A Sociology of 21st Century Britain

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module will use contemporary Britain as an empirical base for exploring wider sociological perspectives. As an introductory degree level sociology module the emphasis is on developing a sociological sensibility to the social world. The questions that will be posed throughout the module are how are sociological explanations derived? how do different people come to different conclusions about similar social phenomena? what is distinct about sociological explanations - as opposed to those from other disciplines?

The relationship between empiricism and theory will be explored using examples from recent sociological research. The topics chosen broadly reflect established key themes in sociology however the exemplar material will be drawn from studies no older than five years. We shall be looking at how sociologists have interrogated a range of issues in 21st century Britain including work and employment, family, sport, intimacy, life online, nationalism, death and wealth. 

The first engagement with degree level sociology should be exciting and the module is designed to demonstrate the capacity of sociology to explore the social world in interesting, challenging and critical ways.

Classical Political Theory & International Relations

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module will introduce you to the primary texts of authors such as Hobbes, Kant, Machiavelli, Marx, Mill, Thucydides, Vitoria and others who are commonly cited as precursors of contemporary international thought. It asks what relevance these authors have had for the establishment of International Relations as a discipline, and how far they can be used to analyse contemporary international politics. Finally, the module demonstrates how classical authors can also be read to provide a radical critique of contemporary international thought and practice.

Introduction to International Relations

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module introduces you to the academic study of international relations. The module outlines the specific characteristics of International Relations (IR) as a distinct scholarly discipline, separate from other disciplines such as politics or sociology. The module considers what has defined IR as a discipline and what constitutes its core conceptual and methodological coordinates at the present time. The module approaches these questions through a consideration of the historical development of IR through a series of conceptual and methodological debates. Classically these debates are conceived of as tracing a path from idealism via realism to a pluralist methodological position. Understanding these debates, the circumstances that have given rise to them, and the methods they have generated will give you a good orientation in the disciplinary terrain of IR that will help them in contextualising the ideas they will encounter in the international theory courses in Years 1 and 2.

Making the Familiar Strange

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

'Making the Familiar Strange' is predicated on the question how do sociologists do sociology? The module introduces you to epistemological and methodological issues in sociology. From an engagement with epistemology, methodological questions arise and these will be addressed - largely demonstrated through examples.

You will be introduced to particular epistemological approaches and then asked to reflect on worked examples of these. This is done by counterpoising a classic sociological studies with a contemporary examples - similarities and differences in epistemological and methodological approaches are critically examined.

It is intended that the examples will open up space for discussion about appropriate ways of understanding social phenomena with particular ontological and epistemological frames

The Rise of the Modern International Order

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Today we take it for granted that the peoples and governments of the world are linked in a single international system. Yet it was only during 'the long 19th century' that, for the first time in history, a truly 'world' politics began to emerge. This module examines how this came about by reviewing some major events and process of international history in the period from 1789 to 1914.

It begins with the international impact of the French revolution and the industrial revolution, and moves on to the formation of nation-states in Europe and outside. It analyses the role played by Great Britain in organising the Victorian international system, as well as the occupation of the non-European world by European imperialism. Finally, the module reflects upon the combination of factors that caused this 'long 19th century' to end in the carnage of the Great War. At the same time, by looking at some of the major controversies that historians have had about how to understand these events, the module also raises key questions about the nature of historical knowledge itself.

The Short Twentieth Century and Beyond

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Few periods in history have been more tumultuous than the 20th century, racked almost from start to finish by wars, revolutions and global ideological conflicts. In the same period, however, the international system also developed new mechanisms of stability and international organisation - the League of Nations and the United Nations, the 'Bretton Woods' institutions and, increasingly, European integration. This module reviews some major international events and processes of 'the short 20th century' (1914-1989), focusing on this theme of order and disorder in international history.

Themes and Perspectives in Sociology I

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Modern sociology developed in the 19th century in tandem with the rise of industrial capitalist society. It had a number of key concerns which reflected changes in, and the structure of, society at the time. These concerns have continued to preoccupy sociologists though in the context of contemporary societies, which have redefined key categories and experiences. This modules looks at such themes and at sociological perspectives on them as they have developed in both classical and contemporary forms of the discipline

Themes and Perspectives in Sociology II

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Modern sociology developed in the 19th century in tandem with the rise of industrial capitalist society. It had a number of key concerns which reflected changes in, and the structure of, society at the time. These concerns have continued to preoccupy sociologists though in the context of contemporary societies, which have redefined key categories and experiences. This module looks at such themes and at sociological perspectives on them as they have developed in both classical and contemporary forms of the discipline.

Contemporary International Theory

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

This module examines the role this tradition plays in the development of contemporary international theory (post-1945) and the establishment of orthodoxy. Major approaches and debates in the discipline will be examined and evaluated, and placed in the more general context of what is problematic about developing cumulative knowledge of social relations. Varieties of realism, liberalism and the English school approach will be considered as well as more recent critical engagements coming from Marxism, feminism, constructivism, postmodernism and globalism.

