I.R.100: International Relations: Theory and Practice

• Terms Taught:
  • Full Year course
  • Michaelmas Term only
  • Lent / Summer Terms only
  NOTE: If you are studying with us for a full academic year (starting in October) and you select a course that has full year and part year variants, you will not be allowed to take only part of the course.
• US Credits:
  • Full Year course - 10 Semester Credits
  • Michaelmas Term only - 5 Semester Credits
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 5 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits:
  • Full Year course - 20 ECTS Credits
  • Michaelmas Term only - 10 ECTS Credits
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 10 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This course aims to introduce students to key topics of global politics and theories of international relations, introducing some of the core issues that will be pursued throughout the degree in the department. The aim of the course is to provide students with the foundation, both in terms of study skills and intellectual background, that will enable students to grasp the 'bigger picture' of the subject.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

- demonstrate knowledge of key theories of international relations;- apply that theoretical knowledge to understand the interaction between states, as well as non-state actors; - understand key issues in global and regional politics;- explain the rise of modern challenges to the established international order;- understand the influence of international orginizations on global politics;- appreciate of the impact of domestic beliefs and agendas on international affairs.

Outline Syllabus

This module introduces students to central aspects of the discipline of International Relations, providing a firm grounding in the major concepts and debates necessary to understand the modern world of international politics. Students will learn about: the dominant features and power relations of the contemporary global system; the nature of sovereignty and security, their expression and limitations; the real-world problems confronting the international community today.

Areas of study will typically include:

1. International Relations Theory: the study of how relations between states can and should be viewed and theorised, Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism and Feminism.

2. Regional Studies: the study of key regions of the world, and the politics of their interactions.

3. International Institutions and Law: the international organisations, customs, and rules that govern inter-state relationships.

4. Global Politics and Belief: the study of how religious and ideological belief can shape international politics and the relation of states.

5. International Crises: the study of pressing issues confronting the international community, such as environmental collapse, technological advance, the rise of non-state actors, and terrorism.

6. International Relations and the Domestic: the study of how the domestic agendas can shape and influence international politics.

The course, though designed as an introduction to the advanced degree-level study of Politics and International Relations, will also function as a self-standing introduction to International Relations, suitable for those seeking to broaden their understanding of the international.

Assessment Proportions

Assessment will take place by way of:

One formative essay (900-1000 words) early on in the Michaelmas Term.

Two summative essays (each 1350-1500 words), chosen from a variety of options, at the end of the Michaelmas and Lent Terms.

One exam, lasting 3 hours, with 4 questions to be answered from a range of options.

POLI100: Politics in the Modern World

• Terms Taught:
  • Full Year course
  • Michaelmas Term only
  • Lent / Summer Terms only
  NOTE: If you are studying with us for a Full Academic Year and you select a course that has full year and part year variants, you will not be allowed to take only part of the course.
• US Credits:
  • Full Year course - 10 Semester Credits
  • Michaelmas Term only - 5 Semester Credits
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 5 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits:
  • Full Year course - 20 ECTS Credits
  • Michaelmas Term only - 10 ECTS Credits
  • Lent / Summer Terms only - 10 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

The course is divided into two main sections. In the first term students are introduced to the principles, practice and institutions of ‘liberal democracy’. Liberal democracy is the political and economic order that for many years has characterised life in ‘the West’. We begin the course by looking at the foundations of the liberal state, liberty and democracy, and examine their meaning, value and compatibility. We then explore two states that exemplify those principles (the UK and USA). Finally we will survey some of the institutions of liberal democracy which work within and beyond the state level (such as the European Union and the United Nations).

The second term concentrates on the international system. First we look at different ways of understanding the world of states, a field of study known as International Relations. We then look at the application of these IR theories to the non-Western world, in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. We will explore the complex and challenging role that the USA has on the current world political stage, and take a survey of some contemporary issues in politics.

The course concludes in the third term where we will build upon all of the material covered in the course to consider instances of global crisis.

Educational Aims

This course aims to introduce students to some of the key concerns of politics and international relations, introducing some of the core issues that will be pursued throughout the degree in the department. The aim of the course is to provide students with the foundation, both in terms of study skills and intellectual background, that will enable students to grasp the 'bigger picture' of the subject.

Outline Syllabus

This course explores some of the main themes and issues in Politics and Governance in contemporary times. It does so by building up a story about -liberal democracy' and 'the state'. These ideas have come to both dominate our political landscape - but now face serious challenges and threats. The course is divided into three main sections.

In the first term we start by looking at the principles of liberal democracy (democracy liberalism, and property) before looking at two states which exemplify those principles (the UK and USA). We will then survey some of the institutions of liberal democracy which work within and beyond the state level (such as the European Union and the United Nations).

The second term concentrates on the historical development of the international system of states focusing on the events surrounding the Cold War to our present situation; an examination of how governance is organised and globalised through the realms of politics and economics; and the development of structure, institutions, and ideas which have led to the possibility of global governance.

Finally, in the third term, we will explore of the complex and challenging role that the USA has on the current world political stage, and take a survey of some contemporary issues in politics.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.211: Philosophical Questions in the Study of Politics and Economics

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

Our aim in this module is to consider some of the big philosophical questions underlying social sciences. Economics and politics raise both deep philosophical questions about society and subjectivity – for example: Who gets what? Who rules whom? Who, or what, decides? In this module we will investigate a variety of methods that attempt to address these questions, and what answers might be possible. In sum, the aim is to examine methods and assumptions across central movements in the social sciences, politics and economics, from a philosophical perspective – to see the troubles and possibilities in each.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Discuss philosophical questions raised by the political and economic sciences
• Discuss underlying assumptions at work in the methods of these sciences
• Formulate their own opinions on these questions and assumptions, while appreciating the reasons that may be offered for different or opposing points of view

Outline Syllabus

Our aim in this module is to consider some of the big philosophical questions underlying social sciences. Economics and politics raise both deep philosophical questions about society and subjectivity – for example: Who gets what? Who rules whom? Who, or what, decides? In this module we will investigate a variety of methods that attempt to address these questions, and what answers might be possible. In sum, the aim is to examine methods and assumptions across central movements in the social sciences, politics and economics, from a philosophical perspective – to see the troubles and possibilities in each.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.218: The Ethics and Politics of Knowledge

• Terms Taught: Lent Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in Philosophy.

Course Description

The aim of this course is to give you a good, broad introduction to some of the key themes in epistemology (the theory of knowledge). We begin with the question 'what is knowledge'? This then leads us on to questions about how knowledge relates to other things, like belief, and truth. Our answers to these questions have implications for how we think about the structure of knowledge (e.g., must all of our knowledge rest upon a “firm foundation”?). Throughout the term we will see that it is much harder to answer our core question than you might think and this raises the question of why it is so hard to give a clear, general, account of what knowledge is. We also look at different sources of knowledge - especially, perception, self-knowledge and “testimony” (other people’s say-so) and, towards the end of term, explore some of the relationships between epistemology and ethics, ending the term with the question whether we ever ought to refrain from seeking knowledge.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.230: Modern Political Thought: Equality and Community.

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Term Only 
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

This course explores ideas central to any understanding of politics. It focuses on two related themes: Equality, and Community. In the course we will explore the thought of thinkers who are associated with these ideas of equality and community (Rousseau, Marx, the Fabians, and Rawls). By the end of the course, you will have an understanding of the key ideas of the thinkers under review and be able to assess the contribution that these thinkers have made to our wider understanding of politics. You will also be able to recognise the relevance of these thinkers to our current political debates, and be able to employ their ideas within those debates. Additionally, you will be able to evaluate the key features of an argument, be confident to express your own views, and evaluate the responses of others.

Educational Aims

Outline Syllabus

• Equality and Community
• Equality and the Community
• Rousseau: Equality and the Corruption of the State of Nature
• Rousseau: Virtue and the Ends of Civil Society
• Marx: Property and Bourgeois Rights
• Marx: Historical Materialism
• Marx: Class, Revolution, and the State
• The Fabians: Socialism, Democracy, and the State
• Rawls: Justice as Fairness
• Rawls: The Family and Equality
• Equality, Democracy, and the State & Conclusion

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.233: Power in British Politics: The Role of the Prime Minister

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer terms only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

This course explores British politics by focusing on the role of its central figure – the Prime Minister. Judging by media coverage, it would seem that the Prime Minister dominates the decision-making process, dwarfing other institutions such as the Cabinet, Parliament and the judiciary. But does this impression reflect reality? Does Britain really have a system of ‘Prime Ministerial’ – or, as some commentators have claimed – even ‘Presidential’ government? The course attempts to answer these crucial questions through case-studies of recent Prime Ministers and an examination of the sources of Prime Ministerial power, such as the ability to appoint ministers, to influence public opinion and to shape Britain’s foreign policy.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to:

• Articulate their own position in relation to others' ideas
• Offer a critical assessment of scholarly literature, among a range of sources
• Work with and develop key conceptual approaches
• Show heightened critical, evaluative and communication skills through participation in seminar discussions, and independent research

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.235: Peace Studies in Action

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

This module seeks to identify and analyse violent and non-violent conflict behaviour as well as the structural mechanisms that are required to seek peace. It examines various theoretical positions in this regard and their application in managing, preventing and transforming conflicts into situations and outcomes that are more peaceful. This module looks at both top down and bottom up approaches to peace enforcement and peacebuilding in ongoing conflict locations as well as in many post-conflict settings.

In the course of the discussion, we interrogate various intervention strategies such as: the place of non-violence in peace activism, the concept of just war in imposing a resolution, the role that women play in peacebuilding, global institutions that facilitate peacekeeping, inter-faith debate and dialogue that contribute to addressing religious extremism and radicalism. The overriding question that we examine in the course of this module, is transition from a belligerent world to a more peaceful and harmonious one through cosmopolitan responsibility. The module ends by exploring the ways that seek to reaffirm the ideal of peace in an increasingly volatile and fractured international society.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to:

• Develop substantial knowledge on the workings of international security system.
• Familiarise themselves with the key concepts on practical peace studies.
• Gain mastery over contemporary intellectual debates surrounding strategic peace.
• Use the techniques and strategies in professional settings.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.236: Politics and History of the Middle East

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

In the few years that have passed, the Middle East has experienced momentous changes. Most notable of these changes are the so-called ‘‘Arab Spring’’ uprisings, which started in late 2010, and the following consequences of these uprisings on the international relations of the region. Topics include the early emergence of Arab states, origins and sustainability of authoritarian regimes, state types and personality cult, masculinity and constructions of identity and belonging, women’s movements, social mobilization and the Arab uprisings. The course offers students from a variety of backgrounds the opportunity to engage with the most important themes in the study of the politics of the Middle East and to locate and contextualise them within wider debates and scholarship of international politics.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Identify the central themes in an argument;
• Compare and contrast differing political arguments and positions and assess their validity;
• Demonstrate an ability to apply theory to empirical cases and problems;
• Argue their own position verbally and show understanding of positions of others;
• Work co-operatively in a group setting.

