IH5007 The Theory and Practice of Intellectual History

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 11

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

To be arranged.

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof R Whatmore

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

TBC

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module introduces the student to the methods of intellectual history through a historical overview of the actual practice of intellectual history with special emphasis on the methodological debates of the last half century. Particular attention is paid to the Cambridge School of intellectual historians (Laslett, Pocock, Dunn, Skinner et al.), set against the backdrop of contributions to intellectual history by Michel Foucault in France, Reinhart Koselleck in Germany, Franco Venturi in Italy, and the pragmatists in America. This is complemented by case studies of explanation and understanding in intellectual history, including the challenge of post-modernism and Straussianism among others. Through these, the variety of intellectual history in philosophy, political theory, literature, science, economics and theology is illustrated.

Assessment pattern

100% coursework

Re-assessment

100% coursework

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1.5-hour seminars.

Scheduled learning hours

22

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

278

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.