Politics of Biology
| Module title | Politics of Biology |
|---|---|
| Module code | POL3247 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Jack Tagney (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
This module critically examines the interplay between socio-political thinking and scientific and philosophical understanding of living nature. You will explore this topic from a range of perspectives drawn from political/social theory and the history, philosophy, and sociology of the life sciences. The module addresses a number of key historical politicisations of biological understanding as well as a range of contemporary debates around the human body and human diversity. If you are interested in exploring fundamental questions about human existence, and the political ramifications of the way we answer these questions, you should take this module.
No prior knowledge is required, but if you have some basic knowledge of modern biology, or some awareness of central debates in philosophy of science/biology, you will be well-placed to take this module.
This module is recommended for interdisciplinary pathways, in particular those studying some combination of politics/philosophy/sociology. However, single honours students in any of these subjects can also take this module
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to:
- Introduce you to the interplay between how we understand the living world and how we relate to each other in society;
- Expand your awareness of the various and complex relations between political ideology, social power, science, and values;
- Provide you with some of the critical tools needed to negotiate these relations in the modern world;
- Encourage independent research into contemporary and historical issues that can be examined using the perspectives introduced by the module.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate critical awareness of the complex relations between political ideology, social power, science, and values.
- 2. Apply perspectives introduced in the module to a variety of contemporary or historical debates that bring politics and biology into conversation with each other.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Critically reflect on the political and social ramifications of changing understandings of science.
- 4. Display good awareness of a range of conceptual frameworks that can be used to understand the complex and changing interaction between science and society.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate awareness of the multiple ways in which scientific knowledge can be interpreted and used.
- 6. Demonstrate awareness of mutual interaction between knowledge and social relations/power.
- 7. Study independently and manage time and assessment deadlines effectively.
- 8. Communicate effectively in speech and writing.
- 9. Demonstrate research and analytical skills through seminar discussions and module assessments.
- 10. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of the internet, online journal databases, and other IT resources for the purposes of seminar and assessment preparation.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- 19th century appropriations of Darwinian theory by both laissez-faire capitalist and socialist/anarchist ideology;
- The role of biological ideas in 20th century eugenics movements and the phenomenon of ‘dehumanisation’;
- The notions of ‘nature’ and ‘human nature’ in debates around issues such as gender, sexuality, disability, and the use of bio-technologies;
- The implications of contemporary understandings of development and evolution for our ideas of identity, diversity, the individual and society.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activity | 22 | 11 x two-hour seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 50 | Private study reading and preparing for weekly seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 78 | Preparation and completion of assessments: independent research and writing |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft essay plan | 500 words | 1-10 | Oral or written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan (write-up of presentation) | 25 | 500 words | 1-10 | Written |
| Essay | 75 | 3500 words | 1-10 | 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 plan | Essay plan (500 words | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
| Essay | Essay (3500 words) | 1-10 | August/September reassessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Re-assessment assignments will take the same form as the original summative assessments.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Meloni, M. (2016) Political Biology: Science and Social Values in Human Heredity from Eugenics to Epigenetics (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan)
Lewontin, R. (1991) Biology as Ideology: The Doctrine of DNA (New York: Harper Collins)
Nelkin, D. & Lindee, M. S. (1995) The DNA Mystique: The Gene as a Cultural Icon (New York: W. H. Freeman and Co.)
Latour, B. (2004) Politics of Nature: How to Bring the Sciences Into Democracy (Harvard University Press)
Nayar, P. K. (2014) Posthumanism (Polity Press)
Mills, C. (2018) Biopolitics (Abingdon: Routledge)
Barker, G. (2015) Beyond Biofatalism: Human Nature for an Evolving World (New York: Columbia University Press)
Lewens, T. (2015) The Biological Foundations of Bioethics (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
Habermas, J. (2003) The Future of Human Nature (Cambridge: Polity Press)
Smith, D. L. (ed.) (2017) How Biology Shapes Philosophy: New Foundations for Naturalism (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
Oyama, S. (2000b) Evolution’s Eye: A Systems View of the Biology-Culture Divide (Durham, NC.: Duke University Press)
Kevles, D. J. & Hood, L. (eds.) (1992) The Code of Codes: Scientific and Social Issues in the Human Genome Project (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press)
Hubbard, R. (1990) ‘The Political Nature of “Human Nature”’, in Rhode, D. L. (ed.) Theoretical Perspectives on Sexual Difference (New Haven: Yale University Press), pp. 63-73
Lloyd, E. A. (2008) ‘Normality and Variation: The Human Genome Project and the Ideal Human Type’, in Lloyd, E. A., Science, Evolution and Politics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), pp. 133-147
Smith, D. L. (2016) ‘Paradoxes of Dehumanization’. Social Theory and Practice, Vol. 42 (No. 2), pp. 416-443
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 10/05/2019 |
| Last revision date | 03/11/2020 |