Outline Syllabus

Topics include the early emergence of Arab states, origins and sustainability of authoritarian regimes, state types and personality cult, masculinity and constructions of identity and belonging, women's movements, social mobilization and the Arab uprisings. The course offers students from a variety of backgrounds the opportunity to engage with the most important themes in the study of the politics of the Middle East and to locate and contextualise them within wider debates and scholarship of international politics. The syllabus will typically include the following topics:

1. Introducing the region: a theoretical framework
2. The impact of colonial and Ottoman legacies on the current politics of the Middle East
3. Competing ideologies: rise of secular nationalism and Islamism after WW2
4. Building nation-state and the sustainability of authoritarianism in the region
5. Personality cult and legitimacy
6. Women's movements and national struggles
7. Arab uprsinings
8. Sectarianism

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.240: The Politics of Development

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites:
  • Previous study in this subject area is required

Course Description

This is a critical introduction to the underlying themes of development in the global South, such as debt, aid, inequality, migration; and how the state, the economy, national social movements and powerful external actors, including international NGOs, interact with each other. It begins by looking at how neoliberalism came to dominant development thinking and practice in institutions like the World Bank from the late 1970s onwards and its impact on development and then provides in-depth case-studies of recent alternative development models in Latin America and Syria. This course helps to broaden students' understanding of Politics and International Relations away from a Western focus on the UK, Europe and the US in preparation for third-year modules such as PPR.336: The Global Politics of Africa.

Educational Aims

Educational Aims: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

The first aim of this module is to introduce students to broad themes in development politics and policy such as colonialism, primary commodity dependence, neoliberalism, austerity programmes (structural adjustment programmes), poverty reduction policies, the developmental state, migration, remittances, aid, civil society, NGOs and social movements. The second goal is to apply those themes to case-studies. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the politics of different regions of the global South.

Educational Aims: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

This course aims to strengthen undergraduate students' research, analytical, writing and oral communication skills by equipping them to read a range of texts critically and understand them in their historical and political context; to synthesise a breadth of sources and to construct an argument; and to present their ideas clearly, succinctly and reflectively both orally to their peers in class and in written essay and exam form.

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

Students who pass this module should be able to...

• Critically understand some of the mechanisms behind global inequalities in wealth and power
• Critically understand the changing roles of and relationship between the market, state, voluntary sector and civil society in development politics and policies
• Critically analyse competing development schools of thought based on capital, labour and the state (neoliberalism, developmentalism, Marxism, autonomism)
• Have an introductory historic, thematic and case-study knowledge of the politics of development

Learning Outcomes: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

Students who pass this module should be able to...

• Understand how to interact with academic literature
• Prepare a succinct and stimulating seminar presentation, with the option of power point slides, to develop effective communication with their peers and facilitate collective learning
• Experiment verbally with ideas with their peers in small group discussions as well as larger group discussions and seminar presentation preparation
• Demonstrate critical thinking by asking questions, digging below the surface of phenomena and applying relevant theory
• Produce a correctly referenced, well evidenced and carefully structured written academic argument.

Outline Syllabus

Topics will typically include:

Neoliberalism and Development

• Neoliberalism, Debt and Structural Adjustment
• The International Poverty Agenda
• Aid and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs)
• Migrants and Remittances

Alternatives to Neoliberalism

• Development Alternatives: An Introduction
• Alternatives from Above: Ecuador
• Alternatives from Below: Argentina
• Alternatives from Below: Syria I
• Alternatives from Below: Syria II
• Conclusion: Whose Development?

Assessment Proportions

• 40% coursework (1 essay of 2,500 words)
• 60% exam (2 hours)

PPR.245: The Politics of Race

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

The module aims to prompt students to think critically about the relation of race and politics. It examines both how we should think of race theoretically and comparatively, and introduces students to practical issues surrounding the politics of race in various national and international contexts. Students will leave the course with a solid foundation in thinking about the reciprocal influence of politics and our ways of thinking about race.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

- explain, compare, and contrast the role that race plays in various national and international political contexts;

- demonstrate critical awareness of the ways in which the notion of race is used for political purposes;

- understand, discuss and critique various notions of race;

- demonstrate knowledge of the relation of race to other social categories.

- apply this knowledge to case studies in different socio-economic and political contexts.

Outline Syllabus

Race has played a central role in shaping the political agendas of many nations around the world – and has acted both as a mechanism of political exclusion and as a form of politicised identity. In this module, we critically examine the notion of race, and its connection to other identities like gender, ethnicity and class. We examine the role race has played, and continues to play, in the determination of domestic policies and in the relations between states. We look at the way in which race is politicised and de-politicised and consider the nature of various forms of racism in politics and society.

Taking a broad narrative arch from “race” to “post-race,” this course pursues three interconnected approaches to the subject: 1.intersectionality in that we analyse not only the multiple and shifting functions of racial classifications, but connect them to other forms of differentiation such as gender, class, sexuality, geography, the environment, and more; 2.interdisciplinarity in that the problem of race takes us directly to historical and ongoing processes of defining the human being and, as such, if we are to take race and its politics seriously, we need approaches from philosophical, historical, sociological, international relations literatures; and 3.the topics of each week together constitute an extensive toolkit of lenses through which to think about race, racism and the contexts of slavery, colonialism, exploitation, rebellion, expression, resistance and much more.

Assessment Proportions

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION (1350-1500 words) - 40% (deadline is end of term) - ASSESSED

ESSAY (2250-2500 words) - 60% (end of module, deadline is beginning of the first week of the following term) – ASSESSED

These writing tasks will be linked to two formative tasks which will not be assessed – a short essay plan (one A4 page, maximum 500 words) and a small group/paired word presentation in class (maximum 10 minutes). Care will be taken to consider concerns of students who are not comfortable with presenting in front of others. For students who are unable/uncomfortable or unwilling to do a presentation, I can arrange for them to meet with me individually to do a one to one presentation but I would be emphasising that presenting within class would be linked to their learning outcomes – which also focus on building their skills which will be very important in the workplace.

The formative assessments seek to sharpen and develop student writing, build their knowledge of the topic, improve their presentation and group work skills, and provide greater opportunities for formative feedback. The linking of summative assessment to formative assessment has been highlighted to be important and useful in teaching and learning pedagogies.

PPR.248: China's International Relations

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS

Course Description

This module focuses on the international relations of one of the most influential actors in world politics: China. The course explores the key question of when and how China’s actions conform with – and diverge from – various international relations (IR) theories. This offers students a twofold payoff. Students gain a broad understanding of how China’s foreign policies are made, its relations with its neighbours in East Asia, with international organizations, and with other global powers including Britain. At the same time, students gain a deeper, more concrete understanding of the uses and limitations of IR theory in explaining global politics.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to:

• Make effective arguments in verbal and written form
• Participate in academic group work including research and problem-solving
• Critically evaluate the applicability of general theories and concepts to specific real-world cases
• Present recently acquired knowledge and understanding to others in verbal form, and
• Write cogent and structured essays in the process of completing the coursework

Outline Syllabus

This module focuses on the international relations of one of the most influential actors in world politics: China. The course explores the key question of when and how China's actions conform with - and diverge from - various international relations (IR) theories. This offers students a twofold payoff. Students gain a broad understanding of how China's foreign policies are made, its relations with its neighbours in East Asia, with international organizations, and with other global powers including Britain. At the same time, students gain a deeper, more concrete understanding of the uses and limitations of IR theory in explaining global politics.

Section 1: History and Theory

• Introduction: IR theory and the China case
• Chinese foreign policy pre-1949
• Foreign policy in the eras of Mao and Deng
• Contemporary PRC foreign policymaking: high-level strategy, low-level implementation

Section 2: China in its region

• China and its Northeast Asian neighbours
• China and Southeast Asia

Section 3: China goes global

• Media and public opinion in China's foreign relations
• China and international institutions
• The Sino-American relationship
• China's relations with Britain and other great powers

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.251: Islam: Tradition, Community and Contemporary Challenges

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in religion.

Course Description

This module examines the historical formation of Islam; its renewal movements past and present; and modern reform discourses on gender, politics, and law. The aim is to gain an understanding of continuities and discontinuities in the Islamic tradition in relation to religious authority, theology, politics and contemporary practice. Some of the topics studied include: the formation of Shari'a (Islamic law); competing Sunni and Shi'i orthodoxies; the rise of radical political movements and global Jihad; Islamic feminisms; Islam and the West; and Islam in Britain. The module offers a strong foundation for more specialised study in second and third year courses.

Educational Aims

The module aims to:

• Survey and critically examine the main themes, key concepts, debates and approaches to the study of Islam in the modern world.
• Develop an analytical and interpretative framework within which to situate modern Muslim discourses on tradition and reform in a historical context.

Outline Syllabus

Topics studied will typically include:

• The Prophet: Muhammad as messenger, leader and exemplar
• Revelation: The Quran as event, text and doctrine
• The Community : Caliphate, Sunni orthodoxy and alternative visions
• The Juristic Tradition: Jurisprudence, sharia and normative Islam
• Key issues in modern Islam:
• Islamic Reform: Early reform, the challenges of modernity and modernist reformers
• The Islamic Revival: Islamism and the Islamic state
• Islamic feminism and liberal Islam
• Salafism and jihadism in a global age
• Islam in Europe: Religious identity, Islamic activism and the representation of Islam

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.272: Comparative Politics of the Gulf

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

The module aims to:

Offer a comprehensive knowledge about the contemporary politics of the Gulf including power dynamics, rentierism, political economy and rivalry for leadership

Place contemporary politics and power dynamics within a broader historical, social and political context such as colonialism and state formation

Explore the role of oil in shaping the Gulf, thus linking politics and economy to better understand the subregion

Provide different analytical approaches towards the study of the politics of the Gulf

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

_ Gain a historically and sociologically informed understanding of contemporary Gulf politics

_ Develop an ability to analyse the interplay among international, regional and national socio-political dynamics in the Gulf through case studies

_Compose a research paper based upon a detailed analysis of a contemporary regional issue related to the Guld region or a specific country within the region.

