The aim of this module is to introduce students to some of the major texts in the history of political thought, and encourage them to interpret and critically analyse key concepts.  In the first instance, the classical thinkers will be studied, as well as some of the giants of modern political thought, with an emphasis on specific themes and ideas within their work.  There will also be an opportunity to reflect on modern ideologies that make use of these ideas, such as conservatism, liberalism, nationalism and socialism.

The module provides an introduction to the history of political thought, a thorough analysis of some key concepts that have been particularly influential, as well as reflecting on their legacy in today’s politics. It will also provide an outline of the development of political thought in the West, from the Greeks onwards, focusing on themes such as justice, human nature, the social contract. freedom and religion. Where appropriate, there will be a focus on Welsh figures such as Richard Price and Robert Owen who have been influential in some of these developments. There will be an opportunity to reflect on the differences between political theory and ideology, and on which themes continue to influence us today, or have been rejected by the political and philosophical trends of the 20th century.

1. Understand the essentials of political philosophy and ideology
2. Understand and assess key themes in the history of political thought in the west
3. Demonstrate a familiarity with many of the key thinkers in the Western canon
4. Grasp in general terms the development of political philosophy in the West
5. Understand the essentials of four key political ideologies
6. Read and evaluate original texts in political philosophy
7. Critically assess political arguments
8. Articulate and evaluate philosophical arguments

This 20 credit module will be taught through twenty one hour lectures and ten one hour seminars. The aim of the lectures will be to provide an introduction to those identified as the key thinkers in the module who are to be studied further in the seminars, in addition to introducing others who are notable figures in the Western canon but will not be the focus of more detailed study. Students will receive guidance in preparation for the readings, in addition to gaining an appreciation of the development of political thought and the place of specific thinkers within the Western tradition. The aim of the seminars will be to discuss the key texts in detail, reflecting on possible interpretations, and thinking about the broader themes of the module which connect the different philosophers.

The module will be taught as part of the teaching provision of the Coleg Cenedlaethol Cymraeg and therefore resources will be available to students through the interactive teaching platform, Y Porth, which uses the same software as Learning Central. The module will use printed books and journal articles available on-line, and where books are in short supply, or out of print, the relevant passages will be uploaded to Y Porth. Timetabled sessions will be supplemented with written material to be found in the module handbook, detailing session content, questions for discussion and lists for further reading, whilst the lecture slides will be uploaded to Y Porth.

Intellectual Skills:

The ability to interpret texts and to understand texts in the context of a tradition of thought

The ability to articulate and assess arguments

The ability to reach conclusions with sound reasoning and detailed interpretations of source material

The ability to develop a consistent position about questions raised in the module

Discipline Specific Skills:

The ability to analyse and construct philosophical arguments

The ability to interpret philosophical texts and to assess their historical and contemporary relevance

The ability to use (and derive value from) a wide range of texts from various historical periods

Transferable Skills:

The ability to analyse arguments

The ability to read texts in a disciplined and creative manner

The ability to communicate clearly and accurately in written work

The ability to present work that has a logical structure

The ability to form their own views and independent positions

Students will develop employability skills which include the ability to synthesise information, operating in group-based discussion involving negotiating ideas and producing clear, informed arguments in a professional manner

The formative assessment for this module will take the form of one essay of 1,000 words, on a specified topic.  This essay should be submitted via Y Porth, by the specified date. Essays will be returned via email.

The summative assessment for this module will include a learning log and one portfolio essay.  The weighting for each assessment is set out below. 

The learning log will consist of weekly critical summaries of the compulsory reading, no longer than 500 words, with students identifying key issues and problems. They are to be submitted at the end of each seminar for feedback, and to be presented as a collection at the end of the module.

The portfolio essay will consist of one essay of a maximum of 2500 words and will be selected from the same questions as the formative essays. It must be written especially for the portfolio, but may be based on the formative essay – although a far more thorough critical discussion will be expected.

