PHI1014 : Introduction to Political Philosophy
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Gus Hewlett
- Owning School: School X
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module introduces students to the European tradition of political philosophy from classical antiquity to the modern age. Students will engage with the major works of central thinkers in European political thought and philosophy, examining, comparing and critiquing their theories of government and articulations of fundamental political concepts such as state, sovereignty, liberty, justice, rights, obligation, violence and human nature. By reading a range of canonical texts in Western political philosophy, students will gain an in depth understanding of the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of modern political ideas and practice; students will also be introduced to certain critical responses to the “canon”, enabling them to question its formation through engagement with alternative and / or marginal views.
Outline Of Syllabus
Key texts and thinkers covered may include, but are not limited to:
Machiavelli’s The Prince
Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan and De Cive
Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Social Contract and Second Discourse
Mary Wollstonecraft’s Vindication of the Rights of Women
Carole Pateman’s The Sexual Contract
Charles Mills’ The Racial Contract
Dominic Wellburn’s Canon Controversies in Political Thought
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 20:00 | 20:00 | Essay preparation and completion |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Specific research or reading activities developed and directed by academic staff |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Tutorials |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 52:00 | 52:00 | Review lecture material, prepare for small group teaching and assessment |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The lectures will provide essential subject-specific knowledge on a range of seminal thinkers and ideas. Seminars permit discussion of the relative merits of these thinkers and ideas and guide independent analysis, interpretation, and critique.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | A | 100 | 2000 words |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Students will be assessed by a 2000-word essay and will be able to choose from a range of essay questions. The essay tests the ability to think analytically, creatively, self-critically and independently as well as managing one’s own work to set time limits. This assessment method also gauges the students’ ability to move between generalisation and appropriately detailed discussion, to cite relevant texts and interpret them adequately, to discover examples in support of or to challenge a position, and to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant considerations.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PHI1014's Timetable