist and other forms of social organization; the ethics of work and workplaces; and the structure of historical change. Our aim is to develop both a better understanding of some important features of our world, and the philosophical craft and imagination needed to engage with the ethical problems they pose. Please note that this is not a module on public policy or applied ethics: we will focus on foundational philosophical questions which arise from thinking about our topic, not on answering particular political or personal dilemmas. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Describe and evaluate a range of philosophical views on selected practical philosophical topics, and the reasons offered for and against them. • Grasp the deeper questions about freedom, responsibility, well-being, etc., which underlie the topic(s). • Critically examine the application of philosophical concepts and skills to practical problems and dilemmas. Assessment: 1 essay of 5,000 words. Teaching Method: 2 workshops (2 hours) one each at the start and end of term, and 1 seminar (2 hours) weekly for the remaining eight weeks. In addition, there is an optional essay-planning tutorial. Introductory Reading for Lent 2012: William Cronon, Nature’s Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West (W. W. Norton 1991) F. A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty (Routledge 1960) William Morris, News From Nowhere (various edns) Russell Muirhead, Just Work (Harvard University Press 2004) Erik Olin Wright, Envisioning Real Utopias (Verso 2010) PPR.310 Philosophy of the Human Sciences Tutor: Terms: Dr Garrath Williams Not available 2014/15 Restriction: PPR.203 Course Description: This module considers key philosophical issues in the sciences of human societies and social structures, such as sociology, economics or history. As well as considering whether these subjects should be considered as sciences, strictly speaking, we look at a number of philosophical issue, such as those arising in the understanding of other societies (for instance, in anthropology), individualism versus collectivism in social explanation (for example, in sociology and history), and the scientific status of social models based on postulates of rational choice (for example, in economics and politics). Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Explain and critically assess some of the key debates and disputes in the philosophy of social science. • Appreciate the different views that can be taken in respect of the particular problems we will have covered. • Explain why different theories and methods may be appropriate to explain different phenomena. • Understand and apply key philosophical concepts that are relevant to a range of problems in the philosophy of social science. • Write critically about the philosophical and methodological debates we have covered. Assessment: Teaching Method: N.B. 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Lectures for PPR.310 will be shared with PPR.203 this year. It is important that you check the lecture times for PPR.203 and attend these lectures. Introductory Reading: Alan Chalmers Brian Fay Martin Hollis Peter Winch What is this thing called science?, Open University Press, 1999 Contemporary Philosophy of Social Science, Oxford: Blackwell, 1996 The Philosophy of Social Science: An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, 1994 The Idea of a Social Science and its Relation to Philosophy, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1958. 28 PPR.311 Applied Philosophy Tutor: Term: Dr Neil Manson Not available 2014/15 Course Description: This module focuses on selected topics in Applied Philosophy. Applied Philosophy involves the application of philosophical methods and knowledge to a range of problems that face institutions, professions, policymakers and regulatory bodies. Further questions arise about the nature and limits of applied philosophy. Examples of topics that may be studied include: Philosophy of Privacy and Data Protection. Philosophical Bioethics. Philosophy of the Media. Philosophy and psychiatric classification. Applied epistemology. Selected topics in Medical Ethics. Philosophy of Education. The Metaphilosophy of Applied Philosophy. Applied Philosophy of Language. Applied Philosophy of Science and Technology. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Describe and evaluate a range of philosophical views on selected applied philosophical topics, and the reasons offered for and against them. Engage in critical analysis and the assessment of arguments over a range of topics in applied philosophy. Discuss the nature and limitations of applied philosophy. Grasp the deeper principles and issues which underlie the topic(s). Critically examine the application of philosophical concepts and skills to policy and institutional problems and dilemmas. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Readings will be supplied according to specific topics studied. Key Resource: The Journal of Applied Philosophy. PPR.320 Political Ideas: Liberal Thought Tutor: Term: Dr Patrick Bishop Not available in 2014/15 Course Description: This course examines central themes in the liberal branch of contemporary Anglo-American analytic political philosophy. The liberal positions on justice, liberty, equality, the state, power, rights and utility are all explored. The approach is philosophical rather than applied; its focus is on the ideas of liberal politics: how individual liberty can be maximised while not harming others; how an individual philosophical position can guide political determinants of a society and places the developments of liberal ideas in their appropriate historical contexts. The course also examines the connection between the ideas of liberalism and the idea of democracy to explore the philosophical tensions between the two and how these might be resolved. The course is a survey of major topics and concepts in Anglo-American liberal political ideas. The syllabus will include the following topics: Questions about Justice: Analytic philosophy and liberalism; Visions of the state: Liberalism, Republicanism, Socialism; Liberty and individuality; Liberalism and democracy; Negative and positive liberty; Equality; Utility and rights; Toleration and Multiculturalism: Responses to diversity; Neutrality and the market: private property and public goods; Power: freedom or oppression. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Identify the central themes in an argument. Compare and contrast differing political arguments and assess their validity. Demonstrate an ability to apply theory to empirical cases and problems. Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in liberal democratic political thought. Demonstrate an understanding of how ideas influence and shape politics. Be able to review and assess the major texts/thinkers under review demonstrated through verbal and written assessment. Articulate their own position in relation to the thinkers/themes of the course. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Goodin R E & Pettit P Held D Kymlicka W A Companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy Models of Democracy Contemporary Political Philosophy. 29 PPR.321 Reading Political Theory Tutor: Term: Dr Christopher Macleod Michaelmas Course Description: This module gives students the opportunity to read and study the thought of two of the seminal thinkers in political theory. This module is, therefore, an opportunity to explore the texts slowly, methodically and in depth. It is also an opportunity to link that thought to the wider literature that has developed as a response to the thinkers’ ideas. In so doing we develop a more thorough understanding of the ideas of the thinker in question, and see how those ideas link-up into a wider systematic and philosophic whole. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: A knowledge and understanding of the thinkers under review. An understanding and appreciation of the contribution to wider debates generated by those thinkers. An appreciation of the benefits of a close and deep reading of a thinker. The ability to explain, discuss and reflect on the themes raised by the thinkers. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Grant, R Oakeshott, M Skinner, Q Political Theory, Political Science, and Politics, Political Studies, 2002, 30:4, 577-595 What is Political Theory? in What is History? And Other Essays, 2004 Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas, History & Theory, 1969, 8:1, 3-53. PPR.322 Liberals and Communitarians Tutor: Term: TBC Not available in 2014/15 Course Description: This module examines the central debates about politics and justice between liberals and communitarians in contemporary Anglo-American analytic philosophy. Whereas liberals stress the importance of the individual and the need for them to pursue their own good in their own way, communitarians stress the embedded, interconnected, and social nature of the persons and politics. The module asks three major questions. First, what does it mean to be engaged in political theory (how does thinking about politics illuminate our political practices, and what are the limits to this activity)? Second, how should we understand the idea of justice (who gets what and why)? Finally, what implications does our view of justice have for our political arrangements (what role does politics have in the delivery of justice, and how would we have to modify our arrangements to achieve justice)? The module is divided into two main sections. First we concentrate on the central figure of this debate: John Rawls and his seminal work A Theory of Justice. We then look at how the debate has widened, initially by looking at the libertarian criticisms raised by Nozick before moving on to consider the communitarian positions advanced by Sandel, Walzer, Okin, and Pateman. The course ends by considering alternative forms of liberalism offered by Raz, Rorty, and Gray, which respond to the communitarian critiques. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Identify the central themes in an argument. Compare and contrast differing political arguments and assess their validity. Demonstrate an ability to apply theory to empirical cases and problems. Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in liberal democratic political thought. Demonstrate an understanding of how ideas influence and shape politics. Be able to review and assess the major texts/thinkers under review demonstrated through verbal and written assessment. Articulate their own position in relation to the thinkers/themes of the course. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Mulhall S & Swift A Rawls J Liberals and Communitarians A Theory of Justice (original edition). 