The West, Civilisations and World Order
| Module title | The West, Civilisations and World Order |
|---|---|
| Module code | POLM144 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Gregorio Bettiza (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 25 |
|---|
Module description
The United States and European states and institutions form one of the most successful security, economic and political alliances ever in the history of world politics: the transatlantic alliance. So much so that this alliance is often conceptualized as constituted by a deeper sense of community among nations and peoples seen as sharing a common identity generally referred to as ‘the West’. Concerns about the power, role, boundaries, values, hegemony, or decline of ‘the West’ have become ubiquitous among analysts and practitioners of international relations across the world. This module explores and critically assesses the internal dynamics and external influences of the transatlantic community and ‘the West’ in shaping and influencing the contours of contemporary world order.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will introduce you to the study of transatlantic relations and ‘the West’ in international relations. It aims to provide you with a firm grasp and a critical perspective on the key historical developments, theoretical approaches, policy debates, and political controversies on the transatlantic community and ‘the West’, and their relationship to world order. The module will familiarise you with the histories and theories of the transatlantic relation, the processes and politics of Western identity construction, controversies surrounding the notion of the West as a civilization, debates about the Western or universal character of global governance institutions, democracy and human rights, critiques of Western-centrism in the social sciences and world politics, and the future of the transatlantic community and ‘the West’ in an era of power diffusion and multi-polarity.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. discuss the histories, theories, and case studies about the transatlantic relation and the West in international relations;
- 2. evaluate the internal dynamics and external influences of the transatlantic relation and the West in world politics;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. demonstrate an understanding of the debates and theories about the transatlantic relation and the West as a field of academic knowledge and its applicability to a range of case studies and empirical situations;
- 4. exercise informed judgment concerning the internal dynamics and external influence of the transatlantic community on world order;
- 5. exercise informed judgment concerning the role of the concept of the West in scholarly, policy and public debates in world politics;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. exercise informed judgment concerning the role of the concept of the West in scholarly, policy and public debates in world politics;
- 7. write and present complex arguments clearly and persuasively; and
- 8. demonstrate critical judgment and confidence in articulating and defending your opinions.
Syllabus plan
The module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is however envisaged that the syllabus will cover most or all of the following topics:
Part I: The ‘West’ and Transatlantic Relations: Between Conflict and Cooperation
- Introduction
- What and Who’s ‘West’?
- Transatlantic Relations: History and Theory
- Transatlantic Security
- Transatlantic Economics
- Transatlantic Norms, Values and Identities
Part II: The ‘West’ and World Order: Between Particularity and Universality
- The West and Civilizational Analysis
- The West and (Liberal) World Order
- Post- and Anti-Western Thought and Practices
- Human Rights: Universal Norms or Western Standard of Civilization?
- The Future of the West and the Liberal World Order
- Final Seminar
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 278 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 22 | 11 x 2 hour per week seminars including small group work, presentations, discussion, reflection and simulations |
| Guided independent study | 278 | Reading (150 hours), preparation for seminar and presentations (50 hours), essay writing (78 hours). |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class presentation (usually in pairs) | Usually 10/15 minutes | 1-7 | Oral |
| General seminar participation and engagement | Throughout the course | 1-7 | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | 50 | 4,000 words | 1-7 | Written |
| Essay 2 | 50 | 4,000 words | 1-7 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | Essay 1 (4,000 words) | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Essay 2 | Essay 2 (4,000 words) | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Transatlantic Relations
Alcaro, Riccardo, Peterson, John, and Greco, Ettore (eds.) (2016), The West and the Global Power Shift: Transatlantic Relations and Global Governance (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).
Anderson, Jeffrey, Ikenberry, G. John, and Risse-Kappen, Thomas (eds.) (2008), The End of the West? Crisis and Change in the Atlantic Order (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press).
Lundestad, Geir (2005), The United States and Western Europe since 1945: From “Empire” by Invitation to Transatlantic Drift (Oxford: OUP).
The West
Bonnett, Alastair (2004), The Idea of the West: Culture, Politics and History (Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan).
Browning, Christopher S. and Lehti, Marko (eds.) (2013), The Struggle for the West: a Divided and Contested Legacy (Abingdon, Oxon ; New York: Routledge)
O’Hagan, Jacinta (2002), Conceptualizing the West in International Relations: From Spengler to Said (Houndmills, N.Y.: Palgrave).
The West and World Order
Fukuyama, Francis (2006), The End of History and the Last Man (New York: Free Press).
Huntington, Samuel P. (1996), The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (New York: Simon & Schuster).
Ikenberry, G. John (2011), Liberal Leviathan: the Origins, Crisis, and Transformation of the American World Order (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press).
Katzenstein, Peter J. (ed.), (2010), Civilizations in World Politics: Plural and Pluralist Perspectives (New York, N.Y.: Routledge).
Kupchan, Charles A. (2012), No One's World: The West, the Rising Rest, and the Coming Global Turn (Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press).
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 10/06/2014 |
| Last revision date | 17/09/2019 |
