BA History and Politics

HIC1604: New Approaches to History

This module will provide you with the key skills necessary to identify the intellectual and historiographical perspectives from which different histories have developed. You will examine how historians study the past and how they engage with each other’s work. You will consider how even historians studying the same topic can have differing perspectives. Over the course of the module, you will develop your understanding of the ideas that have underpinned historical research and writing, and how different theories and assumptions shape the ways history is written. At its core, the module highlights the importance of historiography and reading critically by analysing and evaluating the author’s argument. You will consider new directions and approaches for the study of history in dialogue with other disciplines. You will be encouraged to read closely, process reflectively, and develop critical thinking skills. You will be introduced to the working methodologies and interests of the academic staff in Cornwall and the variety of possible approaches to history that you can look forward to exploring during the rest of your degree.

View an example full module specification

HIC1611: Global History: Twentieth Century Transformations

This module introduces key social, cultural, economic, and political themes in modern global history, with a particular focus on the twentieth century. Moving from colonialism and world wars through nationalism, migration and race, global governance, decolonisation, the Cold War, environmentalism and globalisation, it traces both global interconnectedness and moments of rupture. You will work closely with primary sources alongside secondary readings to engage with historians’ interpretations and develop your own evidence-based arguments.

This module aims:

· to develop your understanding of major patterns of global historical change in the modern period, approached from comparative international and cultural perspectives;

· to build your understanding of how global processes and micro-historical experiences inform one another, using case studies drawn from across the module;

· to strengthen your skills in historical enquiry, particularly in analysing primary sources for themed portfolio assessments, relating them to wider historiographical debates, and presenting your arguments clearly in written and oral form.

View an example full module specification

POC1033: Political Communication

Is communication ever not political? Since power and decision-making is central to the study of politics, many forms of communication have political dimensions. Informal, personal interactions can reflect or challenge power dynamics. Communication does not need to be explicitly ‘political’, to reinforce or disrupt existing structures and norms in ways that shape public debate. We will examine forms of political communication, such as incivility in social and political life, rhetorical speeches, opinion pieces, state apologies, debate, citizens assembly deliberation, referendum campaigns, responses to controversial statues and comedy. We will also explore the skills needed to engage in effective and inclusive political communication. You will therefore develop your own capacities as an effective and inclusive communicator through practice-based learning in both a group and an individual project.

View an example full module specification

POC1036: Generative AI and Sustainable Futures: Ethics, Society, and Scholarship

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the production, communication and evaluation of knowledge across higher education, professional environments and society. This module provides you with the foundational understanding and practical competencies to become AI‑literate within their degree programmes. It equips you with a clear grasp of how Generative AI operates, develops your ability to use AI tools effectively and ethically, and encourages critical engagement with the opportunities and challenges AI presents for the Humanities, Social Sciences and Law. You will examine the technical principles underlying large language models and related systems, gaining insight into their capabilities, constraints and modes of operation. This technical grounding is complemented by structured opportunities to apply AI tools to academic research tasks, including project planning, source interrogation, argument development and the communication of ideas. Throughout, the module emphasises the importance of evaluative judgement: you will learn how to assess the quality, accuracy, reliability and biases of AI‑generated materials, and to make informed decisions about appropriate use. A distinctive feature of the module is its sustained engagement with the broader implications of AI for sustainability, social and environmental justice, legal processes and political life. You will explore how debates within your own disciplines intersect with the development and deployment of AI technologies, enabling you to situate your learning within wider scholarly and societal conversations. The module also incorporates personal skills auditing and guided professional development, supporting you in building responsible, reflective and future‑facing approaches to AI use. It prepares you not merely to use AI tools, but to understand, question and evaluate them as emerging and influential components of academic practice and contemporary society.

View an example full module specification

HIC1010: Foundations of Environmental Humanities

This module introduces you to the insights provided by a range of humanities disciplines dealing with urgent issues of climate and environmental change. You will be introduced to key concepts and ideas and will track the emergence of Environmental Humanities as a new interdisciplinary field. You will get to learn about cultural, ethical, historical, social, political, legal and literary perspectives representing environmental humanities inquiry. You will study an array of theories, themes, issues, questions, and debates within the humanities in dialogue with the sciences. We will address issues associated with knowledge, meaning, justice, crisis, and sustainability.

