CORE MODULE FOR FINAL YEAR HUMANITIES STUDENTS

MODULE CODE

CS301-6-FY

 

NAME OF MODULE

Dangerous Ideas: Essays and Manifestos as Social Criticism

MODULE DIRECTOR

Prof Colin Samson, Sociology

Room :  5A.310

Office hours :  Monday 12-1pm and Wednesday 2-3pm

Extension : 2662

E-mail : samsc

Teaching staff

Carlos Gigoux - email: cgigou  

This module examines the social criticism and subversiveness of writing in the form of the essay and the manifesto.  During the year, we will look at several essays and manifestos that challenge and often satirize dominant ideas, existing social arrangements, and provoke us to explore the many varieties of writing itself.  The module seeks to reappraise the essay and follow the important role it has played in the development of the humanities and social sciences from the 17th century to the present. Today the essay is emerging as a critical tool in the examination of all aspects of human experience, both the profound and the ephemeral.  Essays may mask themselves as innocent excursions but, as with Jonathan Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal’ or George Orwell's 'Politics and the English Language,' the essay can rapidly overturn accepted opinions and provoke the questioning of values. Likewise, manifestos like Marx and Engels’ ‘The Communist Manifesto’ may be written specifically to mobilise opinion and overthrow existing social institutions, while the 'Surrealist Manifesto' proposes a change in the way we literally look at the world. We end by looking at two manifestos on higher education itself, questioning the increasing commercialization of universities

Further information is available on the module directory.

LECTURE

 Wednesday 11am in room 5S.4.4

Weeks 2-11, 16-25, 30-32
SEMINAR You will be allocated to a seminar Weeks 2-11, 16-25, 30-32

Students must attend the lecture, one weekly seminar, and the screenings.

ASSESSMENT

100% Coursework
Two 5,000-6,000 word essays

DEADLINE ESSAY 1 OCS - 12 o'clock Monday 14th January 2013, watermarked version to be submitted to the CISH Office within 24 hours
DEADLINE ESSAY 2 OCS - 12 o'clock Monday 22nd April 2013, watermarked version to be submitted to the CISH Office within 24 hours

All essays must be typed/word processed and double spaced, with margins that allow for written comments.  They must have a full bibliography and be properly referenced.  A word count should be included at the end of the essay.

Essays for this module should be handed into the CISH Office, Room 6.130, with a completed cover sheet. 

Assignments must be submitted via the On-line Coursework Submission. Further details about OCS are available in the CISH Student Handbook. You will be notified by email when assignments have been marked and are available for collection.

In line with University Policy: A mark of ZERO will be recorded for any piece of coursework submitted after the published deadline.    NO EXTENSIONS WILL BE ALLOWED