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HST6408 - Empire and Political Thought

We often think of the state as the crucible of modern political thought. Many of the ideas that are fundamental to the way in which we live today were, however, developed in the process of forging the vast European empires that spanned the globe from the sixteenth century to the twentieth. These include our understandings of human rights, property, the international laws that govern the global system, and even the concept of the state itself. This module will also examine the various ways in which non-European peoples reacted to and engaged with such ideas. The aim of this module will be to show that modern political thought did not develop in exclusively European contexts but, rather, through a centuries- old engagement between European and non-European societies.

Module code: HST6408

Credits: 15

Module Convenor: Professor Andrew Fitzmaurice

We often think of the state as the crucible of modern political thought. Many of the ideas that are fundamental to the way in which we live today were, however, developed in the process of forging the vast European empires that spanned the globe from the sixteenth century to the twentieth. These include our understandings of human rights, property, the international laws that govern the global system, and even the concept of the state itself. This module will also examine the various ways in which non-European peoples reacted to and engaged with such ideas. The aim of this module will be to show that modern political thought did not develop in exclusively European contexts but, rather, through a centuries- old engagement between European and non-European societies.

Assessment: Essay Plan 20%, Essay 80%
Level: 6

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