2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PIED1551 Power and Conflict - an Introduction

20 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Dr Simon Rofe
Email: J.S.Rofe@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

From relations within the family to violence on the battlefield; from the strength of the strongest army to the power of advertising, discourse and language; from the use of music and theatre to subvert to the role of office politics to gender and race relations, power and conflict underlies all social, economic and political interactions, relations, institutions and processes. This module provides a unique insight into the way power and conflict is studied, researched and understood from a range of disciplines. Through material provided by researchers in history, sociology, performance, geography, media, politics and cultural studies, you will explore historical and cutting-edge case studies, delivered through a flexible, digital format, and learn about what makes power and conflict such a key area of concern in the world today.The five topic areas relate to the subthemes of the Power and Conflict Discovery Theme, providing a taster of what you can study in your future Discovery journey. The module aims to give you the knowledge, confidence and skills to select modules that interest you from a range of disciplines, and to broaden your learning experience at the University of Leeds. As you move through the module, you will learn from experts from around the University who will provide you with insights on how they apply the concepts of power and conflict in their research, and how relations, processes and structures of power and conflict shape the world we live in. This module is delivered through a combination of small group teaching in the classroom and digital content. So if you share an enthusiasm for cutting-edge, case study-based learning in an exciting inter-disciplinary environment then this module is for you.

Objectives

This discovery module provides students with a foundational introduction to various aspects of power and conflict and how it is taught in different disciplines. It is organised around the five key sub-themes of this discovery theme (see below). The module combines historical and contextual analysis with theoretical discussion, making extensive use of case studies. Key questions addressed include: how do different disciplines use differing concepts and theories to understand the ways in which power and conflict underpin the world we live in? How do different institutions, bodies, groups and organisations shape, instigate or prevent unequal power relations from escalating into conflict? And how do different forms of communication – from music and art to written material and protest – justify or critique; incite or prevent; and represent or misrepresent power and conflict in all spheres of life?

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Demonstrate a familiarity with the basic concepts, events and institutions of the five themes, and some of the main theoretical approaches to its study.

2. Demonstrate awareness of the core concepts of power and conflict, from different disciplinary perspectives.

3. Be able to rehearse basic arguments and evaluations of the main debates within the study of power and conflict.

Skills Learning Outcomes
1. Retrieve, organise, and produce basic summaries of information and/or data.

2. Assemble basic arguments and be able to evaluate the arguments of others.

3. Work, discuss and present work with others in a collaborative manner.

4. Use digital technologies to retrieve data and information and to communicate this information to others.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
On-line Learning	11	1.00	11.00
Supervision	1	1.00	1.00
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			177.00
Total Contact hours			23.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

The students will produce group presentations that will normally be presented during the seminars. In advance, they will be directed to online resources to help them think about their skills, and after the presentation they will be given formative feedback – including some open discussion about the presentation’s strengths and limitations. Then, during the assessment period, they will submit the screen shots with their own ’script’ for each slide (i.e. written separately, not a group text), for which they will receive an individual mark.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Coursework	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Following a group presentation, students will submit the screen shots with their own ’script’ for each slide (i.e. written separately, not a group text), for which they will receive an individual mark.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:19:20

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