ATS3719 Modern political thought
Faculty of Arts
ATS3719 Modern political thought is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Reviews
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Requisites
Before ATS3719
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ATS3719
No unit lists ATS3719 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prohibition: ATS2719, AZA2719, AZA3719
Prerequisite: Twelve credit points of Level 2 Arts units. It is highly recommended that you only take this unit after you have completed two gateway units in Politics or Behavioural studies.
For Bachelor of International Relations - ATS1056, ATS1071, ATS1873 and ATS1945 plus 12 credit points of Level 2 Arts units.
Overview
Modern political theorists grapple with significant political and social transformations such as capitalism, bureaucratisation, rationalisation and globalization. They diagnose various 'pathologies' they fear might result from these transformations: alienation and injustice, disenchantment and authoritarianism, nihilism and social disintegration. They also identify political solutions to these maladies: revolutionary action, charismatic leadership, new forms of democracy and citizenship, or new types of social movements. This unit examines and assesses modern political theorists' diagnoses of and cures for modern society, focusing on how they conceptualise key political concepts such freedom, power, community and legitimacy. It will do so by examining the political theories of Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Foucault, Habermas and other contemporary critical theorists.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- EssayWritten40%
- Presentation15%
- Take home final assessmentWritten35%
- ParticipationExercise10%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Analyse social relations using e a broad range of political and social theories, both classical and contemporary;
- 2
Discuss the ways in which political and sociological knowledge has developed over time;
- 3
Critique certain accepted political and social theories, as well as dominant ideas and assumptions;
- 4
Critically analyse theoretical material;
- 5
Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Workshops24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
Where it fits
ATS3719 is part of 5 areas of study in the 2025 handbook.
- BEHVRSTD02Level 2 or 3 elective unitBehavioural studiesNo reviews yet
- BEHVRSTD01Level 2 and 3 elective unitsBehavioural StudiesNo reviews yet
- POLITICS05Level 3 capstone unitsPoliticsNo reviews yet
- POLITICS06Level 2 and 3 elective unitsPoliticsNo reviews yet
- PLTCGOVE02Level 3 capstone unitsPolitics and governanceNo reviews yet
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Michael Ure
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Michael Ure
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS3719?
ATS3719 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS3719 offered?
In 2025, ATS3719 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is ATS3719?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS3719 have an exam?
No. ATS3719 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS3719?
ATS3719 is part of Behavioural studies; Behavioural Studies; Politics; and Politics and governance.