Power, Inequality and Global Justice
| Module title | Power, Inequality and Global Justice |
|---|---|
| Module code | POC1026 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Sarah Bulmer (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 80 |
|---|
Module description
This module will help you to ask critical questions about the assumptions behind contemporary practices of power in the contemporary international system.
You will understand what it means to ask critical questions by exposing and deconstructing a range of empirical practices in world politics. Through this critical questioning, we will explore the issues and possibilities for global justice in the contemporary international system. In this module we will examine a series of questions: How can we think critically? How do we find out what is going on in the world? Why do we obey? Why is the world divided territorially? Do colonialism and slavery belong in the past? Why are some people better off than others? What makes the world dangerous? What can we do to change the world? Who do we think we are? How can we end poverty? You will be exposed to a variety of approaches or ‘framings’ of world politics and encouraged to develop your own perspectives and reasoned arguments about them.
There are no pre-requisite or co-requisite modules required in order to take this module. This module is particularly recommended for students who intend to pursue modules in International Relations at levels 2 and 3.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aims of this module are to:
- Encourage you to think critically about hegemonic practices in world politics, and the assumptions that sustain them
- Enable you to analyse and deconstruct these practices
- Use these deconstructive processes to the possibilities for global justice.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Generate critical questions about world politics
- 2. Analyse and deconstruct hegemonic practices in world politics
- 3. Use deconstructive practices to discuss and evaluate possibilities for global justice
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Engage in comparative and critical analytical work in politics
- 5. Articulate your own political and ethical viewpoints and justify them
- 6. List, describe and evaluate different political interpretations in the light of appropriate evidence
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Study independently and in groups
- 8. Construct well-structured rigorous arguments based on logical deduction
- 9. Appropriately use ICT for research and presentation purposes
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:
- How can we think critically?
- How do we find out what is going on in the world?
- Why do we obey?
- Why is the world divided territorially?
- Do colonialism and slavery belong in the past?
- Why are some people better off than others?
- What makes the world dangerous?
- What can we do to change the world?
- Who do we think we are?
- How can we end poverty?
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 27.5 | 122.5 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 16.5 | 11 x 1.5 hour Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 11 | 11 x 1 hour Seminars guided by questions and readings assigned by the tutor and including assessed presentations |
| Guided Independent Study | 33 | Reading and preparing for seminars, contributing to group project |
| Guided independent study | 99.5 | Preparing portfolio and formative assessment |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio exercise | 500 words | 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 | 100 | 2,250 words | 1-9 | 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 (2,250 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Jenny Edkins and Maja Zehfuss (eds) Global Politics: A New Introduction (London: Routledge, 2014)
Frost, Mervyn. Global ethics: anarchy, freedom and international relations. Routledge, 2008.
Weber, Cynthia. International relations theory: a critical introduction. Routledge, 2013.
| 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 | 05/12/2016 |
| Last revision date | 18/03/2022 |