_ Familiarise with various challenges facing the Gulf region in historical and contemporary contexts;

Outline Syllabus

The following outline provides an indicative list of key issues and topics which this module will come:

_ State formation of the Gulf: Legacies of colonialism and pre-oil socio-political characteristics

_ Political Systems and Regime Types: Forms of governance including politics of succession

_Political Economy: Rentierism and Clientalism

_ Minorities: Sectarianism, relations between the Sunni and the Shia

_ Geopolitics: Internal Rivalries between Iran and Saudi Arabia

_ Saudi Arabia: The Big Brother perception, fighting for leadership

_ Iran: A duality of being a foe and a friend, collective security and the Gulf Cooperation Council

_ Wars and Regional Conflicts: The Iran-Iraq War, The First Gulf War, the Yemen War, the Saudi-Qatari rivalry

- Soft Power/Public Diplomacy: Aljazeera and Media Wars

- The Arab Spring Moment: Bahrain protests and regime change

- Gender: Women and Human rights

_ External Powers and the Gulf monarchies: the US and Turkey

Assessment Proportions

The module will be assessed by one extended essay of 4,500-5,000 words.

Students will be able to choose from a range of essay topic relating to the content taught on the module.

Students will be informed by the lecturer of the essay topics within the first two weeks of the module starting.

PPR.278: War and Geopolitics

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only  
• US Credits: 4 US Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits

Course Description

This module will provide students with a critical understanding of the history, politics, and geography of war from the 20th century to the present. Students will learn what it means for war to have ‘become modern’ and how warfare has changed in the contemporary late-modern period. Students will explore how advances in weaponry, aviation, and information technologies have changed the nature of warfare and the possibilities for waging it. Key concepts for the study of war will include total war, limited war, cold war, counterinsurgency, psychological war, intelligence and espionage, terrorism, liberal warfare, and humanitarian war. Simultaneously, students will learn to differentiate different schools of geopolitical thought including practical, critical, and popular forms of geopolitics. Throughout students will confront political and philosophical questions posed by the study of war.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

Understand how war and warfighting have shaped the political and economic contours of the modern world.

Understand the relationship between warfare and various forms of knowledge, from intelligence collection and social science research to geopolitical thought and popular culture.

Understand how warfare has changed over the course of the 20th century from ‘total’ to ‘cold’ war, and how forms of geopolitical competition have adapted to the post-cold war period.

Acquire different theories for understanding war as a complex socio-political phenomenon, including questions concerning ethics, killing, knowledge production, and humanitarianism.

Use specific methods for studying war, ranging from critical theory, policy and document analysis, to exploring digital archives.

Outline Syllabus

The return of conventional warfare to Europe has signalled what some scholars of International Relations have called the 'return of geopolitics’ in the context of a ‘new Cold War’. This module therefore aims to provide students with a critical foundation for the study of both war and geopolitics. More than just an ‘extension of politics’, this module aims to understand war as a specific object of study with complex historical, geographical, and cultural dimensions. Students will consider fundamental questions concerning the nature of war, its political and economic character, as well as its ethical and philosophical dimensions. Similarly, students will learn to understand geopolitics not a fixed military strategy, but as a constantly evolving concept with a contested political history. In providing students with critical insights into the evolution of war and geopolitics over the 20th century, this module will prepare students for further study on contemporary topics in International Relations.

Assessment Proportions

Students will write a 3,600 - 4,000 word research paper on the topic of their choice, pending approval from the module instructor, worth 100% of total grade.

PPR.280: International Relations, Security and Sustainability

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Term only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

The module explores the main theoretical foundations to International Relations, including realism and neo-realism, liberalism, and social constructivism and critical IR. It also explores how complexity theory relates to these theories. The second section focuses on the major international events of the 20th and early 21st centuries and how these relate to and interact with the development of international relations theories. The final weeks of the module focus on key relevant topics and developments including issues such as international political economy, debates relating to human/environmental sustainability and the impact of climate change and the practicality of an ethical foreign policy.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to:

• Better understand theoretical arguments and academic analyses;
• Prepare close readings of source material for collective discussion;
• Develop their oral and written communication skills;
• Develop a better understanding of the international relations system and its dynamics;
• Enhance their ability to evaluate both conflicting and competing interpretations of political and international relations theories and developments

Outline Syllabus

The module will begin with a detailed introduction of the main theoretical foundations to International Relations, including reviews of realism and neo-realism, liberalism, institutionalism and the English school, social constructivism and critical IR. It will then explore how complexity theory relates to these theories.

In the second section, the focus will be on the major international events of the 20th and early 21st centuries and how these relate to and interact with the development of international relations theories and thinking. Key periods will include the transition from global empires to world wars, the Cold War and the rise of globalisation from the New World Order to the War on Terror and beyond.

The final weeks of the module will focus on key relevant topics and developments. These could include issues surrounding aspects of the international political economy, debates relating to human/environmental sustainability and the impact of climate change and possibility of an ethical foreign policy.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.284: International Relations and Politics of the Asia Pacific

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

The aim of this course is look at the main political and economic trends and security concerns of the Asia Pacific. The term, ‘Asia Pacific’ is a contested term but here it refers primarily to countries from both South Asia and East Asia. The course will introduce students to issues/debates in Asian politics and cover topics like Asian nationalism, Asian democracy, Asian regionalism, Asian bureaucracy and governance, gender and sexuality in Asia, Asian values and Asian security. The course takes a strong case studies approach and every lecture will be backed by a single case study from the region.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the key political, economic trends and security concerns of the Asia Pacific. Although the term, 'Asia Pacific' is quite a contested term, here it refers to countries from both South Asia as well as countries from East Asia.

Outline Syllabus

This course looks the general political and economic trends and security concerns of the Asia Pacific.

The course covers topics like Asian security, Asian values, Asian democracy, Asian regionalism, Asian nationalism, gender and sexuality in the Asia Pacific, identity in the Asia Pacific, secessionist movements in the Asia Pacific and authortarian rule in the Asia Pacific.

The course also takes a strong case studies approach. Case studies will be taken from both south Asia and east Asia. Each week, once the key arguments have been put forward to the students, they will be backed up by a single case study or a group of case studies.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.285: Russian International Politics

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Term only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

This module examines the domestic and the external sphere of Russian politics. At the end of the module students will better understand some doctrines of Russian politics and its wide-ranging effects on Russia’s engagement with the EU, the US, NATO, countries in the former Soviet space and the Middle East. It assesses Russia’s response to the Arab Spring and its engagement in the conflict in Syria.

The course introduces students to Russia, an actor which gained presence and influence over several issue areas and regions. It prepares students for more extensive analyses of conceptualising Russia as an actor in their future studies.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to:

• Develop critical reading skills for collective discussion during seminars;
• Enhance analytical skills;
• Develop academic research and writing skills;
• Develop their oral and written communication skills.

Outline Syllabus

• Introduction – Russia as an Actor in International Politics
• The Transformation Process – From Yeltsin to Putin
• The Consolidation of the Putin Presidencies
• Russia as a Political System- Sovereign Democracy or Semi-Authoritarian Regime?
• The Role of Russian Civil Society
• Which factors shape or break Russia’s Relations with the EU?
• What are conflicts in Russia’s Relations with the US (2012-2019)?
• What are contentious issues in Russia’s Relations with NATO?
• Russia’s Engagement in Syria & its perception by the West
• Conclusion – Wide-ranging Effects of Russian Politics

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.287: Protest Politics: Social Movements and Countercultures

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

This course will familiarize students with the politics of protest, the social and political significance of countercultures, theories of social movements, and the ways in which movements either implement or prevent social and cultural change. Relevant political philosophies will be introduced, as well as the core ideas informing, for example, the women’s movement, the peace movement, and the environmental movement. The course will also examine the practice of protest, introducing, for example, protest art, music, and acts of civil disobedience.

Outline Syllabus

The course will be divided into three parts: (1) protest politics in the 1960s and 1970s; (2) social movement theory; (3) contemporary social movements. (1) This part will provide some of the foundation historical background to important movements, such as the environmental movement, the women's movement, and the peace movement. (2) This part of the course will examine some of the key contemporary theories about why social movements emerge, how they grow, how they differ, and why they decline. (3) The final part of the course will examine several contemporary social movements in detail (e.g. Extinction Rebellion; Occupy; Hong Kong protests).

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.290: Research Methods in Politics

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level class in politics or international relations.

Course Description

The module equips students with the skills they need to carry out independent research in politics. In doing so, it prepares students for their final year dissertations and significantly improves their employability by developing skills that are highly valued by employers. Students will learn how to come up with an original research question and will learn to employ one of the research methods taught on the course to answer their question. The course is designed to provide an accessible introduction to both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In the first part of the course, students will have the opportunity to use a large dataset on politics and explore the relationship between variables such as political ideology, class, voting behaviour and many more. They will learn how to analyse data and test for statistically significant relationships between variables using various regression methods. In the second part of the course, students will learn about three major approaches to qualitative research. They will learn how to conduct standard and elite interviews, how to analyse the discourse of political actors, and how to conduct case studies. At the end of the module, students will be asked to design their own piece of research and use one of the methods taught on the course to answer their research question.

Educational Aims

Educational Aims: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

This module aims to:

• Give students the skills necessary for carrying out an independent research project
• Equip students with skills that will improve their employability: working independently, analysing data, and designing independent research projects
• Introduce students to the main qualitative and quantitative research methods employed in politics and international relations

Educational Aims: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

This module aims to:

• Teach students how to successfully apply a research method to answer a research question
• Develop students' ability to critically evaluate empirical evidence
• Develop academic skills such as critical and independent thinking, academic writing and argumentation

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Understand of the difference between qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Be aware of how the skills developed on this module can help them become more employable
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of at least one research method
• Be able to undertake an independent research project
• Be able to come up with an original research question
• Be able to write a comprehensive literature review
• Be able to choose a methodology that is suitable for a specific research question
• Critically evaluate qualitative or quantitative data

Learning Outcomes: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

• On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
• Understand how one's ontological and epistemological position affects research design
• Be able to critically evaluate competing evidence and formulate independent arguments
• Develop a greater understanding of politics in theory and practice
• Develop key academic skills such as critical thinking, academic writing and formulating strong arguments
• Familiarize students with the use of computer software to analyse data

Outline Syllabus

Some of the key questions addressed on the module are:

• How to come up with a topic for an independent research project?
• How to choose the best method to answer your research question?
• What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative methods?
• How to make sure that your findings are trustworthy?