Doing Sociological Research: working with qualitative data

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

You will be introduced to thinking about how to conduct sociological research using different methods. In this part you will focus on qualitative approaches. You will be introduced to debates in the social sciences related to research design, epistemology and studying sensitive and ethical issues, and will get practical experience in key methods for gathering and analysing qualitative data including interviewing, participant observation and textual analysis. Assessment will include a mini- or 'pilot' project carried out using one method.

Doing Sociological Research: working with quantitative data

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

The aim of this module is to introduce students to different ways of designing and doing social research. In this part we focus on basic features of quantitative survey research, both analysing other people's research (using secondary data) and creating your own. In Part II we focus on different methods of qualitative data collection and analysis. The aim of the module is to give you important skills for life as well as the labour market, and more prosaically to prepare you to carry out project work in the third year. In both halves of this module you build up activities week by week to carry out a kind of 'pilot' or 'mini-project' on a topic of your choice. This is more closely supported than in year 3: you will discuss ideas for the project in your workshops; you will be helped to apply for ethical review; you will have formative feedback on your proposals and your research instruments (in this case surveys) and lots of help in workshops to bring it all together.

Introduction to International Political Economy

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

The intensity and scope of the relationship between politics and economics has become a central element of international relations. This module offers a distinctive perspective in terms of which traditional issues of international relations - such as war, trade, integration and international society - can be studied. It considers the central theoretical traditions of international political economy: liberalism, realism, Marxism, neo-institutionalism, and critical theory. It then applies these diverse theoretical traditions in an analysis of the evolution of the state system from the 16th to the 20th century, paying particular attention to the relationship between class and state power, on the one hand, and the capitalist world economy, on the other.

Beyond the Vote: Citizenship and Participation in Sociology

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

Citizenship and participation is a module looking at the sociology of political involvement beyond the vote. It introduces different forms and sites of citizenship in the contemporary state - in relation to welfare, health, work, consumption, family life and the city or urban community - and also considers different expressions of social or civic activism, from volunteering to violent protest. The use and limitations of direct democratic experiments is examined, through analysis of various types of deliberative forum and citizen polling, and we consider the appeal of notions of 'responsibility' and 'choice'. You will learn through examining specific cases each week.

Classical Sociological Theory

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

The aim of this module is to provide a reasonably comprehensive introduction to classical sociological theories and theorists and issues arising from their work. We will cover classical sociological theory from its origins in the Enlightenment period to the post World War II period. The module is concerned with these broad movements of thought with a focus on specific theorists and a close reading of extracts from classic texts. You will acquire an in-depth knowledge of the work of major classical sociological theorists.

Constructing Sexuality

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module will explore and analyse theories of sexuality and sexual politics, both historically and across cultures, and current debates within feminism and postmodernism. Connections will also be made between lived experiences and cultural representations and expectations. The module will explore theories concerning the social construction of gender, biological essentialism, patriarchy, the conceptualisations of the identity 'woman' and 'man', sexuality and sexual practices and the ways these are affected by class, race, disability and age.

You will explore theoretical issues within the following themes: pre-20th century legal, medical and scientific constructions of sexuality; the development of theories since the 1960s; current debates relating to sexuality such as heterosexual/homosexual/lesbian/bisexual identities; femininities and masculinities; love and romance and pornography.

Constructing Sexuality

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

This module will explore and analyse theories of sexuality and sexual politics, both historically and across cultures, and current debates within feminism and postmodernism. Connections will also be made between lived experiences and cultural representations and expectations. The module will explore theories concerning the social construction of gender, biological essentialism, patriarchy, the conceptualisations of the identity 'woman' and 'man', sexuality and sexual practices and the ways these are affected by class, race, disability and age.

You will explore theoretical issues within the following themes: pre-20th century legal, medical and scientific constructions of sexuality; the development of theories since the 1960s; current debates relating to sexuality such as heterosexual/homosexual/lesbian/bisexual identities; femininities and masculinities; love and romance and pornography.

Development and the State

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module is concerned with the role of the state in development. It considers this subject matter  theoretically - that is, by exploring debates in state theory, and on the relationship between the state and development - empirically, by investigating a range of historical and contemporary state forms and the impacts of these state forms on processes of development, and normatively, by posing questions about what the nature and role of the state should ideally be.

The module examines the main theoretical approaches to the state and historical state forms and their attendant development experiences, in the north and in the post-colonial south. Finally, the module moves to development since the 1980s, exploring the impacts of state failure, neo-liberalism, democratisation and global governance on state forms and patterns of development.

Globalisation and Global Governance

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module complements International Political Economy I by applying a holistic, political and economic approach to an analysis of the changing character of the contemporary world. It examines the emergence and subsequent decline of the multilateral system and the rise of globalisation, especially the nature of global institutions such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the G8 meetings.

  You will also cover the rise of a global offshore financial system and delve deeper into the changing nature of state, firm and society in the age of globalisation. The module examines the changing character of the development project, from decolonialisation and the decline of the formal empires to the emergence of the third world and the contemporary debates concerning the nature of development, economic growth, human welfare and the environment.

