Gendering World Politics
| Module title | Gendering World Politics |
|---|---|
| Module code | POL2166 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Sarah Bulmer (Convenor) Dr Kate Goldie Townsend (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 72 |
|---|
Module description
This module introduces you to the study of gender in world politics. Feminist theory and practice has transformed the way we understand global politics by placing gender (including masculinities, femininities, and sexualities) at the centre of analysis. The gendered body is a frequent feature of global debate, whether in relation to bodily practices, such as female genital cutting and sexual violence in war, or discourses about the value of women’s caring labour and their role in post-conflict societies. Interrogating the role of gender in world politics raises significant political questions, including: Why are most soldiers men? Why is women’s labour so often invisible in the global economy? How is the gendered body a site of global politics? How are LGBTQ* rights being mobilised to support militarism? How does religion shape gender in global politics? How is cyberspace gendered?
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of this module is to introduce you to a range of feminist theoretical approaches in the study of gender in world politics and to enable you to critically analyse contemporary events and practices. The module will equip you to engage independently with a range of empirical examples and case studies including war and militarism, international political economy, nationalism and the state, and migration and borders. You will be introduced to a range of concepts including heteronormativity, militarisation, and reproductive labour. You will explore different theoretical approaches to the body, subjectivity, and identity.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Discuss, analyse and critically evaluate different approaches in the study of gender in world politics;
- 2. Develop independent arguments concerning gendered practices in world politics;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Apply feminist concepts, theories and methods used in the study of gender to offer comprehensive analysis;
- 4. Think critically and independently about events, ideas and institutions with minimal guidance
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Synthesize challenging literature and effectively articulate complex ideas in written form;
- 6. Identify, retrieve, and use efficiently a range of library-based and electronic resources with minimum guidance.
Syllabus plan
The module will be delivered in a lecture/seminar format. Whilst the module’s content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some of the following topics:
- Theory and practice
- Ethics and subjectivity
- Identities and bodies
- Sexualities
- War and security
- Migration and borders
- Poverty and development
- Human rights and resistance
The themes will be explored in lectures using real-world practices and examples to illustrate and think through the theoretical ideas being presented and discussed. There will be 11 lectures in total to include a review and/or assessment preparation lecture.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 21.5 | 128.5 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 16.5 | 1.5 x 11 hours - Weekly lectures delivered by the module convenors |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 5 | 5 seminars focussing on topics from the lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | 128.5 | Time spent reading for seminars and lectures, preparing and writing assessments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 500 words | 1-6 | 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 three short essays based on the module content and themes | 100 | 2250 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio three short essays based on the module content and themes (2250 words) | Portfolio three short essays based on the module content and themes (2250 words) | 1-6 | August assessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
- Shepherd, L. J. (ed. (2010) Gender Matters in Global Politics: A Feminist Introduction to International Relations. Routledge.
- Choi, S. et al. (2023) Ripping, Cutting, Stitching: Feminist Knowledge Destruction and Creation in Global Politics. Rowman and Littlefield.
- Enloe, C. (2007) Globalization and Militarism: Feminists Make the Link. Rowman and Littlefield.
- Basham, V. M. (2013) War, Identity and the Liberal State: Everyday Experiences of the Geopolitical in the British Armed Forces. Routledge.
- Tickner, J. A. (2001) Gendering World Politics: A Feminist Introduction to International Relations. Routledge.
- Aggerstam and True, J. eds. (2024) Feminist Foreign Policy Analysis: A New Subfield. Bristol 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 | 25/02/2025 |
