
Module HPS-1002:
Power, Freedom & the State
Module Facts
Run by School of History, Philosophy and Social Sciences
20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits
Semester 2
Organiser: Dr Marc Collinson
Overall aims and purpose
The module aims to introduce the student to the field of political sciences. The module draws on the set of philosophical and social theories to engage with the questions, such as what is politics, what are political systems and how they have come to be as well as broader political questions on the role of the state and sovereignty, authority and civil society. The module aims are: to examine the classic theories of power, state and authority as well as the modern political concepts, such as nationalism, globalisation, civil society and populism; to demonstrate the link between the current political issues and their broader national and global context; to familiarise students with the terminology and data evidence used in the academic discussion of political and social sciences.
Course content
The topics for the Principles of Politics:
- The nature of Politics and Political Analysis
- Politics and the State
- Political Power, Authority and the State
- Democracy and Political Obligation
- Freedom and justice
- Nations and Nationalism
- Traditional Ideologies
- Political Parties
- Civil Society, Interest Groups and Populism
Assessment Criteria
excellent
Student’s work will display the critical thinking and ability to make an academic argument with the use of relevant political theories and use of the empirical evidence. It will show the sophisticated competence in knowledge, writing and referencing.
good
Student’s work will display a good understanding of major political theories and concepts and their application to the contemporary political discourse. It will show reflexive competence in the discussion and analysis of the contemporary political issues.
threshold
Student's work will display an adequate understanding of the political theories and contacts, use simple comparisons to help explain the contemporary political questions and show basic competence in writing, referencing and discussing on the political issues.
Learning outcomes
-
Understand key concepts of political sciences, such as state, power, authority, nation and ideology.
-
Show initiative and independence in researching sources of information relating to the chosen topic.
-
Apply the concepts and theories into the discussion of contemporary social and political problems in the academic debate.
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Understand the nature of the empirical evidence in the academic political debate.
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Be familiar with classical and modern theories of political sciences
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Understand the origins and development of political institutions in contemporary society
Assessment Methods
Type | Name | Description | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
CLASS TEST | HPS-1002 Test 2 | The Continuous assessments are based on the reading materials with the elements of critical discussion and interpretation of empirical evidence, they will involve on-line test and small Black Board based assessments depending on the size of the class. |
20.00 |
ESSAY | HPS-1002 Essay | The essay will include the academic argument and critical discussion of the selected topic. |
40.00 |
CLASS TEST | HPS-1002 Test 1 | The Continuous assessments are based on the reading materials with the elements of critical discussion and interpretation of empirical evidence, they will involve on-line test and small Black Board based assessments depending on the size of the class. |
20.00 |
CLASS TEST | HPS-1002 Test 3 | The Continuous assessments are based on the reading materials with the elements of critical discussion and interpretation of empirical evidence, they will involve on-line test and small Black Board based assessments depending on the size of the class. |
20.00 |
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Hours | ||
---|---|---|
Workshop | Workshops – 2 hours a week |
200 |
Transferable skills
- Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
- Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
- Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
- Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
- Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
- Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
- Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
- Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
- Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
- Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
Subject specific skills
- how to make ethically sound judgements in relation to research carried out by others or oneself
- relationships between these and social divisions and social change.
- the ability to formulate and investigate sociologically informed questions
- awareness of how political and cultural values - including the student's own - have an impact on responses to and rival interpretations of safety and security, crime
- the ability to formulate and investigate sociologically informed questions