Race: Conflict and Change

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

This module will examine and explore the issues of race, racism, racial conflict and race relations in contemporary Britain (Please note: although we will mainly refer to Britain, examples from other countries in Europe and the West will be frequently used). Beginning with colonial discourses of the racial 'other', the post-1945 period following the start of mass colonial immigration to Britain, through to the present day this module will examine the various historical, social, political, economic and cultural forces and processes through which the concept of race and the racialised subject have been constructed, shaped and changed over time.

The module will be divided into twelve 1-hour lectures and twelve 1-hour seminars, each focusing on a particular historical, social, political, cultural or theoretical topic, issue and problem related to race in Britain. These range from: the construction and status of race through various dismodules and contexts of colonialism, immigration and multiculturalism, issues of identity, representation, power, equality and difference, the relationship between race and other social-political identifications, categories and divisions such as nationality, class, gender, ethnicity and religion, the relationship between race and the law, crime and civil unrest, the history of racial conflict and the development of anti-racist activism, policies and legislation, forms of cultural politics, expression and resistance and, finally, current issues and debates concerning the status of race in Britain.

Security and Insecurity in Global Politics

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

Security is central to the issue agenda of international relations. Traditionally security has been understood to comprise the question of the protection of sovereign territory through armed force. Security has thus examined issues such as arms races, war, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Traditionally these issues were addressed through a realist lens that regarded the state and its survival as the central conceptual maxims. However, contemporary scholarship concerning security has broadened this agenda considerably. New sources of insecurity have emerged outside the traditional state form, as can be seen in the rise of issues such as terrorism as well as wider 'complex emergencies' on the international security agenda. Moreover, the conceptual lenses for examining these questions of (in)security have also multiplied, giving rise to new referent objects of security and a wider security agenda encompassing issues such as identity, genocide, and the environment. This module introduces you to the broad issue agenda that shapes the contemporary study of (in)security. Each week it will focus on a different issue that defines the agenda of international security.

Sociology of Deviance

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

The module falls into two parts. In the first part, the concepts of crime, deviance and social control will be considered alongside the exploration of the sociological explanations for the existence of crime and deviance in society. The module will also critically examine the data sources used to support these perspectives. In the second part of the module, these perspectives will be applied to the study of substantive areas of deviance comprising institutions of social control (the police, the courts and prisons); the distribution of crime and the use of official statistics; the mass media; juvenile delinquency; mental illness; and sexuality.

Sociology of Deviance

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

The module falls into two parts. In the first part, the concepts of crime, deviance and social control will be considered alongside the exploration of the sociological explanations for the existence of crime and deviance in society. The module will also critically examine the data sources used to support these perspectives. In the second part of the module, these perspectives will be applied to the study of substantive areas of deviance comprising institutions of social control (the police, the courts and prisons); the distribution of crime and the use of official statistics; the mass media; juvenile delinquency; mental illness; and sexuality.

Sociology of Education

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

The module will first explore historical and current theoretical concepts of education. You will then focus on: the hidden curriculum, the roles and behaviour of the teacher and the student, and higher education, its cultures and customers. We will end the module by looking at key debates related to education: the gender debates, the class debates, and the role of education as a cultural symbol.

Sociology of Education

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

The module will first explore historical and current theoretical concepts of education. You will then focus on: the hidden curriculum, the roles and behaviour of the teacher and the student, and higher education, its cultures and customers. We will end the module by looking at key debates related to education: the gender debates, the class debates, and the role of education as a cultural symbol.

Sociology of Globalisation (Aut)

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

Sociology of Medicine and Health

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

The module begins by considering the relationship between socio-economic inequality and health outcomes industrialiSed countries, especially in Britain. You then examines the role played by the state, and the National Health Service in particular, in the heath of the nation. The position of medical and health professionals is also analysed in order to understand processes of professionalization and medicalization. Attention then turns to medicines themselves, how they are tested for safety and effectiveness by the pharmaceutical industry and how this process in regulated by governments. The implications of pharmaceuticals and drug prescribing for public health will be carefully scrutinised. You will also gain sociological insights into reproductive technologies and some of the health and social implications of the 'new genetics'. Finally, the module discussed lay public and mass media perspectives on medicine.

The Politics of Foreign Policy

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

Alternative Societies (Spr)

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Capitalism and Geopolitics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This multi-disciplinary module is designed to examine the relations between capitalism and geopolitics and how their interaction has shaped different political communities and world orders from the 17th century up to the 21st century. It explores the major theoretical traditions and debates, old and new, on the nexus between capitalism and geopolitics and combines these theoretical perspectives with in-depth interrogations of the historical material the key events, processes, actors that shaped this turbulent international history of war and peace, crises and revolutions, conquest and exploitation.

You critically re-examine the origins and co-development of the terms capitalism and geopolitics as real historical phenomena and associated discourses, 
You examine their interrelation across various historical periods and diverse theoretical registers. 

