CONTENTS
Page
Summary of Content: 3
Educational Aims: 3
Learning Outcomes: 3
Module Evaluation: 4
Lecture/Seminar Titles: 5
Part one – Orientations: Questions of Ontology and Epistemology 5
Week 1 Introduction:What is Politics? 5
Week 2 How do we Gather Valid Knowledge? 5
Part two – Mainstream Approaches in Political Science and International Relations 5
Week 3 Positivism and the ‘Behavioural Revolution’ 5
Week 4 Rational Choice Theory 5
Week 5 New Institutionalism 6
Week 6 Interpretivism and Constructivism 6
Part three - Radical Approaches 6
Week 7 Marxism and Critical Theory 6
Week 8 Feminist Approaches 6
Week 9 Habermas 6
Week 10 Post-modern Approaches 7
Week 11 Revision Lecture 7
Method and Frequency of Class: 7
Method of Assessment: 7
Reading Information: 8
Coursework Support: 18
Guidance to Essay Writing: 18
Assessed Essay Titles: 18
Tips for Essays: 19
Summary of Content:
The module introduces students to alternative theoretical approaches to the study of political phenomena. We consider the different forms of analysing, explaining, and understanding politics associated with approaches such as behaviouralism, rational choice theory, institutionalism, Marxism, feminism, interpretive theory and post-modernism. The module shows that the different approaches are based upon contrasting ‘ontological’ suppositions about the nature of politics, and they invoke alternative ‘epistemological’ assumptions about how we acquire valid knowledge of politics and international relations. We examine questions such as: what constitutes valid knowledge in political science and international relations? Should political science methodology be the same as the methods employed in the natural sciences? Can we give causal explanations of social and political phenomena? Can we ever be objective in our analysis? What is the relationship between knowledge and power? An understanding of the different approaches will be invaluable to students as they pursue their studies at levels 2 and 3, and will provide the opportunity for students to adopt an approach that corresponds to their own questions, research topics, interests, and their own ontological and epistemological assumptions.
Educational Aims:
By the end of the module you will be able to:
-demonstrate a familiarity with key theoretical approaches to politics and international relations
-recognize and understand the different approaches in political science
-choose for yourself the approach(es) that are appropriate for your own study
-explain the different approaches to others
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the module you will have acquired:
i) Knowledge and understanding:
- of the meaning of the concepts of ‘ontology’ and ‘epistemology’
- of some principle debates in the philosophy of science
- of the debates surrounding the impact of positivism in political science and international relations
- of the epistemological and ontological assumptions associated with a range of alternative approaches to politics
- of the criticisms levied against alternative approaches to politics
- of the way in which different approaches influence the questions we ask and the results we obtain
- of the implications of adopting alternative forms of epistemology and ontology in your own studies
ii) Intellectual skills:
- in critical analysis and conceptual thought
- in handling challenging theoretical material
- in the ability to develop logical arguments and to engage with theoretical abstractions in political thought
iii) Professional/Practical skills:
- in advanced writing under exam conditions
iv) Transferable & Key skills:
-in effective time management, the presentation of material, and individual and group work
v) IT skills:
- in word processing
- in the use of WebCT and other online media
Module Evaluation:
Evaluation and feedback are crucial to the success of any module. The School wants students to have their say on Politics modules. Therefore modules are formally evaluated on a biennial basis, so please use this opportunity to have your say. If you have any other comments or queries regarding this module, please contact the Module Convenor.
Lecture/Seminar Titles:
The weekly lecture/seminar titles are as follows:
Part one – Orientations: Questions of Ontology and Epistemology
Week 1 Introduction: What is Politics?
Seminar Questions:
What is politics?
Who are the main ‘actors’ in politics?
What does ‘ontology’ mean?
What is ‘ontological realism’?
What is ‘ontological constructivism’?
Week 2 How do we Gather Valid Knowledge?
Seminar Questions:
Can we ever be objective?
What does it mean to be value free?
What does ‘epistemology’ mean?
What is ‘empiricism’?
What are the problems with ‘induction’?
What is the difference between verification and falsification?
Part two – Mainstream Approaches in Political Science and International Relations
Week 3 Positivism and the ‘Behavioural Revolution’
Seminar Questions:
What is positivism?
What are the principle methods of the natural sciences?
