International relations

Colonialism and Modern Social Theory

Module code: 021IRID
Level 6
30 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Seminar
Assessment modes: Not yet finalised

Modern social theory is a product of the very history it seeks to interpret and explain. Theorising reflects its social and political circumstances, including the relationships in which it is produced. This module addresses the colonial context within which the contemporary understanding of modern social theory has been formed. It takes seriously the histories that were the context for the development of these ideas and the ways in which these were elided in subsequent discussions. As such, the module seeks to place the theorists engaged with firmly within their times and discuss their writings in the light of the histories they were living through. The purpose here is to ‘decolonise’ the concepts and categories they have bequeathed to us.