The module aims to introduce you to the main themes, theories and discussion in current Environmental Humanities research, by focusing on cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches. You will develop a broad understanding of the relationship of nature, culture, history, science, technology, politics and economy in the context of today's climate and environmental crises. You will develop knowledge of the multi-layered and historically contingent relationship of nature, culture, politics, economy and science. We will discuss different perspectives on environmental, social and multi-species justice.

View an example full module specification

HIC1012: Historical Sources and Skills: Microhistory and History from Below

While engaging with grand narratives is an important first step in histories studies, the research projects which you will undertake in your studies will require you to speak to larger historical debates by identifying specific case studies and microhistories which can speak to larger issues. This also means you will need to be able to use an analyse a wide array of primary sources. This module will equip you with the skills needed for success in your future research projects, including your final dissertation, by focusing on the art of primary source analysis and identifying appropriate case studies. Rather than looking purely at top-down history, this module will also provide perspectives from the "history from below" and help you identify microhistories which can speak to broader historical issues and debates.

Primary source are enormously varied, ranging from private diaries and newspapers to oral history recordings, material cultural and paintings to manuscripts. Each variety poses different possibilities and problems to the historian, all of which we will explore. By focusing on a different source genre each week, you will develop the ability to tackle historical research at a more sophisticated level. We will employ the sources examined to shed light on a range of histories, with a focus on the history of social relations, working-class politics, popular protest, the history of gender and sexuality, immigration, and the lives of non-elite people.

View an example full module specification

HIC1603: Public History

Public History is an optional module on the level one History programme, which will introduce you to the theory and practice of public history. You will analyse the power, politics and practicalities of (re)presenting history in the public sphere. You will gain insight into public responses to the past and the importance of understanding diversity and inclusivity in current approaches. From heritage sites and museums, to film, fiction and virtual reality; the course explores key concepts and contextualises them within national and international debates. You will have the opportunity to analyse museum exhibits, conduct practice oral history interviews, critically analyse concepts relating to protest and social activism in cultural heritage settings, and examine why it matters to challenge accepted narratives (as well as those under threat) in the current political landscape.

This module aims to give you a core theoretical understanding of the key issues and debates in Public History. You will have the opportunity to put theory into practice through in-class discussions and assignments , which will help you to critically review and engage with current debates in the field. It also aims to give you competency in several transferable skills, including experience in undertaking basic oral history interviews, understanding different viewpoints through structured debate, and in critical analysis.

View an example full module specification

HIC1605: European History: Politics and Society

This introductory module explores themes, ideas, and developments in history and historiography that are fundamental to understanding the past and its study. It does so through a chronological framework that maps onto key points in British and European history and scholarship. We consider the emergence and development of key concepts in European history including nationalism, democracy, and revolution, among others. We will also address questions and debates about periodization throughout European history. Within this framework, you will analyse key ideas, events, and individuals, as well as debate approaches taken by other scholars, past and present.

This module aims to introduce you to some of the foundational concepts, key events, and important individuals in European history. Mirroring the long chronologies of other core modules, you will gain insight into developments in European society and culture, while also attaining a foundational understanding of the general overview of European history. You will gain the ability to make connections between the core modules at first-year. This general understanding will give you a good grounding to look in greater detail at some of these and later events in the rest of your degree.

View an example full module specification

HIC1610: An Introduction to Histories of Science and Environment

This module introduces you to the history of scientific and other systematic approaches to non-human nature in different parts of the globe from 1500 to the present day. You will develop a broad knowledge and critical understanding of the way historians, sociologists and other scholars have studied the complex and changing relationship between humans and the non-human environment. These will enrich your ability to understand how interdisciplinary approaches within the humanities and social sciences can yield powerful insights into the roots of our environmental crises and dilemmas.

