Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

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Co Requisite Comment

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Aims

Physical Cultural Studies offers a unique lens through which to examine bodies - both human and more-than-human - as vital sites where contemporary politics unfold. This module explores how bodies become sites where identity formation, community building, political expression, media representation, and cultural practices converge and transform.

Our approach is deliberately diverse and interdisciplinary, drawing on oral histories that capture lived experiences, ethnographic observations that reveal everyday practices, academic literature that provides theoretical frameworks, and cultural artifacts including film, television, and music that reflect and shape bodily experiences. Students engage with these materials collaboratively, developing skills in collective analysis and creative problem-solving to address global challenges that manifest through and upon bodies. For example: media representation and its impact on body image; the complexities of health and wellness narratives in modern society; the embodied experiences of poverty and privilege; and the growing influence of artificial intelligence and surveillance on bodily autonomy; how emotions intersect with contemporary politics; how power produces bodies marked by age, sex, gender, and race; and the commodification of bodies in consumer culture; sporting bodies; and environmental sustainability and its relationship to bodily survival.

Through a combination of lectures and creative interactive seminars, students develop sophisticated understanding of how bodies and culture fundamentally shape contemporary politics. The learning experience is centred on embodied, creative, and multi-sensory methodologies that encourage direct engagement with the subject matter. This hands-on approach helps students develop practical skills for working in various professional contexts that literally make sense of bodies - from policymaking and political institutions to educational settings, media organisations, and healthcare environments.
Key aims:

-Develop both theoretical knowledge and practical capabilities needed to contribute to understanding and influencing how bodies are understood, represented, and treated in contemporary society.

-Learn to navigate complex institutional landscapes while developing collaborative project management skills that can be applied across multiple sectors and contexts. For example: media production, healthcare and wellness delivery, sports industry development, education, politics, and environmental sustainability.

Outline Of Syllabus

The topics covered address Physical Cultural Studies in theory and practice, and may include the following:
-Power and Bodies
-Health, Wellness, and Bodies
-Social Media and Body Image
-Postcolonial Bodies
-Intercultural Bodies
-‘Toxic’ Bodies and Environmental Challenges
-Sporting Bodies
-Posthuman bodies
-Gendered Bodies
-Emotions, Bodies, and Contemporary Politics
-Poverty, Privilege and Educated Bodies
-Bodies and Artificial Intelligence
-Surveillance and Bodies
-Violent Bodies

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Students completing the Physical Cultural Studies module will develop comprehensive capabilities across several key areas. Through these learning outcomes, students emerge with both theoretical understanding and practical capabilities for engaging with body-related issues across multiple professional and social contexts. You will:

K1. Cultivate sophisticated analytical skills to examine bodily experiences through multiple lenses, demonstrated through their writing, collaborative projects, and detailed analysis of texts and cultural artifacts.
K2. Establish a thorough grasp of how 'body politics' manifests across various sectors - from media and healthcare to education and sports, including governmental and community-based initiatives.
K3. Equip yourself with practical skills for conducting interdisciplinary projects aimed at fostering more equitable and inclusive social arrangements for bodies, considering both local and global contexts.
K4. Gain hands-on experience in creating media content that critically engages with contemporary bodily experiences and their relationship to various institutional and political frameworks.
K5. Develop reflexive awareness of your own embodied experiences and critical positioning within broader systems of organisation and control. This self-awareness encompasses understanding how bodies relate to and are influenced by both local and global power structures, fostering a deeper appreciation of their role within these complex networks.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Upon completing Physical Cultural Studies, students will develop four key competencies:

S1. The ability to experiment with diverse media formats to effectively analyse and communicate insights about body politics to various stakeholders, including governmental bodies, community organisations, and industry partners. This practical skill enables them to translate complex concepts into accessible and impactful communications.
S2. Proficiency in independent research and writing, showing their ability to critically analyse and articulate various aspects of body politics. This independent scholarship helps build their unique voice and perspective on the topic.
S3. Through hands-on experience, develop expertise in conducting and presenting collaborative, interdisciplinary research that addresses body-related challenges in both local and global contexts. This collaborative capability prepares them for real-world contexts where complex problems require multi-faceted solutions.
S4. Gain the confidence and skills to communicate within research teams and to diverse audiences about body politic challenges. This includes the ability to present findings, facilitate discussions, and engage with stakeholders across different cultural and institutional contexts.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Learning in Physical Cultural Studies is structured through several complementary approaches:
Lectures: On-campus lectures serve as the foundation, introducing students to fundamental theories, concepts, and methodological frameworks within Physical Cultural Studies. These sessions provide the theoretical groundwork necessary for deeper exploration.

Small group learning: The seminar component offers a dynamic, interactive learning environment where students actively engage with weekly themes and readings. Here, students are assisted to creatively apply theoretical knowledge to chosen examples, drawing from both academic literature and media sources. These sessions foster peer learning, creative method learning, and critical thinking in a supportive environment. Students develop their analytical voice while receiving guidance on their assessments and works in progress. These workshops serve as collaborative spaces where students can test ideas, receive feedback, and refine their understanding of complex concepts and global and local issues.

Assessment preparation and completion: Time is specifically allocated for assessment preparation and completion, ensuring students can effectively demonstrate their learning through their assignments.

Guided independent study: The module also emphasises guided independent study, where students develop their autonomous learning skills. This encompasses both structured activities like assigned readings and preparations, as well as self-directed research and analysis. This independent work allows students to deeply engage with topics that interest them while developing crucial research and time management skills. Whether working on specific assigned tasks or pursuing their own lines of inquiry, students learn to navigate academic and non-academic resources and develop their scholarly independence.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The summative assessment combines two elements that demonstrate students' competency in both content and professional skills in addressing body politic issues.

First, students create an academic poster on selected topics (chosen in consultation with teaching staff). This format challenges students to conduct focused research in their areas of interest while developing crucial skills in communicating complex, evidence-based arguments to specific audiences in appropriately targeted ways.

The second component, a group presentation (20 minutes), simulates real-world professional environments by requiring students to engage in collaborative project management and interdisciplinary research. Students must navigate team dynamics while combining traditional and creative presentation methods, mirroring contemporary progressive practices in industry, government, and community sectors.

Through this combination of collaborative work and personal reflection, students develop both practical skills and deeper awareness of how embodied experience shapes research, analysis, and communication in professional contexts.

General Notes

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