Topics will typically include:

Course structure:

• Introduction to the course: philosophy of science
• Introduction to quantitative methods
• Inferential statistics
• Correlation and simple linear regression
• Multivariate regression
• Logistic regression
• Interviews and research ethics
• Discourse analysis
• Comparative politics
• Pulling your project together

Assessment Proportions

• 100% coursework (1 x 3,500 independent research project)

PPR.291: Politics of Ireland

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics.

Course Description

This modue aims to help students develop an understanding of the governmental structures of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the main political issues that have arisen in Irish politics, and the different political groupings and what motivates them.

It will help them to appreciate how the history of Ireland has shaped current political debates, and conversely how current political debates shape the interpretation of the history of Ireland.

It will helo them to understand Ireland's position in wider world politics, both through its foreign affairs and through the the Irish diaspora.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

Demonstate a clear understanding the constitutional foundations and mechanisms of both the Repubic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Articulate what the historical and ideological sources of the primary political debates and divisions in Irish politics are.

Develop views on the different, contested, interpretations of key points in Irish history.

Outline Syllabus

This module will introduce students to the politics of Ireland, both Northern Ireland and the Republic. It will give them a grounding in the historical events that lie behind key issues and controversies in present-day Irish politics, as well as showing how the memory and interpretation of those events is shaped and contested as part of present-day debates. It will explain the workings of the constitutions of both Northern Ireland and the Republic, as well as the political parties, and the interaction of politics with social and economic factors. It will look at the roles nationalism, religion, and sectarianism have played in Irish politics. It will also explore the position of Ireland and the Irish in relation to the rest of the world, including the role of the Irish diaspora in other parts of the world, and the relationship of Ireland to Britain, the EU, and other international bodies.

Some lectures will focus specifically on Northern Ireland, some on the Republic of Ireland, while some will deal with themes that are common to both. The following is an indication of the topics that one can expect to be covered:

* Ireland’s relationship to colonialism and post-colonialism; the plantations and British rule; is it right to say that Ireland was ‘colonised’?

* Nationalism vs. Revisionism: their role in the interpretation of Irish history, and in the politics of commemoration. Differing political interpretations of the 1840’s Famine; of the ‘Troubles’ of 1916-24; of Ireland’s neutrality in WW2.

* Partition: the Government of Ireland Act and the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The constitutional foundations of Northern Ireland.

* The Constitution of the Republic of Ireland; how it has changed and developed since 1921; the electoral system; the houses of the Oireachtas; the role of the President; the process of referendums.

* Political parties of Northern Ireland and of the Republic of Ireland.

* The Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’ (and how they compare with the ‘Troubles’ of 1916-24); the Peace Process and subsequent developments.

* Religion and its role in Irish politics.

* The Politics of emigration and the Irish diaspora.

* The “Celtic Tiger”, its collapse and aftermath.

* Irish foreign affairs: including military neutrality; EU membership; the effects of Brexit.

Assessment Proportions

The module will be assessed by an essay of 2250-2500 words at the end of the term in which the course is taught, plus an exam which will take place in the main summer exam period and will require answering two questions in two hours. This assessment method is standard for second year modules in the department. Intended learning outcomes will be determined through applying the regular marking criteria in PPR to questions written on topics appropriate to the course.

40% Coursework 60% Exam

PPR.292: Socialist Thought in Britain

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics and one entry-level course in philosophy.

Course Description

This module introduces students to the thought of some of the most important political theorists and political philosophers who have contributed to the development of socialist thought in Britain. Unlike continental forms of socialist thought that were derived more explicitly from the thought of Karl Marx, British forms of socialist thought have their own distinct origins and paths of development. The module will give students a sound understanding of these origins and developments, and will enable them to think critically about how socialism has been defined, how it relates to capitaism and market economies, whether it can constutute a distinct ecomonic programme as opposed to a moral vision, and its fate in an era of late capitalism and neo-liberalism. It will also train them to evaluate the arguments under study whether internally in externally.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of historical and contemporary debates about and within Socialist thought in Britain

Use developed critical skills in order to address these questions for themselves.

Think historically and contextually, demonstrating an awareness of the implications of changing contexts for the evolution of socialist thought in Britain.

Begin to think systematically and argue coherently about the internal coherence of socialist thought and its ability to address the challenges of contemporary society.

Outline Syllabus

After considering questions of definition and the relationship of socialism to capitalism and communism, the module will examine when and how socialist ideas originated in Britain, including forerunners such as Sir Thomas More, the Diggers and David Ricardo. Susbtantive topics to be covered will typically include: Ricardian Socialism and nineteenth-century Christian Socialism; Socialism and Art (William Morris and John Ruskin; Oscar Wilde); Socialism and The Fabian Movement (George Bernard Shaw; Sidney Webb; Annie Besant); Socialism and the Guild System (Arthur J. Penty, G. D. H. Cole, R. H. Tawney); Socialism and Political Theory (especially the work of Harold Laski); Socialism and Economics (the significance of John Maynard Keynes and the subsequent work of G. D. H. Cole and Douglas Jay); Socialism and the Labour Party (attempts to enact socialist measures in practice and an assessement of their success); Contemporary Socialist Thought (especially the Blue Labour Movement and the contemporary Christian socialism of Rowan Williams and John Milbank).

Assessment Proportions

The coursework will comprise one 2250-2500 word essay. This will assess all of the subject-specific learning outcomes, and the first three general learning outcomes. (40%)

The examination will last for two hours, and will require students to answer two questions. This will assess all of the subject-specific learning outcomes, and the first three general learning outcomes. (60%)

While both coursework and exam will assess the learning outcomes just specified, the coursework will especially assess critical engagement and the construction of sustained, developed arguments, while the examination will especially assess breadth of knowledge and understanding across more than one module topic.

40% Coursework 60% Exam

PPR.295: International Political Economy: Theories and Issues

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics or international relations.

Course Description

This modules aims to...

- introduce students to key theorietical approaches within International Political Economy

- equip students to think through international relations through the lens of political economy,

- encourage students to think about the changing nature of the global economy

- familiarise students with central issues within IPE

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

LO1: Demonstrate knowledge of the key theories of International Political Economy

LO2: Apply those theories to discuss complex practical issues within the (International) Economy, such as trade, production, and inequality.

LO3: Utilise the tools of IPE to understand broader issues within International Relations.

Outline Syllabus

The module will introduce students to International Political Economy (IPE): the study of the interaction of economics and politics at the international level. It aims to discuss the political economy of the evolution of world capitalist economy by focusing on central questions, issues, and events that have shaped it. It examines the relevance and validity of different and competing approaches in the IPE, including mainstream and critical approaches (such as classical and neoclassical economics and historical materialism). We also examine key issues and concepts, such as globalisation, international trade, gender and race in global production, role of multinational corporations, and unevenness between and within countries.

Assessment Proportions

The module will have one essay, due towards the end of the module, of 2250-2500 words, which will comprise 40% of the overall mark.

The module will also have an exam, taken in Summer Term, comprising 60% of the mark, with a completion time of 2 hours.

The coursework will particularly assess critical engagement and the construction of developed arguments, while the examination will particularly assess breadth of knowledge and understanding of topics covered.

PPR.296: Environmental Politics and Policy

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in politics or international relations.

Course Description

This module aims to...

- provide an introduction to environmental politics,

- enable students to understand the connection of environmental politics to other areas of politics,

- encourage critical thinking about the political causes and potential policy solutions to climate change.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

LO1: explain the political nature of environmental problems and debates

LO2: critically discuss the role of various political actors in the politics of the environment

LO3: demonstrate knowledge of the connection between environmental and other political issues

LO4: analyse proposed policy solutions to the issue generated by climate change.

Outline Syllabus

This course introduces students to the politics surrounding a key challenge of our time: climate change and environmental collapse. We will consider how environmental concerns are reflected and framed in political debate and behaviour, as well as the unequal distribution of the effects of climate change and how domestic and international institutions have responded to the crisis. The module will consider both current and future environmental issues, as well as the policy making in this area.

Topics covered will typically include:

- The history of the politics of the environment- Arenas of contesting the climate emergency- The role of markets and political agents in environmental exploitation- Climate change justice and the unequal burdens of climate change- Resource security and the environment- Institutional and individual responses to climate change- Climate propoganda- Policy making and climate change

Assessment Proportions

The module will have one essay, due towards the end of the module, of 2250-2500 words, which will comprise 40% of the overall mark. The module will also have an exam, comprising 60% of the mark, and will have a completion time of 2hrs.

The coursework will particularly assess critical engagement and the construction of developed arguments, while the examination will particularly assess breadth of knowledge and understanding of topics covered.

PPR.317: Health and Disease: Concepts and Policy

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits  
• ECTS Credits:  7.5 ECTS    
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level course in philosophy

Course Description

This module aims to to develop:* an understanding of various contemporary debates about key medical concepts* the ability to connect conceptual debates to issues in health policy, and to engage in informed argument about key issues in health policy.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able

* explain in outline the problems, debates, and putative answers regarding some key conceptual debates around health and disease.

* set out some of the influential arguments that have been developed and defended in respect of these topics

* engage critically with conceptual and policy debates on the topics covered.

Outline Syllabus

This course considers conceptual questions around 'health' and 'disease' (and related concepts of 'disability', 'normality', 'medicine', 'treatment') and explores how these relate to issues of health policy. We start by considering concepts of health and disease. Does whether a condition is a disease depend purely on matters of biological fact? Or, does a condition also have to be harmful to count as pathological? Is there any distinction that can be drawn between mental and physical disorders? Is it justified to treat people with mental disorders differently, e.g. in involuntary treatment? Should psychopaths who commit horrible crimes be considered to suffer from a disorder, or are they evil? What does it mean to say that someone is ‘normal’? Many critics worry about medicalisation, and think that ever more conditions are coming to be considered diseases. Is this true, and does it matter? We’ll also consider conceptual issues connected to treatment. ‘Evidence Based Medicine’ aims to employ treatments that have been shown to work. But, how can it be determined whether a treatment works? What should the aims of therapy be? What is the distinction between medicines and other drugs?