This module aims to give you a broad understanding of the ways in which human cultures have interpreted and exploited their non-natural environments from 1500 to the present. These include Western scientific, non-Western and indigenous processes for making and applying knowledges. You will acquire a broad understanding of connections between, on the one hand, beliefs and practices concerning 'nature' and sustainability, and on the other. the wider contexts of politics, economics, imperialism, industrialisation, gender, race, conflict, religion and spirituality. The module will give you the ability to challenge assumptions made about such fundamental concepts as nature, environment, science and knowledge. It aims to enrich your ability to apply interdisciplinary approaches to critically understand a range of environmental issues that have become global crises.

View an example full module specification

POC1003: British Government and Politics

This module will use the question of how pluralist British Politics is, to take students on a journey through under-examined aspects of British histories, cultures, and politics. In many respects it tackles the themes of traditional British Politics courses, but will provide a fresh new set of perspectives which begins from some of the inequalities which ripple through contemporary Britain. Our aim is that by exploring different positionalities and perspectives, some of the long-standing fracture lines in British society and politics can become better understood. Further, the module presents a version of politics in which power is dispersed throughout civil society, rather than held centrally in Westminster. We will explore the idea that the body politic is something that we all have the capacity to shape, and that we are all a part of, rather than something that is remote and inaccessible.

View an example full module specification

POC1021: Key Concepts in Politics and International Relations

How and when did China, Russia, North Korea or Cuba become the 'bad guys' in mainstream popular culture and the news? Why does mainstream news prioritize the US' foreign policies over Brazil's, for instance? What do we mean by realist, constructivist or idealist approaches in IR? Are such 'old school' concepts still relevant in an increasingly globalized world where borders appear to be blurred? What other approaches has IR, as a discipline, shied away from and why is it important that we centre our analysis around them? Our global world, some would argue, is at an important historical juncture: the environment, sexual rights and space exploration have become major debates alongside increasingly populist states. How do we make sense of this variety? Who has the power to implement such analyses? Our module attempts to make sense of our world by drawing together classic and contemporary analysis in IR. We will draw on scholarly works whilst examining them in tandem with historical and current events.

No prior knowledge skills or experience are required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students. The module is suitable for students studying Politics, History or International Relations.

View an example full module specification

POC1022: Violence in World Politics

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.

The aim of this module is to:

View an example full module specification

POC1026: Power, Inequality and Global Justice

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.

The aims of this module are to:

View an example full module specification

HIC2039: The Practice of History

This module is a major step in your development as a professional historian and preparing for your dissertation next year. It is a guided independent study, with the freedom to explore one of two pathways depending on your interests and future career ambitions. Students must choose either:

1. Libraries, archives and special collections, or;
2. Public understanding of the past

Every student is required to design and deliver - with the support of a supervisor - a project that stems from their historical and professional interests, the expertise of staff, and the availability of resources. You will practice the collection and application of a critical analysis to primary and secondary sources, and real-world historical practice to interrogate our knowledge of the past and its uses in the present.

This module is a guided independent study module, which aims to develop your transferable skills in self-motivated study, project management, communication, problem-solving, source analysis, archival skills, critical engagement with scholarly debates, and producing an excellent standard of final output. Unlike many core modules, students enrolled in The Practice of History will have the choice to follow one of two professional pathways:

1. Libraries, archives and special collections: This pathway models the work of a traditional historian and is centred around the dialogue between primary and secondary sources. Students following this pathway will have the opportunity to construct their own research project, beginning with the development of a specific research question. They will use a range of primary and secondary sources to produce a critically reflective research essay based on 4-5 primary sources. This option constitutes an individual project, which will be fully supported through frequent meetings with supervisors.
2. Public understanding of the past: In this pathway, students will be matched with a local cultural heritage organisation to research one of their key priorities for public engagement. Students will work with a range of sources and, under the guidance of the organisation and supervisor, will deliver a pre-determined output, which might include a museum exhibition, educational resource, short documentary, film consultation, podcast, discovery day, or research papers at conference, amongst others. This pathway has the potential for group work, with no more than three students per project. This project involves working with sponsors on pre-defined projects, which will require independent outputs for the sponsor that while not formally assessed are used as the basis for the assessments for this pathway.

