The 1979 Revolution in Iran is associated with the Shiite clerics. It was not, however, the first time that the clerics were involved in a popular movement in Iran. They took an active part in the movement for the establishment of a Constitution, even though the secular elites introduced the idea of Constitution and played a key role in its success in 1907. The 1979 Revolution was mainly aimed at removing the Shah from power, not least because he had ignored the application of the Constitution for the benefit of his autocracy. Significantly, however, while the clerics took power thanks to the 1979 Revolution of democratic aspirations, they endeavoured to destroy the legacy of Constitutional Revolution that they had supported a century earlier. This module will study this shift of attitude from 1907 to 1979 as a mirror of socio-political and intellectual developments during a period of “modernisation” in the twentieth century. Part 2 will examine the 1979 Revolution and explore the socio-political factors behind the Revolution and the triggering incidences that led to its occurrence. Relating to this period, we will scrutinise the different ideologies (socialism, liberalism and Islamism) and socio-political forces behind the 1979 Revolution and will discuss its religious and/or secular nature(s). Even though the first incidences that led to the Revolution began on university campuses with students seeking more freedom and democracy, the fact that the clerics were able to take over the helm of the Revolution and change its course towards an “Islamic” Revolution, warrants exploring the question: Was the Revolution of 1979 inspired by socialism and Marxist-Leninist ideology or did it originate in the idea of the sovereignty of the jurist (velâyat-e faqih) that Khomeini tried to theorise since the 1940s? We will also examine the impact of the end of the Cold War on the timing of the 1979 Revolution. We will also look into the so-called “Islamic Revolution”, its aims and projects, based on the messianic ideology according to which clerics should rule until the return of the Mahdi. This study will provide insights into the current crisis in the Middle East, considering the involvement of the clerical regime in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and elsewhere in the Islamic world.
This is a holistic module because it emphasises that its constituent topics dealing with diverse aspects of risk management are highly interconnected. Mastery of the subject is conceived as requiring a strong understanding of these interconnections. For example, someone lacking awareness of risk psychology and rick culture topics is likely to have poor insight into what risk management can offer as a decision support function in strategic and other organisational contexts. The lecture sequence and broader student experience are carefully structured with this in mind – and exam questions are designed to offer scope for demonstrating holistic knowledge. It is hoped this will equip students with a highly versatile risk management skillset which provides employers the flexibility they expect from the contemporary risk management function.
The ability to make effective decisions in the face of risk and uncertainty is essential to success in today’s fast changing world. This module seeks to equip you with the knowledge of decision-making processes and models that will help you achieve this objective. The module will take an inter-disciplinary approach and will emphasise that a mix of both qualitative and quantitative thinking, within a structured decision analysis framework, is needed to significantly improve risk taking behaviour. Throughout the module behavioural aspects of risk will be emphasised.
To critically examine current knowledge of the application of River Restoration techniques and their transferability to the UK and worldwide. As many river restoration projects are done to improve the status of fisheries, the costs and benefits of techniques from the perspective of fish populations will be considered. To critically review and evaluate the philosophies, policies and methods available for river restoration. To enable the student to find, review, interpret, critically evaluate and present arguments for alternative river restoration approaches and methodologies.
To develop an holistic approach to river basin management and restoration based on an understanding of physical processes and human modification of natural river systems.
This module is based on a professional training course for people working in River management and restoration. The course investigates how humans have modified River basins and river channels, and how these in turn have affected the rates and magnitudes of environmental processes within the river network with particular emphasis on the fluxes of water and sediments. Specifically, the module will focus on the contrast between natural and modified channel functioning through the use of research case studies and explore how the management of these complex environments is supported by scientific knowledge. The final component of the module looks at how we can use knowledge of natural processes to help restore damaged river systems. Specific topics to be included are: Definition of catchment sediment systems, processes of channel adjustment, Geomorphology and physical habitat, ecosystem engineers, the impacts of catchment land use change on river channel processes, river channel modification, river restoration, applied fluvial geomorphology.
Robots are becoming more widely used in society, with applications ranging from agriculture through to manufacturing, with increasing interest in autonomous systems. This module will introduce students to the concept of a robot, varieties of robotic systems and the some of the fundamental techniques which are required to get robot systems to work. The module concentrates on introducing students to the necessary kinematics, dynamics and control which are needed to analyse and design robotic systems. In addition, the course will discuss trajectory generation and path planning at a basic level. The course will use dextrous manipulators and mobile robots to illustrate the concepts which will be introduced.
This module will be first offered in the 2020/21 academic year. Robotics plays an important part in the development and operation of autonomous aerospace vehicles. The robotic element may consist of a complete vehicle either in outer space or on a planetary surface (e.g. a Martian rover) or a specific component (e.g. the ISS robotic arm). The module will examine design, construction and operation of such system. The students will gain an understanding of the challenges involved developing such a system, as well as operating at significant distances from the earth.
