This module will train students to be a skilful political thinker with a critical attitude appropriate for the challenges of the twenty-first century. It is distinctive in offering a toolbox of practical critical thinking techniques as well as exploring a range of cutting-edge theoretical debates.
After completing this module, students will be able to clearly dismantle bias, faulty reasoning, and rhetoric in political debate, understand the mechanics of how different kinds of arguments work, and construct powerful – and fair – arguments of their own. They will also explore some of the most important questions emerging in the current crisis of Western democracy. Is it possible to think freely in an era of echo chambers and fake news? What kind of thinking does a legitimate democracy require? Does the education system really do its job? And what role can critical thinking play in tackling issues of social justice? The module will also examine different philosophical frameworks for understanding human culture. Can a culture be investigated using the scientific method? What other methods might be used? To what extent does academic research reinforce elite interests? The module will include a weekly two-hour interactive workshop and one-hour seminar with a hybrid skills/theory approach each week. Both workshops and seminars will include a diverse range of hands-on multimedia activities, a combination of individual and collaborative exercises, and debates and cooperative dialogues.