Q. What’s the first thing you teach your students? 

 

At MA level, we encourage students to join us in the process of digging deeply into our habits of mind; those established ideas that we all have that orient our everyday (political) interactions in the world. Are they sustainable? Can we think differently? What if the big issues of the political world have not been resolved by the currently dominant liberal, democratic and capitalist regimes?

 

Q. Please explain in detail what students will learn during your course during each term

 

In the first term, students are encouraged to reflect upon a wide range of different theoretical approaches that have been employed throughout the western tradition to account for the importance of resistance. This core module – ‘Resistance in Theory’ – serves as the foundational introduction to the themes of the programme and covers a diverse range of thinkers; classical, medieval, modern and contemporary. This module helps broaden the perspective of those with a background in political theory already but also cushions the landing for those coming from cognate disciplines.

 

In addition, in the first term students are also required to take a module on philosophy and methodology in the social sciences. Students then have the option of taking a module on ‘Resistance and the Politics of Truth’ in their first term that goes in depth into the relationship between truth and resistance through the challenging ideas of Foucault, Deleuze and Badiou. Or they may prefer to take a sociology module on ‘Social and Political Movements’ or others available within the Social Sciences.

 

In the second term, students take ‘Resistance in Practice’. This innovative module places the emphasis on practices of resistance rather than on theories and involves staff and students alike in consideration of the relationship a variety of different practices and the forms of resistance they embody: artistic, literary, personal, as well as collective. Importantly this module enables students to carry out a well justified and documented practice of resistance in place of the standard essay assessment. In second term, there is also the option of taking ‘Resistance and Alternatives to Capitalism and Democracy’ which situates the politics of resistance at the interface between political theory and political economy. Students have other options to choose from within Politics – such as ‘Theories of Conflict and Violence’ – but also modules from other disciplines such as sociology and philosophy.

 

In the third term students can really delve deeply into a topic in political theory and practices of resistance by researching for their MA dissertation with the support of the programme team; Dr Adrian Pabst, Dr Stefan Rossbach and myself.

 

Q. What are the benefits of studying your subject at postgraduate level?

 

It is a great opportunity to deepen your interest in the theoretical and practical problems surrounding the idea of resistance. It is also a great way of sharpening up your skills set: from writing and presenting clearly to working in groups and, most importantly, continuing the process of learning how to learn (that’s a real life-long skill!).

 

Q. Please describe the teaching methods you use to get the most from your students

 

We put the focus on in-depth discussion and debate but we do recognize that students will need some in-put by way of lectures and a range of different course materials. As we enter the second term, however, and as the emphasis shifts to practices of resistance, so the teaching methods change accordingly: we bring practitioners into our discussions, take the group to an art gallery and engage on an individual basis with the practices of resistance being developed by students.

 

Q. Please explain why you love your subject

 

Thinking about politics matters because if we don’t do it then others will do it for us; resisting our own tendency not to think and the tendency of others to think and act on our behalf is surely of vital importance to all of us!

 

Q. What skills do your students have by the end of the course?

 

By the time students finish this MA programme they will be better equipped to understand the significance of political theory as an integral part of the political world; they will have sharpened their analytical techniques and be more aware of the complexities involved in the evaluation of different aspects of the political world; they will also have acquired a broader understanding of the deeply contested and plural nature of political theory. Moreover, students will have developed their communication, team-work and problem-solving skills.

 

 

Q. What advice do you have for people interested in studying a course like yours?

 

Give us a call or drop us an email; we are happy to talk about how your interests could be met and developed within the framework of the MA in Political Theory and Practices of Resistance.