This course offers a practical guide to the study of political concepts that underpin arguments, policies and practices in professional activities and institutions. It assists participants in identifying and reflecting on the principles, norms, values and power-relations by which professional and social practices operate, in order to identify potential weaknesses and ways to improve these activities and to evaluate different diagnostic methods. It is suitable for students with no prior background in philosophical or political study and aims to provide participants with a broad understanding of pertinent political principles theories and analytic techniques

1 hour a week asynchronous online preparation

1 Saturday full-day workshop (10-5)

3 synchronous online activities

Critical Perspectives on Knowledge and Power (DUMF 5099)

30% - set exercises (a set of three online short answer assessments, submitted through Moodle, approximately 400 words each) ILOs 1-4

60% Essay of approximately 2400 words - essays will cover identifying the political features of their (or another) professional practice, identifying and assessing these ideological components, This work is assessed through the ILOs 1-4. 

10% Short oral viva in which the student defends their work and explains how it can be developed further ILOs 1-4

The aims of this course are to:

■ Precisely describe and categorise the distinctive clusters of political concepts that constitute different ideologies and how they structure, recognising that categories and definitions may be contested; interpret and assess professional and civic practices.

■ Identify and evaluate the main features of a practice, including, their rules, norms and values, selection of resources, forms of knowledge and truth claims, discourses, identities, internal and external group relations and affects.

■ Communicate a broad understanding of the theoretical principles that inform professional practice such as policy formation, interpretation, implementation and change.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Articulate a critical understanding of the principal political theories, principles and concepts that structure major ideologies and aligned organisations and movements, such as tradition and stability in conservatisms, autonomy and individualism in liberalisms, community and class in socialisms and sustainability and postmateralism in political ecologisms. 

2. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the political dimensions of professional and civic practices (such as electioneering and protest).

3. Engage in evidence based independent research that evaluates the political features of professional and civic practices.

4. Evaluate different political perspectives and analytical methods in order to develop a defensible assessment of particular professional or civic activities and behaviours.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.