The first part of the module starts with an overview of the three classical traditions that have most centrally informed this discourse: the writings of Max Weber and Otto Hintze that assert the primacy of military competition for geopolitical orders and that have - since the mid-1980s inspired a Neo-Weberian turn in Historical Sociology and IR; the works of Fernand Braudel and Immanuel Wallerstein updated and extended by neo-Gramscian IR Theory - that stress the rise of commercial exchange and the construction of successive world hegemonies; and the ideas of Karl Marx that, although short on specific arguments on geopolitics, have more recently led to intense debates within the Neo-Marxist literature on how to conceptualise capitalist social relations and class conflict in their effects on inter-state conflict and co-operation across the centuries.

Against this theoretical setting, the second part of the module examines sequentially a number of different historical geopolitical orders dynastic-absolutist, 19th century British hegemony, imperialist, fascist, liberal and contemporary and the transitions between them on the basis of divergent and contested interpretations deriving from the three classical traditions. The aim is to provide a set of theoretically-informed and empirically-controlled analyses of the ways in which capitalism and geopolitics have shaped each other and constituted varieties of territorial orders in historical perspective.

Capitalism and Geopolitics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This multi-disciplinary module is designed to examine the relations between capitalism and geopolitics and how their interaction has shaped different political communities and world orders from the 17th century up to the 21st century. It explores the major theoretical traditions and debates, old and new, on the nexus between capitalism and geopolitics and combines these theoretical perspectives with in-depth interrogations of the historical material the key events, processes, actors that shaped this turbulent international history of war and peace, crises and revolutions, conquest and exploitation.

You critically re-examine the origins and co-development of the terms capitalism and geopolitics as real historical phenomena and associated discourses, 
You examine their interrelation across various historical periods and diverse theoretical registers. 

The first part of the module starts with an overview of the three classical traditions that have most centrally informed this discourse: the writings of Max Weber and Otto Hintze that assert the primacy of military competition for geopolitical orders and that have - since the mid-1980s inspired a Neo-Weberian turn in Historical Sociology and IR; the works of Fernand Braudel and Immanuel Wallerstein updated and extended by neo-Gramscian IR Theory - that stress the rise of commercial exchange and the construction of successive world hegemonies; and the ideas of Karl Marx that, although short on specific arguments on geopolitics, have more recently led to intense debates within the Neo-Marxist literature on how to conceptualise capitalist social relations and class conflict in their effects on inter-state conflict and co-operation across the centuries.

Against this theoretical setting, the second part of the module examines sequentially a number of different historical geopolitical orders dynastic-absolutist, 19th century British hegemony, imperialist, fascist, liberal and contemporary and the transitions between them on the basis of divergent and contested interpretations deriving from the three classical traditions. The aim is to provide a set of theoretically-informed and empirically-controlled analyses of the ways in which capitalism and geopolitics have shaped each other and constituted varieties of territorial orders in historical perspective.

Conflict and Military Intervention: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This seminar analyses what might loosely be called the "new security environment" and its impacts on international relations. During the term, we will undertake a theoretical and, more crucially, policy relevant analysis of the security threats that have led to a growing incidence of inter-state and intra-state conflict in spite of the hopes engendered by a post-Cold War 'New World (Dis)Order'. We will examine for the most part the causal factors, dynamics and domestic as well as international efforts at managing and resolving through political, diplomatic and military efforts intra-state conflicts. Beyond examining the relevant theoretical concepts and viewpoints, we will also explore their propositions within the framework of case studies from a variety of conflict areas. The main focus will be on the relationship between international politics and the employment of soft and hard power in order to resolve such security threats. Particular emphasis will be given to the problems and challenges stemming from the growing trend of humanitarian/military intervention in international politics. Furthermore, the conduct of the 'Global War on Terror' and its implications for international security will be examined in detail.

You are required to be conversant with major international relations theories and have a good grasp of contemporary international history and events in order to make the most of this dissertation option. These two areas will enable you to then explore in detail the theories that specifically relate to conflict and the case studies that relate to the contemporary post-9/11 security trends, many of which had been in fact developing since the end of the Cold War.
The main emphasis of this module is to explain and understand conflict and its resolution from an empirical, pragmatic and policy-oriented (rather that reflectivist and philosophical) perspective. Intensive study will be required as many of the empirical and theoretical approaches that will be explored will be new to most students in any case. 

Contemporary Issues in the Global Political Economy

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

The central theme running through this module is how the architecture of existing capitalism has to be adjusted or brought into balance with the needs of expanding markets. We begin by looking at attempts by global governance institutions like the WTO (World Trade Organisation) to create a largely deregulated world market. We then examine how financial systems are expanding and how the stock market has become a key institution of modern capitalism. We discuss then the changing nature of multinational corporations and the state as they reorient themselves towards a global market. We examine empirically the post-Cold War expansion of capitalism into Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Finally, we analyse the most recent developments in world affairs from a political economy perspective, looking at the increasing military bias of foreign policy of major capitalist states, as well as at the changing nature of anti-capitalist protest in the wake of 9/11.

