136-533 Theories of Modernity

Formerly available as 136-080. Students who have completed 136-080 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth-year combined honours in social theory, or a masters program and permission of the subject coordinator.

In this subject images of the 'city', 'progress', 'the public' and 'the nation' will be used to establish some of the features of modernity. The way modernity is understood will also be explored through various critical ­theories of modernity. Students completing this subject should have developed an understanding of the major conceptual debates concerning the meaning of modernity; gained an awareness of the selected philosophical and theoretical traditions through which this debate has been generated; and demonstrated this understanding through a critical engagement with the historical and theoretical literature.

• develop skills in written and oral communication;

• be able to conduct independent research;

• be able to make appropriate use of primary and secondary sources in mounting an argument;

• be able to form defensible judgements based on a critical evaluation of conflicting arguments.

A class paper of 1000 words 45% (due a fortnight after the class paper is presented in the seminar), an essay of 4000 words 55% (due on the final day of semester).