Assessment Proportions

Essay: 1 x 2700-3000 words essay (40%)

Exam: Students will also be assessed by examination. They will be required to answer two questions in two hours. (60%)

Assessment via essay allows students' learning to be assesssed with respect to planned and researched work, and the exam tests students' ability to work in a time-limited environment.

40% Coursework 60% Exam

PPR.320: Political Ideas

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Politics.

Course Description

This course examines central themes in the liberal branch of contemporary Anglo-American analytic political philosophy. The liberal positions on justice, liberty, equality, the state, power, rights and utility are all explored. The approach is philosophical rather than applied; its focus is on the ideas of liberal politics: how individual liberty can be maximised while not harming others and places the developments of liberal ideas in their appropriate historical contexts. The course also examines the connection between the ideas of liberalism and the idea of democracy to explore the philosophical tensions between the two and how these might be resolved. The course is a survey of major topics and concepts in Anglo-American liberal political ideas. The syllabus includes: questions about justice: analytic philosophy and liberalism; visions of the state: liberalism, republicanism, socialism; liberty and individuality; equality; utility and rights; neutrality and the market: private property and public goods; power: freedom or oppression.

Educational Aims

The aims of this module are to:

1. Introduce and examine the main features of the debates in political theory.
2. To introduce and examine the major ideas in that debate with a specific (although not exclusive) focus on liberty.
3. To develop an understanding of the significance of the debate for our attempts to establish justice and distribute goods through political systems.

Outline Syllabus

This course examines central themes in contemporary political philosophy. The ideas and theories of justice, liberty, equality, the state, power, rights and utility are all explored. The course asks significant questions about the way in which the liberal position has evolved. The approach is philosophical rather than applied; its focus is on the ideas of liberal politics: how individual liberty can be maximised while not harming others; how an individual philosophical position can guide political determinants of a society and places the developments of liberal ideas in their appropriate historical contexts. The course also examines the connection between the ideas of liberalism and the idea of democracy to explore the philosophical tensions between the two and how these might be resolved.

The syllabus will include the following topics:

• Analytic philosophy and liberalism
• Visions of the state: Liberalism, Republicanism, Socialism; Liberty and individuality
• Liberalism and democracy
• Negative and positive liberty
• Equality
• Utility and rights
• Toleration and Multiculturalism: Responses to diversity.
• Neutrality and the market: private property and public goods
• Power: freedom or oppression.

In addition to the 10 week syllabus an extra two hour workshop will be held in the first week of summer term in accordance with new contact-hours requirements in 2009/10.

Assessment Proportions

• Exam: 60%
• Coursework: 40%

PPR.324: Politics of Global Danger

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Politics.

Course Description

This course examines the changing character of war and security in a time of rapid and disruptive technological and geopolitical change. The course combines analysis of contemporary policy documents with the interdisciplinary insights of intellectuals that have examined how war has changed in the modern age. Students are introduced to a range of concepts that are currently significant in the policy debates about the future of war – concepts such as ambiguous war, the gray zone, the third offset strategy and the three block war. While the course is grounded in broader debates from social and political though about war and modernity, it explores a range of evolving and inter-related case studies that are central to understanding how war is changing: cybersecurity/artificial intelligence; cities and urban war; drones and the future of robotics; climate change and ecological insecurity. Each year we try to bring a guest lecturer from the Ministry of Defence or the FCO to discuss questions relevant to the course – and to discuss how the course can be relevant to a broad range of careers.

Educational Aims

This module examines how danger, fear and insecurity function in the politics of liberal democracies. Focusing primarily on literatures and debates that have emerged since the 1990s, the module is interested in the perspectives that argue that: ‘In the course of a gradual neutralization of politics and the progressive surrender of traditional tasks of the state, security becomes the basic principle of state activity. What used to be one among several definitive measures of public administration until the first half of the twentieth century, now becomes the sole criterium of political legitimation.’ (Agamben 2001). The module asks three major questions. First, what is the intellectual basis for the claim made by critical security scholars that security is the sole criterium of political legitimation? Second, according to critical security studies scholars what political consequences emerge from the increasing ‘securitization’ of life in liberal democracy? How do critical security studies expand the empirical and ethico-political terrain of security studies?

Outline Syllabus

The module will outline some of the main contributions to debates on danger, fear and insecurity in political and social thought. The syllabus will include the following topics:

• The transformation of danger and threat in the post-Cold War world as explained by Paul Virilio and critical security studies scholars
• The critical responses to mainstream approaches to global danger
• The central ideas of the debate about ‘emergency’ and the political as developed by Giorgio Agamben and critical security studies scholars
• The central ideas in debates on the political economy of insecurity
• The central ideas in debates about uncertainty and risk in analysis of global danger

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.328: Understanding External Intervention in Violent Conflicts

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer Terms only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Politics.

Course Description

The module aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of the different facets of contemporary Asian conflicts and how international organisations such as the UN, and how Western and Asian governments have attempted to deal with these challenges in recent times. Conceptually, the course will examine the principles of state failure; terrorism, ‘New Wars’, the New Security Agenda, Islamism, nationalism and sub nationalism, international conflict prevention; peace keeping and global governance. Empirically, the course will focus on conflict zones in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indian Kashmir, the Indian northeast, Chinese Xinjiang and Tibet. Thus, the aim of this module is to provide students with an overview of the security of a region which is now of tremendous global importance.

Educational Aims

The course aims to develop student understanding of how international organisations have attempted to intervene within conflict zones to prevent an escalation in conflict, to enforce UN resolutions or to assist externally mediated peace settlements. The course aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of how violent conflict has changed since the end of the Cold War and how transnational organisations such as the EU, UN and NATO have attempted to deal with the new challenges and opportunities presented since the beginning of the 1990s until the present day.

Outline Syllabus

This 10-week module will examine the politics of external intervention inviolent political conflicts and at the attempts made to manage, prevent and transform these wars into more peaceful situations. Conceptually the course will examine the principles of democratic peace theory, state failure and international conflict prevention, peace-keeping and neo-liberal global governance. Empirically, the course will focus on post Cold War conflicts such as Somalia, Rwanda, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. The syllabus will centre primarily on external interventions within violent conflicts with a particular focus on how the changing nature of violent conflict at the end of the Cold War (rise of intra- rather than inter-state conflict) led to new methods and norms for external third party intervention.

The content of the syllabus will include the following themes:

• The Concept of the End of History, the New World Order and the changing nature of violent conflict at the end of the Cold War;
• The Theory and Practice of International Conflict Prevention;
• The Responsibility to Protect and the changing role of the UN;
• The complexities of intervening as neutral fact-finders in a war zone;
• The CNN Effect and role of the media in external intervention within Violent conflicts;
• The roles and impacts of Diaspora communities in violent conflict;
• The evolution of peace keeping and peace enforcement operations designed to end war;
• Global Governance, good governance and the democratic peace;
• Crisis Simulation Exercise: A meeting of the UN General Assembly over a current violent political conflict.
• Ending the War on Terror: The politics of reconstruction.

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.329: Political Economy of the Global South

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: At least one entry-level class in politcs or international relations. 

Course Description

This module aims to - introduce students to the understanding and role of the Global South in the world capitalist system

-familiarise students to the key issues and major historical events in the making of the Global South

-encourage students to think about and discuss the global and regional dynamics pertaining to the emergence and the current place of the Global South

-equip students to think and discuss through the lens of critical approaches to political economy in relation to the Global South

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

LO1: Have developed a broad understanding of the meaning and significance of the Global South.LO2: Be able to assess the utility or validity of a Global South perspective for thinking about specific issues in world affairs.LO3: Have acquired specialised cognitive and analytical skills such that they are able to identify the core themes underlying the historical formation of the Global South and its current place in world affairs.LO4: Be able to identify and develop their own enquiries, within defined guidelines, into the core debates regarding the Global South, through the collection and analysis of authoritative sources, and be able to communicate solutions to problems informed by these sources in appropriate formats.

LO5: Have demonstrated awareness of the ethical issues inherent to the study of the Global South, and relate these to personal beliefs and values.

Outline Syllabus

The emergence and consolidation of world capitalism has been marked by its uneven character in terms of development. This uneven development has created a polarisation between the Global North mainly consisting of advanced Western capitalist countries, and the Global South mainly consisting of underdeveloped/developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This module focuses on the historical roots, present pillars, and empirical issues of the global interaction and integration regarding the making of the Global South. It traces the colonial and post-colonial history, politics, and power relations through which societies of the Global South have been integrated with the profoundly unequal, gendered, and racialised process of development of capitalist relations on a world scale.

Topics will include:

-Colonialism, decolonisation, neo-colonialism, imperialism

-Development, underdevelopment, late development

-Neoliberalism, globalisation

-Race and gender

Assessment Proportions

The module will have one essay, due towards the end of the module, of 2,700-3,000 words, which will comprise 40% of the overall mark. The module will also have an exam, taken in Summer term, comprising 60% of the mark.

The coursework will particularly assess critical engagement and the construction of developed arguments, while the examination will particularly assess breadth of knowledge and understanding of topics covered.

PPR.333: Contemporary Issues in the Middle East

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Politics.

Course Description

As the Middle East has long been [and still] one of the most unstable regions in the world, and it is further bedevilled by strong authoritarian states and pervasive ethnic and sectarian violence, what explains this instability and ongoing tensions? By examining key questions surrounding the study of Middle Eastern politics, this course aims to provide students with a critical perspective of the region’s politics. This course introduces students to an analysis of the history, politics, society, culture and religions of the Middle East with attention to major events in the region.

Educational Aims

This course aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of key issues in the contemporary Middle East. The module will offer students the opportunity to gain an understanding of the people, society and politics of the region and the role that religion, ethnicity, gender and class have played in shaping contemporary issues. The course aims for students to gain a comprehensive understanding of: the major internal and external actors in the region; issues around conflict and peace; the geo-strategic importance of the region; issues of political economy (particularly in relation to oil); political change and reform; the issue of identities in the Middle East and ideologies around this and the emergence of political Islam.