Contemporary Issues in the Global Political Economy: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The central theme running through this module is how the architecture of existing capitalism has to be adjusted or brought into balance with the needs of expanding markets. We begin by looking at attempts by global governance institutions like the WTO to create a largely deregulated world market. We then examine how financial systems are expanding and how the stock market has become a key institution of modern capitalism. We discuss then the changing nature of multinational corporations and the state as they reorient themselves towards a global market. We examine empirically the post-Cold War expansion of capitalism into Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Finally, we analyse the most recent developments in world affairs from a political economy perspective, looking at the increasing military bias of foreign policy of major capitalist states, as well as at the changing nature of anti-capitalist protest in the wake of 9/11.

Contemporary Social Theory

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module provides a critical assessment of the some of the most prominent sociological theorists in the late 20th century. This period can be described as post-classical in the sense that the various schools of classical sociological theory associated with Marx, Weber, Durkheim and their later followers gave way to a range of new approaches such as those linked to post-structuralism, such as Foucault - as well as to new interpretations of the classical approaches, such as social constructionism, western Marxism and critical theory. The central aim of the module is to show how contemporary thinkers have understood the major transformations in modern society (ie from industrial to post-industrial society, globalisation, new social movements such as feminism, environmental movements, identity politics). This will involve a consideration of some of the most important debates in sociological theory, such as the debates about modernity versus postmodernity, structure versus agency as well as the influence of psychoanalytic social theory emanating from feminist theory and from post-structuralism.

The weekly topics include: social constructionism; Foucault and govementality; Habermas and critical theory; recognition theory (Honneth); marxism after postmodernism; Bourdieu and recent French sociology; poststructuralism and psychoanalysis: Derrida, Lacan, Deleuze; Bauman's postmodern ethics; network theory: Latour and Castells; theories of modernity; cosmopolitanism and social theory; culture and social theory (performativity, Alexander).

Death of Socialism

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module looks at the contemporary condition of socialism following the collapse of state socialism in Central and Eastern Europe and elsewhere, the erosion of the central principles of Western social democracy and the prevalence of free market and capitalist ideas at the start of the century. Is socialism a relevant, feasible or desirable idea in contemporary society? Or is it dead, merely a historical relic of the 20th century?

We will start by looking at the two predominant conceptions and experiences of socialism of the twentieth century - ­ Marxist and social democratic socialism. What are the main features of these models of socialism? You will then examine criticisms of socialism from liberals and libertarians ­ such as Hayek and Nozick ­ and from new social movements ­ such as the women's movement and the green movement. What critical points are raised by these perspectives and how telling are they? We will look at reasons for the collapse of state socialism in the late 1980s and at attempts in the West to rethink socialism during an era in which neo­liberalism was a predominant force. Do liberal and new social movements' criticisms and the collapse of state socialism suggest that socialism is dead? Do attempts to redefine socialism (as market socialism or radical democratic socialism) escape the criticisms of liberals and the new social movements and the problems experienced under old social democracy and state socialism? Or do they indicate that the era of socialism has well and truly passed?

In the final two topics we shall address this question a little more. We will examine the attempt of New Labour and current European social democrats to respond to the crisis of social democracy and will ask whether there is anything remaining of socialism in such attempts. And we shall examine theses such as that of Fukuyama: that the day of socialism has passed and that capitalism has won the battle.

Development and Geopolitics in East Asia: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The aim of this module is for you to understand the rise of East Asia through examining the interconnections between regional development and geopolitical contestation in the Cold War and contemporary eras. You will adopt an historical approach, beginning with an examination of the legacies of European and Japanese imperialism in East Asia and an analysis of the establishment of post-war US hegemony in the region and its implications for subsequent economic development.

You will examine the divergent experiences of Northeast and Southeast Asia and the rise of China. We then explore the implications of the decline of Cold War geopolitical rivalry and the rise of 'globalisation' and its role in explaining subsequent trends such as the East Asian financial crisis, East Asian regionalism and the changing nature of US-China relations. Within this historical context, you will examine varying analytical frameworks and debates concerning late development, such as neoclassical versus structural institutionalism, Marxist vs. dependency theories, international/regional vs. domestic factors, etc. You will examine such theories critically, both in terms of their analytical purchase and their origins and role in geopolitical rivalry itself.

Development, Human Rights and Security (Spr)

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Environment and Development in World Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

The question of whether current forms of economic and political organisation in international society are capable of responding to the challenge of sustainable development is more pertinent than ever before. Questions are being asked about how development can be redefined to accommodate ecological challenges or whether we need to fundamentally rethink notions of growth and progress. This module takes a critical look at the actors and issues implicated in the emerging global debate on sustainable development. It engages with competing theoretical perspectives about the drivers of environmental change and how best to explain the nature of international cooperation on the environment and its limits, but also aims to provide you with a detailed understanding of the defining issues and tensions that constitute the struggle to define future notions of development.

The module will address empirical case studies such as climate change, biodiversity and biotechnology and deforestation as well as the relationship between trade and the environment, finance and the environment and production and the environment in a context of globalisation. You will gain an understanding of the key actors in these debates from governments and international institutions to civil society organisations and corporations and the ways their power and influence can best be understood.

