The module is divided into several sections, each dealing with a key aspect of political thought.  Section One is concerned with how political thought is studied and with the idea of a critical glossary.  Section two covers the Classical origins of political thought in Plato and Aristotle.  Section three is concerned with Modern developments in the work of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and others and with issues such as liberty, obligation and social contract.  Section four covers some contemporary understandings of political thought such as socialism, utilitarianism, human rights theories, multiculturalism and the theories of distributive justice associated with Nozick and Rawls.  The final section takes in feminist and postmodern objections to universalism in political thought.

• Demonstrate a knowledge of the work of several of key thinkers from the history of political thought and from contemporary political thought
• Demonstrate an awareness of the broad range of issues and arguments central to political thought
• Demonstrate a degree of familiarity with the range of terms and concepts necessary for an adequate understanding of political thought

The module is delivered through a series of 22 lectures and 6 seminars.

The typical student on this module would be expected to practice and develop the following skills:

• Reading and analysing political and philosophical texts
• Summarising and presenting the central arguments of complex texts
• Understanding and evaluating complex concepts and arguments
• Using the arguments of classical, modern and contemporary political theorists in oral debate and discussion and in written assignments
• Oral and written communication skills

The opportunity for reassessment in this module

This module will be reassessed by resubmission of failed coursework and by resit of failed exam in the Resit Exam Period.

Classical Political Thought: Plato & Aristotle

Modern Political thought: the Social Contract (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau)

Contemporary Political Thought: Socialism, Utilitarian & Rights, Distributive Justice, Multiculturalism, Feminism & Postmodernism

Indicative Reading and Resource List:

The textbook for thios module is:

Roberts and Sutch, An Introduction to Political Thought: A Conceptual Toolkit (2^nd edition), Edinburgh University Press, 2012

Additional reading will include primary texts by the central authors covered in the module:

Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Owen, Marx, Bentham, Mill, Rawls, Nozick, Kymlicka, Parekh, Barry, Okin, Tronto and Rorty.