International Relations Theory
This module examines the current state of international relations theory. You'll examine contending notions of security by exploring the concept of state sovereignty and the impact of the state upon individual and other forms of security.
Compulsory•20 credits
The Global South and Development
Explore the challenges of development for the Global South from a cross-regional comparative political economy perspective. You'll gain an understanding of the theoretical and practical debates around development, and their implications for international relations. You'll also examine the role of states, markets, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and civil society in fostering (or inhibiting) development.
Compulsory•20 credits
Political Research
In this module you will begin the journey of becoming an independent and autonomous political researcher. You will learn more about how Political Research – especially that conducted within the School of Politics and International Studies – is produced, and be equipped with the understanding and skills necessary to design your own political research project. This module will prepare you for the Final Year Project and for putting into practice your own programme of research.
Compulsory•20 credits
The United Nations and Global Security
The UN is a much misunderstood institution. To understand the UN, its successes, and its failures, you need to understand power. Conversely, if you’re interested in understanding power, studying the UN is a pretty good way to do it.
Compulsory•20 credits
Rethinking Political Economy
Rethinking Political Economy enables students to explore plural perspectives drawn from the history of ideas in political economy from its early development in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to the contemporary rethinking of political economy. Particular focus is placed upon the confrontation both of historical power imbalances, notably the relocation of the previously marginalized perspectives of female political economists to the very centre and cutting edge of the discipline, and urgent issues of human development, notably inequalities in income and wealth, and mitigation of and adaptation to human-induced climate change
Land Power
Land Power provides a comprehensive education in the key conceptual and historical developments in land warfare in the modern period. This module will help you understand how politics, technology, doctrine, society and ethics impact the exercise of military power in the Land domain. You will explore these important issues by studying the defining conflicts and campaigns of the modern age. These include Napoleon, the two world wars of the 20th Century, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc. Finally, you will study how robotics, AI and cyber technologies will change the character of land warfare.
Sea Power
There is no subject more important to students of politics, international relations, and war than seapower. This is because the seapowers created the world you see around you in the global distribution of power, wealth,and cultural dominance of the west, and it is the seapowers that retain the means to sustain their power and status and influence in global politics. You will learn how seapower enables this through the global reach that seapower provides in diplomatic and military capability. How seapower dominates global trade and wealth distribution and how seapowers were able to use their maritime power to dominate others in war.
Understanding Terrorism
In this module you will examine the roots of contemporary terrorism and counterterrorism and be introduced to critical terrorism studies. You will assess the justifications terrorist, extremist and politically violent groups have offered for their actions, as well as the ethics of state and other responses. You will examine how terrorism relates to military action and war, and to violent and non-violent protest, and you will hear and read about terrorism across a range of international, political and cultural contexts. The module will seek to equip you to make informed and critically reflective analyses of terrorism as a contemporary issue.
History of Political Thought
The history of political thought provides us with experiences of a wealth of perspectives on issues that still occupy central places in human life: the role of power in our collective relationships; the duties of the citizen and the obligations of the state; what it means to be free or equal or oppressed. This module explores some of the most influential and challenging positions from ancient Greek times to the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The module explores the feminist thinkers and others who were and are viewed as radicals, as well as more moderate figures, whose influences remain today.
Air Power
Air Power provides a comprehensive education in the key conceptual and historical developments in air warfare from its genesis to the contemporary period. This module helps students understand how politics, technology, doctrine, society and ethics impact the exercise of military power in, and from, the air. They explore these important issues by studying the defining conflicts and campaigns of the modern age, including the 1914-1918 war, the Second World War, Vietnam, Gulf War I, NATO operations in Bosnia, among others etc. Finally, they study how modern technologies impact upon the exercise of power in the air domain and what this means for the application of force and political power more generally.
Understanding the European Union
The EU has a population of almost 450 million people and host the world’s the largest single market. The module identifies the main EU institutions and explains where power lies in EU decision-making. EU policies which will be assessed include environmental/climate policy, Economic Monetary Union (EMU) and the Single European Market (SEM). The module focuses also on the EU’s relations with the UK (pre- and post-Brexit), USA, China and Global South countries. The EU has emerged as an environmental leader on the international level and has frequently tried to use its ‘market power’ to transfer its goals, norms and values to the international level. The EU’s impact therefore goes well beyond the territory of its currently 27 Member States.
Understanding America
You'll be introduced to the political culture and institutions of the United States of America and the environment in which those institutions operate. Having considered these domestic issues, you'll examine the USA’s international role and behaviour. You'll examine the complex relationship between these domestic and international aspects of American politics.