Aims

This module takes a long view at a theme in the making of modern political thought in Europe between 1500 and 1800: conflict and consensus in social and political thought. Between the Italian Wars (1494) and the French Revolution (1789), European thinkers grappled with the crisis of traditional frameworks for governing political life. In response, they invented new ideas, institutions and cultures designed to safeguard political stability and to promote individual liberty and the common good. At the core of their political thought was the relationship between conflict and consensus within political societies.

In this module, over eleven weeks we look at nine different manifestations of this relationship in some of the most important thinkers in the evolution of Western political thought, stretching from Niccolò Machiavelli to Edmund Burke. By locating their political thought in its historical context, we also interrogate some of the key intellectual and political developments of early modern Europe. This module also introduces, alongside conflict and consensus, other key concepts in political thought, such as the state, republicanism, despotism and liberalism.

Students will come away with an enhanced understanding of the evolution of political thought in early modern Europe and a new perspective on early modern European history, as well as a grasp of the concepts and language central to understanding political thought. They will also develop skills in close-reading of complex texts, engagement with intellectual-historical sources, and the ability to discuss and present complicated ideas in a group scenario.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module will combine non-synchronous lectures (1x1hour per week) and present-in-person seminars (1x2hours per week). The lectures will focus on historical context while the seminars will focus on discussing close-readings of key texts.

Topics typically include:

Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince (1532)
Jean Bodin and the French Wars of Religion
Thomas Hobbes and the modern state
John Locke and religious toleration
Montesquieu and the balanced constitution
Jean-Jacques Rousseau's The Social Contract (1762)
Edmund Burke and the French Revolution

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module is primarily based on reading published historical texts in context. This is reflected in the division of teaching components into lectures and seminars: the weekly 1 hour lectures, delivered non-synchronously, will give the students an overview of the historical context of the text looked at each week; the synchronous seminar, delivered in person on campus, will then primarily look at a specific historical text, of which students will be expected to have read key passages, as directed by the instructor. Student engagement in both lectures and seminars will be further facilitated by the distribution of key secondary readings, either articles or extracts from books, and they will also be encouraged to pursue independent study on the themes and thinkers.

Seminars will ideally be student-led, and it is anticipated that this will be increasingly the case in the second half of the module. The instructor will stimulate and guide discussion, and ensure key learning objectives are met each week.

In the event that seminars are required to be delivered remotely, the seminar will be conducted through live discussions online, supported by a pre-recorded mini-lecture covering core themes, which students will watch in advance. As it is anticipated that this level 3 module will have only a small group of students, this model of remote delivery is expected to work well.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Formative Assessment

Reflective Log - Students will be required to write 2x300 word blog entries on the extent to which they have met learning objectives in the first three weeks. This will demonstrate the extent of their understanding and their level of writing. It will also allow them to reflect upon their progress, and enable the instructor to offer continuous feedback.

Assessment

Written exercise (25%) - students will be required to write a 750 word commentary on one of the texts looked at in weeks 2-6 (distinct from the week in which they give their oral presentation). This will demonstrate their ability to understand, interpret and present complex political-historical ideas, as well as to assess the quality of their written work. It will provide the instructor with the opportunity to give feedback in advance of their final assessment

Essay (75%) - students will be required to submit a 2,500 word essay, with the essay title chosen from a set list determined by the instructor. Each question will focus on one, or possibly a comparison between two, books and thinkers looked at in the course. Students will be required to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding, as well as to situate the thinker and book within the broader context of the themes looked at over the course of the module. This builds upon the skills and knowledge base, as well as writing practice, developed in the other assessments.

All the assessment for this module will be submitted and marked online. If the module is required to be delivered remotely, the oral examination will be delivered in the context of a remotely-delivered seminar, with students having the option of pre-recording their presentation or presenting live.