BASS Politics and Sociology

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Liberalism and Empire

Course unit fact file
Unit code POLI30252
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 3
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Liberalism is the dominant ideology that has shaped the Western world. The protection of liberal values tends to be viewed as the main purpose of contemporary liberal democratic states. These values include freedom and the equal moral worth of all humans.  Yet, in stark contrast to these values, liberalism was founded by thinkers defending and taking part in colonial enterprise. Liberals have defended slavery and put forward deeply racist views. What does this historic link between liberalism and empire imply for liberalism today, as a foundational ideology of Western states? Is modern liberal political thought marred by a history of colonialism and racism? And how is colonialism theorised within contemporary liberal political thought? This course studies the historical roots of liberalism, focusing on their links to European empires and settler colonialism, and their implications for contemporary political theory. The first half of the course looks at foundational thinkers like John Locke and John Stuart Mill, as well as the racism embedded in social contract theory. It also looks at liberals who opposed colonialism. The second part focuses on contemporary liberal political theories on territory, self-determination, borders and feminism. It asks whether liberalism provides the tools for resisting colonialism and racism, or whether it still has imperialistic urges.

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Introduction to Political Theory POLI10702 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Ideals of Social Justice POLI20881 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
Injustice and Resistance POLI20961 Pre-Requisite Compulsory

Please note that the pre-requisites are POLI10702 and at least one of either POLI20881 or POLI20961 (so you don't have to have taken all three).

Aims

The course unit aims to:

Equip students:

  • To critically evaluate the relevance of the history of ideas
  • To deepen their knowledge of the history of liberal thought
  • To analyse the role of empire and colonialism in normative theorising
  • To critically assess the analytic employment of concepts such as empire, liberalism, colonialism and racism
  • To reflect on the historical origins of liberalism and their contemporary significance

Learning outcomes

Student should be able to

 

Knowledge and Understanding: 

  • Understand the debates on the historical links between liberalism and empire
  • Understand critical and analytical approaches to the relevance of colonialism and racism for modern liberal thought
  • Understand how colonialism is normatively theorised within liberal political theory

 

Intellectual skills: 

  • Analyse the role of colonialism in key debates within modern liberal thought
  • Assess the relevance of the history of ideas
  • Construct, critique and defend arguments

 

Practical skills: 

  • Independent research to support essay writing
  • Writing skills
  • Analysing texts

 

Transferable skills and personal qualities:  

  • Critical thinking
  • Constructive criticism and engagement with peers
  • Independent working and research

Syllabus

Indicative topic list:
1.    Introduction: What is Liberalism and Empire?
2.    Locke, Mill and Civilisation 
3.    Anticolonials – Diderot, Wollstonecraft and Kant
4.    Racial Liberalism
5.    The Significance of the History of Ideas
6.    Historic Injustice
7.    Empire and Global Justice
8.    Borders and Colonialism
9.    Responsibility to Protect and Imperialism
10.    Decolonising Liberalism

Teaching and learning methods

Description of T&L Methods

The course will be taught on the basis of ten two-hour lectures and ten one-hour seminars. Students will be expected to read key texts in advance of seminars to enable direct engagement with the texts and broader informed discussion. The seminars will comprise a mix of question-and-answer sessions and small group work. They will thus provide opportunities to engage with peers, develop arguments and seek clarification from the module leader. 

 

 

 

Intellectual skills

  • Analyse the role of colonialism in key debates within modern liberal thought
  • Assess the relevance of the history of ideas
  • Construct, critique and defend arguments

Practical skills

  • Independent research to support essay writing
  • Writing skills
  • Analysing texts

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Critical thinking
  • Constructive criticism and engagement with peers
  • Independent working and research

Assessment methods

1000 word book review (30%)

3000 word essay (70%)

Feedback methods

Politics staff will provide feedback on written work within 15 working days of submission. Students should be aware that all marks are provisional until confirmed by the external examiner and the final examinations boards in June. For modules that do not have examination components the marks and feedback for the final assessed component are not subject to the 15 working day rule and will be released with the examination results. You will receive feedback on assessed essays in a standard format. This will rate your essay in terms of various aspects of the argument that you have presented your use of sources and the quality of the style and presentation of the essay. If you have any queries about the feedback that you have received you should make an appointment to see your tutor. On assessments submitted through Turnitin you will receive feedback via Blackboard. This will include suggestions about ways in which you could improve your work in future. You will also receive feedback on non-assessed coursework, whether this is individual or group work. This may be of a more informal kind and may include feedback from peers as well as academic staff. You will also have the opportunity to receive feedback on essay plans.

Recommended reading

 

Bell, Duncan (2016), Reordering the World: Essays on Liberalism and Empire, Princeton: Princeton University Press

 

Mills, Charles (2015) ‘Decolonizing Western Political Philosophy’, New Political Science

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 20
Tutorials 10
Independent study hours
Independent study 170

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Clara Sandelind Unit coordinator

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