Outline Syllabus

The course will cover contemporary issues in the Middle East. The syllabus will include the following topics:

• Introduction to the Middle East: people, society and politics
• Voices of the Middle East: religion, ethnicity, gender and class
• Internal and External Actors in the Middle East
• Politics of Identity in the Middle East: the question of Arab unity
• Political economies of the Middle East: power or dependence? Political change and reform
• Political Islam
• Peace and Conflict in the Region (2 weeks)
• The post 9/11 landscape: the war on terror and future prospects

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.334: United States Foreign Policy

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: Relevant previous studies in politics.

Course Description

This module aims to:1. Introduce students to the study of US foreign policy;2. Analyze the ideological foundations of American foreign policy;3. Assess the powers of the executive and legislative branches and the influence of other actors in the US foreign policymaking process;4. Distinguish the historical, cultural, economic and political factors that explain how US foreign policy has developed over time;5. Analyze the role of the United States in relation to contemporary global and regional issues and conflicts;6. Understand how US foreign policy has changed in the twenty-first century.

Educational Aims

Students who pass the module should be able to…

i) Explain how US foreign policy is madeii) Explain how US foreign policy has developediii) Identify the underlying drivers and ideologies that influence US foreign policyiv) Explain the different types of power the United States exerts in the international systemv) Analyze contemporary challenges, themes, and trends in US foreign policyvi) Undertake independent research and analysis of a topic in US foreign policy

Outline Syllabus

The United States is one of the most influential states in the world today. Its actions have long-term and far-reaching implications for its allies, enemies, and the international system. To fully comprehend international relations and world events, one needs to understand US foreign policy. The module examines how US foreign policy is made and conducted by examining: the historical development of US foreign policy, the institutions and processes that influence the foreign policymaking process, how the US projects power in the international system, and contemporary challenges and issues in US foreign policy. In the module students will develop an understanding of how US foreign policy has evolved, who makes US foreign policy, the types of power the US uses, and contemporary themes and developments in US foreign policy.

Topics may typically include:

- The US Foreign Policy Making Institutions and Process

- Historical Development of US Foreign Policy

- Political Power

- Military Power

-Economic Power

-Ideological Power

-Mock National Security Council Meeting

-American Power Debate

Assessment Proportions

One 3600-4000 words essay, to be handed in once the module is complete. (100%)

The assessment allows students to explore a topic that interests them in depth. It will enable them to develop research, writing, analysis, and critical thinking skills.

PPR.336: Africa and Global Politics

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits.
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Politics.

Course Description

This course provides a historical and thematic introduction to the issues facing Africa in the international system today. The course is divided into two sections. The first section explores the historical incorporation of the continent into the emerging international system centred on Europe from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. It focuses on the impact of colonialism and independence in terms of the economy, the state and the politics of race and the implications these have for the region’s prospects for democracy and development today. The second section looks at key contemporary issues and agents shaping the continent. The latter includes ‘top-down’ actors such as the Chinese state, as well as grassroots actors such as unionised South African workers.

Educational Aims

The course aims to:

• Furnish students with a historical approach to understanding contemporary issues facing African countries.
• Examine how colonialism shaped the economy, state and society, better equipping students to understand the debt crisis, poor economic performance, state failure and the role of civil society.
• Introduce students to cutting-edge debates around the roles of China, South Africa, foreign aid and remittances for future prospects for development on the continent.

Outline Syllabus

The course will provide a historical and thematic introduction to the issues facing Africa in the international system today. The syllabus will include the following topics:

• Contemporary representations of 'Africa' and their historic roots
• Africa's incorporation into the world system via the Atlantic Slave Trade
• Colonial conquest, the colonial economy and the colonial state
• Colonial ideology, anti-colonialism, decolonisation and independence
• Debt, structural adjustment programmes, aid conditionality and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
• Poverty reduction, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the role of civil society
• Gender, health care and HIV/AIDS
• Migration and the importance of remittances
• The contemporary role of China in Africa: Friend or foe?
• South Africa: past and present
• An African economic recovery?

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.337: Society & Politics in Latin America

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer Terms only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Politics.

Course Description

• an overview of politics of populism
• the role of the Latin American left in shaping the public discourse
• democracy and dictatorship
• the emancipatory role of religion
• the culture of everyday violence
• politics of dependency and development
• political economy of migration and the role played by external actors in shaping its cultural
• economic, social and political identity

Outline Syllabus

Indicative outline syllabus:

• Week One - History & Politics
• Week Two - Religion and Society
• Week Three - Migration & Mass Movement
• Week Four - Culture and Violence
• Week Five - Regional Integration
• Week Six - The Big Players (ABC & M of LA)
• Week Seven - Islands in the Stream (Politics of the Greater Caribbean)
• Week Eight - Foreign Policy
• Week Nine - China in LA
• Week Ten - Evolving L. America (D, P&D)
• Week Eleven - Revision & Recap

Assessment Proportions

• Coursework: 40%
• Exam: 60%

PPR.338: Baffling Ballots - Understanding Voters, Parties and Electoral Change in the 21st Century

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only  
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: Relevant previous studies in politics

Course Description

This module aims to:

-Develop students ability to apply electoral theory to critically reflect on recent electoral events and trends

-Enable students to critically reflect on both well-established and more contemporary theories in electoral studies

-Enable students to systematically analyse recent electoral trends from a comparative perspective

-Develop students ability to use quantitative methods in the analysis of voting behaviour

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

Knowledge and Understanding: Apply their theoretical knowledge of elections and voting to elections across the democratic world

Knowledge and Understanding: Critically reflect on key academic debates in electoral theory

Skills: Identify and analyse cross-national election datasets using quantitative methods

Skills: Produce election reports using standardised terminology and elections data to support their arguments

Outline Syllabus

Elections in established democracies have been marked by substantial volatility in the 21st Century. Long-standing intellectual and popular assumptions about voter behaviour and party systems have faced persistent challenges and disruptions. Traditional alignments of voters and parties have declined while new alliances have formed. Similar patterns of change have emerged in many established democracies– traditional main parties of government have seen a decline in their share of the vote, voters have become more unpredictable in their preferences, the rise of electoral populism has disrupted historic political divisions and new generational values divides have emerged.

In this module you will have the opportunity to directly engage in these critical debates around electoral change in the 21st Century by testing key electoral theories in a comparative context. In doing so you will also be developing highly employable skills in quantitative secondary data analysis, research design and critical interpretation. Key topic areas include;

-The changing influence of social Identity on voting (gender, class and ethnicity)

-Generational value change and voting

-Voters judgements of political leaders competence and character

-Voters evaluations of government performance

-The challenge new parties present to existing party systems

Assessment Proportions

There will be two forms of assessment in this module.

The first form of assessment will be via a short standard essay (worth 40% of the module grade) between 1800-2200 words. The essay questions will be specific and designed to test students knowledge and understanding of electoral theory. Students will be presented with a choice of 5 essay questions based on the substantive subjects addressed in the first 5 weeks of the module. The questions will address a key theoretical debate or development in each substantive area. This will assess students' capacity to engage with the key arguments and debates related to the module.

The second form of assessment will be a comparative election report (worth 60% of the module grade) between 3,150-3,500 words. The report is designed to test students' engagement with the research skills, research design and data analysis part of the module. They will develop their own research question related to an issue in comparaitve politics and analyse the question using a comparative research design looking at outcomes in 2 different elections (in 2 different countries). Students will carry out the data analysis themselves in SPSS and must present and interpret 2 multivariate regression models. The report must define the problem, provide background context into the elections they are focusing on, propose (and then test) a key hypothesis that answers their research question, present and interpret the anaysis and briefly situate the findings within the broader electoral studies literature. This will assess understanding of the quantitative analysis and research design skills that have been taught and developed in the workshops.

PPR.348: The Governance of Global Capitalism

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Politics.

Course Description

The module will introduce students to some of the most important challenges facing the governance of the contemporary global economic order. The main themes explored by the module are (a) the nature of power in global economy, (b) the role, scope and limits of states within the world market, (c) the relationship between nation states and other actors in the global economy such as transnational corporations and supranational organisations. In tackling these themes the module will introduce students to different approaches to studying governance in the global economy (from Marxism to Post-structuralism) and examine the most challenging issues of the global economy such as financialisaton, climate change and the future of growth.

Outline Syllabus

The module will introduce you to some of the most important challenges facing the governance of the contemporary global economic order. The main themes explored by the module are: (a) the nature of power in global economy, (b) the role, scope and limits of states within the world market, (c) the relationship between nation states and other actors in the global economy such as financial markets and supranational organisations, (d) the governing dilemmas with which policy-makers are faced and the way they manifest themselves in specific policy areas and issues such as production, finance, climate and development. In tackling these themes, the module will introduce students to different ways of studying governance in the global economy and examine the most challenging issues of the global economy such as financialisaton, climate change and the future of growth. Topics covered might typically include:

• Theoretical approaches to states in the world economy
• The evolution of global economic governance
• Transnational governance and depoliticization
• Governing production and trade
• Governing money and finance
• Governing development
• Climate Governance
• Power and domination in the global economy

Assessment Proportions

• 100% coursework

PPR.365: State and Religion

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: Previous study in this subject area is required.

Course Description

Course Description: The module provides a comparative perspective drawing on the fields of religion and politics. It analyses how the rise of the modern nation-state impacted and reconstituted religion in a post-colonial, global context. It addresses questions such as: What place does religion have in diverse political systems in the modern world? How have religious ideologies and commitments shaped modern conceptions and practices of governance? To what extent has religion been engaged in supporting/contesting discourses of liberal democracy and human rights? And why does it remain a site for political protest in non-western contexts? These questions will be explored across various traditions such as Hinduism, Christianity, Islam as well as in diverse regional contexts, such as Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Key topics will typically include: Secularism, Religion and the Postcolonial Nation-State; Religion and law-making in modern nation-states; State, Religion, and human rights, with a focus on women's rights or religious minority rights; State, Religion and Rebellion; and Civil Religion: Interrogating America's Nationalism.

Educational Aims

Educational Aims: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

This module aim to offer an opportunity to study a range of religions, geographic and political contexts. It will attempt to equip students with the knowledge and confidence to describe, discuss and deploy competing concepts and theories as well as a range of examples. Students will learn to understand the close relationship between theory and context, and the variations in the historical and contemporary reality of states and the effect of religion on them. We aim to give students an awareness of the need for critical thinking about the global complexity of the role of religion on governance, political practices and ideologies. They would have been able to develop a deeper understanding of a specific issue through a case study in their coursework.

