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PL30873: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité - La France et ses idées

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 33%, ES 67%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 33%)
  • Essay (ES 67%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
The central aim of this unit is to achieve a critical understanding of French society and to go beyond a common-sensical approach to many issues central to our times. This will be achieved through the study of ideas of some of the thinkers who have shaped contemporary France since the beginning of the twentieth century. The aim will be to provide students with an understanding of the variety and wealth of French political and philosophical thought, and the impact of thinkers on French society. The aim will be to provide students with the theoretical tools to understand contemporary issues. Beyond politics, this subject will discuss issues related to culture, society and the arts. The unit will be taught in French.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate that they:
* understand some of the main ideas which have shaped French society
* the ability to engage in critical thinking with primary texts;
* understand the social context which gave rise to, and was influenced by, trends in French political thought;
* critically evaluate the various contemporary issues studied (nationalism, feminism, colonialism...) and understand their background and the reasons behind their power;
* can critically appraise the arguments of French thinkers in the 20th and 21st centuries as responses to the challenges facing French society.

Skills:
Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, effective communication in the target language, teamwork and the planning/conduct/reporting of non-quantitative research are developed and assessed in this unit.

Content:
The content of the unit will include a selection of the following topics: The content of the unit will include a selection of the following topics: nationalism, racism, colonialism, feminism, communism, democracy, critical sociology, Nouvelle Droite, Nouveaux philosophes.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL30873 is Optional on the following programmes:

School of Management
  • UXXX-AYB05 : BSc(Hons) International Management and Modern Languages (French) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB13 : BA(Hons) French and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB08 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB09 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and ab initio Russian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB05 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and German) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB04 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Italian) with Year Abroad (Year 4)
  • UHPL-AYB18 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies (French and Spanish) with Year Abroad (Year 4)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.