- competence in using major theoretical perspectives and concepts in sociology, and their application to social life
- the capacity to analyse, assess and communicate empirical sociological information
- the ability to conduct sociological research
- the ability to understand the ethical implications of sociological enquiry
- Become cognizant with key conceptual debates within the field of contemporary social policy
- Appreciate the value of and apply theoretical and methodological rigour to analyses of welfare issues;
Resources
Reading list
Key texts:
Garner R., Ferdinand P., Lawson S. (2016) Introduction to Politics 3rd Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Ferdinand P., Garner R., Lawson S. (2018) Politics, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Courses including this module
Compulsory in courses:
- M93B: BA Criminology & Criminal Just (4yr with Incorp Foundation) year 1 (BA/CCJ1)
- M931: BA Criminology & Criminal Justice with International Exp year 1 (BA/CJIE)
- M930: BA Criminology & Criminal Justice year 1 (BA/CRIM)
- L200: BA Politics year 1 (BA/POL)
- L202: BA Politics and Economics year 1 (BA/POLEC)
- L201: BA Politics with Placement Year year 1 (BA/POLP)
- L300: BA Sociology year 1 (BA/S)
- L31B: BA Sociology (4 year with Incorporated Foundation) year 1 (BA/S1)
- LM40: BA Sociology & Criminology & Crim Just with International Ex year 1 (BA/SCJIE)
- LM39: BA Sociology and Criminology & Criminal Justice year 1 (BA/SCR)
- 8Y70: BA Sociology (with International Experience) year 1 (BA/SIE)
- L41B: BA Social Policy (4 year with Incorporated Foundation) year 1 (BA/SOCP1)
- L402: BA Social Policy year 1 (BA/SOCPOL)
- LL34: BA Sociology and Social Policy year 1 (BA/SOCSP)
- LM50: BA Social Policy and Criminology and Criminal Justice (IE) year 1 (BA/SPCIE)
- LM49: BA Social Policy/Criminology year 1 (BA/SPCR)
- M1L2: LLB Law with Politics year 1 (LLB/LPOL)
- M932: MSocSci Criminology & Criminal Justice year 1 (MSOCSCI/CCJ)
- L302: MSocSci Sociology year 1 (MSOCSCI/S)
- L403: MSocSci Social Policy year 1 (MSOCSCI/SP)
Optional in courses:
- X316: BA Astudiaethau Plentyndod ac Ieuenctid a Chymdeithaseg year 1 (BA/APIC)
- X318: BA Astudiaeth Plentyndod ac Ieuenctid a Pholisi Cymdeithasol year 1 (BA/APIPC)
- LM3Y: BA Cymdeithaseg&CriminologyCrimJ year 1 (BA/CCCJ)
- LL3M: BA Cymdeithaseg & Health and Social Care year 1 (BA/CHSC)
- MR95: BA Criminology&Criml Just/Italian year 1 (BA/CRIT)
- MC98: BA Criminology/Psychology year 1 (BA/CRP)
- MR94: BA Criminology/Spanish year 1 (BA/CRSP)
- X317: BA Childhood and Youth Studies and Social Policy year 1 (BA/CYSP)
- X315: BA Childhood and Youth Studies and Sociology year 1 (BA/CYSS)
- LL13: BA Sociology/Economics year 1 (BA/ECS)
- LL2B: BA Sociology & Economics (4 yr with Incorporated Foundation) year 1 (BA/ECS1)
- LQ3J: BA English Lang. & Sociology year 1 (BA/ELSOC)
- M3Q9: BA English Literature and Criminology and Criminal Justice year 1 (BA/ENC)
- MR91: BA French/Criminology&Crim'l Just year 1 (BA/FRCR)
- MR92: BA Criminology&CrimJustice/German year 1 (BA/GCR)
- V100: BA History year 1 (BA/H)
- VW23: BA Hanes Cymru a Cherddoriaeth year 1 (BA/HCAC)
- 8B03: BA History (with International Experience) year 1 (BA/HIE)
- LM52: BA Health & Social Care / Criminology & Criminal Justice year 1 (BA/HSCCCJ)
- LL53: BA Health & Social Care/Sociology year 1 (BA/HSCS)
- LL54: BA Hlth & Scl Care/Social Policy year 1 (BA/HSCSP)
- LVJ1: BA Cymdeithaseg/Hanes year 1 (BA/HSW)
- V140: BA Modern & Contemporary History year 1 (BA/MCH)
- V130: BA Mediaeval and Early Modern His year 1 (BA/MEMH)
- LP33: BA Media Studies and Sociology year 1 (BA/MSSOC)
- L401: Polisi Cymdeithasol year 1 (BA/PC)
- LM4X: BA Polisi Cymdeithasol & Criminology and Criminal Justice year 1 (BA/PCCCJ)
- LL5K: Polisi Cymdeithasol & Health and Social Care year 1 (BA/PCHSC)
- VVV2: BA Philosophy and Religion and Welsh History year 1 (BA/PRWH)
- CL83: BA Sociology/Psychology year 1 (BA/PS)
- 3L3Q: BA Sociology and English Literature year 1 (BA/SEL)
- LV31: BA Sociology/History year 1 (BA/SH)
- LQ31: BA Sociology/Linguistics year 1 (BA/SL)
- LL14: BA Social Policy/Economics year 1 (BA/SPEC)
- LL1B: BA Social Policy & Economics (4yr with Incorp Foundation) year 1 (BA/SPEC1)
- LV41: BA Social Policy/History year 1 (BA/SPH)
- CL84: BA Social Policy/Psychology year 1 (BA/SPP)
- LVK1: BA Polisi Cymdeithasol/Hanes year 1 (BA/SPWH)
- LQK5: BA Polisi Cymdeithasol a Chymraeg year 1 (BA/SPWW)
- LVL1: BA Pol Cymd/Han Cymru year 1 (BA/SPWWH)
- L3LK: BA Cymd gyda Phol Cymd year 1 (BA/SSPW)
- LQH5: BA Cymdeithaseg a Chymraeg year 1 (BA/SWW)
- LVH1: BA Cymdeithaseg/Hanes Cymru year 1 (BA/SWWH)
- V104: BA Welsh History and Archaeology year 1 (BA/WHAR)
- VP23: BA Welsh History and Film Studies year 1 (BA/WHFS)
- VV12: BA Welsh History/History year 1 (BA/WHH)
- LVH2: BA Welsh History/Sociology year 1 (BA/WHS)
- QVM2: BA Welsh History/Cymraeg year 1 (BA/WHW)
- LQ35: BA Cymraeg and Sociology year 1 (BA/WS)
- M108: LLB Law with Social Policy (International Experience) year 1 (LLB/LIF)
- M1L4: LLB Law with Social Policy year 1 (LLB/LSP)
- M1LB: LLB Law with Social Policy (4 yr with Incorp Foundation) year 1 (LLB/LSP1)
- V101: MArts History year 1 (MARTS/HIST)
- L3L5: MSocSci Cymdeithaseg gyda Pholisi Cymdeithasol year 1 (MSOCSCI/CYMD)