Educational Aims: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

The module aims to provide students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to:

• Recognise and analyse literature from several disciplines, demonstrating awareness of their different perspectives and uses, and ability to assess the strength of competing approaches and interpretations.
• Formulate evidence-based opinions verbally and in writing and communicate clearly, with the written and spoken word.
• Develop confidence and skill in analysis and discussion and deepen critical skills. Improve analytical, written and verbal skills through course reading, essay-writing, and workshop discussions.
• Discuss and analyse empirical cases, by identifying salient aspects for analysis, theories that can be deployed, and disciplinary approaches that can be used.
• Deepen disciplinary understanding and also show how disciplinary perspectives may need to be challenged by other disciplines, thus building an interdisciplinary awareness

Learning Outcomes: Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

Students who pass this module should be able to... Demonstrate understanding of key concepts of the state in contemporary religious and political thought and practice. Identify the complex inter-relationship between religion and the modern state across different traditions and in different regional contexts. Critically evaluate how this inter-relationship has shaped and even transformed political systems and religious tradition nationally and transnationally.

Learning Outcomes: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

Students who pass this module should be able to...

• Demonstrate cognitive, time management and transferable skills through supportive learning environments and rigorous modes of assessment
• Utilise high-level skills in problem solving, application of knowledge, analysis and critical reflection, handling large bodies of information, oral and written communication, negotiation and influence, time management and work organisation
• Use appropriate digital learning technologies available through the university in research and writing
• Demonstrate the ability to gather, organize and deploy evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and some primary sources; identify, investigate, analyse, formulate and advocate solutions to problems; and construct reasoned argument, synthesize relevant information and exercise critical judgement

Outline Syllabus

Key topics will typically include:

• Secularism, Religion and the Postcolonial Nation-State;
• Religion and law-making in modern nation-states;
• State, Religion, and human rights, with a focus on women's rights or religious minority rights;
• Christianity and civil religion;
• Social movements and religion;
• State, Religion and Rebellion.

Assessment Proportions

• 100% coursework (1 x 5000-word essay)

PPR.366: Conspiracy Theories in Politics and Society

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only.
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites:
  • Previous study in this subject area is required

Course Description

Course Description: Who killed John F. Kennedy? Did the moon landing really happen? Is Covid-19 caused by the erection of 5G network masts? Factual answers to such questions are easily accessible. And yet many people eschew documented facts in favour of conspiracy theories, which explain events and complex phenomena with reference to nefarious forces and alleged hidden machinations of powerful actors. Such narratives are nothing new, but they used to be regarded mostly as a curiosity rather than a serious subject of research. Today communities of conspiracists are no longer considered so benign. As they thrive online, they attract increasing interest of scholars and policymakers, who study their digital influence, their links with political movements and their status as participants in democratic public spheres. This Special Subject introduces students to the developing body of research on the origins, spread and the political and social effects of conspiracy theories, including multidisciplinary work seeking to explain why people embrace conspiracies, what (if any) are the harms of such beliefs, what insights can we draw from the study of historical conspiracies (19th and 20th century) and what is the relationship between conspiratorial thinking and other political beliefs.

Educational Aims

Subject Specific: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

This module aims to:

• Introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of conspiracy studies;
• Elucidate key concepts (e.g. post-truth, New Dark Age, radical transparency, paranoid style etc.)
• Explore a selection of historical and contemporary conspiracy theories;
• Foster the understanding of their historical, cultural, political and social significance;
• Challenge simplistic perceptions and encourage a nuanced analytic approach to the role of conspiracists in the public sphere;
• Develop the ability to recognize the varieties and dynamics of conspiratorial thinking in contemporary politics and assess their impact and significance.

Educational Aims: General: Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

This module aims to:

1. Foster an inclusive environment for presenting ideas in a group setting;
2. Develop confidence about engaging with interdisciplinary work;
3. Develop the ability to lead discussion and synthesize insights;
4. Develop research, critical thinking and analytic skills through weekly reading assignments and two pieces of coursework (Week 5 and Week 10);
5. Provide the opportunity to discuss and analyse work at the intersection of academic research, journalism and popular culture.

Outline Syllabus

Topics may typically include:

1. Theoretical approaches to conspiracy theories
2. Conspiracy theories in history
3. Paranoid Style
4. 20th century case studies
5. Conspiracy theories in popular culture
6. Conspiracy theories and the Internet
7. Post-truth and information warfare
8. The political impact of conspiracy theories
9. The societal impact of conspiracy theories
10. Future directions in conspiracy theories

Assessment Proportions

• 100% coursework (1 x 2000-word essay and 1 x 3000-word essay)

PPR.368: Decolonisation, Race and Empire

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits

Course Description

This module uses cases studies to highlight how adopting a decolonial, interdisciplinary and critical approach can enable a greater understanding of contemporary issues. Unpacking the legacies of slavery, colonialism, racism and empire can be a means towards promoting social justice and gaining insights into topical and contested themes ranging from migration and climate change to security and geopolitics.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge and understanding of decolonisation, race and empire and how this influences contemporary socio-economic and political issues.

2. Apply this knowledge to case studies in different contexts.

3. Explain, compare, and contrast the role that decoloniation, race and empire plays in various local, national and international contexts;

4. Articulate their own position in relation to their own and others' ideas with respect to the role and relevance of decolonisation, race and empire, and incorporate it into academic and scholarly analysis.

Outline Syllabus

This module uses case studies from across the world to provide an insight into the role and relevance of decolonisation in the contemporary world, by examining the legacies of slavery, racism, colonialism and empire. The emphasis is on foregrounding the voices and experiences of citizens and communities from the Global South and unpacking the role that western European nations have played and continue to play in politics, economics and state-society relations in large parts of the post-colonial world. By using critical pedagogy and an interdisciplinary lens, the module highlights how various identities of race, class, gender, ethnicity, sexuality and religion intersect in different historical contexts to produce diverse outcomes. These outcomes are examined in relation to various current and emerging themes ranging from climate change and sustainable development to migration, borders and human rights to artificial intelligence, security, geopolitics and social justice. Over ten weeks, students critically examine these themes through the topics which will typically include:

Introduction, history, principles, and practices associated with decolonisation and race

Theories and intersectionality (Race, Class and Gender in particular)

Historical Context of colonialism and racism - Transatlantic Slavery, Empire and Western Europe

Central and North American context

African Context

South Asian Context

East Asian, Australian and New Zealand context

Middle East context

South American context

Caribbean, British and Lancaster context

Assessment Proportions

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION (1350-1500 words) 40% (deadline is end of term) - ASSESSED

ESSAY (2700- 3000 words) 60% (end of module, deadline is beginning of the first week of the following term) - ASSESSED

These writing tasks will be linked to two formative tasks which will not be assessed – a short essay plan (one A4 page - maximum 500 words) and a small group/paired word presentation in class (maximum 10 minutes). Care will be taken to consider concerns of students who are not comfortable with presenting in front of others. The formative assessments seek to sharpen and develop student writing, build their knowledge of the topic, improve their presentation and group work skills, and provide greater opportunities for formative feedback. The reflective report will involve reflections on the content of the presentation, the process and its link to the broad themes of the module and contemporary issues in politics and society. The linking of summative assessment to formative assessment has been highlighted to be important and useful in teaching and learning pedagogies.

PPR.379: Parliamentary Studies

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: Relevant previous studies in politics. This module is capped at a capacity of 15 students and a waiting list will operate once full.

Course Description

-Develop students critical understanding of the UK policy making process

-Enable students to critically reflect on both well-established and more contemporary theories of representation and UK institutions

-Enable students to crtitically analyse key debates around issues of constitutional reform within the UK

-To enable students to place the current debates around Parliament within the broader context of the development of the British state.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

Knowledge and Understanding: Apply their theoretical knowledge of UK institutions and theories of representation to a critical understanding of the key contemporary constitutional debates in UK politics.

Knowledge and Understanding: Critically reflect on the policymaking process and its relationship to institutional representation.

Skills: Analysing the policy process from the point of view of practitioners and the practical challenges of working within the UK Parliamentary system.

Skills: Produce policy analysis, evidence and recommendations of the accepted form and style for Parliamentary select commitees.

Outline Syllabus

In recent years the existing Parliamentary institutions of the UK have come under unparalled stress. Brexit, devolution, scandal and the decline of public trust in politics have led many to question and challenge the fundamental structure of UK institutions. However, Parliament remains at the centre of political life in the UK and is fundamental to the development of public policy. This leads to key questions about the extent to which the UK Parliament is fit for purpose in the 21st Century and whether it can balance competing interests within the classic debates about continuity and change in British Politics.

This unique module, delivered in partnership with Parliament, gives you the opportunity to explore these vital questions of policy formation and constitutional reform interacting directly with Parliamentary officals, researchers and officers including the offer of an optional organised trip to Parliament (for which there will be a cost to students that will be kept as low as possible)). In doing so you will be developing key employable communication skills and critically analysing highly relevant topics in the UK politics such as;

-House of Lords Reform

-Devolution

-Equality of Representation

-The Parliamentary Policy Making process

Assessment Proportions

There will be two elements to the assessment in the Parliamentary Studies Module. 25% of the module grade will be based on a 900-1100 word blog post addressing an issue in modern Parliamentary studies. This will give students the opportunity to demonstrate an understanding and engagement with the contemporary academic debate in Parliamentary Studies.

75% of the mark in the module will be based on a 3,600-4,4000 word select committee evidence submission exercise. The convenors will identify one or more active select committee evidence calls and students will write a simulated submission to it. This allows students to demonstrate relevant policy research skills, targeted technical persuasive writing skills and practical understanding of the policy process.

This approach is consistent with the department ambition to increase the number of non-standard assessments in Year 3 and introduce assignments that have direct employability relevance. The Parliamentary Studies module lends itself very well to this form of assignment which we hope students can reference and use in applications and interviews for policy related jobs.

This approach is aligned with the learning outcomes to develop persuasive, evidence based, professional writing skills while still enabling students to demonstrate a critical awarness of a)institutional theory and its relevance to contemporary constitutional debates in UK politics and b)the policymaking process.

