Undergraduate Course: Contemporary Issues in Political Theory (PLIT10107)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Contemporary Issues in Political Theory focuses on important contemporary political topics and provides students with the tools to identify and analyse the normative and conceptual issues they raise. |
| Course description |
We will explore some of the most urgent debates in political life, asking how political theory can help us understand and change our world. Discussing themes that may include freedom, domination, violence, resistance, the politics of technology, and/or the Anthropocene, students will grapple with provocative theoretical perspectives in seminars led by experts in these fields. These conversations will show how political theory can illuminate the struggles, crises, and futures of modern societies, exposing students to a multitude of schools of thought and methodological traditions. Focusing on careful reading of texts and the development of rigorous arguments, the course also provides a strong foundation for students considering a political theory dissertation.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least 4 Politics/International Relations courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses.
** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Section for admission to this course **
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| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
80 %,
Practical Exam
20 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Seminar Participation: 20%
Reading Reflections: 10%, 1,000 words max (cumulative)
Long essay: 70%, 2,500 words max
Students will be asked to write an academic essay from a list of pre-assigned topics, or on a topic of their own choice with the prior approval of the course convenor.
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| Feedback |
Feedback on all assessed work shall normally be returned within three weeks of submission. Where this is not possible, students shall be given clear expectations regarding the timing and methods of feedback. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Students will be able to demonstrate empirically-informed understanding of contemporary debates on the chosen topic from a relevant range of normative perspectives
- Students will have specialist in-depth knowledge of specific areas and issues in relation to the chosen topic
- Students will be able to critically engage with key theories, concepts, and arguments in the study of the chosen normative issue.
- Students will acquire effective communications skills, both written and verbal, to provide clear and concise analysis of the topic and arguments at hand
- Students will be able to engage in critical thinking, reflection and debate for academic and non-academic consumption.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Critical thinking and analysis
Team work
Effective written and verbal communication
Effective research and analytical skills
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Teaching team:
Dr Tom O'Shea
Email: tom.oshea@ed.ac.uk
Professor Mihaela Mihai
Email: Mihaela.Mihai@ed.ac.uk
Professor Mathias Thaler
Email: mathias.thaler@ed.ac.uk
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| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Tom O'Shea
Tel:
Email: tom.oshea@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Ethan Alexander
Tel: (0131 6)50 4001
Email: Ethan.Alexander@ed.ac.uk |
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