International Relations: Power and Institutions
| Module title | International Relations: Power and Institutions |
|---|---|
| Module code | POLM502 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Henry Jarrett () |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
This module provides an advanced entry-level introduction to the key debates in the contemporary study of International Relations (IR). The module is designed to introduce students to the broad conceptual, historical, methodological and disciplinary themes that shape the study of IR by exploring them in the context of key contemporary challenges in global politics. The module locates core texts, ideas and theories, illuminating how academic ideas and social practices are shaped by and shape world affairs.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The main aim of the module is to illuminate why the main concepts and theories in International Relations take the form that they do by examining key contemporary challenges in global politics. It will subsequently to be possible for students to reflect critically on their own theoretical assumptions and how they shape claims about the future of world politics.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate substantive knowledge of modern IR, the origins of the field, the context in which it developed, and the major critical positions adopted towards its development;
- 2. Identify and discuss the key methodological, conceptual and theoretical debates in IR and demonstrate knowledge in relation to the development of IR as a field of knowledge-production;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Demonstrate advanced critical, historical and analytical understanding of the development of IR as a field of academic knowledge-production;
- 4. Exercise informed judgement concerning the practical implications of abstract political principles and ability to locate arguments within an historical context and to understand the relationship between context and theory;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Conduct independent research, give well-designed presentations, exercise critical judgment, write cogently and persuasively; and
- 6. Identify spurious conclusions and distinguish rigorous from merely persuasive argument.
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:
- Theories of global politics
- International order and the nature of power
- Power and international institutions
- Global conflict and cooperation
- Legacies of colonialism
- (Re)Emerging powers
- Social justice and gender in world politics
- The environment and climate change
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 hours | 11 x 2 hour per week Seminars: Small group work, presentations, discussion, reflection |
| Guided independent study | 200 hours | Reading for and writing essays |
| Guided independent study | 78 hours | Reading for seminars |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case analysis plan | 250 words | 1, 2, 5, 6 | Verbal |
| Essay plan | 250 words | 1, 2, 5, 6 | Verbal |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case analysis | 40 | 2,000 words | 1-6 | Written |
| Essay | 60 | 2,500 words | 1-6 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case analysis (2,000 words) | Case analysis (2,000 words) | 1-6 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Essay (2,500 words) | Essay (2,500 words) | 1-6 | Referral/Deferral period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
Chris Brown, Understanding International Relations. 5th ed (London: Red Globe Press, 2019).
Barry Buzan and Richard Little, International Systems in World History: Remaking the Study of International Relations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).
Richard Devetak and Jacqui True, Theories of International Relations. 6th ed (London: Red Globe Press, 2022).
Timothy Dunne, Milja Kurki, Katarina Kusic and Steve Smith (eds.), International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity. 6th ed (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024).
David Long and Brian C. Schmidt (eds.), Imperialism and Internationalism in the Discipline of International Relations (Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, 2005).
Arlene B. Tickner and Ole Wæver (eds.), International Relations Scholarship around the World: Worlding Beyond the West (London: Routledge, 2009).
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
| 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 | 01/10/2011 |
| Last revision date | 26/02/2024 |