The module begins with an overview of the shifting nature of the relationship between environment and development in world politics before looking at the key actors in global debates about sustainable development. From there it sets out a range of theoretical tools for understanding the global politics of these issues before focussing in on a range of issue areas, those listed above. It concludes with reflection on prospects for change and the viability of alternative proposals for better addressing the environment and development in world politics

Environment and Development in World Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The question of whether current forms of economic and political organisation in international society are capable of responding to the challenge of sustainable development is more pertinent than ever before. Questions are being asked about how development can be redefined to accommodate ecological challenges or whether we need to fundamentally rethink notions of growth and progress. This module takes a critical look at the actors and issues implicated in the emerging global debate on sustainable development. It engages with competing theoretical perspectives about the drivers of environmental change and how best to explain the nature of international cooperation on the environment and its limits, but also aims to provide you with a detailed understanding of the defining issues and tensions that constitute the struggle to define future notions of development.

The module will address empirical case studies such as climate change, biodiversity and biotechnology and deforestation as well as the relationship between trade and the environment, finance and the environment and production and the environment in a context of globalisation. You will gain an understanding of the key actors in these debates from governments and international institutions to civil society organisations and corporations and the ways their power and influence can best be understood.

The module begins with an overview of the shifting nature of the relationship between environment and development in world politics before looking at the key actors in global debates about sustainable development. From there it sets out a range of theoretical tools for understanding the global politics of these issues before focussing in on a range of issue areas, those listed above. It concludes with reflection on prospects for change and the viability of alternative proposals for better addressing the environment and development in world politics

Ethics in Global Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Finance and Power

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module considers the globalisation of finance and the structure of the power relations that drive it. You will examine the ways in which global finance is constructed on the basis of power struggles, and how financialisation empowers certain actors over others. The module begins by examining various forms of financial systems and their social ramifications. You will then examine how the process of globalisation affects the evolution of these financial systems and the social struggles over the direction of change. The module addresses the impacts of financialisation on the project of development, the convergence of various economic systems, and the formulation of progressive politics. Finally you will consider the regulation of finance and the various challenges it raises for political authorities and social forces.

Finance and Power: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module considers the globalisation of finance and the structure of the power relations that drive it. You will examine the ways in which global finance is constructed on the basis of power struggles, and how financialisation empowers certain actors over others. The module begins by examining various forms of financial systems and their social ramifications. You will then examine how the process of globalisation affects the evolution of these financial systems and the social struggles over the direction of change. The module addresses the impacts of financialisation on the project of development, the convergence of various economic systems, and the formulation of progressive politics. Finally you will consider the regulation of finance and the various challenges it raises for political authorities and social forces.

Global Resistance: Subjects and Practices: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Globalisation: History, Theories, Culture

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

We live in a fast-moving world where companies and trade are often international and money can be globally mobile in an instant. Media images and cultural products are transported globally, and tourism and migration are important parts of everyday social experience. Politics is often carried out at supranational levels, whether through international organisations or global social movements. Processes such as these make distance over space less important, and interdependency across the globe affects all societies raising questions to do with cultural identity, power, inequality and conflict.

This module looks at different meanings and concepts of globalisation. It analyses the history of globalisation and the extent to which it is a premodern, modern or postmodern phenomenon. The module examines perspectives on globalisation, such as those from globalist, transformationalist and sceptical perspectives. You will examine theories of globalisation from key sociologists. The module goes on to look at technological developments in media and the way they have led to the globalisation of culture, and whether culture has been made more homogeneous or hybrid. The module looks at the way processes of globalisation have intersected in global cities.
 

Globalisation: Migration, Economy, Politics

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

We live in a fast-moving world where companies and trade are often international and money can be globally mobile in an instant. Media images and cultural products are transported globally and tourism and migration are important parts of everyday social experience. Politics is often carried out at supranational levels, whether through international organisations or global social We live in a fast-moving world where companies and trade are often international, and money can be globally mobile in an instant. Media images and cultural products are transported globally, and tourism and migration are important parts of everyday social movements. Processes such as these make distance over space less important and interdependency across the globe affects all societies.

This module looks at causes, types and effects of global migration, both historically and today. It examines the degree to which world economics have been globalised by factors, such as the growth of transnational corporations, the mobility of money and international economic interdependency. It examines the degree to which global trade helps to include poorer countries or leads to greater inequality. You will examine the extent to which politics has been globalised through factors such as the rise of international organisations and the global nature of social problems, and whether the nation-state is in decline. The module also looks at war and power globally in the 21st century, the nature of the world order, and at the distribution of power among states in the world.