1. What is it to study political philosophy?
2. Concepts of Ideology – Marx
3. Concepts of Ideology – Manheim
4. What is Justice? Plato’s Republic
5. Plato & Aristotle’s Metaphysics
6. Human Nature – Good or Evil? Augustine and Pelagius
7. Human Nature – Good or Evil? Machiavelli
8. The Social Contract: Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau
9. The Social Contract: Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau
10. Freedom: Richard Price
11. Edmund Burke and Conservatism
12. Wollstonecraft and Feminism
13. Robert Owen, Freedom, Socialism
14. John Stuart Mill, Freedom and Liberalism
15. Marx and Social Democracy
16. Nationalism
17. John Rawls and 20th Century Political Philosophy
18. Critical Challenges: Post-modernism and Pragmatism
19. Critical Challenges: Green Politics
20. Reflections on Political Philosophy and Ideology Today

Seminars:

1. Political Philosophy and Ideology
2. Justice in Plato’s Republic
3. The Glory and Frailty of Man in Augustine and Machiavelli
4. The Social Contract
5. Burke and Wollstonecraft: Conservatism & Feminism
6. Freedom according to Mill and Owen
7. Marx and Socialism
8. Nationalism
9. The Foundations of Political Philosophy in Rawls & Rorty
10. Green Politics

Key Texts:

Augustine  The City of God Bettenson, H. (cyf.)  (Penguin, 2003)

Bernstein, E Evolutionary Socialism.  (Schoken Books, Efrog Newydd, 1961)

Burke, E Reflections on the French Revolution.  (Penguin, 1982)

D. Emyr Evans (trans.) Wladwriaeth Platon (Caerdydd 1956).

Hobbes, Thomas, Leviathan, gol. Richard Tuck, (Caergrawnt, 1996)

Locke, John Two Treatises of Government, gol.  Peter Laslett (Gwasg Prifysgol Caergrawnt, 1988)

Machiavelli, Niccolo The Prince William J. Connell (cyf.)( Bedford/St. Martin's; First Edition edition. 2005)

Mill, J.S. On Liberty and Other Writings (Cambridge University Press, 1989)

Owen, Robert,            A New View of Society (Dent, Llundain, 1972)

Price, Richard A Discourse on the Love of Our Country (Kessinger Publishing, LLC,2010)

Rawls, John A Theory of Justice (Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2005)

Rorty, Richard Contingency, Irony and Solidarity (Cambridge University Press, 1989)

Rousseau, Jean Jacques, The Social Contract and other later political writings    (Cambridge University Press, 1997)

Wollstonecraft, M. Vindication of the Rights of Women  (Penguin, 1992)

 Secondary Texts:

Abramson,Jeffrey B., Minerva’s Owl: The Tradition of Western Political Thought(Harvard University Press, 2009).

Boucher, David and Paul Kelly, eds., Political Thinkers: From Socrates to the Present (Oxford, 2003).

Dryzek, John S., Bonnie Honig and Anne Philips (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Political Theory (Oxford University Press, 2006).

Evans, R.F.  Pelagius: Inquiries and Reappraisals  New. York: The Seabury Press, 1968 [Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2010]

Gellner, Ernest,Nationalism(New York University Press, 1998)

Goodwin, Barbara, Using Political Ideas (Wiley, 2007).

Graham, Paul and John Hoffmann, Introduction to Political Theory (Pearson/Longman, 2006).

Jones, J.R. Prydeindod(Llyfrau’r Dryw, 1966)

Leopold, David and Marc Stears (eds.), Political Theory: Methods and Approaches (Oxford University Press, 2008).

McLellan, David. Marx before Marxism (Macmillan 1980)

Orenstein, J. R. An Introduction to Political Theory, Harper Collins, Efrog Newydd, 1993

Roberts, Peri & Sutch, Peter, An Introduction to Political Thought (Edinburgh University Press, 2004)

Sabine, G.H. & Thorson, T.L.  A History of Political Theory, Holt-Sanders, Illinois, 1973

L Strauss & J Cropsey. History of Political Philosophy. Chicago, 1963

Vincent, Andrew, Modern Political Ideologies (Blackwell, 2010).

White, Stephen K. and J. Donald Moon (eds.), What is Political Theory? (Sage, 2004).

Williams, Howard, Concepts of Ideology (Palgrave MacMillan 1988).

Williams, Howard Marx – Y Meddwl Modern (Gwasg Gee, 1980)

Wolin, Sheldon S., Politics and Vision: Continuity and Innovation in Western Political Thought (Princeton University Press, 2004).