30 PPR.323 Ruling the World Tutor: Term: Professor Christopher May Not available 2014/15 Course Description: The principle objective of this module is to introduce students to the central legal and organisational issues that underpin the political economy of contemporary global governance, through the combination of historical and political economic approaches to the various elements of the current international legal structure. The module is divided into four sections, commencing with a brief exploration of the multifaceted pre-history and early history of international political economic governance. In the second section of the course, the specific political economic factors that prompted and facilitated the development of the contemporary system of global governance are explored, and then in the third section this history is subjected to a number of competing analyses. In the last section of the course, the focus shifts to current debates about global governance, identifying key areas of current political economic debate and contestation. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate knowledge of the legal and organisational issues that underpin the political economy of contemporary global governance Explain and assess the current international legal structure. Evaluate competing analyses. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Ba A D & Hoffman M J (eds) Fuchs D Held D & McGrew A (eds) Kennedy P Monbiot G Wilkinson R (ed) Global Governance: Coherence, Contestation and World Order Business Power in Global Governance Governing Globalization The Parliament of Man: The United Nations and the Quest for World Government Age of Consent The Global Governance Reader. PPR.324 Politics of Global Danger Tutor: Term: Dr Mark Lacy Michaelmas Course Description: What makes the world dangerous? Is global politics the extension of war by other means? Do security policies inscribe peace with the logic of war? How has the RMA, and the digital and molecular revolutions changed the ways in which we think about security and war? In what ways have these revolutions made the world more rather than less dangerous? What happens to security and war when these take the life of the human species rather than sovereign territoriality as their referent object? How and why does securing life pose a wholly different security problem from that of securing states? Why does securing life appear to increase rather than decrease global danger? In the process of exploring these and related questions this course will introduce students to the ways in which biopolitical dismodules of security and war differ from geostrategic dismodules of security and war. The world is said to be dangerous in many changing and conflicting ways. Dismodules of security and war teach us what to fear and prioritise danger differently. They challenge how we think. Part One introduces students to ways of thinking about the problematisation of security and war, including new approaches to understanding power. Part Two applies these new perspectives to interrogate changes in the practices of security and war; especially those introduced by the informationalisation of weapons and the weaponisation of information. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate an understanding of the key positions in critical security studies Demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts employed in the debate To be able analyse and review the arguments of key thinkers in both verbal and written assessment Articulate their own position in relation to the thinkers and debates examined in the course Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Arquilla J & Ronfeldt D Castells M DeLanda M Duffield , Edkins J & Zehfuss M Foucault M Foucault M Mazarr M Molander R C et al Poster M Virilio P In Athena's Camp: Information Warfare The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture War in the Age of Intelligent Machines Post-modern War Global Politics Society Must Be Defended Security, Territory, Population The Revolution in Military Affairs Strategic Information Warfare The Second Media Age Pure War. 31 PPR.325 International Political Economy of Globalization Tutor: Term: Dr Ngai-Ling Sum Michaelmas Course Description: Globalization remains a buzzword in academic and policy discourses. It is often related to the acceleration of global communication as well as internationalization of the economic, political and social processes. This module addresses some of these changes especially those related to trade, production and investment in the international political economy. There are many approaches in understanding these changes, this module introduces students to both liberal and critical ones (e.g., neo-Gramscianism). Drawing from their insights, it investigates and analyzes the roles of state and non-state actors (e.g., transnational corporations and NGOs) in rebuilding the governance of global production and finance. Finally, it examines the rise of transnational justice movements in offering alternatives to globalization and its uneven development, before and after the financial crisis of 2007. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Describe and evaluate the different ways in which the 'economy' is defined and studied in international politics. Identify and interpret a range of global processes that are reshaping international political economy. Describe the rise of global economic actors (e.g., transnational corporations) and their impact as political agents in the international political economy. Transfer these analytical skills to new phenonema (e.g., corporate social responsibility and global financial crisis). Evaluate the uneven impact of these changes and locate counter-hegemonic politics in this context. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Appelbaum R & Robinson W Foster J & McChesney R Peet R Rupert M & Solomon S Steger M B Critical Globalization Studies The Endless Crisis Geography of Power Globalization and International Political Economy, Globalism: the New Market Ideology. PPR.326 Globalization and Transnational Politics Tutor: Term: Dr Ngai-Ling Sum Not available 2014/15 Course Description: Globalization is often related to increased connectivity and integration in economy, politics, culture, and people in diasporas. Drawing from liberal and critical theories on globalization, this module first examines the rise of the neoliberal world order under the 'Washington Consensus', which mobilizes state and non-state actors (e.g., transnational corporations and NGOs) to rebuild the global economy. These changes have an uneven impact on class, ethnic and gender relations and have prompted the emergence of counter-hegemonic movements such as the Global Justice Movement and the World Social Forum. The rise of transnational political mobilization also involves migration. Uprooted migrants are increasingly organized through transnational diasporic networks that are engaged in both: a) hostland politics of citizenship and racism; and b) homeland politics of memory and transformation. One specific focus of this module is the rise of transnational and home-grown Jihadists along with the growth of far-right politics and 'racial supremacism' in and beyond Europe. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Understand and appreciate the emergence of the 'transnational' scale as a new area of political studies. Critically analyse key concepts and approaches that have framed debates on the complex relations between different dimensions of globalization and the rise of transnational politics. Apply these concepts and approaches to selected recent examples of transnational social movements and solidarity politics in relation to economic globalization in general. Understand the relevance of these theoretical perspectives to interpreting recent and current phenonema linked specifically to the politics of migration (e.g., rise of transnational diasporic networks and Jihadist politics). Define and contrast religious fundamentalism and racial supremacism, identify key tensions between them, and explore their impact in contemporary politics. Critically evaluate the transformative potential of suggested alternatives to these transnational forms of 'extremist politics'. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Workshop (2 hours) weekly. Introductory Reading: Amoore L (ed) Appelbaum R, & Robinson W Castles, S Ellinas J Young R Global Resistance Reader Critical Globalization Studies Ethnicity and Globalization The Media and the Far Right in Western Europe: Playing the Nationalist Card Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction. 32 PPR.328 Understanding External Intervention in Violent Conflicts Tutor: Term: Dr Kunal Mukherjee Lent Course Description: This module will examine the politics of external intervention in violent political conflicts and the attempts made to manage, prevent and transform these wars into more peaceful situations. The course aims to develop student understanding of how international organisations have attempted to intervene within conflict zones to prevent an escalation in conflict, to enforce UN resolutions or to assist externally mediated peace 'settlements'. The module also aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of how violent conflict has changed since the end of the Cold War and how transnational organisations such as the EU, UN and NATO have attempted to deal with the new challenges and opportunities presented since the beginning of the 1990s until the present day. Conceptually, the course will examine the principles of the liberal peace; state failure; international conflict prevention; peace keeping; and global governance. Empirically, the course will focus on post Cold War conflicts such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Be able to demonstrate through verbal discussion, written coursework and examinations, the different ways in which external third parties and in particular transnational organisations such as the UN, NATO and the World Bank have responded to changing patterns of violent conflict since the end of the Cold War. Demonstrate, through classroom participation and written work, an understanding of the concept and practice of international conflict prevention, peace-keeping and peace-enforcement operations and norms such as ‘conditionality’ ‘responsibility to protect’ and ‘international peace and security’. Demonstrate through classroom participation and written work, an understanding of the complex relationship between conflict actors engaged in warfare and external agencies who seek to intervene within such regions, diplomatically, militarily or to provide humanitarian relief to the victims of violence. Be able to critically examine, through written course work, comparative examples in the analysis of issues such as peacekeeping; post-conflict reconstruction; global governance and the impact of the media on international engagement within violent conflicts. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and workshop (1hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Brown M E Cochrane F Hauss C Kaldor M Rogers P Weiss T The International Dimensions of Internal Conflict Ending Wars International Conflict Resolution New and old wars: organised violence in a global era A War On Terror: Afghanistan and after Humanitarian Intervention. PPR.330 Britain in the World Tutor: Term: TBC Michaelmas Course description: This course presents a detailed analysis of the major developments in British foreign policy since 1945. It explains these developments within a global context, offering rival interpretations of Britain’s changing role and status. The major themes include: the consequences of Britain’s participation in the Second World War; the retreat from Empire after 1945; the ‘special relationship’ with the United States; and the prolonged attempt to redefine Britain’s global role in the context of perceived economic and geopolitical decline. Understand the major developments in Britain's role in the world since the Second World War. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Explain the major interpretations of British foreign policy since 1945. Understand British foreign policy within a rapidly changing global context. Analyse the foreign policy making process in Britain. Have developed oral presentation skills and contributed to critical debates. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory reading: Dumbrell, J A Gamble, A Reynolds, D Wallace, W Special Relationship, Palgrave Macmillan Between Europe and America, Palgrave Macmillan Britannia Overruled, Longman The Foreign Policy Process in Britain, Allen & Unwin. 33 PPR.331 The European Union and the World Tutor: Term: Dr Basil Germond Not available in 2014/15 Course Description: This course introduces students to the external dimension of the European Union’s politics and policies with a particular emphasis on security aspects. It comprehensively discusses the EU’s foreign and security policies. It explores various aspects of the EU’s encounter with the external world, including peace operations in the Balkans and Africa, the struggle against piracy at the Horn of Africa, counter immigration in the Mediterranean, transatlantic relations, EU-China relations, and EU’s reactions to 2011 North African events. Finally, it considers the limitations to the EU’s power, and questions the Union’s achievements as a security actor. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Understand and critically assess the EU’s role, leverage and activities as a global actor; Understand and critically assess the scope, successes and failures of the EU’s foreign and security policies and activities; Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the EU as a global actor; Develop an analytical and interpretative framework within which to situate ongoing issues regarding the EU as a global actor; Demonstrate a systematic understanding and critical awareness of established debates, theoretical literature and emerging insights in the field; Be able to review and assess the major texts/thinkers in the field (demonstrated through verbal and written assessment) and to articulate their own position in relation to the thinkers/themes/key concepts/debates of the course; Demonstrate they have acquired presentational and organisational skills through the seminar component of the course; Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Biscop, S & Andersson, J Bretherton, C & Vogler, J Howorth, J Smith, K The EU and The European Security Strategy The European Union as a Global Actor Security and Defence Policy in the European Union European Union Foreign Policy in a Changing World. PPR.332 United States Foreign Policy Since 1945 Tutor: Term: Dr Thomas Mills Not available in 2014/15 Course Description: The course examines theories of US foreign policy, the structure of the policy making process in the US, and the major themes in the development of American foreign policy since 1945. The course starts with an overview of the main competing theoretical conceptions of US foreign policy, and an exploration of the foreign policy making process, looking in particular at the Presidency and Congress, and the way in which relationships between these two bodies have developed over the past fifty years. We then go on to look at the conduct of foreign policy since 1945, focusing on: the origins and early development of the Cold War; US engagement in the Vietnam war; détente and the eventual ending of the Cold War; the first Gulf war and ‘the new world order’; 9/11 and the war on terror; and, finally, new directions in US foreign policy being pursued by the current administration. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Show a detailed analytical understanding of the main developments in US Foreign Policy since 1945. Explain the institutional background to the making of US Foreign Policy. Interpret US Foreign Policy in the context of a variety of International Relations theories. Have developed oral presentation skills and contributed to critical debates' Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Ambrose S Cox, M & Stokes, D Daalder I & Lindsay J M Gaddis J L Garthoff R L Garthoff R L Halberstam D Halliday F Herring G C Kegley C W & Wittkopf E R Nathan J A & Oliver J K Rise to Globalism: American Foreign Policy since 1938 US Foreign Policy America Unbound: The Bush Revolution in Foreign Policy Strategies of Containment Détente and Confrontation: American-Soviet Relations from Nixon to Reagan The Great Transition: American-Soviet Relations and the End of the Cold War War in a Time of Peace: Bush, Clinton and the Generals The Making of the Second Cold War America 's Longest War: the United States and Vietnam 1950-1975 American Foreign Policy: Pattern and Process US Foreign Policy and World Order. 34 PPR.333 Contemporary Issues in the Middle East Tutor: Term: Dr Sossie Kasbarian Lent Course Description: This course introduces students to key issues in Middle East politics today. It explores the people, society and politics of the region and the role that religion, ethnicity, gender and class have played in shaping contemporary issues. It examines the major internal and external actors in the region; conflict and peace; the geo-strategic importance of the region; issues of political economy; political change and reform; the issue of identities in the Middle East and ideologies around this; the emergence of political Islam; rising anti-Americanism; 9/11 and the fall-out in the region from the 'war on terror', the ‘Arab Spring’ and the unfolding revolutions. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Show a detailed analytical understanding of the main developments in the Middle East. Explain the relationship between the major actors. Evaluate the various approaches to understanding the issues raised by the Middle East. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and workshop (1hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Chatty, Dawn Cleveland, W L Fawcett L (ed) Filiu, Jean-Pierr Gerner D & Halliday, F Milton Edwards, B Owen, R Said, E Schwedler J (eds) Zubaida, Sami Displacement and Dispossession in the Modern Middle East. Cambridge University Press, 2010 A History of the Modern Middle East, Westview, 2nd ed., 2000 International Relations of the Middle East The Arab Revolution, 2011 The Middle East in International Relations: Power Politics and Ideology, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004 Contemporary Politics in the Middle East, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2006 State Power and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East, rev. edn London: Routledge, 2004 Orientalism, 1978 Understanding the Contemporary Middle East (2nd edition) Beyond Islam: A New Understanding of the Middle East. IB Tauris, 2010. PPR.336 Africa and Global Politics Tutor: Term: Dr Julie Hearn Lent Course Description: African states are among the poorest, most artificial in the world. This means their relations with the global system have a critical impact on African politics from the global to the local level. The course has three main aims. • To provide an overview of the major issues facing Africa in the global system since independence, such as the debt crisis, poverty reduction strategies and aid relations. • To introduce and assess alternative approaches to the study of the subject, through the analysis of particular issues facing African states, such as the nature of civil society, democratization both from above and below and the role of NGOs. • To contribute one perspective to an overall understanding of the new structure of the global system in the twenty-first century. This course provides a historical and thematic introduction to the issues facing Africa in the international system today. The course is divided into four sections. The first section focuses on the impact of colonialism on shaping the economy, the state and perceptions of race. The second section examines the first four decades of independence. The third and fourth sections look at key contemporary issues such as HIV/AIDS and actors such as China and South Africa. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Demonstrate knowledge of key contemporary themes in African politics such as the impact of Chinese investment and trade. • Place these developments within the continent’s history including the Atlantic Slave Trade and European colonialism and its outsider representations of African reality. • Outline and analyze different theoretical and empirical perspectives to understand the role of NGOs, the state and citizens in poverty alleviation, for example. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and workshop (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Fanon F Freund B Harrison G Rodney W The Wretched of the Earth The Making of Contemporary Africa (2nd edition) Issues in the Contemporary Politics of Sub- Saharan Africa How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. 35 PPR.337 Society and Politics in Latin America Tutor: Term: Dr Julie Hearn and Dr Amalendu Misra Not available 2014/15 Course Description: This module is interdisciplinary in nature, in the sense that it includes several approaches to study the Society and Politics in Latin America. It is designed on thematic issues that bind all the 21 member nations of the Latin America in one form or another. The primary aim of this module is to introduce students to an understudied region in the world. This is done through introducing them to various themes in Latin American Politics. This module is designed for students, who have already had some grounding on politics of development, conflict and peace, religion and culture and also aimed at those who wish to develop an area studies specialisation in their intellectual quest. Learning Outcomes: Appreciate the dynamics of Latin American Politics and society. Evaluate its position in contemporary international politics. Engage with practical contemporary topics such as democracy, development, migration and such. Articulate and defend their own views on key thematic issues that bind Latin America member nations. Understand, assess, and critically engage with, key concepts and intellectual debates derived from the literature. Express and argue their own views. Pursue intellectual questions in a rigorous and academic manner, employing analytical skills and critical thinking. Communicate ideas to others in a clear and concise manner through presentation skills including oral and written work. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Auyero, J Poor People’s Politics: Peronist Survival Networks and the Legacy of Evita, Durham: Duke University Press, 2001 Barrett, P et al (eds) The New Latin American Left: Utopia Reborn, London: Pluto Press, 2008 Crabtree, J. & Whitehead, L (eds) Unresolved Tensions: Bolivia Past and Present, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh, 2008 Galeano, E Open Veins of Latin America, New York: Monthly Review Press, 1973. PPR.339 Elections, Voters and Political Parties Tutor: Term: Dr Martin Steven Michaelmas Course Description: This module focuses on the most fundamental component of democratic political systems – party politics. In particular, it analyses key political behaviour issues related to models of voting, party organisation and public policy. It adopts a broadly comparative approach, with an emphasis on advanced industrial democracies in the west – especially the United Kingdom, but also other parts of Europe and the United States. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • • • • • • Assess the merits of the different models of voting behaviour Identify the main elements of party organisation Understand the main concepts of party system formation and development Be aware of the causes and consequences of ideological change in political parties Come to a view about good practice and design in relation to electoral systems Study government formation and the relationship between elections, parties and policy Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: R. Dalton, D. Farrell and I. McAllister A.Clark C .Van der Eijk and M. Franklin P. Webb, D. Farrell and I. Holliday Political Parties and Democratic Linkage: How Parties Organize Democracy (2013) Political Parties in the UK (2012) Elections and Voters (2009) Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies (2002) 36 PPR.340 Islamic Politics Tutor: Term: Dr Amalendu Misra Lent Course Description: The aim of this module is to introduce students in the inner dynamics of political Islam and the attendant challenges that comes with it. It is a module designed as much for students with little or no background in Islamic Politics, as it is for students who already have some grounding. This module is built around an examination of the principal debates, features, and manifestations of Islamic politics in the twentieth century. Learning Outcomes: Appreciate the dynamics of political Islam in contemporary international society. Understand the working of Islam in the governing process. Evaluate its position in contemporary international order. Engage with practical contemporary topics such as governance, violence, terrorism and such. Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts and intellectual debates. Pursue intellectual questions in a rigorous and academic manner, employing analytical skills and official thinking. Communicate ideas to others in a clear and concise manner through presentation skills including oral and written work. Demonstrate written presentation skills. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Ayubi, N. Barber, B Dawood, N.J. (trans.) Donnan, H (ed.) Political Islam Religion and Politics in the Arab World, London: Routledge 1991 Jihad vs. McWorld, New York: Ballentine Books 1996 The Koran, Harmondsworth: Penguin 1959 Interpreting Islam, London: Sage 2002. PPR.341 Contemporary Issues in Human Rights Tutor: Term: Dr Karolina Follis Michaelmas Course Description: This module introduces students to human rights as a political and legal concept. It provides a critical overview of contemporary debates in the field, without losing sight of key theoretical questions. What are human rights? What is their source? In what sense are they ‘universal’ and ‘inalienable’? Following a discussion of philosophical and historical foundations the module will examine the post-World War II international legal regime for the protection of human rights. It will explore the political implications of enshrining human rights at the international level, and engage with questions of culture and diversity, development and globalization, poverty and health. Students will have the opportunity to research and discuss such issues as gender-based violence, torture in the ‘war on terror’, treatment of refugees and asylum seekers and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. These empirical case studies of recent human rights struggles and controversies, will shed light on the complexity of global human rights politics in the early 21st century. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a clear understanding of the key concepts in the field of human rights law and politics. Show a grounded understanding of the major contemporary issues and debates relating to human rights. Knowledgably discuss the intersection between theories of human rights and the application of human rights standards in particular human rights situations. Show an understanding of the major critiques of the human rights paradigm and their implications for human rights practice. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. The core text for the module is: Donnelly, J. Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, 3rd ed., Cornell University Press, 2013 Other readings include: Alston P. & Goodman, R. Clapham, A. Ignatieff, M. Morris, L. (ed.) International Human Rights in Context: Law, Politics, Morals, 4th ed., Oxford University Press, 2012 Human Rights. A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, 2007 Human Rights as Politics and Idolatry, Princeton University Press, 2001 Rights. Sociological Perspectives, Routledge, 2006. 37 PPR.342 Global Political Economy and the World Today Tutor: Term: Professor Chris May Not available in 2014/15 Course Description: This module surveys a range of analyses usually grouped together under the term International (or now Global) Political Economy. The module will further develop knowledge of three main groups of analyses: mainstream liberal analyses; institutional approaches; and critical theories of global political economy. At the end of the module, students will have enhanced knowledge of the range of approaches that can be utilised to understand the contemporary global system from a range of political economic perspectives, appreciate the differences between these approaches and the benefits (and shortcomings) of deploying each general approach and some of its variants when seeking to explain elements of the current global (economic) crisis. The module uses current discussions and deliberations about the global political economy to illustrate the approaches being discussed and to help students develop their appreciation of the complexities of global politics and economics. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Compare and contrast the major approaches of International (or Global) Political Economy. Understand the broad distinctions between different accounts of the contemporary global system. Apply specified approaches to understand specific cases, practices and institutions in the field of international or global political economy. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Blyth, M. Gill, S. & Law, D. O’Brien, R. & Williams, M. Ronen, P. Ravenhill, J. Strange, S. Routledge Handbook of IPE, 2009 The Global Political Economy – Perspectives, Problems and Policies, 1988 Global Political Economy, 3rd ed., 2010 Global Political Economy – Contemporary Theories, 2nd ed., 2013 Global Political Economy, 3rd ed., 2011 States and Markets, 2nd ed., 1994. PPR.343 Corporations, Global Political Economy and the Law Tutor: Term: Professor Chris May Lent Course Description: This module explores the analysis of the corporation in the (global) political economy. It will help students develop their knowledge of the character and practices of corporations and place that analysis within the wider context of analyses of International Political Economy. At the end of the module students will better understand the variance and multi-faceted character of the corporate (global) sector, be able to account for a range of (political) positions about corporations and have some experience of the interaction between political economic and legal analyses. The module overall is intended to demystify the corporation as a political economic actor and support students in developing a nuanced appreciation of their own analyses of the role and practices of (global) corporations. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Compare and contrast the major approaches of International (or Global) Political Economy to the analysis of the (global) corporation. Understand the extent of different forms and practices of corporations in the global system. Account for the range of political positions on the role and practices of corporations. Appreciate the manner in which IPE and legal studies can be engaged around a specific analytical issue (that of the corporate form and its governance). Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Bakan, J. Carroll, W. Culpepper, P. Fuchs, D. Micklethwaite, J. & Wooldridge, A. Picciotto, S. Soederberg, S. The Corporation, 2004 The Making of a Transnational Capitalist Class, 2010 Quiet Politics and Business Power, 2011 Business Power in Global Governance, 2007 The Company – A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea, 2003 Regulating Global Corporate Capitalism, 2011 Corporate Power and Ownership in Contemporary Capitalism, 2010. 38 PPR.344 Politics of Cultural Diversity Tutors: Terms: Dr Matthew Johnson Michaelmas Course Description: This module seeks to examine several questions of significance to contemporary politics: What is culture? Is there a ‘Clash of Civilisations’? Can we evaluate cultural practices or say that a culture is harmful or wrong? How should we deal with practices such as genital cutting and should we mourn the ‘loss’ of cultures Students will develop: the capacity to argue effectively; communication skills through seminar discussions; written skills by completing the coursework assessments; the ability to work interdisciplinarily by applying insights from a range of fields to issues of core political importance. Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students should be able to: • conceptualise culture and cultural processes of concern to politics, • understand and examine cultural change and conflict, • comprehend and employ normative approaches to the study of culture, • evaluate policy responses to cultural diversity, • articulate significant knowledge on a selected topic related to the course material. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Cox, R. B. Huntington, S. Johnson, M. T. Nussbaum, M. C. ‘Thinking about Civilisations’, Review of International Studies, 26, pp. 217–234, 2000 ‘The Clash of Civilisations’, Foreign Affairs, 72: 3, 22-49, 1993 Evaluating Culture: Wellbeing, Institutions and Circumstance, London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013 ‘Women and Cultural Universals’, in, M. Baghramian and A. Ingram, eds., Pluralism: The Philosophy and Politics of Diversity,London: Routledge, pp. 197-227, 2000 PPR.345 Exploring the Persian Gulf Tutor: Term: Dr Simon Mabon Lent Course Description: The module aims to help students to gain an in-depth understanding of the main historical events, processes and actors that have shaped and continue to shape political dynamics in the Persian Gulf. Specific focus will be upon the key challenges to peace and security within the region. The module will form an academically informed, independent and critical knowledge of the Persian Gulf and the relations that states within the region have with ‘the West’. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of different approaches to studying the Persian Gulf. Show an academically informed, independent and critical knowledge of key challenges to peace and security in the Persian Gulf. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Abir, M. Ayubi, Nazi N. M. Bradley, John R. Halliday, Fred Hinnebusch, R. Mabon, S. Saudi Arabia: Government, Society and the Gulf Crisis, London, 1993 Political Islam: Religion and Politics in the Arab World, London, Routledge, 1991 Saudi Arabia Exposed: Inside a Kingdom in Crisis, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005 The Middle East in International Relations: Power, Politics and Ideology, Cambridge University Press, 2005 The International Politic of the Middle East, Manchester University Press, 2003 Saudi Arabia and Iran: Soft power rivalry in the Middle East, London: I.B. Tauris, 2013. 39 PPR.349: Politics and Ethics in Indian Philosophy Tutor: Term: Dr Brian Black Not available in 2014/15 Course Description: This course will look at Indian source texts on politics and ethics. In particular, we will be looking at sources that explore the concept of dharma, a term that incorporates issues of justice, religion, ethics, duty, and law. We will examine the sources of dharma both in their own historical and cultural contexts, as well as in the context of contemporary debates in political theory and ethics. The texts we will examine will include: the inscriptions of Ashoka, the Buddhist Nikayas, the Arthashastra, the Law Codes of Manu, the Mahabharata, and the Kamasutra. We will examine these sources in connection with modern political figures, such as Gandhi and Sarvarkar, as well as in connection with recent debates in India about secularism, democracy and pluralism. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate an understanding of the texts and contexts covered in the course Demonstrate an understanding of the key political and ethical theories covered in the course Be able to review and assess the major texts/thinkers under review demonstrated through verbal and written assessment Articulate their own position in relation to the thinkers/themes of the course. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Doniger, W & Kakar, S (tr) Hiltebeitel, A Olivelle, P (tr) Smith, J (tr) Walshe, M (tr) Kamasutra: A New Translation Dharma: Its Early History in Law, Religion, and Narrative The Law Codes of Manu The Mahabharata The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya. PPR.350 Indian Religious and Philosophical Thought Tutor: Term: Dr Brian Black Michaelmas Course Description: This course will introduce major themes and issues in Indian philosophy, focusing on the Hindu and Buddhist philosophical traditions. Beginning with philosophical sections in the Upanishads and the dialogues of the Buddha, the course will trace the development of Indian philosophy from the early to the classical periods. We will cover various ethical, metaphysical, and epistemological concepts, such as: order and virtue (dharma), consequential action (karma), ultimate reality (brahman), the nature of the self (atman), the highest good (moksha), and the means for attaining knowledge (pramana). Throughout we will look at the dialogical relationship between the Hindu and Buddhist philosophical traditions, particularly the shared practice of debate. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Show acquaintance with the broad historical and systematic features of Indian philosophy of religion. Have read and discussed issues central to the intellectual culture of ancient and classical Indian religion. Acquired a foundation that will enable study of Hindu and Buddhist philosophical traditions at more advanced levels Demonstrate that they have gained knowledge of comparative issues in Western Philosophy of Religion. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Matilal, B K Logical and Ethical Issues of Religious Belief. 40 PPR.351 Modern Religious and Atheistic Thought Tutor: Term: Dr Gavin Hyman Lent Course Description: The aim of this course is to examine and evaluate some of the most central issues in Enlightenment and postEnlightenment Western religious and atheistic philosophical debates. The course will begin by looking the philosophy of G W F Hegel and its implications for subsequent religious and atheistic thought. It will then proceed to consider the thought of the post-Hegelian ‘masters of suspicion’: Feuerbach, Marx, Freud and Nietzsche. After this, it will look at ways in which religious and atheistic thought have been brought together, as manifested in various forms of ‘Christian atheism.’ Finally, it will consider postmodern critiques of modern atheism and the nature of the associated ‘return of religion.’ Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • • • Identify, explain and evaluate the modern framework in which religious and atheistic debate has taken place; Describe and evaluate the thought of some major theistic and atheistic thinkers; Critically assess a number of theoretical approaches to the questions of the Existence of God; Engage with major primary and secondary texts in oral presentation and written assignment. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% examination. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Avis, P Buckley, M J Hyman, G Martin, M (ed) Ward, G (ed) Faith in the Fires of Criticism At the Origins of Modern Atheism A Short History of Atheism The Cambridge Companion to Atheism The Postmodern God. PPR.352 New Religions and Alternative Spiritualities Tutor: Term: Professor Christopher Partridge Lent Course Description: Institutionalized religion is in decline, both in Britain and in northern Europe as a whole. But a great deal is happening 'beyond church and chapel'. The course explores what is taking place in this territory. Is Christianity holding its own among those who do not go to church? Or are 'new' experiential and 'gently' institutionalized spiritualities of life a growing force? Special attention is paid to the role played by 'new spiritual outlets' (NSOS), as well as the role played by the better known new religious movements (NRMS). Students will be encouraged to exercise initiative by incorporating case study research in their essay. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: You will be provided with the opportunity to become knowledgeable about new spiritualities of life, organized both as NSOS and as NRMS. Acquire knowledge from secondary literature, case study research, or both. Apply theories - drawn from the sociology of religion as well as more general socio-cultural theorizing - to explain the development and operation of new spiritualities of life. Demonstrate learning and critically reflect on debates concerning how religion/spirituality is faring as we enter the 21st century. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Heelas, P and Woodhead, L Heelas, P Tipton, S The Spiritual Revolution The New Age Movement Getting Saved from the Sixties. 41 PPR.354 Reading Buddhism Tutor: Term: Dr Hiroko Kawanami Michaelmas Course Description: This course examines the Buddhist scriptures in the Theravāda and Mahāyāna traditions and offers an opportunity for students to understand some of the key concepts and ideas by reading select extracts of the Buddhist texts in English from both schools and traditions. It also allows them to understand the changes in doctrinal emphasis as well as variations in interpretation in the historical development of Buddhism. This module will be a stand-alone module for third year students but will also be accessible to students who are new to the subject. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Describe the origins and doctrinal development within the context of historical development of Buddhism. Identify different strands of schools and traditions of Buddhism and demonstrate how doctrines and concepts have developed out of internal debates and critiques. Analyse and evaluate the value systems underlying Buddhist texts. Appraise some of the academic debates in relation to the study of Buddhism. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Gethin, R Warren, H Wijayaratna, M Williams, P The Foundations of Buddhism Buddhism in Translations Buddhist Monastic Life Mahāyāna Buddhism. PPR.355 Reading Islam Tutor: Term: Dr Shuruq Naguib Not available in 2014/15 Course Description: Religions may take on partly distinctive forms due to the history and traditions of particular regions or modern nation states. Islam is no exception. This course will examine varieties of Islam in a range of modern areas and countries such as Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Britain. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Identify a range of modern configurations of Islam in particular countries or regions. Illustrate the socio-political contexts which have contributed to these configurations both historically and in today's world. Appreciate and articulate some of the key debates that have arisen both within and between them. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: John Esposito (ed) Jorgen Nielsen John O. Voll David Westurlund & Ingvar Svanberg (eds) Islam and Development: Religion and Socio-Political Change Muslims in Western Europe Islam: Continuity and Change in the Modern World Outside the Arab World. 42 PPR.356 Religion in Schools Tutor: Term: Dr Mairi Levitt Michaelmas Course Description: The aims of this module are to critically examine the teaching of religion in schools as it has developed since 1944, current controversies and possible futures; and, to provide relevant knowledge and understanding for those going on to a teaching career in RS/ethics. Topics include social and political values in RE, pluralism and Truth, spirituality in the curriculum, faith schools and secular worldviews. The focus is on the educational system in England and Wales but with reference to the rest of the UK and Europe. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: • Understand the legal framework for the place of religion in the school system • Understand how religion in schools has developed since 1944 in terms of aims, content and methods • Discuss and evaluate the political and social role of religion in schools and the ways in which its privileged position is justified • Critically reflect upon current controversies over the role of religious education in a pluralist society • Understand and evaluate different positions on the place of faith schools in a state maintained system • Demonstrate critical analysis of policy documents, agreed syllabuses, teaching materials and secondary literature in essay writing and the examination • Engage in critical reflection on the place of religion in schools in the 21st century • Demonstrate a clear grasp of the ways in which religion in schools relates to diverse socio-political and cultural contexts Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Barnes, L P Copley, T Thompson, P Wright, A Debates in Religious Education Teaching (The Debates in Subject Teaching Series) Teaching Religion: 60 years of Religious Education in England and Wales Whatever Happened to Religious Education Religion, Education and Post-modernity Journals British Journal of Religious Education Journal of Beliefs and Values Religious Education. PPR.357 Religion and Politics Tutor: Term: Katan Alder Lent Course Description: This course focuses on key contexts and developments in the inter-relationship between religion and politics across the world. The major themes will be: (i) the thesis that the influence of religion has declined in the western world, and its applicability to Christianity in the U.S.A; (ii) the thesis that there has been a resurgence of religion in politics in the world, and its relevance to the interpretation of politics in selected Islamic states (with special reference to Judaism and the Middle-East); (iii) constitutional attempts to negotiate the role of religion in a multi-religious polity, with special reference to Hinduism and Indian secularism; (iv) the management of religion through the concept of a state religion, through a comparison of the monarchies of the United Kingdom, Thailand and Japan. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Describe and analyse various ways in which religion has been understood in political contexts. Appraise the manner in which general theories about the role of religion in politics have actually engaged with the experience of different traditions and countries. Demonstrate a critical and informed awareness of the global diversity of the interaction between religion and politics. Compare and contrast experiences within that global diversity. Demonstrate some familiarity with the specific recent history of a range of traditions and countries. Use a range of published materials in engaging with the conceptual challenges of cross-cultural study of religion and politics and apply an understanding of religion to the study of politics and vice versa. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Bruce, S Haynes, J Ling, T (ed) Plant, R Politics and Religion Religion in Global Politics Buddhism and Politics in Southeast Asia Politics, Theology and History. 43 PPR.358 Early Christianity Tutor: Term: TBC Not available 2014/15 Course Description: This course deals with the formative period of Christian history, from the time of Jesus to the fall of the Roman Empire. It is distinctive in approaching early Christianity from an interdisciplinary standpoint, and in considering it in terms of three dimensions of the religion: 1) Christian institutions (and their relation with wider socio-political contexts), 2) Christian pieties and worship, and 3) Christian thought and the formation of doctrine. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Summarise and discuss the key events, individuals, and developments in the first five centuries of Christian history. Relate the growth of early Christianity to its wider social and political contexts. Articulate and contextualise the thought of at least one church father. Read primary texts from the period in an historically responsible fashion. Use primary texts to inform their own research and demonstrate in practice an awareness of the way in which secondary literature and scholarly debates should be used in the study of early Christian history. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Hall, S G Herrin, J Stevenson, J Stevenson, J Doctrine and Practice in the Early Church The Formation of Christendom A New Eusebius Creeds, Councils and Controversies. PPR.359 Religion in Contemporary Indian Life Tutor: Term: Dr Brian Black Summer vacation in India (August) Course Description: This course is taught intensively at our partner institution in Bangalore, India for four weeks during August. The programme includes daily lectures, seminars, excursions, and cultural activities. On their return to Lancaster, students write a supervised dissertation on an aspect of contemporary Indian life. Topics covered could include Bhakti traditions in India, the philosophy and spirituality of Yoga, Vedanta today, Islam in India, the Sikh way of life, Buddhism in India, the inculturation process in Christianity, interreligious dialogue and pluralism in India today, the role of women in Indian religious traditions and religious festivals in India, debates about secularism and religion in the political sphere. The course is also open to Politics and Philosophy students, who can write about political or philosophical issues in contemporary India. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate direct exposure to many of the ways in which religious beliefs and practices are expressed and manifested in Indian life. Show acquisition of an awareness of the role of religion in Indian life. Demonstrate such awareness by testing what you have heard and observed, while in India, against views in books on Indian religions. Demonstrate knowledge for further study of Asian religions. Assessment: 100% coursework: one 10,000 word dissertation (100%). Teaching Method: Lectures, fieldwork, and dissertation tutorials. Introductory Reading: Fuller C Larson G The Camphor Flame India’s Agony over Religion. 44 PPR.360 Modern Christian Thought Tutor: Term: Dr Anderson Jeremiah Michaelmas Course Description: This course, for the most part, concentrates on (Protestant) Christian thinkers from the German-speaking world. These thinkers have dominated the development of Christian thought in Europe and America until very recent times, when various 'political theologies' (Black, feminist and liberationist) started to erode their influence. Our point of departure on this course must be the Enlightenment and its paradigmatic philosopher - Immanuel Kant. We shall begin, therefore, by looking at the challenges facing early nineteenth century theologians, consider the responses of five major Christian thinkers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and we shall end by exploring the challenges facing Christian thought today. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate a thorough and critical understanding of the context and approach of one modern Christian theologian. Understand the thought of at least four major theologians. Read and analyse at least one major text and foster a critical but sympathetic approach to all the theological approaches encountered. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Ford, D (ed.) Macquarrie, J Smart, N et al The Modern Theologians (2nd ed) Twentieth Century Religious Thought Nineteenth Century Religious Thought in the West, Vol. 1. PPR.361 The Ritual and Social Contexts of Spirit Possession Tutor: Term: Dr Andrew Dawson Michaelmas Course Description: •Complemented by film/video footage, the module surveys and examines the main themes, debates and approaches to ritualised spirit possession in a variety of social contexts. It also engages established social processes and emerging trends as they are expressed through a range of spirit possession motifs, repertoires and paradigms. The module encourages students to develop an analytical and interpretative framework for understanding beliefs, concrete practices and ongoing transformations concerning ritualised spirit-possession. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Discuss key concepts, topics and debates associated with academic treatments of spirit possession as expressed through a variety of social contexts; Employ a variety of theoretical and practical methods commonly used in the academic study of spirit possession; Use appropriate resources to formulate a coherent argument that takes account of divergent opinions and their implications for the academic study of ritualised spirit possession; Use a range of established techniques to initiate and undertake critical analysis of information and to reach informed conclusions arising from that analysis; Communicate effectively information, arguments and analysis and deploy relevant techniques of learning effectively. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture and seminar (one single 3 hour block each week, including lecture, dvds, group discussion and seminar readings) Introductory Reading: Dawson, A Lewis, I M Summoning the Spirits: Possession and Invocation in Contemporary Religion Ecstatic Religion. 45 PPR.362 Religion and Violence Tutor: Term: Professor Ian Reader Lent Course Description: There are those who claim that religion is little more than a perverse and irrational scar on the modern world, one that invariably causes violence, while others (at times driven by political motivations) claim that religion is ‘good’ and that violence only occurs when ‘religion has been hijacked by other forces’. Others still claim that ‘religious violence’ is a myth constructed for political purposes, and that one should not therefore speak of religion in such terms. In disentangling such claims, this course examines the relationship between religion and violence, asking whether one can draw such associations between the two and whether one can develop any broader theoretical understandings about their relationship that enhances our understanding of religion in the modern world. It thus challenges students to think through and develop an understanding of these issues. While examining a variety of theories and perspectives on the topic, including close examination of the arguments outlined above, it continually will refer to empirical data and case studies in which religious movements and religious individuals have been involved in violent activities, as well as examining cases where acts of immense violence (including genocide) have occurred in what appear to be political contexts, but where religious rhetoric may have been used by the perpetrators of violence. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate an understanding of key positions in the debates over the relationship of religion and violence Demonstrate an understanding of the key notions employed in the debates Understand the dynamics of a variety of examples of different types of religious movement and instances where religion and violence have been associated together Articulate their own position in relation to the issues discussed in the course Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (2 hours) weekly, and seminar (1 hour) fortnightly. Introductory Reading: Benjamin, D & Stephen, S Cavanaugh, W T Davis J M Harris, S Maaga, M The Age of Sacred Terror The Myth of Religious Violence Martyrs: Innocence, Vengeance and Despair in the Middle East The End of Faith: Religion, Terror and the Future of Reason Hearing the Voices of Jonestown. PPR.363 Media, Religion and Politics Tutor: Term: TBC Michaelmas Course Description: The module will examine the cultural and political relationships and intersections between media, religion and politics in national and global contexts. Both old and new media will be considered, and consideration will be given to the transformative potential of the latter for participation and activism in religion and politics. The research methods used for analysing media content and discourse will be introduced and applied. The syllabus will include some of the following topics: media, mediation and mediatisation; Islam, violent extremism and Islamophobia; American media and the US elections; changing media portrayals of politics and religion in Britain; religious and political broadcasting; media, atheism and secularism Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Demonstrate their understanding of key issues in media, religion and politics in discussions and in written assessment, and be able to illustrate their understanding with current media examples; Analyse a variety of types of media (e.g. ephemera, newspapers, television, websites, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter) and their textual and visual representations and discourses; Articulate their own views and reflect on their own interactions with the media; In addition they will have practised writing in a style appropriate for a media article, blog or other media intervention on a relevant subject. Assessment: 40% coursework and 60% exam. Coursework: 1 essay of 3000 words. Exam: 2 hours. Teaching Method: Lecture (1.5 hours) and seminar (1 hour) weekly. Introductory Reading: Campbell, H Couldrey, N Knott, K, Poole E and Taira T, Kuhn, R Lynch, G and Mitchell, J (eds) Street, J When Religion Meets New Media Media, Society, World Media Portrayals of Religion and the Secular Sacred Politics and the Media in Britain Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader Mass Media, Politics and Democracy. 46 PPR.390 PPR in Education Tutor: Term: John Foster Lent Available to all third year major and combined major students within PPR Department. It will not be available to students outside the Department (i.e. cannot be taken as a minor) Course Description: This module is designed to allow students to gain experience of educational environments, to develop transferable skills, and to reflect on the role and communication of their own discipline. The module is organised and delivered collaboratively between LUSU Involve, the school/college where the placement is based (henceforth ‘the partner’), and the department. The module will give students experience of classroom observation and experience, teacher assistance, as well as teaching small groups (under supervision). In particular, the module will not only give students the opportunity to observe and experience teaching and learners for themselves, it will also require them to reflect on how their own subject area (Religion, Politics and International Relations, or Philosophy) is experienced by learners, delivered in other parts of the educational sector, and applied in a classroom setting. Students will also be asked to reflect on how teaching and learning at this earlier level cohere with what is taught and promoted at the level of Higher education (as experienced in the University). Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Reflect and write about their experiences at the partner institution Reflect on and write about how their own learning, skills, and knowledge acquired at the University have been adapted and applied to their experiences at the partner institution Reflect on their own academic disciplines from the perspective of a teacher as well as that of a learner, with associated new insights into key issues and problems Communicate aspects of their subject (and enthusiasm for that subject) to the partner institution (to both teachers and learners) Articulate new ways of delivering their subject and extending interest in it. Assessment: Students will prepare a weekly learning log during the placement, and at its conclusion produce a short presentation and a written report reflecting on their experiences and presenting evaluations and recommendations, including ideas on the development of education in their subject at both partner institution and the University. Grade will be assessed on 20% Log book/Presentation combined, and 80% Project. There will be a maximum number of places available on this module. This will be up to 20, depending on placement availability. If more students apply than there are places, a selection procedure will operate. Teaching Method: Supported External study placement. Introductory Reading: Apple, M W Barnes, L P, Wright, A and Brandom A-M Lipman, M Worley, P Ideology and Curriculum Learning to teach religious education in the secondary school Thinking in Education The If Machine: Philosophical Enquiry in the Classroom. PPR.391a Religions in the Modern World (Special Subject) Tutor: Term: Professor Christopher Partridge Michaelmas Course Description: This module is based around weekly seminars, the aim of which is to give students the opportunity to study trends in the manifestation of religion in the modern world, from secularization to fundamentalism and from Christianity and Islam to the New Age and Paganism. Please note that these are meant to be friendly discussion groups, for which students are expected to come prepared and contribute. While the tutor convenes the group and suggests readings, there are no lectures. Each student takes his or her turn to provide a short presentation to the seminar, which then forms the basis for that week’s discussion. Assessment consists of one 5,000-word minidissertation on a topic of the student’s choice, in consultation with the tutor. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Give a sustained critical discussion of one substantial theme or line of argument that is in part or whole constitutive of the chosen topic. Use the resources of small study group to develop their own critical thinking. Assessment: 100% coursework: 5,000 word mini-dissertation. Teaching Method: One seminar (2 hours) weekly. 47 PPR.391b China in the Modern World (Special Subject) Tutor: Term: Dr Astrid Nordin Michaelmas Course description: China's rise is commonly understood as a key factor that will shape future world order. In this seminar-based course, students will become familiar with different approaches to understanding China's rise, and critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges this poses to both China and the surrounding world. In each seminar we will consider a key issue in China's relation to the world from different perspectives. Issues that will be explored include: the possibility of an alternative modernity; sources of party-state legitimacy; Chinese nationalism; the limits of Chinese identity; new tools of China's 'soft power'; the 'Chinese school' of International Relations theory; questions of territorial integrity; and Chinese ideas of world order and the ‘China model’. This course will thus offer students an opportunity to discuss familiar concepts like nationalism, democracy and modernity in the concrete context of China in the post-Mao era. It will help students improve their research skills, enhance their understanding of the complexity of issues in contemporary China, and critically examine conceptual tools of political analysis in the Chinese context. Learning outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Give a sustained critical discussion of one substantial theme or line of argument that is in part or whole constitutive of the chosen topic: China in the modern world. Independently conduct and time-manage a research project under guidance of the tutor. Prepare and communicate questions and findings to an informed audience at various stages of a research project, and make use of their feedback for the continued development of that project. Use the resources of small study group to develop their own critical thinking. Critically examine conceptual tools of political analysis in the Chinese context. Show proof, by way of a long essay, of independent research skills. Demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of issues in contemporary China. Assessment: 1 long essay, 5000 words, 100% (Students are strongly encouraged to negotiate their own essay title). Teaching method: One seminar (2 hours) weekly. Please note that this course does not involve any lectures, but is based on student-led seminars and delivery of an independently formulated research project. Students who do not feel inclined towards the skills development or experience that this independent learning style will give them are recommended to choose a different module. Introductory reading: Callahan, W. A. China: The Pessoptimist Nation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010 PPR.391c Philosophy of Medicine – concepts of health, illness and disease (Special Subject) Tutor: Term: Dr Rachel Cooper Lent Course description: Are psychopaths evil or sick? Should the NHS pay for the treatment of nicotine addiction? Is it right for shy people to take character-altering drugs? Whether a condition is considered a disease often has social, economic and ethical implications. It tends to be taken for granted that what it is to be “ healthy” can be identified and is desirable. Similarly, it is assumed that those who are diseased or disabled can be diagnosed and require help. In this module we question these assumptions via examining the key concepts of normality, disease, illness, mental illness, and disability. Learning outcomes: By the end of the module, you should be able to: • give a sustained critical discussion of one substantial theme or line of argument that is in part or whole constitutive of the chosen topic • use the resources of small study group to develop their own critical thinking Assessment: 5,000 word dissertation Teaching Method: Special Subject classes run as seminars: the tutor convenes the group and suggests reading but does not lecture. Students are required to attend special subject seminars regularly. Introductory reading: Caplan A. et al (eds)(2004) Carel, H. (2008) Elliott, C. (2003) Reznek, L. (1987) Health, Disease and Illness: Concepts in Medicine Illness: The cry of the flesh. Better than Well. The Nature of Disease. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. 48 PPR.392a Future Generations (Special Subject) Tutor: Term: Professor Stephen Wilkinson Michalemas Course Description: What moral obligations do we have towards future generations – to people who are yet to be born, and to merely possible people whose very existence (or non-existence) depends on how we act now? PPR392a Future Generations explores this question by examining both a series of practical case studies and some of the main concepts and theories that philosophers use when thinking about these issues. Questions considered normally include – How should we weigh quality against quantity of life? Would a world with a relatively small number of ‘happier’ people preferable to one with many more ‘less happy’ ones? Ought we to try significantly to extend the human life span (to 150 years or beyond)? Is there a moral obligation to refrain from having children (e.g. for environmental reasons) and what measures may governments take to encourage or enforce population control? Conversely, might there be a moral obligation to have (more) children? Should we use selection techniques to minimise the incidence of genetic disorders and disabilities in future populations Should parents be allowed to use these techniques to determine the characteristics of their future children (e.g. choosing their child’s eye or hair colour, or sex selection)? When considering the future, how should the interests of non-human creatures be weighed against those of humans? How strong are our moral obligations to prevent extinctions, and to preserve wildernesses? When considering long-term environmental issues (e.g. climate change, nuclear power) and long-term financial issues (e.g. national debt and pensions) how should we balance the interests and rights of people who exist now against those of future people? Learning Outcome: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: give a sustained critical discussion of at least one substantial theme or line of argument that is in part or whole constitutive of the chosen topic; use the resources of small study group to develop their own critical thinking In addition, the module aims to develop students’ oral presentation skills. Assessment: 100% coursework: 5,000 word mini-dissertation Teaching Method: Seminar (1 hour weekly) Introductory Reading: John Broome, Jonathan Glover, John Harris, Stephen Wilkinson, Climate Matters: ethics in a warming world, New York: WW Norton & Co 2012 What sort of people should there be? http://jonathanglover.co.uk/sites/default/files/docs/what-sort-of-people-should-there-be.pdf Enhancing Evolution: the ethical case for making better people, Princeton University Press 2007 Choosing Tomorrow’s Children: the ethics of selective reproduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press 2010 PPR.392d The Imagination (Special Subject) Tutor: Terms: Dr Cain Todd Lent Course description: This course will examine philosophical accounts of the imagination. We will look at theories of the nature of the imagination and its connections to other mental states, such as attention, emotion, memory, beliefs, intentions, and desires. In addition, a range of topics focussing on the role of imagining in a number of different domains will also be explored, including moral judgement, practical reasoning, perception, pictorial experience, and modal thought. Learning outcomes: By the end of the module, you should be able to: • give a sustained critical discussion of one substantial theme or line of argument that is in part or whole constitutive of the chosen topic • use the resources of small study group to develop their own critical thinking Assessment: 100% coursework: 5,000 word dissertation Teaching Method: Special Subject classes run as seminars: the tutor convenes the group and suggests reading but does not lecture. Students are required to attend special subject seminars regularly. Introductory bibliography: J-P. Sartre, C. McGinn, S. Nichols, G. Currie & I. Ravenscroft The Imagination Mindsight The Architecture of the Imagination The Recreative Imagination 49 PPR.393 Dissertation with Field Studies Tutor: Terms: Dr Astrid Nordin Summer 2014 to end of Lent 2015 Course Description: The aim of this module is to allow students to pursue independent in-depth studies of a topic of their choice, within the scope of their scheme of study. The topic may be related to work that is being done on a formally taught course, or it may be less directly linked to course work. Students will develop their employability and research skills, and their ability to work independently at length under their own direction with input from an academic supervisor. The field work element will enhance students’ ability to reflect on the impact of academic work. One option is to incorporate a study trip organised by the University, such as the LUSU Involve Overseas Programme, but students may also discuss other forms of field studies with their supervisor. Students are expected to start thinking seriously about the dissertation towards the end of the Lent term of the second year, and to submit a provisional topic by the end of that term. Work should begin during the Summer term of the second year and a draft plan must be approved by the end of the Summer term. Work should be well advanced by Christmas in the third year. The completed dissertation must be submitted by the end of the Lent term in the third year. To help students prepare for work on the dissertation, there will be an introductory talk on topics relating to doing one’s own research and planning and writing a dissertation. A course handout will be available setting out in more detail the requirements for the dissertation and giving full details of lectures, supervision arrangements and assessment. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Independently formulate a research question under academic supervision. Independently plan and execute an independent research project that incorporates an element of data collection in the relevant field. Reflect on the role field study in academic research. Assessment: 100% coursework: 9-10,000 word dissertation. Teaching Method: Supervisory meetings will take place at regular intervals throughout the research project. PPR.394 Dissertation with External Collaboration Tutor: Terms: Dr Astrid Nordin Summer 2014 to end of Lent 2015 Course Description: The aim of this module is to allow students to pursue independent in-depth studies of a topic of their choice, within the scope of their scheme of study. The topic will be formulated in dialogue with one or more external collaborator(s) and may be related to work that is being done on a formally taught course, or it may be less directly linked to course work. Students will develop their employability and research skills, and their ability to work independently at length under their own direction with input from external collaborators and an academic supervisor. The external collaboration will enhance students’ ability to reflect on the impact of academic work. One option is to incorporate work done through the Richardson Institute Internship Programme, but students may also discuss other forms of collaboration with their supervisor. Students are expected to start thinking seriously about the dissertation towards the end of the Lent term of the second year, and to submit a provisional topic by the end of that term. Work should begin during the Summer term of the second year and a draft plan must be approved by the end of the Summer term. Work should be well advanced by Christmas in the third year. The completed dissertation must be submitted by the end of the Lent term in the third year. To help students prepare for work on the dissertation, there will be an introductory talk on topics relating to doing one’s own research and planning and writing a dissertation. A course handout will be available setting out in more detail the requirements for the dissertation and giving full details of lectures, supervision arrangements and assessment. It adds to this existing module by explicitly incorporating an element of collaboration with external actors and stake holders in order to enhance the employability and impact thinking of participating students. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Independently formulate a research question in dialogue with external collaborators and under academic supervision. Independently plan and execute an independent research project with a view to produce knowledge that is useful to stakeholders. Reflect on the impact of academic research on stakeholders and in the wider community. Interact with external collaborators in a productive manner. Assessment: 100% coursework: 9-10,000 word dissertation. Teaching Method: Supervisory meetings will take place at regular intervals throughout the research project. Students will also develop mechanisms for feedback from external collaborators in a form that is suitable to the individual project. 50 PPR.399 Dissertation Tutor: Term: Dr Mairi Levitt Summer 2014 to end of Lent 2015 Course Description: PPR.399 provides an opportunity for students to choose a topic related to some aspect of Politics and International Relations, Philosophy and Religious Studies which particularly interests them, and to pursue it in depth. The topic may be related to work that is being done on a formally taught course, or it may be less directly linked to course work. The intention is that students will develop their research skills, and their ability to work at length under their own direction. Students write a dissertation of 9,000-10,000 words. They are expected to start thinking seriously about the dissertation towards the end of the Lent term of their second year, and to submit a provisional topic by the end of that term. Work should be well advanced by Christmas in the third year. The completed dissertation must be submitted by the end of the Lent term in the third year. To help students prepare for work on the dissertation, there will be an introductory talk on topics relating to doing one's own research and planning and writing a dissertation. A course handout will be available setting out in more detail the requirements for the dissertation and giving full details of lectures, supervision arrangements and assessment. Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module students will be able to: Give a sustained critical discussion of one substantial theme or line of argument that is in part or whole constitutive of the chosen topic; Use the resources of the library to develop their own critical thinking; Present their thinking in a coherent and engaging way through a sustained piece of writing. Assessment: The final mark will be based on the dissertation itself. Students will be expected to attend the research skills lectures, but their attendance will not be assessed. Teaching Method: Students will be allocated a supervisor early in the Summer term of their second year, and will consult their supervisor on an individual basis. There will be three one-hour lectures on research skills at the end of the Lent term of the second year. 51