Identity and Interaction

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module explores microsociological theories of the self, social identity and social interaction, drawing particularly on symbolic interactionism and Goffman's dramaturgical theory. The aim is to show how the ostensibly private world of individual selfhood is created and shaped by social processes, culture and interaction order. The first half of the module examines different approaches to understanding identity: from the philosophy of mind and personhood, through theories of group membership and categorisation; narrative and biographical models of the 'storied self'; performativity; and poststructuralist ideas about identity fragmentation, multiplicity and the discursive constitution of subjectivities. The second part of the module looks in detail at two related theories of social interaction - Symbolic Interactionism and Goffman's dramaturgy - and their empirical applications, using illustrative examples from published studies. Topics covered here include: role-making, taking, play and conflict; meanings, gestures and symbols; strangers and outsiders; Goffman's theatrical analogy; behaviour in public places (etiquette, civility and interaction rituals); deviant and stigmatised identities; the negotiated order of institutional life; and secrecy, lies, betrayal and deception. The module will be assessed by a 6000 word essay, in the form of either a critical commentary on the social formation of one type of social identity or a reflexive portfolio of self-identity.

Law in International Relations: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module provides a historical overview of the political context and development of international law, an introduction to the most important theoretical issues arising out of the relationship of international politics and law, and a discussion of the relevance and meaning of recent changes in international law. Finally, it introduces you to three important areas and their respective institutions and issues: public international law, the International Court of Justice and issues of sovereignty and intervention; private international law, the World Trade Organisation, and issues of property; criminal international law, the International Criminal Court and tribunals, and issues of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Life, Power and Resistance: Critical Perspectives on the Post-Westphalian Era

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Political discourses of globalisation make implicit claims about the weakening of the state and the evolution, if not outright demise, of the 'Westphalian System'. This module interrogates claims about the arrival of a post-Westphalian era and its transformation of the realms of war, politics and ethics. It critically examines the specific legal, institutional and subjective manifestations of this post-Westphalian era in contemporary world politics, such the international Human Rights regime, the emphasis on democratisation and the evolution of humanitarian intervention. The module ends by examining a number of theoretical perspectives on power and resistance in a global era.

Madness and Society: Healthcare Controversies

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The central aim of the module is to develop a critical and analytical understanding of key debates in the field of contemporary mental healthcare in relation to the conceptualisation of mental disorder and critiques of the therapeutic claims of psychiatry in relation to its presumed objectivity, scientific status and social neutrality. You are encouraged to develop critical perspectives when evaluating different bodies of knowledge and evidence, and to consider the relative influence of social, psychological, emotional and physical/biological factors in shaping the way mental disorders are experienced and managed. For example, we address the role of the mass media in shaping lay understandings of madness and constructions of the mentally ill, as well as the power they have to reinforce stigma and prejudice; the role of the pharmaceutical industry in creating new disorders, markets and types of patient; and the agency exercised by service user-led movements to resist biomedical power. We also examine case studies of specific medically-defined disorders. 

Madness and Society: Theoretical Debates

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module builds on theoretical approaches and research within medical sociology, with a unique focus on the social factors affecting mental health and illness. The central aim of the module is to develop a critical and analytical understanding of key debates in the field, such as the nature of the conceptualisation of mental disorder and whether medical ways of categorizing and dealing with it are the most appropriate; whether mental illness is really a form of social deviance that is medically constructed, amplified and controlled through the psychiatric system; critiques of the therapeutic claims of psychiatry in relation to its presumed objectivity, scientific status and social neutrality; whether psychiatry is ultimately an instrument of social control; processes of social causation and social construction of mental illness, and the tensions between them; and the role of structural divisions such as social class, ethnicity, gender and age in determining patterns of mental illness.

Marxism and International Relations

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module enables you to engage systematically with the Marxist tradition of theorising about international relations. It provides an introduction to Marx’s own thought, using selections from primary texts, and then examines how later Marxist writers have applied and developed these ideas across a range of themes in international studies, including imperialism, the Cold War, international political economy and globalisation theory.

Marxism and International Relations: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module enables you to engage systematically with the Marxist tradition of theorising about international relations. It provides an introduction to Marx’s own thought, using selections from primary texts, and then examines how later Marxist writers have applied and developed these ideas across a range of themes in international studies, including imperialism, the Cold War, international political economy and globalisation theory.

Mercenaries, Gangs and Terrorists: Private Security in International Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Political Economy of the Environment: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Religions in Global Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

During this module you will explore the implications of the 'return' of religions, both for world politics and for thinking about international relations. Many sociologists and philosophers have interpreted this return as 'the end of modernity' or the 'de-secularisation of the world'. You will primarily focus on the renewed centrality of religious identities as strategic frames of reference for politics in the post-Cold War world. Against the background of the growing multicultural nature of contemporary international society resulting from what Hedley Bull has aptly termed the 'revolt against the West', the module will encourage you to, firstly, problematise the implicit and predominant reading of religion in international relations as the ultimate threat to international order and stability (especially in the forms of the identity politics of the 'new wars' and the terrorist attacks of religious fundamentalists), secondly, to engage critically with Huntington's thesis of the 'clash of civilisations' and thirdly to discuss the implications of this 'return' for the future of foreign policy and the normative structure and world order of contemporary international society.

