How does this course work ?

Dr Julian Saurin

Former professor of Politics, International Relations and Development Studies at Middle East Technical University NCC, and University of Sussex. Helped set up the Free University Brighton. Currently crofter in Northton and works with the Temple Collective.

This course is what is called a ‘seminar course’. This is when a small group of people come together to address and discuss a particular topic or subject. Often a seminar course will have an accompanying lecture, and it is the job of the course convenor (the person who puts the course together and runs it) to give a brief lecture to guide and structure the discussion.

The seminars will be held every fortnight, and each seminar will last about two hours with a break after about 40-45 minutes. Typically the first part will comprise a brief lecture setting out the big issues, questions, problems, examples and so on, with the aim of provoking reflection and discussion in the second part. As the course progresses so the lecture part may become shorter. At the end of each seminar the convenor will highlight the study material that could be used in preparation for the following seminar. That material will be found in the relevant webpage below.

The course material comprises : the lecture (summary); the seminar discussion (any notes that you might take); readings (available from the webpage); videos (linked in the webpage); other web-accessed materials. In time, a discussion forum may also be added.

When discussing ‘political’ issues many of us have strong opinions and make them known. Sometimes quite vocally and forcefully. But in the study of politics we’re not really interested in an individual’s opinions, rather we’re trying to understand and explain how, when and why issues arise. Thus John might have a strong opinion about fishing policy but doesn’t know why that particular policy emerged or who brought it about. Janet, on the other hand, knows something about the ownership of fishing vessels but says little about whether she approves or rejects the fishing policy. We’d want more of Janet and less of John, but then we’d be interested in what evidence Janet has of ownership and what were her sources of information. Seminar’s ought to be conducted with respect for one another and with simple courtesy to all. (Which brings to mind a political principle : ‘do unto others as you would have done to yourself’). And, of course, an exchange of “Oh yes it is!”, “Oh no it isn’t !!” is not an argument so much as fruitless pantomime.

Many people may not have studied for years, likely not since leaving formal education. A key part of a ‘free university’ approach to learning is the creation of an open and encouraging environment in which new skills and old concerns can be exercised. So in addition to enquiring into the specific subject of each week’s class, the purpose of this introductory course is to encourage everyone to express their thoughts and ideas in an open and free-flowing way. Because we’re not used to talking amongst strangers and we’re typically not used to diving deep to explain our thoughts, speaking amongst others in a seminar can appear daunting. One way of starting to express yourself is simply to ask questions of your fellow classmates ? “When you said X, what did you mean?” or “I don’t understand. Can you give me an example ?” or “What does that word mean ?” Practicing explaining yourself with people finding themselves in the same boat is a very good way of sharpening your thinking. In other words, ‘thinking out loud’ amongst others also ‘thinking out loud’ can be of enormous mutual benefit.
Since we’re not after right or wrong answers and because we’re involved in a mode of education in which we’re all learning from each other, there’s no such thing as a daft or stupid question. Much better for us to say “I don’t understand” than to insist that “I know that.”

The course will be a ‘success’ if it leaves us with many more questions than which we started; if we’ve begun to appreciate how reducing these complex matters to simple slogans not only misleads and distorts the matter, but also actively prevents us from understanding let alone explaining these issues. If we can begin to use some of the concepts and theories (and words) to assist us in making sense of the world around us then we’ll have made a good start.