Key Debates in Political Science 1 (POLS40024)
HonoursPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This is an Honours reading seminar that examines key theoretical and methodological texts in political science. The subject is designed to provide preparation for writing an Honours thesis while also enabling the consolidation, broadening and enhancement of students’ knowledge of the discipline. Key texts across the sub-disciplines of political science are critically examined in relation to theory, method, current political debates, case studies and empirical scholarship. Alongside its companion subject, Key Debates in Political Science 2, this subject will reflect the breadth of the discipline of political science, with a focus on identifying, distinguishing and relating key sub-disciplines and trans-disciplinary theoretical debates in politics and international studies. This iteration focuses on the foundational question: What is Politics? This sets up a larger debate about the proper subject and scope of political analysis, something examined through several major ways of trying to identify and examine politics. The second half of the subject then examines how these issues play out in one of the core sub-disciplines of political science: political theory. Looking at the difference between liberal, critical and poststructuralist approaches to political theorizing, it illustrates how these foundation issues inform differing approaches to several major debates. Students completing the subject will have a robust understanding of what characterises the contemporary scholarly terrain of the discipline, and where their own research interests are located.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject students should:
- demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the broad set of foundational questions in the discipline of Politics and International Studies
- be able to relate and compare the major approaches to understanding politics
- demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the shape of one of the major sub disciplines of political science: contemporary political theory;
- be able to relate and compare liberal from critical approaches to political theory;
- Understand the various challenges contemporary conditions of pluralism bring through debates around democracy, Feminism, Multiculturalism and Postcolonialism;
- demonstrate an independent approach to knowledge that can identify different methods of inquiry and research in academic scholarship and evaluate their intellectual and ethical merits;
- be able to communicate coherently, concisely and effectively in writing;
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Research Essay 1
| Mid semester | 50% |
Research Essay 2
| During the examination period | 50% |
| Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10 marks per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Clayton Chin Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24 Hours: A 2 hour seminar per week for 12 weeks Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Last updated: 3 November 2022