What is the ‘behavioural revolution’?
What is the difference between explanation and understanding?
Can we give a positivist account of political behaviour?
Week 4 Rational Choice Theory
Seminar Questions:
What is ‘methodological individualism’?
Are human beings rational calculators of their own interests?
What is game theory?
How useful is the ‘prisoner’s dilemma’ for explaining political relations?
Week 5 New Institutionalism
Seminar Questions:
What is an institution?
How and to what extent do institutions shape political behaviour?
What is the difference between the old and the new institutionalism?
What is methodological holism?
Week 6 Interpretivism and Constructivism
Seminar Questions:
What is ‘foreknowledge’?
What is ‘hermeneutics’?
Do human relationships differ fundamentally from relationships in the natural world?
Can we ever understand individuals and groups from other cultures?
What are the roles of ideas in shaping political relationships?
Part three - Radical Approaches
Week 7 Marxism and Critical Theory
Seminar Questions:
What is the relationship between power and knowledge?
What is the role of the state in capitalist society?
What is the difference between traditional and critical theory?
What is ‘immanent critique’?
Do the oppressed have a unique perspective on the world?
Week 8 Feminist Approaches
Seminar Questions:
What is standpoint epistemology?
Do women have a unique understanding of patriarchal society?
Do all women have the same interests, identity, and perspective on the world?
What is the difference between sex and gender?
Week 9 Habermas
Seminar Questions:
What is Habermas’ ‘ideal speech situation’?
What is the correspondence theory of truth?
What is the consensus theory of truth?
What is ‘communicative action’?
What is deliberative democracy?
Week 10 Post-modern Approaches
Seminar Questions:
What is relativism?
Should we embrace epistemological relativism?
Does epistemological relativism imply ethical relativism?
What does Foucault mean by ‘power/knowledge regimes’?
Can we ever stand outside of power relationships?
Week 11 Revision Lecture
The lecture provides an overview of the different approaches. Seminars are a student-centred method of learning. Your participation in the seminars is vital if you are to get the most out of the module. They provide an opportunity to gain experience in presenting ideas and arguments in a formal setting, and allow you to raise issues that concern you. Seminars are a crucial element of the module and are compulsory for students. If you have academic queries these should be directed in the first instance to the person who takes you for seminars. Seminar discussions will be based on the essential readings listed below (with **), please ensure that you have familiarised yourself with the relevant required readings before the seminars. Please note that registers will be taken in seminars, should you be unable to attend, please email your seminar tutor.
Method and Frequency of Class:
Activity / Number of Sessions / Duration of a SessionLecture / 11 / 1 hour
Seminar / 11 / 1 hour
Location of Lecture: / B62, LASS
Day: / Tuesday
Time: / 3pm
Location of Seminar: / Various
Day: / Tuesday to Friday
Time: / Various – sign up via NEXUS
Lecture notes etc. are available via WebCT
Method of Assessment:
This 20 credit module will be assessed on the following basis:
Assessment Type / Weight / RequirementsExam 1 / 60% / 2.5hr seen exam (with unseen multiple choice element)
Coursework 1 / 40% / 2,000 words
The assessed essay should be submitted to the School Office by 15th November 2010. You must submit an electronic copy of your essay via the module’s WebCT site, taking note of the individual ID number that will be generated once you have successfully uploaded it. This process is self-explanatory.
After you have done that – and only then - you must submit two hard copies of the essay to the School Office by the deadline. A submission sheet should be completed and attached to the essay. You are required to enter the WebCT ID number on the cover sheet, as proof that you have already electronically submitted the essay. The submission sheet and the top of page of each copy of your essay should then be date stamped, and submitted to the essay chest outside the School Office. Please note that the School Office will be open from 10am till 4pm (Monday to Friday) on submission days. Essays handed in after 4pm will be stamped as late and the usual University penalties will be applied.
The electronic copies will be scanned to detect plagiarism. It is therefore imperative that you consult the Student Handbook, which outlines what is counted as plagiarism and advises you how to avoid it. Failure to submit an electronic copy even if you submit two hard copies on time will mean that the essay will be counted as having not been submitted.
