Classical Political Thought
| Module title | Classical Political Thought |
|---|---|
| Module code | POL1025 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Iain Hampsher-Monk (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 150 |
|---|
Module description
This module introduces you to the practice and tradition of political theorising in the West: firstly from the Greeks to the early Christian period, and secondly from the Medieval period to the High Renaissance through the study of selected text by major thinkers. You will also be introduced to a tradition of textual interpretation and commentary connected with this tradition and some of the major interpretations offered. You will learn to critically assess such interpretations against the texts yourself and to understand the significance and contributions of the major cultural components of that tradition, namely classical antiquity and early Christianity.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to:
- introduce you to the practice and tradition of political theorising in the West from the Greeks to the early Christian period through the study of selected texts by major thinkers;
- introduce you to a tradition of textual interpretation and commentary connected with this tradition and some of the major interpretations offered;
- equip you to critically assess such interpretations against the texts yourselves; and
- understand the significance and contributions of the major cultural components of that tradition, namely classical antiquity and early Christianity.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate understanding of the major political theories of the Western tradition between Socrates and Augustine;
- 2. demonstrate the ability to understand, summarise and interpret complex and abstract arguments in politics;
- 3. summarise and precis a political theory;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. identify and discuss the major concepts deployed in a theory and their argumentative articulation;
- 5. engage in both sympathetic interpretation and reasoned criticism of such theories, and to evaluate different interpretations in the light of appropriate evidence;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. evaluate ideas, arguments and texts; and
- 7. develop and assess communication and peer evaluation skills.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover the following topics:
Socrates on knowledge, virtue and Athenian democracy
Plato’s conception of justice
Plato’s theory of Forms
Plato’s Ideal State
Aristotle and the state as a product of nature
Aristotle on citizenship and constitutions
Epicurus’s and the Stoics’ critique of Greek political theory
Cicero and the roman reception of Greek thought
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 26.5 | 123.5 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 16.5 | 11 x 1.5 hour lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 10 | 10 x 1 hour tutorials |
| Guided independent study | 73.5 | Preparation for and completion of summative assessments. |
| Guided Independent study | 50 | Reading and preparation for Tutorials |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1000 words | 2,3,4 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 50 | 2,000 words | 1-7 | Written |
| Take-home textual analysis essay (7 days) | 50 | 2,000 words | 1-7 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (2,000 words) | 1-7 | August/September assessment period |
| Take-home textual analysis essay (7 days) | Take-home textual analysis essay (2,000 words) | 1-7 | August/September assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
Socrates: The Apology
Plato: Republic
Aristotle: The Politics
Cicero: On the Commonwealth, On Duties
Inwood, B. (1997). Hellenistic Philosophy: Introductory Readings. Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/10/2010 |
| Last revision date | 21/02/2012 |