It is important to note that both pathways will require students to participate in employability activities, specifically tailored for their cohort as part of this module.

View an example full module specification

POC2103: Introduction to Postcolonialism

In this course you will examine postcolonialism as a field of study that is intrinsic to understanding world politics and International Relations, by focussing on the ways in which the contemporary global order is constituted by the experience and practice of colonialism. The course also revisits some of the lingering impasses encountered in classic postcolonial debates by placing them in conversation with futurity studies in order to ponder alternative possibility/ies and modes of knowledge production. As such, questions related to cultural production, the environment, and aesthetics are integral to it.

View an example full module specification

POC2124: Political Analysis

This module will introduce you to political analysis in order to prepare you for your dissertation in third year. You will engage with a range of theories and approaches to the study of Politics and International Relations. You will be challenged to reflect on the assumptions that underpin various analytical lenses, which in turn shape the questions that can be asked and answered. As experts in their field, staff will offer political issues to be analysed and work through a number of different approaches and methods, using real world examples of research on that issue. Through the module you will be guided on choosing a suitable topic for your dissertation, conducting a literature review, generating your own focussed research questions, and designing an independent research project.

View an example full module specification

HAS3999: Study Abroad

The Study Abroad programme enables you to undertake a year-long study placement at a partner university outside of the UK, as part of your degree programme.

This module serves as the administrative mechanism for recording the Study Abroad assessment results of students within the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS). Students participating in the Study Abroad programme and based in a HASS department (except for the Law School, the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, Modern Languages, and the School of Education) will be registered on this module during their Study Abroad placement year.

The Study Abroad programme widens the range of modules available to you during Stage 3 of your degree programme; enables you to broaden your academic horizons by studying in a different learning culture and (where relevant and appropriate) in languages other than English; and aims to promote resilience, independence, cultural awareness, and communication skills.

View an example full module specification

HAP3906: Work Placement Year

This third-year module forms part of the 4 Year 'with work placement' programmes offered by HaSS, Cornwall to include the Law and Business Programmes with Professional/Industrial Placement, the Politics Programmes with Employment Experience (EE) or Employment Experience Abroad (EEA) and the Humanities Programmes with EE/EEA.

On this module you will work in the UK or abroad for the whole academic year (a minimum of 28 weeks). You will use one or two placements to gain skills that equip you to work in the global jobs market and to improve your knowledge of the work environment. You are encouraged to deepen your understanding of the workplace and the employability skills that you acquire during the year.

Placement durations are as follows:

• for a single placement, a minimum of 28 weeks, excluding statutory and other holidays;
• for two placements, a minimum of 14 weeks per placement, excluding statutory and other holidays.

Prerequisites: to have studied HAP2906

This module cannot be combined with any study year abroad module.

The aims of this module are to provide you with opportunities to:

View an example full module specification

HAP3000: Dissertation

The dissertation module equips you with ability to design and carry out independent research on a specific research topic in History and/or Politics and International Relations - with the support from an academic supervisor - resulting in a dissertation.

Each dissertation is a unique research project shaped by your own research interests and ideas and compliant with the standards or rigour and validity of academic research. Hence, there is art and skill to competing a dissertation. It helps developing deep discipline-specific knowledge and valuable transferable skills, including project and time management, engaging with feedback, research, data analysis, critical thinking and communication skills.

This module aims to equip you with necessary knowledge and skills to conduct your own dissertation research in History and/or Politics and International Relations using a series of dissertation lectures and workshops, as well as supervision meetings with a supervisor. These sessions will cover the research process and basics of research design, and other topics essential for your dissertation project. Overall, the module will enable you to conduct your independent research to address a research question of your choice in a rigorous, ethical and competent manner, thus, making you an expert in this research topic.

View an example full module specification

HAP3001: Environmental Humanities: Futures

This module explores how environmental humanities can help us imagine different futures in the face of climate and ecological crisis. Focusing on the themes of hope, sustainability and stewardship, we examine story-telling and community activism, landscape histories, the rise and critique of sustainable development, and practices such as commons-based governance. We then turn to historical and contemporary ideas of stewardship, from pre-industrial Britain to energy futures, degrowth, green colonialism and relationships with more-than-human worlds, culminating in a reflection on what it might mean to be a 'good ancestor'.

