Unit name | How to Win a Political Argument |
---|---|
Unit code | POLI30020 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | H/6 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Professor. Jonathan Floyd |
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 |
If Socrates and the Sophists had ever found grounds for compromise, almost two and a half thousand years ago, then it would look something this: A unit concerned with making you better at persuasive political argument, whilst also inviting reflections on how much the ‘truth’ matters in such things. Each week we will consider a different set of political arguments by prominent public figures (journalists, politicians, etc.) on a particular issue, such as war, discrimination, taxes, environmental degradation, migration, surveillance, and more besides. Each week we will analyse these arguments and see if general lessons can be learnt regarding the art of public political persuasion. Each week we will construct our own arguments during workshop-based seminars. Each week, as a result, we will enhance your ability to construct and deliver political arguments, in both written and verbal form, including your ability to discern when, if ever, it makes good rhetorical sense to begin four sentences in a row with the same phrase, e.g. ‘each week’.
On completion of this unit successful students will be able to:
1 hour lecture and 2 hour seminar per week
10 minute presentation (including slides) taking the form of a ‘political speech’ on a particular topic (25%)
2500 word essay (75%)
Both assessments assess all learning outcomes