Key facts
UNE unit code: PHIL307
*You are viewing the 2026 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.
- Trimester 1 - On Campus
- Trimester 1 - Online
- Armidale Campus
- Yes
- No
- No
- 6
Unit information
This unit traces the development of European philosophy in the 20th Century and into the 21st, starting with the existential approach of Heidegger and moving on to the subsequent developments in France associated with Sartre and Merleau-Ponty.
As well as Phenomenology and Existentialism, you will explore later movements such as Hermeneutics, Structuralism/Post-structuralism and Post-modernist thought, through such figures as Derrida and Foucault.
You will also explore the parallel development of Feminist philosophies within the European tradition, with a focus on the French philosophers de Beauvoir and Irigaray.
As part of this unit you will discuss theme such as the nature of Being, its relation to language and interpretation, the historicity (historical authority) and contingency of human life, and the nature of oppression.
Offerings
For further information about UNE's teaching periods, please go to Principal Dates.
| Teaching period | Mode/location |
|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | On Campus, Armidale Campus |
| Trimester 1 | Online |
*Offering is subject to availability
Intensive schools
There are no intensive schools required for this unit.
Enrolment rules
Notes
Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.
Unit coordinator(s)
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- demonstrate a broad and coherent understanding of the central ideas of key 20th and 21st century European philosophers and the key debates associated their writings;
- apply research and critical thinking skills and well developed judgement to engage critically with those ideas and debates; and
- demonstrate an ability to communicate difficult philosophical ideas and the arguments for them in a clear and coherent manner.
Assessment information
Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
| Title | Must Complete | Weight | Offerings | Assessment Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 | Yes | 40% | All offerings | Essay No. Words: 3500 |
| Assessment 2 | No | 10% | All offerings | Discussion Contribution No. words: 500 |
| Take Home Exam | Yes | 50% | All offerings | No. Words: 2000 |
Learning resources
Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Continental Philosophy: A Contemporary Introduction
ISBN: 9780415242097
Cutrofello, A., Routledge 2005
Text refers to: All offerings
The Continental Philosophy Reader
ISBN: 9780415095266
Kearney, R. and Rainwater, M., Routledge 1996
Text refers to: All offerings
Note: Recommended material may be held in the University Library — purchase is optional.
Continental Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction
ISBN: 9780192853592
Critchley, S., OUP 2001
Text refers to: All offerings
Continental Philosophy: An Introduction
ISBN: 9780745645827
West, D., Polity 2nd ed. 2010
Text refers to: All offerings
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