You will engage with historical case studies, theoretical texts and creative work to investigate how narratives of time, progress and crisis shape environmental futures. Through critical and reflective assessments, you will analyse the limits of dominant (often Western and extractive) models of sustainability, engage with anti-colonial and anti-extractivist perspectives, and experiment with alternative imaginaries of care, responsibility and collective action on a damaged planet.

This module aims:

View an example full module specification

HAP3003: Irish Stories: History and Culture from 1800 to Now

View an example full module specification

HAP3004: Writing Nature

View an example full module specification

HIC3038: Caribbean Histories: Colonialism, Resistance and Environmental Crisis

This interdisciplinary module focuses on the Caribbean region as a case study for exploring twenty-first century modes of imagining climate change and environmental catastrophe in the (post) colonial context to investigate the relationship between Caribbean histories of colonisation and exploitation, concomitant narratives and theories of climate change, climate crisis, resilience, and response. Through engaging with histories, stories, and practices of resistance across the Caribbean, you will uncover and examine the ways in which alternative imagined futures, to those of the dominant Anglo-American climate change discourse, empower communities impacted by climate change in the present.

Keywords: Caribbean history; culture; colonialism; environmental crisis; resistance; imagined futures.

View an example full module specification

HIC3044: Boffins: Scientists, War, Politics and Culture in the Twentieth Century

View an example full module specification

HIC3048: Gender, Power and Identity in Early Modern Britain

This module will provide you with a unique opportunity to investigate the meanings and construction of gender in historical context: not just biological difference but also the social meanings attached to that difference. You will engage with the most recent research on queer theory, gender and sexuality, homosexuality, and the cultural origins of the male/female binary . Throughout the module you will discover how contemporaries expressed their sexual identities in often unexpected and surprising ways. We are concerned with contrasting the myths about gender relations in this period with a close understanding of the documented experiences of the lives of men and women, both rich and poor, from childhood to old age. You will explore the ways historical lines of enquiry have developed over time and how old assumptions are modified in light of new theoretical and methodological developments. Overall this module will advance your understanding of the importance of gender as a key component of early modern history and the extent to which gender offers a 'useful category of analysis' in the study of all periods of History.

View an example full module specification

HIC3050: Pacific Histories: Environment, People, and Politics

This module introduces the Pacific as a vibrant region of mobility, exchange, protest and activism, challenging older portrayals of it as an empty space without history or culture. Focusing on the modern period, you will examine Pacific histories of migration and colonisation, decolonisation and indigenous rights, environmental justice and global environmental politics. You will also explore how Pacific peoples have participated in regional and international forums of governance, and reflect critically on how knowledge about the Pacific is produced, silenced and contested.

This module aims:

• to deepen your understanding of key historical and theoretical approaches to Pacific histories, drawing on global, transnational and interdisciplinary perspectives, including Pacific Studies and Environmental Humanities;
• to develop your skills in analysing a wide range of sources—such as maps, photographs, oral histories, protest literature, music, material culture, petitions and archival records—to interpret Pacific pasts and their wider significance;
• to support you in designing and communicating independent historical work for different audiences, through both a creative piece with reflective commentary and a research essay.
  

View an example full module specification

HIC3318: The Power of Place: Home, Locality, and Region in Modern History

Attachments to place and home have represented deeply powerful forces throughout history. They have played a key role in community and identity formation, and represent sites filled with personal and collective memories. Loss of such attachments, whether through forced uprootedness, exclusion, destruction in warfare, or processes of globalization, has historically generated deep preoccupation with the category of home. Given the intense emotions associated with place and home, it is not surprising that political groups across the spectrum have developed their own ideas and discourses about home and place. But what is the relationship of politics and place attachment? Have hometown sentiments always been a source of regressive, nationalist, or exclusionary projects, or can we also find democratic, inclusive, and cosmopolitan sides of home in history? How exactly have different political movements and historical actors sought to shape ideas about home, locality, and region throughout history? This module will examine these questions by looking at the radical transformations of place in modern history. Histories which we will examine include the emergence of nationalism and efforts to nest local identities within new national ones, the history of modern state building, nationalist contestation of ethnically diverse border regions, and the radical transformation of place during the wave of mass urbanization at the end of the late nineteenth century.

