University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 9

Semester: 1

Planned timetable: To be arranged

In recent years, historians have been increasingly studying the globalization of ideas and arguments. How did ideas like 'democracy', 'nationalism', 'sovereignty', 'law', or 'rights' become key concepts across the world? Should we think about this in terms of 'diffusion' from Europe to the rest of the world? Or should we place equal emphasis on the agency of non-European actors and intellectual traditions? How can we understand these historical processes through lenses of race/colonialism, class, and gender? To explore these issues, this course initiates students into basic theoretical frameworks and methodological debates about the emerging field of global intellectual history, relevant especially to understanding modern intellectual transformations. It encourages students to locate ideas in their historical contexts, to interrogate their transborder circulations, and to explore the implications of all this for understanding present ways of thinking about self, society, and politics.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must pass 60 credits from {MO1007, MO1008, MO2008, HI2001, MH2002}

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 1 x 2 hour seminar and 1 office hour

Scheduled learning hours: 30

Guided independent study hours: 264

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 0%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 100%

Re-assessment: Coursework = 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr D J Patrick
Module teaching staff: Dr Milinda Banerjee
Module coordinator email djp6@st-andrews.ac.uk