Module manager: Dr Liz Stainforth
Email: e.m.stainforth@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
At least 20 credits of level 1 ARTF modules
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module offers students the opportunity to explore a multitude of different ideal cities and model communities from the sixteenth century to the present day. The tracing of the various forms utopianism has adopted since Thomas More will take us into the fields of architecture, art, literature, politics, philosophy, sociology, women's studies and religion. In parallel to this historical approach to utopian thinking, students will be encouraged to think critically and imaginatively about our contemporary society and to propose a theoretically informed utopia for the future. The study of dystopias (failed social experiments) will be an unavoidable component of this module.
On completion of this module students should:
- have a general sense of the various definitions available for understanding utopianism;
- be able to give an historicised account of the various ideal cities and communities explored by utopian thinkers since the sixteenth century;
- be in a position to argue critically for/against the desirability and viability of utopianism in our contemporary world of global capitalism.
Students will develop their verbal and written fluency in constructing a logical and coherent argument. They will participate in group discussions. Their intellectual agility and flexibility will be developed as they will be asked to consider texts that not only range from the C16th to the present day, but which also originate from the fields of political and social theory, literature, architectural history, philosophy.
Consequently their training on this module will be both historicising and interdisciplinary. They will further develop their skills in writing bibliographies and using databases (especially as this module is also concerned with current utopian projects which are only researchable through the www).
- Verbal and written fluency in constructing a logical and coherent argument
- Use of audio-visual aids
- Participation in group discussions
- Co-ordination and dissemination of a range of historical, contextual visual information
- Using bibliographies and databases.
This module offers students the opportunity to explore a multitude of different ideal cities and model communities from the sixteenth century to the present day.
The tracing of the various forms utopianism has adopted since Thomas More will take us into the fields of architecture, art, literature, politics, philosophy, sociology, women's studies and religion.
In parallel to this historical approach to utopian thinking, students will be encouraged to think critically and imaginatively about our contemporary society and to propose a theoretically informed utopia for the future. The study of dystopias (failed social experiments) will be an unavoidable component of this module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Private study hours | 180 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 20 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
- Class preparation/reading 80 hours
- Essay preparation 40 hours
- Essay preparation 60 hours.
- Attendance record kept
- Seminar contribution and oral feedback
- Oral presentation (depending on class size)
- One item of assessment half way through the semester will provide a helpful indicator of student progress.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | Explication (1,500-2,000 words) | 20 |
| Essay | 2000-2500 words | 80 |
| Group Project | Unassessed group work | 0 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 4/29/2024
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team