2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PIED3604 Culture and Community: Theoretical Perspectives

20 creditsClass Size: 34

Module manager: Dr Derek Edyvane
Email: d.j.edyvane@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Are you a multiculturalist? This module explores the theoretical underpinnings of the hotly contested political debate for and against multiculturalism in Western democracies. Many have argued that liberal democratic societies have a duty to respect cultural diversity by granting group-differentiated rights and cultural exemptions to the established rule of law. But this view is under attack. Increasingly, it has been argued that the politics of multiculturalism have led to social fragmentation, the breakdown of political community and a toxic climate of hostility and mistrust. What is the best political response to the fact of cultural diversity? The first half of the module will explore the different ways in which political philosophers have sought to answer that question by addressing a range of theoretical perspectives and live political issues. The second half of the module focuses on the idea of community. Here our central concern will be with the questions of whether and how it is possible to realise genuine political community and belonging in a culturally diverse society.

Objectives

1. To introduce students to the conceptual and normative issues at stake in contemporary multiculturalist theory
2. To enable students to develop their analytical skills by reading and reflecting on the work of a number of theorists who have tried to address these issues.
3. To enable students to identify and make links between political thought and practice.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate:
1. Knowledge and understanding of competing theories of multiculturalism and political community.
2. An ability to engage critically with conceptual problems.
3. The capacity to apply theoretical insights relating to culture and community in the analysis of contemporary political issues.
On successful completion of this module, students should also have developed:
1. Their analytical skills in reading, understanding and evaluating complex arguments.
2. Their ability to research, assess and organise relevant information.
3. Their ability to articulate a reasoned argument in both spoken and written forms.
4. Their ability to reflect on their own learning and make use of constructive feedback.

Syllabus

- Introduction: We're all multiculturalists now, right?
- Why Culture Matters: The Politics of Recognition
- Radical Multiculturalism: The Politics of Difference
- The Cultural Rights Debate
- Liberal States and Illiberal Religions: The Case of the Amish
- Cultural Defence: Multiculturalism and the Law
- Culture and Equality
- The Ethics of Immigration
- Nationalism, Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism
- Civic Education
- Everyday Multiculturalism: Multicultural Manners

(Please note that this is an indicative syllabus. Actual topics may vary from year to year)

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			178.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Students are required to read core and additional readings listed in the reading list in preparation for seminar discussion and essays. This entails careful and reflective reading, note-taking, summarising, preparation for class discussion, and developing a sense of a field of literature in addition to engagement with individual readings. Students are also encouraged to use their initiative and skills of discernment in finding additional material relevant to the course topics.

Students will be provided with lecture notes in the form of power point slides in advance of lectures, and will also be provided with seminar preparation questions to guide their reading.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative assessment:

Student contribution to weekly seminars discussions.
Opportunities for individual discussions outside seminar times in staff office hours.
Opportunities for students to receive verbal feedback on a bullet-point plan prior to written assessments.

Summative assessment:
Students will be asked to submit one Critical Response (1000 words) on one specific text from the reading list, and one assessed essay (4000 words) chosen from a list of questions.
The Critical Response fosters in students in depth engagement with one specific argument and develops students’ skills in critical analysis.
Students will receive feedback on their success in this exercise and should feed that into their plan for, and execution of, the assessed essay.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	1 x 1,000 words (Mid-term)	30.00
Essay	1 x 4,000 words (End of term)	70.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 22/07/2015

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