IR4592 Decolonising Knowledge: Debates in the Human Sciences

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 10

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.

Availability restrictions

The School has a 'cap' on enrolments for all its Honours level modules.

Planned timetable

Tues 12 - 2pm or 4 - 6pm

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

Module coordinator

Prof S Seth

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

Module Staff

Prof Sanjay Seth

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 critically examines categories of the social sciences and humanities that are usually simply presupposed and ‘applied’, and which, despite their Western or European origins, are assumed to be ‘universal’. It does this by closely examining some of the most important theoretical writings of the post-WWII period, spanning a number of disciplines (including history, anthropology, moral philosophy and the history of science), and focusing on books and debates which had repercussions far beyond their immediate disciplinary boundaries (including works by Kuhn, MacIntyre, Foucault, Said and Chakrabarty). Students explore the claim(s) that far from being objective and universal, our knowledge is shaped by culture, history and politics, and thus that the knowledge produced and disseminated in university may need to be ‘decolonised’. The module invites students not simply to advance their knowledge of politics, but to explore the politics of knowledge.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS IR2006

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 65% Exam = 35%

Re-assessment

Exam = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

2 hour seminar x 11 weeks

Scheduled learning hours

22

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

Guided independent study hours

288

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

Intended learning outcomes

  • engage with and evaluate diverse arguments which, however, all pertain to the way in which knowledge is shaped by power and politics
  • provide a lucid account of the main issues in question in recent theoretical debates
  • critically evaluate the assumption that modern knowledge is universal
  • provide a coherent account of how social and political changes have affected intellectual developments
  • critically evaluate claims to truth and certainty in the human sciences