PPR.391b: China in the Modern World

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits.
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Religion and/or Politics.

Course Description

China's rise is commonly understood as a key factor that will shape future world order. In this seminar-based course, students will become familiar with different approaches to understanding China's rise, and critically evaluate the opportunities and challenges this poses to both China and the surrounding world. In each seminar we will consider a key issue in China's relation to the world from different perspectives. Issues that will be explored include: the possibility of an alternative modernity; sources of party-state legitimacy; Chinese nationalism; the limits of Chinese identity; new tools of China's 'soft power'; the 'Chinese school' of International Relations theory; questions of territorial integrity; and Chinese ideas of world order and the ‘China model’. This course will thus offer students an opportunity to discuss familiar concepts like nationalism, democracy and modernity in the concrete context of China in the post-Mao era. It will help students improve their research skills, enhance their understanding of the complexity of issues in contemporary China, and critically examine conceptual tools of political analysis in the Chinese context.

Educational Aims

By the end of the module, you should be able to:

• give a sustained critical discussion of one substantial theme or line of argument that is in part or whole constitutive of the chosen topic
• use the resources of small study group to develop their own critical thinking

Assessment Proportions

• Dissertation: 100%

PPR.392c: The Ethics and Politics of Communication

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in Philosophy.

Course Description

This module critically explores a range of key topics in the ethics and politics of communication. In the first half of the course, we begin by an introduction to some basic concepts in linguistics and philosophy of language – especially to do with the practical side of communication. We then focus on (a) how certain kinds of communication can bring about ethical change (e.g. making something permissible); (b) upon whether lying and other kinds of deception are permissible, and if so, when. In the second half we turn to some broadly political issues: whether political lying is justified in a way that everyday lying is not. We consider three domains where freedom of communication is both important and contentious: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom on social media, including the challenges posed by "content moderation".

Educational Aims

These Seminar options are mounted specifically to provide work at an advanced level for third year single and combined major students. Special Subject classes run as seminars: the tutor convenes the group and suggests reading but does not lecture. Students are required to attend special subject seminars regularly. Each seminar group member takes their turn in making a presentation to the seminar, and it is the presentation that forms the basis for the seminar discussion. It also forms the basis for the submitted written coursework. In recent years, special subjects have included Philosophy, Politics and Economics; Hannah Arendt; Leibniz; feminist ethics; Aesthetics; Nietzsche.

The aims are to take participants' knowledge of philosophy and skills in philosophising to advanced levels. In particular, to give participants

• advanced knowledge and understanding of a particular philosophical topic
• experience of close philosophical study, led by a tutor who has an active research interest in the topic being considered
• experience of how to benefit from working in a small study group

Assessment Proportions

• Dissertation: 100%

PPR.392e: Complexity, Ethics, Values and Policy

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas Term Only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS  
• Pre-requisites: You must have undertaken relevant previous studies in politics and/or philosophy.

Course Description

The module aims to develop participants' knowledge of complexity in public policy, led by a tutor who has an active research interest in the topic being considered. The seminars will also give students the experience of how to benefit from working in a small study group.

Educational Aims

On successful completion of this module students will be able to...

Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the theory of complexity and its history

Apply the tools of complexity theory to issues of public policy

Relate issues of complexity to questions of moral and political values.

Outline Syllabus

As is now commonly recognised, the world is becoming increasingly connected and complex. Just as policy and socio-political actors can no longer view the state, market and society as distinct and separate entities, we can no longer see the global as neatly divided between powerful and distinct nation-states. Global interaction via economics, the media and the internet overwhelm these earlier rigid barriers. But how do we understand this new world and, equally important, how do we act within.

To try to answer that question we will explore complexity theory its applications to politics, policy and society. The module will begin with an introduction to the development of the earlier ‘orderly/Newtonian’ framework played in shaping 19th and 20th century social science and public policy. It will then go on to examine the paradigm shift in the natural sciences beyond the limits of that framework and towards a more complexity oriented paradigm. Following this the module will begin to explore how complexity has spilled over into the social sciences in the end of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st. It will then explore how complexity overlaps with some of the main concepts from pragmatist philosophy and its implications for ethics and values. Finally, it will conclude with an exploration of the impact of a complexity framework on several policy areas.

Topics will typicall include:

What is Complexity?

Concepts and Tools of Complexity

Applying Complexity to Politics and Policy

Complexity, Pragmatism and Policy

Complexity, Ethics, Values and Policy

Complexity and International Relations

Complexity and Health

Complexity and Law

Assessment Proportions

The module will be assessed by a single extended essay, of 5000 words.

PPR.397: Real World Policy Making - Theory and Practice

• Terms Taught: Taught over two Terms (Michaelmas and Lent Terms)
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 15 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: Relevant previous studies in politics.

Course Description

Students will gain in-depth knowledge on how to apply policy theories, ethics, research and employability skills to real-world scenarios. Students will acquire comprehensive knowledge of the diverse actors and stakeholders involved in policymaking, and will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze complex policy issues effectively.

Knowledge and Understanding: Students will demonstrate a critical understanding of key theoretical frameworks and concepts in policy analysis and development. Students will gain in-depth knowledge of the policymaking process within different political contexts. Students will acquire comprehensive knowledge of the diverse actors and stakeholders involved in policymaking.

Skills and Abilities: Students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze complex policy issues effectively. Students will be able to conduct thorough policy research using various methodologies and tools. Students will gain the ability to communicate policy ideas clearly and persuasively to different audiences.

Values and Attitudes: Students will cultivate an appreciation for an ethics and values-based approach to policymaking. Students will develop a critical and ethical perspective on the challenges and opportunities in policy implementation. Students will foster an understanding of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in policy design. Students will be empowered to actively engage with policy issues as informed and responsible citizens.

Educational Aims

Students who pass this module should be able to...

- Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the diverse stakeholders involved in policymaking, including their interests, roles, and influence.

- Conduct thorough policy research using various methodologies and tools.

- Evaluate the ethical implications of policy decisions and advocate for ethics and value-based approaches to policymaking.

- Communicate policy ideas clearly and persuasively to different audiences, using appropriate formats and tailoring messages to their needs.

- Explain and critically evaluate key theoretical frameworks and concepts in policy analysis and development, demonstrating strong communication and problem-solving skills.

- Analyze the policymaking process within different political contexts, identifying key actors, institutions, and dynamics.

- Critically analyze complex policy issues, applying relevant theoretical frameworks, and ethics and values-based approaches, including the challenges and opportunities for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the policymaking process.

- Engage actively with policy issues as informed and responsible citizens, advocating for positive change and participating in democratic processes.

Outline Syllabus

This module offers employability-focused teaching and combines academic and practical skills. Students will develop a critical understanding of key theoretical frameworks and concepts in policy analysis and development, and will gain in-depth knowledge of the policymaking process within different political contexts.

The placements take place during Lent Term in collaboration with local third sectors organizations, allowing students to develop employability skills and gaining a comprehensive understanding of how the knowledge they acquire during their degree can be translated to different policymaking contexts. Students will receive support to set up their placement during the Michaelmas Term, alongside weekly meetings with the course convenors during placement to check in on their progress. If not placement is available, students will focus on a longer policy analysis piece on an issue of their choosing.

By the end of the module, students will be able to conduct thorough policy research using various methodologies and tools, evaluate the ethical implications of policy decisions, and advocate for ethics and value-based approaches to policymaking. The key topic areas the module focuses on include:

Understanding Policy Issues - origins, context, implications.

Assessment Proportions

Term 1 - Report: 2,700-3,000 words

Term 2 - Reflective Report: 2,700-3,000 words

Term 3 - Presentation (assessed) with a variety of formats accepted (i.e. podcasts, infographics, research poster, powerpoint, etc.)

Rationale: Students will reflect on different theoretical and practical approaches to policy in Term 1, and will be assessed through a policy report analysing a case study of their choice. In Term 2, while on placement, students will keep a weekly log of their experience and will build on that for the Reflective Report at the end of Term. In Term 3, students will prepare a presentation based on their placements aimed at making organisational and policy recommendations as well as identifying future areas of research. Students will then present this to their peers for feedback through a format of their choice.

SOCL308: Terror

• Terms Taught: Lent / Summer Terms only
• US Credits: 4 Semester Credits
• ECTS Credits: 7.5 ECTS Credits
• Pre-requisites: Five semesters of sociology.

Course Description

This module analyses the relationship between society and terror taking point of departure in the discussion of 9/11 and the political responses it has provoked. The course focuses on how different forms of terror are related to the changing nature of the society and how terror can be theorized from a sociological point of view. It also explores how the study of terror can contribute to the discipline of sociology. The key concepts are terror, the war against terrorism, dispositif, nihilism, flow, consumerism, post-politics, and politics of security.

Educational Aims

The aim of this module is to analyse the relationship between society and terror taking point of departure in the discussion of 9/11 and the political responses it has provoked.

This module aims to impart knowledge of how terror(ism) relates to contemporary social change. The overall aim of the course is to introduce and develop skills of methodological reasoning, interpreting comparative studies of different societies (western and eastern Europe, North America and the Middle East), and critically assessing competing theories and empirical evidence through texts, presentations and discussions.

Outline Syllabus

Introduction: terror as concept (the history of the concept and of actions specified as terror)

• Terror as nihilism (the generic link between the discussion of nihilism, especially in the 19th Century Russia, and the concept of nihilism).
• Terror in network society (the new types of terrorism developing in the contemporary society with focus on technologies of mobility)
• Terror, sovereignty and the culture of exception (the link between terror and sovereignty with focus on 'state terror' as a dispositif)
• Politics of security and fundamentalism (the 'clash of cultures' thesis and the war against terrorism)
• Camps and human rights (Agamben's theory of the camp and its link to biopolitics with focus on human rights)
• Control, surveillance and the culture of fear (fear as a sociological category and the uses of fear for social regulation)
• Terror and cinema (the link between terror as fantasised in cinema and modern terrorism - terror as continuation of Hollywood films by other means)
• Terror and literature (terrorism in modern literature exemplified with the French bestselling author Houellebecq's work)
• Terror as dispositif (terror as new governmental dispositif replacing Foucault's 'discipline'; the link between 'control society' and terror).

Assessment Proportions

• 1 x 3000 word essay: 70%
• Presentation: 30%