View an example full module specification

HIC3322: Early Modern Britain: Power, Authority and Social Unrest

This module seeks to provide you with a firm grounding in the social, cultural and political history of early modern Britain. It will provide you with a clear and accessible introduction to key events, themes and debates including state formation, religious reformation, national and local governance, the law courts, attitudes towards poverty and the poor, popular politics and social unrest, and how people dealt with crisis such as plague and food shortages. You will also study the politics of identity in relation to class, race and gender and contemporary attitudes towards crime and social deviancy. The module adopts a comparative approach to the study of the nature and scope of the sixteenth- and seventeenth century state and the lives of people – both rich and poor – who lived within it.

View an example full module specification

HIC3514: Myth in the Modern World: From the Classics to Conspiracies

From ancient Babylon to classical Greece to twenty-first-century Europe, myth, legend, tradition, and folklore have been present in every culture. This is true of the present-day, where rumours, memes, 'post-truths', and 'alternative facts' are all around us. But why are humans so susceptible to mythic thinking? This module explores the seductive power of myth in human societies through the eyes of a diverse range of thinkers, scholars, and historical actors. From a range of disciplinary perspectives, we will examine how and why myth, traditions, and unprovable beliefs persist. You will examine a diverse topics such as the Enlightenment science of 'mythography'; the rise of anthropology and the 'human sciences'; the study of contemporary folklore and urban legend; the 'science' of UFOlogy and modern conspiracy theories; the reinterpretation of ancient cultures in the modern world; and the impact of myths on popular culture. We will end by asking whether digital technology has led to a new age of myth.

View an example full module specification

POC3023: Entangled Life: Radical Democracy in Theory

This is an innovative module which uses New Materialisms thinking around political/ecological complex adaptive systems to explore how our environments shape human societies and politics. Drawing on research in Appalachia (USA), you will explore the ways that human community, political and economic lives are entangled with the environments that we are a part of. As we introduce new concepts, we explore what they add to our understanding of our Appalachian case study, and analyse what this means for our emerging (re) conception of ecological politics.

The module asks questions such as, 'can we understand political culture and institutions without understanding how we have been shaped by nature?' 'Do entangled perspectives help us to better understand rural America?' 'Does this mean that all politics is really a politics of the environment?' 'If so, should the environment be given political agency in decision-making processes?' To do this, we address how power operates within the social political and ecological system; explore ontological questions such as how we know what we know; raise questions about time, and consider if this improves our understanding of the world around us.

No prior knowledge skills or experience are required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students.

View an example full module specification

POC3103: The Resource Paradox: Blessing or Curse?

To meet global targets of decarbonisation and reach Net 0, there will need to be a significant expansion of mining. In this interdisciplinary module you will look at some of the social, economic and political ramifications of resource extraction around the world, with a focus on critical minerals. This module seeks to situate extraction within a broader nexus of security and development to go beyond dichotomous discussion about if these industries promote or impede 'development' and instead question how varied practices around the world challenge and complicate our understanding of what development is, how it happens and what it means in the first place. Natural resources drive the economies and technologies of the developed world but they also have a huge impact on developing societies. The challenges associated with extractive industries have different manifestations and complexities in different locations, and across local, national and global scales. The international community is deeply implicated in the complex political crises that can emerge not only because it drives extractive industries but also because of the global governance mechanisms through which a wide range of actors engage in local contexts.

No specialist knowledge, skills or experience are required to take this module. It is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students. The module is suitable for students studying Politics, Geography, FCH and History.

