| Unit name | Rationality and Absurdity |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SOCIM0033 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Downer |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
The notion of rationality is often viewed as the defining characteristic of modernity: implicated in everything from advances in science, technology and medicine, to the rise of bureaucratic accountability and neoliberal economics. For all its triumphs, however, the notion of rationality is less straightforward than we sometimes imagine, and the world we are creating in its image is not without its doubters and discontents. It is increasingly evident that ‘rational’ can mean different things to different people, for instance, and insofar as vaccines and the internet were born of rationality, then so too were atomic weapons and global warming. The goal of this unit is to explore the ‘dark side’ of rationality: its limitations, costs and perverse consequences. Drawing on a range of critical literatures and an eclectic set of case studies, the unit will illustrate how rational means can sometimes have irrational ends, and how well-meaning goals can have hidden social costs.
Aims
On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
1. Think critically about of the role of rationality and objectivity, and how they shape modernity;
2. Identify key analytic concerns pertaining to the role of rationality in the contemporary society
3. Critically engage with contemporary debates and issues related to scientific, economic and political rationality.
4. Take theoretical ideas outlined in the unit and apply them in student-led explorations, especially empirical explorations of various scientific, economic and political issues.
10 x 2hr seminars. In addition to 20 hours of classroom time, students are expected to devote approximately 180 hours to independent reading, seminar preparation, essay writing and exam revision.
Formative assessment (0%) – 1500 word essay.
Summative assessment (100%) - 3,500 word essay.
All assessments cover all ILOs
