Violence in World Politics
| Module title | Violence in World Politics |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC1022 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Shubranshu Mishra (Convenor) Dr Owen Thomas (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 80 |
|---|
Module description
This module will help you to understand the different conceptual approaches that enable a critique of violence in the contemporary international system.
Violence is an ever-present feature of international politics. Violence can be a direct and physical act, such as war and terrorism. Violence can also be a non-physical and anonymous act of neglect or abuse, such deprivation and abandonment. Violence can also be performed through culture and institutions. In this module we will examine a series of questions: What is violence? Where and how does it happen in world politics? What causes it? When is it justifiable? Is violence inevitable, or can violence be reduced, and even eliminated? By studying violence, we will examine some of the greatest challenges and issues in international politics today: war and terrorism; economic inequality; religious and secular justifications for violence; environmental, cultural and urban destruction; borders; sexual violence; and new technologies. Through the lens of International Relations scholarship, you will research, engage with, and critique different ways of conceptualising both the root causes of violence and the possibilities for change.
There are no pre-requisite or co-requisite modules required in order to take this module.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to:
- Introduce you to a range of contemporary forms of violence in world politics, and provide you with the conceptual and analytical tools to critically assess their origins, nature and impact.
- Enable you to critically analyse and evaluate violence through the lens of different theories in International Relations.
- Develop research skills and the ability to find, understand and critically evaluate contemporary political practices.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate an empirical familiarity with a range of contemporary political problems and the debates that they have generated;
- 2. evaluate and compare different framings and responses;
- 3. demonstrate an awareness and some capacity think critically about the causes of, and responses to, different forms of violence in world politics.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. identify, discuss major political concepts and theories, and apply them to actual events and outcomes;
- 5. list, describe, and evaluate different interpretations and reasoned criticisms of scholarship;
- 6. construct well-structured, sympathetic and rigorous arguments based on logical deduction.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. interact effectively within a group to develop argument and analysis, and communicate this effectively to others via oral and written forms;
- 8. work independently and manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities, exercises and assessments;
- 9. efficiently identify, retrieve and evaluate a range of library-based and electronic research resources, with some guidance.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics.
Conceptual approaches may include:
- What is violence?
- Direct Violence
- Structural/Economic Violence
- Cultural Violence
- Institutional Violence
- Colonial Violence
- Social Justice
Empirical topics may include:
- Warfare, including the laws of war and military strategy
- Urbicide and Genocide
- Economic inequality and exploitation
- Sexual and Gender-based violence
- Terrorism and counter-terrorism
- Radicalisation and counter-radicalisation
- Slow violence and environmentalism
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 28.5 | 121.5 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities | 16.5 | 11 x 1.5 hour lectures |
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities | 12 | 6 x 2 hour seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 32 | Reading and preparing for seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 22 | Researching and writing formative assessments and assignments |
| Guided Independent Study | 25 | Writing portfolio |
| Guided Independent Study | 42.5 | Preparation for examination |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar preparation tasks | One seminar question, subsequently included in summative portfolio | 1-9 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 35 | 1,200 words | 1-6, 8-9 | Written |
| Essay | 65 | 2,000 words | 1-6, 8-9 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Portfolio (1,200 words) | 1-6, 8-9 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Essay | Essay (2,000 words) | 1-6, 8-9 | August/September re-assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Lalwani and Winter-Levy, ‘Is the World Getting Safer?’, available at: https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/12/is-the-world-getting-safer/
Bourke, Joanna. “Why does politics turn to violence?” Jenny Edkins and Maja Zehfuss (eds) Global Politics: A New Introduction (London: Routledge, 2009), Ch. 16.
Zimbardo, Philip G. "A situationist perspective on the psychology of evil: Understanding how good people are transformed into perpetrators." The social psychology of good and evil (2004): 21-50.
Lee, Bandy X, Violence: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Causes, Consequences, and Cures (Wiley, 2019)
Yves Winter (2012) Violence and Visibility, New Political Science, 34:2, 195-202
Galtung, Johan. "Cultural violence." Journal of peace research 27, no. 3 (1990): 291-305.
Orend, Brian. War and political theory. Wiley, 2019.
Pankhurst, Donna. "Sexual violence in war." Gender matters in global politics: A feminist introduction to international relations 148 (2010).
Erik Gartzke (2019) Blood and robots: How remotely piloted vehicles and related technologies affect the politics of violence, Journal of Strategic Studies
Devji, Faisal. "The paradox of nonviolence." Public Culture 23, no. 2 (2011): 269-274.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 15/02/2016 |
| Last revision date | 16/05/2022 |