View an example full module specification

POC3105: Negotiating Postcoloniality: History and Politics of Independent India

The module provides you with an in-depth understanding of modern India, tracing its journey from colonisation to a rising power. Regarded as the world's largest democracy, India has faced several challenges on many fronts: social, cultural, political and economic. The module follows those challenges through scholarly debates, visual representations and empirical material to engender critical inquiry into understanding India as a postcolonial nation-state. Topics include Independence and the trauma of Partition, democracy and diversity, secularism, casteism and communalism, social movements and insurgencies, foreign relations and diaspora, cricket and cultural productions.

The module encourages you to look critically at the processes of state and nation building in India since it achieved Independence in 1947. Through everyday experiences of different groups and within the many socio-cultural, political and economic contexts, the module introduces you to the deep diversities (ethnic, caste, linguistic and religious) within the Indian model of democracy and secularism. Studying specific events shaping identities, hierarchies and resistance, the module will attempt to go beyond the official and dominant historiography to raise critical questions regarding security and militarisation, representation and inequality, economic liberalisation and exploitation, development and displacement.

View an example full module specification

POC3117: The Politics of Climate Change

This module aims to introduce you to the political and governance challenges presented by climate change. In taking this module you will learn that producing effective climate policy is an inherently complex activity because of: the politicisation of climate science; issues surrounding intra and intergenerational equity; the interconnectedness of climate change and sustainable development; the cross-sectoral and multi-actor dynamics of climate issues; and the interaction between different governance scales. For successful completion of the module you will need to have a strong background in politics, international relations or human geography.

This module aims to help you examine why the issue of climate change is so difficult to address. While being rooted in concepts from political science, it aims to provide you with a platform through which the climate change problematique can be analysed from different disciplinary and theoretical perspectives. Through a mixture of activities your learning will be organised around key aspects of climate change governance, namely: adaptation and mitigation governance, the politicisation of climate change, climate justice, use of climate science, energy transitions and the multiple levels of climate politics.

View an example full module specification

POC3130: Controversies in American Politics

Students of Politics need to understand different political systems around the world. While the United States is very familiar to us it has a political system that is fundamentally unlike that of Britain or most countries in Europe. This module provides a survey of contemporary controversies in American politics, from questions of constitutional reform and America's place in the world to issues of public policy such as abortion and gun control. It examines their history, key arguments for and against change, as well as academic research on the influences on public opinion surrounding these issues.

No prior knowledge skills or experience are required to take this module and it is suitable for specialist and non-specialist students.

This module provides a survey of the major contemporary controversies in American politics, from constitutional reform, through polarization in public opinion, to areas of public policy. We will use theories and findings from the study of US Politics to understand and analyze each of the controversies we study. We will examine classic and contemporary work in these fields.

View an example full module specification

POC3133: Chinese Politics and Society

Arguably a new global superpower, China has become one of the most important actors in world affairs in the last decade. It is the most populous country in the world and has the world's second largest economy. An understanding of the processes and principles that drive the behaviour of this significant and compelling state is therefore essential for students of politics and international relations in the 21st Century. Divided into two parts, this course will give an overview of 20th Century Chinese political history before introducing you to the central themes and concepts of Chinese domestic politics, social trends and foreign policy. No prior knowledge of the region is assumed; however, students will be expected to have an understanding of the basic categories of politics and international relations.

View an example full module specification

POC3137: The Politics of Knowledge and Ignorance

When we consider the idea of knowledge what do we mean? Facts, truth, evidence, learnt behaviour, experience, wisdom, sensing information, emotion? What is the relationship between knowledge, power and justice? Evidence and truth? What do we need to unlearn? What knowledge is held in emotion? Who is responsible for our ignorance? Is knowing only about cognition? This highly interactive module provides a critical introduction to theories of knowledge and power applied to contemporary issues such as: epistemicide (and associated libricide, linguicide, scholasticide); curating difficult knowledge; epistemic injustice in society; the exploitation of indigenous knowledge; decolonising the neoliberal university. Most political issues often have some form of knowledge controversy at the core or are contingent on the legitimation of certain knowledge. In our contemporary world knowledge is increasingly commodified, explicitly challenged and politicised, and 'smoothed', manipulated or obscured to hide 'inconvenient truths'. All students will come to this from different places and everyone's contribution will be respected. You will be guided to develop your own interests, leading to your assessment, an original 'knowledge project' based on a contemporary issue of concern to you.

