Module description
We live in a complex and interconnected world. States alone are no longer in the position to solve the key challenges of the 21st century: inequality, climate change, war, economic instability, and much more. Against this background, the module introduces students to the study of global politics. It looks at which institutions and people hold power in the world, how their power is used, and how oppositional forces challenge it.
Adopting a scholarly and analytical perspective, we explore global issues that are often in the headlines and examine the systems and perspectives that underpin them. In the first term we look at the development of the global system, exploring how power is distributed and how different actors struggle for influence. In the second term we look at democratisation and what it means for a multiplicity of voices to be heard. We also examine how states cooperate, or fail, to address global problems. We assess different political perspectives and their accounts of how the world works, and how it ought to work.
The module lays the foundations for subsequent study of a range of Undergraduate disciplines such as Politics, International Relations and Law.
Assessment details
This module is assessed through two essays and two in-person examinations.
Educational aims & objectives
- To offer a selective introduction to current affairs topics and key concepts related to global politics.
- To examine the development of the international system and explore how and whether this system is changing in light of processes of globalisation.
- To explore and critically assess the interplay between domestic and international politics.
- To acquaint students with key conceptual tools and theories used in Political Science.
- To develop students’ subject-specific vocabulary in terms of range, accurate usage, pronunciation and spelling.
- To introduce students to the techniques involved in reading scholarly literature.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, you will be able to:
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Describe, analyse, and explain contemporary issues, such as globalisation, climate change, and challenges to democracy, impacting the landscape of global politics.
Suggested reading list
Hirst, A., de Merich, D., Hoover, J. and Roccu, R. (2023) Global Politics: Myths and Mysteries. Oxford University Press.
Baylis, J., Smith, S. and Owens, P. (eds) (2022) The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations (9th edition). Oxford University Press. Especially Part Four: Structures and Processes.
Useful websites