Seminar : classics in political science

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Geoffrey Grandjean

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

All year long, with partial in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

"Seminar: Classics in political science" combines the analysis of works considered as classics of political science, with the gradual introduction of a foreign language (English) in the process of understanding and assimilating the work by the students. Students are asked to write an essay and to orally present an argued point of view related to the authors they have read.
This academic year, the authors choosen are: Karl Marx, Max Weber, Antonio Gramsci, Immanuel Wallerstein, Hannah Arendt, Alexis de Tocqueville, Thomas Hobbes et Charles Mills.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

• analyse fundamental political science texts using a reading method;
• master different concepts by authors;
• explain texts seen in class, compare them with other authors and develop a critical view;
• develop an argument in english.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course is comprised of four stages that will allow students to gradually understand and analyse the authors:

• introduction to the seminar, given at the beginning of the academic year, defining the seminar's objectives (28 september 2017);
• individualised support for students to help them prepare their work and their presentation in English (with the possibility of using French in case of difficulties);
• writing a short essay in English;
• oral defense in English, in the form of panel discussions.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

The course is organised as a seminar. Students are expected to actively participate in every session.

Recommended or required readings

Compulsory reading:
Grandjean Geoffrey, Classics in Political Science. Part 1 - Karl Marx and Max Weber. Part 2 - Antonio Gramsci and Immanuel Wallerstein. Part 3 - Hannah Arendt and Alexis de Tocqueville. Part 4 - Thomas Hobbes and Charles Mills, Liège, Presses Universitaires de Liège, 2017-2018, disponible à l'adresse suivante : http://hdl.handle.net/2268/213767.

Assessment methods and criteria

The assessment is based on several tasks. First of all, students must read the texts themselves and work the subject of their essay and their oral presentation. As part of this task, they must meet each week one member of the teaching team. If students fail to do so, one point will be removed every time they fail to turn up. Secondly, students must write a short essay in english. The essay should be maximum 5 pages long (excluding the cover page, table of contents and the bibliography) and is worth 50% of the final grade.
Thirdly, students must do an oral presentation in English within the framework of a panel discussion. The defense will last maximum 20minutes and is worth 50% of the final grade. The followed criteria are applied to the assessment: 1) originality of the subject, 2) inclusion of the authors, 3) structure of the presentation and the essay, and 4) quality of the argument.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The course is held during the second term.
However, to allow students to properly organise their time and their reading programme, an introductory session will be held at the beginning of the first term (28 September, 10.30-11.30).

Contacts

Prof. Dr Geoffrey Grandjean Lecturer Faculté de Droit, de Science Politique et de Criminologie Place des Orateurs, 3 4000 LIEGE
Box 33 Office r. 16 Tel.: +32 (0)4/366.96.60 Email: Geoffrey.Grandjean@ulg.ac.be

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