To introduce students to key theories of knowledge and how they relate to core political concepts, approaches and debates in the contemporary world.

View an example full module specification

POC3141: Displacement and Migration in the Middle East

Displacement is a prevalent phenomenon in conflict-affected populations, driven by fear of violence or death. This module explores how migration and displacement have shaped Middle Eastern states and societies over the last 150 years and remain critical to the region today. It examines theoretical debates, historical contexts, and contemporary cases of internal and external displacement and dispossession. Readings span history, sociology, political science, economics, anthropology, and human rights advocacy, providing an interdisciplinary perspective. The module requires no prior skills and is recommended for interdisciplinary pathways, enriching students' academic curricula.

View an example full module specification

POC3142: Social and Islamist Armed Movements

Social and Armed Movements created considerable consternation among international observers. They become an incubator for fighting and Jihadism, and an object of regional and international concerns. Social and Armed Movements stand at a crossroads, and the international powers are confronted by a series of conundrums, with no clear idea of how to proceed. This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the complex relationships between Islamism and various types of political violence including insurgency and terrorism. It will guide you around the regional and international interventions occurring. The module covers the major Jihadist groups and armed Islamist movements in the Middle East, North Africa, and other regions. It is an essential module for understanding armed Islamist movements' behaviour, structures and ideologies, and this module is recommended for interdisciplinary pathways.

View an example full module specification

POC3144: Gender and Politics in Africa

In this module we will examine how the fundamental functions of politics and governance, such as war and militarism, peace and reconciliation, social reproductive labour, empowerment and development, both construct and are sustained by masculinities and femininities. By exploring feminist theoretical interventions of normative understandings of politics and governance, the connections between feminist knowledge production, policy influencing, and social praxis will be articulated. Through interactive seminars, students will have a critical engagement with gender and politics through an examination of emerging approaches to thinking about politics and governance by feminist movements in Africa.

The aim of the course is to serve as an introduction to some major themes and debates around politics and governance via African feminist approaches. It encourages students to move on to more detailed work, thematically and regionally, and signposts them towards literature that will enable them to develop their own interests. This is an introductory module for students seeking to develop a critical perspective on gender, politics and African feminist interventions.

View an example full module specification

POC3146: Party Politics, Voters and Elections in Britain

Elections and political parties sit at the heart of our democracy. They shape public debate and are pivotal to the decisions we take about which issues should be prioritised and how to solve social problems. At the same time, British party politics and the relationships between them and their voters are changing - making elections less predictable and making room for insurgents to challenge the parties that have dominated the political system.

This module will equip you with the knowledge, conceptual tools and skills to observe, analyse and explain electoral politics in Britain. You will learn about the British party system and how it is changing, theories and tools (such as polling) used to explain voter behaviour and party campaigns, and the electoral systems used in the UK. You will also be taught how to analyse constituency level election data and survey data, allowing you to develop original analyses of recent election results, and develop strategies to advise political parties and/or campaigners for the future.

View an example full module specification

POC3151: Parliamentary Studies

The Parliamentary Studies module - co-delivered with the UK Parliament and supported by the Parliamentary Outreach Trust - enables you to examine the workings of the UK Parliament and the legislative processes in the context of the British party system and political culture, and the broader system of inter-parliamentary relations between the UK's legislatures.

This module is suitable for non-specialist students interested in British politics. It does not have pre-requisites nor assumes prior knowledge and skills in this subject area. It is, however, specifically focused on the UK Parliament, and would not be the best fit for those on interdisciplinary pathways.

This module aims to foster your understanding of the logic and facets of Parliament - from the structure, functions and internal working of parliamentary bodies to inter-parliamentary relations between the UK Parliament and devolved legislatures.

In addition to the institutional set-up, it aims to examine parliamentary politics by focusing on behaviours and legislative roles of parliamentarians, as well as their relationships with constituents, political parties and the British public using lectures and seminars, as well as interactive activities, guest talks and a field trip to Parliament.

View an example full module specification