University College London

This course provides an anthropological approach to art in public space by exploring the public sphere as a place of communication and contestation, transmission and transformation, and engagement and estrangement. Examining independent and institutional art practices, from the apparent “vandalism” of graffiti to the authorized projects of contemporary public art, it explores the social, political, and economic debates which these practices both implicitly intersect with and overtly investigate. The course focuses on the concept of public and publicity, community, and the commons. It also includes guest lectures and workshops by artists as well as explorations of particular exhibitions and events in a local context.

This course covers the main ideas, concepts, and techniques of contemporary first-order logic. The required textbook for this course is THE LOGIC MANUAL.

This course examines the economics of public goods, public expenditure, and public services. Students analyze and understand key issues in this field using standard tools of theoretic and empirical economic analysis. Students learn about the dimensions and functions of the public sector in at least one country, the economic theory of public goods, the role of redistribution and of incentive problems that arise as a result of redistributive policy, and the economic issues concerning various aspects of the role of the public sector in the provision of education and other public services.

This course introduces the subject of public international law. It addresses the background, subjects, and sources of international law; states and international organizations as subjects of international law; state jurisdiction over individuals, land, water, and outer space; state responsibility for violations of international law; state and diplomatic immunities; the system of the United Nations; and lawful use of force. During classes, current affairs are discussed and analyzed.

This course covers the working of the British parliament (both House of Commons and House of Lords). Uniquely it is jointly delivered with the parliamentary authorities, and – timetables allowing – part of the course may be taught in parliament itself. At the very least, a half day study visit to parliament is included in the program. As well as academic study of various aspects of parliamentary processes, the course involves various contacts with practitioners, and an introduction to parliamentary research through a joint research project. It has a vocational element (what is it like to work in parliament, or to research parliament) as well as answering academic questions – how does parliament work, what are its political dynamics, to what extent and how does it influence the policy process, and how might it be reformed. The course will combine formal, procedural knowledge with more political analysis of the role of political parties, and other actors/groups, and it is strongly research-led. It is delivered by one of the leading academic experts on the UK parliament.

This course examines selected topics in applied ethics, such as abortion, rape, euthanasia, non-human animals, future people, affirmative action, disability, privacy, and the ethics of immigration.

The study of human language and cognition has traditionally focused on users of spoken languages, acquired by "ear" early in life. This course takes a unique and exciting perspective by exploring what the study of deaf people can add to our understanding of human language and cognition generally. Many people born deaf use a visual language, acquired by "eye," often outside the normal timeframe for language acquisition. The study of deaf people and sign languages are an essential test of universality, but also widens our sphere of thinking from beyond the speech modality, enabling us to study rich aspects of multi-modal human communication that would be missed if we only focused on spoken languages.

This course examines theories about war and peace from early modern to modern times. War and the discourse about its legitimacy is one of the major features of human civilization, or indeed the starkest sign of the lack of civilization. The course not only provides access to the main theories, but also looks into current debates about the legitimacy of war.