Prof Kai Spiekermann

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Political Theory. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes.

This course provides an introduction to the philosophical and methodological foundations of political theory. It aims to give participants a conceptual toolbox that can be brought to bear on many different substantive problems and research questions in political theory and neighbouring fields. The course introduces some central methodological debates in contemporary political theory, explores the links between political theory and related disciplines, and familiarises students with different approaches to political theorising.

15 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.

Short answer questions weekly.

Weekly short reflections on methods and approaches in political theory. To be collated into a portfolio, submission of which is required to enter the summative assessment. Non-submission of the portfolio will carry a penalty applied to the summative mark.

Baderin, Alice, & Miller, David. (Eds.). (2026). Why political theory needs social science. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Blau, Adrian. (Ed.). (2017). Methods in analytical political theory. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dryzek, John S., Honig, Bonnie, & Phillips, Anne. (Eds.). (2008). The Oxford handbook of political theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Jenco, Leigh, Ochoa Espejo, Paulina, & Idris, Murad. (Eds.). (2025). Political theory: A global and comparative introduction. London: SAGE.

Leopold, David, & Stears, Marc. (Eds.). (2008). Political theory: Methods and approaches. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Oral examination (100%) in January.

100% in-class oral examination in January, consisting of a 10 min preparation phase and 15 min discussion. The discussion will be based on the submitted portfolio and some further questions.