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to robotic manipulation covering fundamental aspects of manipulator design through to forward and inverse kinematics, motion planning, and image processing for feedback. Students develop competency in robotic manipulation using both theoretical frameworks and practical simulation tools. The module integrates lectures for theory and hands-on tutorials using robot simulation software as well as practice on an experimental platform. Through this combination, students acquire the conceptual framework, programming skills, and practical experience necessary to analyze and control robotic systems for industrial and research applications.
Robots are becoming more widely used in society, with applications ranging from agriculture through to manufacturing, with increasing interest in autonomous systems. This module will introduce students to the fundamentals of robotic systems including kinematics and dynamics as applied to manipulators and mobile robots. To support many application sensors are required, the module will discuss tactile and vision sensing as applied to both fixed and mobile robots. The design and control of multifingered end effectors will be considered in detail. The module will conclude with a study on how biological systems have influenced the development of current and future robotic systems, including swarms and humanoid robotic systems.
This introductory module for the Robotics and Autonomous Systems MSc programme consists of an initial intensive teaching period, designed to introduce students with diverse backgrounds to the fundamentals knowledge and skills needed to study advanced robotics, and a long-thin period focused on developing broader research and professional skills. It culminates in a mini-conference, where students present their achievements on key project-based modules taken within the MSc. During the initial teaching period, students learn the fundamentals of modelling, sensing, and control, and work in teams to implement key methods on a simple robotic platform during practical labs. The research and professional development component introduces systems thinking as a perspective on engineering, safety and socio-technical factors, considering how people, processes and technology interact within the context of their environment. The module also develops core competencies required for practicing as an engineer, including work within diverse and inclusive teams and to support lifelong development of professional and interpersonal skills. This aspect will draw on your experiences during modules such as Robots and Automation in Society and Robots and Automation in Practice. It also gives students a grounding in the research methods and techniques such as critical literature review, that are necessary for planning and execution of summer research projects and project-based coursework. The module includes student planning, organisation and delivery of the mini-conference, held at the end of the teaching year.
Students form teams of ~4 to design, develop and demonstrate a robotic solution to a staff/industry posed challenge, using a combination of simulators and simple robotic platforms to deliver representative solutions under controlled experimental conditions. Each groups will be assigned a staff member based on their choice of challenge. The staff member will act as their advisor and represent the stakeholder perspective, with regular timetabled meetings to share progress and receive feedback. Student teams are expected to work independently between meetings to advance their projects. Teams will manage a small budget, access to the relevant facilities, and develop their own strategies for system development and testing. Demonstrations must use existing educational robotic facilities at the university, with no major modifications to electronics and hardware. There is a significant emphasis on lab work and experimental data gathering. Each team will produce an 8-page IEEE conference-style group report, a 15 minute presentation, and a 2 minute solution video. For students on the Robotics and Autonomous Systems MSc, these outputs must be presented at the MSc RAS mini-conference organised as part of the Robotics Fundamentals, Research Management, and Professional Development module.
This is an individual project based module where students critically review literature on the broader societal, regulatory, ethical and human-centred dimensions of a robotic domain of their choice, including safety and security. Students will form peer groups with an assigned mentor and attend regular timetabled meetings to share and receive regular feedback on their progress. Students will also participate in a structured debate presenting different perspectives on a set aspect of robotics in society. Each student will produce an 8 page IEEE conference style individual policy paper and poster on their chosen topic. For students on the MSc RAS, these may be presented at the Robotics and Autonomous Systems MSc mini-conference organised as part of the Robotics Fundamentals and Research Management module.
For most people even today Nero was one of the ‘bad’ emperors (he killed his mother), and Caligula was mad and depraved (he wanted to appoint his favourite horse as consul, and committed incest with his sisters); but the categorisation of emperors along moral lines is not a modern phenomenon. The emperor was without doubt the most important individual in the Roman world, the embodiment of the imperial project. His character, appearance, and actions were of fascination to contemporaries during and after his life. In this module we will survey Roman cultural responses to the office of emperor, and specifically the role played by prominent authors in creating a discourse on the individuals that occupied the imperial throne from its inception to Late Antiquity. We will also explore the role Imperial women played in validating the position of the emperor and as a means of undermining him. Several genres of ‘political’ literature flourished under the empire, which took the emperor as their primary subject - biography, historiography, and speeches of praise and blame. Their rise may partly have been a response to the concentration of power in a single individual, but they also constantly engaged in evaluating emperors in traditional terms of virtue and vice, turning emperors into examples of good or bad rule for later holders of the office. Such texts, then, played an active role in the creation of an image of an emperor both during and after his reign. In this module we will survey key texts and images chronologically from the first to sixth centuries, and consider how and why each author interpreted individual emperors; how the ideal of the emperor developed during that time; when and in what way it was acceptable to criticise an emperor, or how risky this could be; to what extent an emperor could influence the creation of his positive image via contemporary orators. We will examine some case studies of the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ of emperors such as Claudius, Caligula, and Constantine, and in the process you will gain a chronological overview of the Roman imperial period. Finally, we’ll reflect on how modern depictions of emperors, in formal biographies and TV/film depictions, compare to the concerns articulated in ancient texts and images.
