Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL3222: Biopolitics in Practice

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Key ideas and theories of biopolitics from the early 20^th century to today
Evolution and questions of ‘human nature’ (e.g. Darwin and his opponents; eugenics; sociobiology; cognitive science)
Environments, society and agriculture (e.g. food and food production; environmental politics; human/animal relations)
Health and medicine (e.g. ethical debates over life and suffering; infectious diseases and biosecurity)
New technologies and futures (e.g. GM foods; gene editing; reproductive technologies; posthumanism; network societies)
Thinking through the dynamics and dilemmas of interactions between scientists, policymakers and politicians.
Following today’s biopolitical debates as they unfold in the media.

In addition, a dedicated ELE site will provide students with links to key texts and lecture materials.

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
44	256	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	44	22x 2 hour seminars
Guided Independent Study	150	seminar preparation
Guided Independent Study	106	course work

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Somatosphere– Science, medicine, anthropology, bioethics: http://somatosphere.net/

Contagion– Historical views of diseases and epidemics: http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/contagion/

Making Science Public– science and society, biosciences: http://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/makingsciencepublic/

If you have any further questions please consult the Library staff.