|
 Academic Year:
| 2013/4 |
| Owning Department/School:
| Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies |
| Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Honours (FHEQ level 6) |
| Period: |
Semester 1 |
| Assessment:
| CW 33%, ES 67% |
| Supplementary Assessment: |
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| |
| Description:
| Aims: The central aim of this unit is to achieve a critical understanding of French society and to go beyond a common-sensical approach to many issues central to our times. This will be achieved through the study of ideas of some of the thinkers who have shaped contemporary France since the beginning of the twentieth century. The aim will be to provide students with an understanding of the variety and wealth of French political and philosophical thought, and the impact of thinkers on French society. The aim will be to provide students with the theoretical tools to understand contemporary issues. Beyond politics, this subject will discuss issues related to culture, society and the arts. The unit will be taught in French. Learning Outcomes: By the end of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate that they: * understand some of the main ideas which have shaped French society * the ability to engage in critical thinking with primary texts; * understand the social context which gave rise to, and was influenced by, trends in French political thought; * critically evaluate the various contemporary issues studied (nationalism, feminism, colonialism...) and understand their background and the reasons behind their power; * can critically appraise the arguments of French thinkers in the 20th and 21st centuries as responses to the challenges facing French society. Skills: Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, effective communication in the target language, teamwork and the planning/conduct/reporting of non-quantitative research are developed and assessed in this unit. Content: The content of the unit will include a selection of the following topics: The content of the unit will include a selection of the following topics: nationalism, racism, colonialism, feminism, communism, democracy, critical sociology, Nouvelle Droite, Nouveaux philosophes. |
| Programme availability: |
PL30873 is Optional on the following programmes:Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
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