The West, Civilizations, and World Order
| Module title | The West, Civilizations, and World Order |
|---|---|
| Module code | POL2125 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Gregorio Bettiza (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
The United States and European states 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’ are ubiquitous among analysts and practitioners of international relations across the globe. The course explores and critically assesses the internal dynamics and external influences of the transatlantic alliance and ‘the West’ in shaping and influencing the contours of world politics and contemporary world order.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module introduces students to the study of transatlantic relations and ‘the West’ in international relations (IR). It aims to provide students with a firm grasp and a critical perspective on the key historical developments, theoretical approaches, policy debates, and political controversies on the transatlantic alliance and the ‘West’, and their relationship to world order. The module will familiarise students with the histories and theories of American-European relations, the processes and politics of Western identity formation, controversies surrounding the notion of ‘the West’ as a civilization, the role of the West in shaping the contemporary (liberal) world order, critiques of Western-centrism in the social sciences and world politics, debates about the Western or universal character of liberal norms, and the future of the West and the contemporary (liberal) world order in an era of rising powers and populism.
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.
- 8. Demonstrate critical judgment and confidence in articulating and defending your opinions.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:
Part I: The Transatlantic Relation and the West
- Introduction
- What and Who’s ‘West’?
- Transatlantic Relations: History and Theory
- Transatlantic Security Relations and NATO
- The West and Civilizational Analysis
Part II: The West and World Order
- The West and (Liberal) World Order
- Western-Centrism in International Relations
- Human Rights: Universal Norms or Western Standard of Civilization?
- The Future of the West and World Order: Rising Powers and Authoritarianism
- The Future of the West and World Order: Populism and the Far-Right
- Final Seminar and Reflections
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule Learning and Teaching Activity | 22 | 11 x 2 hour seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 40 | Tutorial preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 88 | Assessment preparation and completion |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 Plan | 250 words | 1-7 | Written |
| Essay 2 Plan | 250 words | 1-7 | Written |
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 | 1,500 words | 1-8 | Written |
| Essay 2 | 50 | 1,500 words | 1-8 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
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 (1,500 words) | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Essay 2 | Essay (1,500 words) | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
The following list is offered as an indication of the type and level of information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convenor.
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: Oxford University Press).
The West
Browning, Christopher S. and Lehti, Marko (eds.) (2013), The Struggle for the West: a Divided and Contested Legacy (Abingdon, Oxon ; New York: Routledge)
Hellmann, Gunther and Herborth, Benjamin (eds.) (2017), Uses of 'the West': Security and the Politics of Order (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
O’Hagan, Jacinta (2002), Conceptualizing the West in International Relations: From Spengler to Said (Houndmills, N.Y.: Palgrave).
The West and World Order
Buzan, Barry and Lawson, George (2015), The global transformation: history, modernity and the making of international relations (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
Getachew, Adom (2019), Worldmaking after Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University 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).
Vitalis, Robert (2015), White world order, black power politics: The birth of American international relations (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press).
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | none |
| Module co-requisites | none |
| NQF level (module) | 5 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 28/01/2022 |
| Last revision date | 14/03/2022 |
