PIR-30166 - Module Specification
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

In this module we will investigate the challenges raised within feminist thought to mainstream ideas and assumptions in contemporary political theory. We will focus on key feminist interventions into liberal approaches to issues such as resource equality and conceptions of the state, the gendered nature of the 'social contract', and how race and international issues such as colonialism affect feminist politics. This module aims also to think through the ways in which these issues intersect with conceptions of nationhood and citizenship.

1. To encourage students to form an understanding of the conceptual and normative basis of feminism.
2. To critically analyse contemporary debates animating feminist thought.
3. To develop time-management and academic writing skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Identify and describe major bodies of literature or schools of thought relating to feminism: 1,2
Critically analyse the arguments from class readings and those found through independent research offered by major contemporary feminist theorists: 1,2
Evaluate the persuasiveness of feminist critiques of and alternatives to mainstream concepts and frameworks in liberal political philosophy: 1,2
Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of varying perspectives on the issues relevant to feminist thought, with a view to assessing their critical and normative potential: 1,2

Study hours

Seminars 22 hours
Preparation for seminars 68 hours
Research and writing the essay 30 hours
Revision for the final paper 30 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment