Taster Lectures: philosophy, politics and economics
Watch our taster lectures to gain an insight into what it's like to study philosophy, politics and economics at university.
Power in the Global Sphere
This masterclass will introduce you to the different forms of power that exist. We invite you to consider the extent to which power can be said to shape and/or determine international interactions.
About the speaker
Dr Ben Nutt is a lecturer in politics and international relations. His expert areas include: global ethics, global governance, and the politics of great powers. He is working on a book proposal exploring the inter-relationship between notions of justice and hierarchy within global politics. Dr Nutt is a member of the European International Studies Association (EISA) and the British International Studies Association (BISA) and was made a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in September 2020. Since October 2020 he has also acted as the External Examiner for the undergraduate Political Science programme at the British University in Egypt (BUE) based in Cairo.
Revolutionising the Westminster System
The Westminster system is the backbone of British politics. However, in recent years constitutional developments, such as devolution, the creation of the Supreme Court, legislative reforms, and BREXIT, have slowly chipped away at the foundations of this system. This masterclass will invite you to consider the implications of these changes for British politics in the future.
About the speaker
Dr Ben Nutt is a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations. His expert areas include: global ethics, global governance, and the politics of great powers. He is working on a book proposal exploring the inter-relationship between notions of justice and hierarchy within global politics. Dr Nutt is a member of the European International Studies Association (EISA) and the British International Studies Association (BISA) and was made a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in September 2020. Since October 2020 he has also acted as the External Examiner for the undergraduate Political Science programme at the British University in Egypt (BUE) based in Cairo.
Academic Writing
Are you wondering what will be expected of you when you get to university? We share a short three-part lecture series, where Dr Brendan Larvor explains how to write a successful undergraduate essay, giving you a window into what’s next. Plus, we discuss how to make academic topics easier to remember by making connections between seemingly disparate themes.
Academic Writing: part 1
In this short lecture we focus on writing. We explore the power of introductory paragraphs. How can you make a good first impression? By analysing examples, we look at the common pitfalls and how you can avoid them. We discuss how best to use quotes and how to draw upon your experiences. Finally, we invite you to analyse introductory paragraphs from your previous assignments. Knowing what you know now, how would you approach them differently?
About the speaker
Dr Brendan Larvor studied philosophy and mathematics at Balliol College in Oxford. He had a brief career as a systems analyst, before resuming his studies in philosophy. He gained an MA from Queen's University Ontario before returning to Balliol to write a doctoral thesis on the philosophy of mathematics of Imre Lakatos. He taught at the universities of Liverpool and Oxford before joining the University of Hertfordshire in 1997, where he specialises in the history and philosophy of mathematics and science. He has been head of philosophy at Herts since 2005, and currently teaches a first-year module on reasoning and a final-year module on Nietzsche.
Academic Writing: part 2
In this short lecture, we consider how to structure an essay. We share the styles to be avoided: 'cut and paste', 'Newsnight report' and 'truck and trailer'. We invite you to consider how you can develop an original argument and use other views to advance your essay. Finally we invite you to analyse the structure you have used in your essays. Do you tend to rely on one of the structures we have explored today?
About the speaker
Dr Brendan Larvor studied philosophy and mathematics at Balliol College in Oxford. He had a brief career as a systems analyst, before resuming his studies in philosophy. He gained an MA from Queen's University Ontario before returning to Balliol to write a doctoral thesis on the philosophy of mathematics of Imre Lakatos. He taught at the universities of Liverpool and Oxford before joining the University of Hertfordshire in 1997, where he specialises in the history and philosophy of mathematics and science. He has been head of philosophy at Herts since 2005, and currently teaches a first-year module on reasoning and a final-year module on Nietzsche.
Academic Writing: part 3
In this short lecture, we explore professional essay writing. We invite you to research the genre of abstract-writing, a technique which, when mastered, can hugely benefit the introductory paragraph of your essays. We discuss how to control the scope of your argument, how to receive constructive criticism and the importance of encouragement. You can do this!
About the speaker
Dr Brendan Larvor studied philosophy and mathematics at Balliol College in Oxford. He had a brief career as a systems analyst, before resuming his studies in philosophy. He gained an MA from Queen's University Ontario before returning to Balliol to write a doctoral thesis on the philosophy of mathematics of Imre Lakatos. He taught at the universities of Liverpool and Oxford before joining the University of Hertfordshire in 1997, where he specialises in the history and philosophy of mathematics and science. He has been head of philosophy at Herts since 2005, and currently teaches a first-year module on reasoning and a final-year module on Nietzsche.
Utilitarianism and theodicy
What do utilitarianism and theodicy have in common? If you are a Year 12 or 13 student who has already looked at both, what are your thoughts?
Academic studies make more sense and are easier to remember, if you make connections between different topics. In this short video, Dr Brendan Larvor makes a connection between two apparently disparate topics, utilitarianism and theodicy.
About the speaker
Dr Brendan Larvor studied philosophy and mathematics at Balliol College in Oxford. He had a brief career as a systems analyst, before resuming his studies in philosophy. He gained an MA from Queen's University Ontario before returning to Balliol to write a doctoral thesis on the philosophy of mathematics of Imre Lakatos. He taught at the universities of Liverpool and Oxford before joining the University of Hertfordshire in 1997, where he specialises in the history and philosophy of mathematics and science. He has been head of philosophy at Herts since 2005, and currently teaches a first-year module on reasoning and a final-year module on Nietzsche.