The standard University penalty for late submission should be 5% absolute standard University scale per normal working day, until the mark reaches zero. For example, an original mark of 67% would be successively reduced to 62%, 57%, 52%, 47% etc. Normal working days include vacation periods, but not weekends or public holidays. Applications for extensions will not normally be considered retrospectively. Any student wishing to apply for an extension should collect and complete the necessary forms from the School Office.
Reading Information:
General Reading – (** indicates essential reading)
The essential readings are required for preparation for the seminars. However, they represent the minimum requirement in order to understand the ideas covered in the module. The further readings will enable you to deepen your understanding of the different approaches, and you should read some (not all) of these in preparation for the coursework essay and the exam.
All of the essential readings are either taken from:
(a) Marsh, D. and Stoker, G. (eds.) (2010) Theory and Methods in Political Science Houndsmill, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. THIRD EDITION**
Or
The module WebCT site.
You should purchase the Third Edition of Marsh and Stoker and make use of the WebCT site.
You might also consider the purchase of Colin Hay’s Political Analysis: a critical introduction (2002) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Tips for Reading:
You will find the reading in this module challenging. You will be introduced to many new terms and concepts. Some articles and books will appear more straightforward than others. Make sure you keep up with the essential readings, and try to engage with the texts from the list of further readings. If you find something too difficult and it’s giving you a head ache, leave it alone and find something more accessible and introductory. Ask your seminar tutor for advice about which books are more accessible than others. When you are reading a book or article, keep a list of key terms and look them up in a dictionary. Also, keep a note of anything you do not understand and raise it with your seminar tutor. You will find the reading for this course a bit like learning to ride a bike, it will seem difficult at first, but the more you practice the more able you will become.
Topic Based Readings – (** indicates essential reading)
Week 1 Introduction: What is Politics?
Furlong, P. and Marsh, D. (2010) ‘A Skin not a Sweater: ontology and epistemology in political science’ in D. Marsh and G. Stoker (eds.) Theory and Methods in Political Science Houndsmill, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Third Edition: pp 184-211 **
Smith, S. (2007) ‘Introduction’ in Dunne, T., Kuki, M. and Smith, S (eds.) International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity Oxford: OUP. **
Balbus, B. (1990) ‘Positivism’s Twilight’ in The Canadian Journal of Sociology 15 (2): 149-163.
Benton,T. and Craib, I. (2001) Philosophy of Social Science:the philosophical foundations of social thought. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Burns, T. (2000) ‘What is Politics? Robinson Crusoe, Deep Ecology and Immanuel Kant’ in Politics 20 (2): 93-98.
Crick, B.(2000) In Defence of Politics.London:Continuum.Chapter 1
Finlayson, A. and Martin, J. (1997) ‘Political Studies and Cultural Studies’ in Politics 17 (3): 183-189.
Haas, M. and Kariel, H. S. (eds.) (1970) Approaches to the Study of Political Science. Scranton, Pennsylvania: Chandler Publishing Company.
Huysmans, J.(2005) What is politics? Edinburgh:EUP.
Mouffe, C.(2005)On the Political. London:Routledge. Chapter 2
Pennock, J. R. and Smith, D. G. (1964)Political Science: an introduction. New York: Macmillan.
Trigg, R. (1985) Understanding Social Science: a philosophical introduction to the social sciences. Oxford: Blackwell.
Warren, M. E. (1999) ‘What is political?’ in Journal of Theoretical Politics 11(2): 207-231.
Wenman, M.A. (2003) ‘What is Politics? The Approach of Radical Pluralism’ in Politics 23 (1): 57-65.
Williams, M. and May, T. (1996) Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Research. London: UCL Press.
Week 2 How do we Gather Valid Knowledge?
Marsh, D. and Stoker, G. (2010) ‘Introduction’ in D. Marsh and G. Stoker (eds.) Theory and Methods in Political Science Houndsmill, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Third Edition: pp 1-12 **
Hay, C. (2002) ‘What’s ‘Political’ About Political Science?’ in C. Hay Political Analysis: a critical introduction Houndsmill, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. **
Grofman, J.G. ‘Seven Durable Axes of Cleavage in Political Science’ in K.R. Monroe (ed.) Contemporary Empirical Political Theory. Berkeley: University of California Press. **
Chalmers, A. F. (1982) What is This Thing Called Science? an assessment of the nature and status of science and its methods. Milton Keynes: Open University Press.