Duration
30h Th
Number of credits
| Bachelor in political sciences : general | 3 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
All year long, with partial in January
Schedule
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: Thomas More, Immanuel Kant, Charles Tilly & Sidney Tarrow and Joseph H. H. Weiler.
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 (5 october 2018);
- 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.
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:
More Thomas, Utopia, Penguin Classics, 2003 [1516], 176 p.
Kant Immanual, Perpetual Peace. A Philosophical Sketch, Hackett Classics, 2003 [1795], 64 p.
Tilly Charles and Tarrow Sidney, Contentious politics, Oxford University Press, 2012, 224 p.
Weiler Joseph H. H., The Constitution of Europe : 'Do the New Clothes Have an Emperor ?' and Other Essays on European Integration, Cambridge University Press, 1999, 384 p.
Grandjean Geoffrey, Classics in Political Science. Part 1 - Thomas More. Part 2 - Immanual Kant. Part 3 - Joseph Weiler. Part 4 - Charles Tilly and Sidney Tarrow, Liège, Presses Universitaires de Liège, 2018-2019, 644 p., disponible à l'adresse suivante : http://hdl.handle.net/2268/227374.
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 (5 october, 13.00-15.00).
Contacts
Prof. Dr Geoffrey Grandjean
Lecturer
Faculté de Droit, de Science Politique et de Criminologie
Place des Orateurs, 3
4000 Liege
Box 11
Office 2.17
Tel.: +32 (0)4/366.96.60
Email: Geoffrey.Grandjean@uliege.be