Religions in Global Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

During this module you will explore the implications of the 'return' of religions, both for world politics and for thinking about international relations. Many sociologists and philosophers have interpreted this return as 'the end of modernity' or the 'de-secularisation of the world'. You will primarily focus on the renewed centrality of religious identities as strategic frames of reference for politics in the post-Cold War world. Against the background of the growing multicultural nature of contemporary international society resulting from what Hedley Bull has aptly termed the 'revolt against the West', the module will encourage you to, firstly, problematise the implicit and predominant reading of religion in international relations as the ultimate threat to international order and stability (especially in the forms of the identity politics of the 'new wars' and the terrorist attacks of religious fundamentalists), secondly, to engage critically with Huntington's thesis of the 'clash of civilisations' and thirdly to discuss the implications of this 'return' for the future of foreign policy and the normative structure and world order of contemporary international society.

Russia and the Former Soviet Union in Global Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module explores the international politics of post-Soviet Russia and the former Soviet space.  After a period of relative decline in the 1990s, Russia has more recently been described as a "rising Great Power" and developments in the CIS have returned to the news - from "gas wars" to the conflict between Russia and Georgia, and from the "democratic revolutions" in Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan to the apparent erosion of democracy in Russia. 

These developments have implications for Western Europe and beyond, touching on traditional and contemporary security issues, and shedding light on the implications of Western democracy promotion and the role of norms and identity in contemporary global politics. 

This module will investigate the background for - and current development of - international relations in the region. You will look in detail at Russia's status as Great Power; the "colour revolutions" in Ukraine and Georgia; NATO and the US in the former Soviet space; the question of Europe's "energy security" and its relations with Russia; and what has been called the "new Great Game" between Russia, China and the US in Central Asia. In doing this, it will introduce relevant theoretical concepts related to foreign policy analysis and constructivist explanations of the role of norms and identity in the international politics of Russia and the FSU.

Russia and the Former Soviet Union in Global Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module explores the international politics of post-Soviet Russia and the former Soviet space. After a period of relative decline in the 1990s, Russia has more recently been described as 'rising Great Power' and developments in the CIS have returned to the news - from 'gas wars' to the conflict between Russia and Georgia, from the 'democratic revolutions' in Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan to the apparent erosion of democracy in Russia and talk of a "new Cold War" between Russia and the West.

These are developments with implications for Western Europe and beyond, touching on traditional and new security issues alike, and shedding light on the implications of Western democracy promotion and the role of norms and identity in contemporary global politics.

The module will investigate the background for and current development of international relations in the region - in particular Russia's status as great power, the 'colour revolutions' in Ukraine and Georgia and the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia, NATO and the US in the former Soviet space, the question of Europe's 'energy security' and its relations with Russia, and what has been called the 'new Great Game' between Russia, China and the US in Central Asia. In doing this, it will introduce relevant theoretical concepts related to foreign policy analysis and constructivist explanations of the role of norms and identity in the international politics of Russia and the FSU.

Sex and Death in Global Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Sociology of Fun (Spr)

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Sociology Project

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The aim of this module is to give you direct experience of carrying out a small scale research project, from the initial stages of design to the final stages of presenting your findings. It is intended to consolidate and build upon the knowledge base gained from the DSR research methods module in the second year, as you will use these skills to research a topic of your choice. You will be assessed on how well you interpret and apply the relevant methodological issues to your research design, manage the practical side of the project, and reflect on the effectiveness of your chosen strategies. You work mainly through independent study, under the guidance of a supervisor. The assessment consists of a research proposal, presentation and 8,000 word written report.

Sociology Research Proposal

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

The aim of this module is to give you direct experience of carrying out a small scale research project, from the initial stages of design to the final stages of presenting your findings. It is intended to consolidate and build upon the knowledge base gained from the DSR research methods module in the second year, as you will use these skills to research a topic of your choice. You will be assessed on how well you interpret and apply the relevant methodological issues to your research design, manage the practical side of the project, and reflect on the effectiveness of your chosen strategies. You work mainly through independent study, under the guidance of a supervisor. The assessment consists of a research proposal, presentation and 8,000 word written report.

The Arms Trade in International Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

The Cultural Life of Capital Punishment (Aut)

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

The Political Economy of Latin American Development: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module provides a long-term historical account and analysis of Latin America's formation and integration into the modern world system.  You will investigate patterns of growth and distribution of wealth over different periods of time and between countries.  In particular, the course investigates how these patterns have influenced and have been shaped by three interrelated factors - domestic social structures, state formation and integration to the evolving world system. 

Key issues covered include: the Iberian political economic lethargy; attempts at constructing cohesive state structures and state-led economic development; the influence of rural and urban social movements on the politico-economic structures of different countries; responses to globalisation, including the attempt at creating blocs across the region; and a discussion of the extent to which the current 'pink tide' (or red wave)constitutes a realistic alternative political-economic trajectory for the mass of the continent's population. 

The Politics of International Trade: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module aims to equip you with an understanding of the international trade system and the theoretical traditions that have helped to shape it. It will begin by examining the core theories around trade and trade liberalisation, particularly those of liberalism, economic nationalism and neo-Marxism and other critical approaches, in order to explore different understandings of the relationship between trade and development. The empirical section of the module will start by examining the creation of the post-WWII trade regime centered on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and its evolution to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1995. Core elements of, and controversies within, the global trade system will be scrutinised and situated within this historical context. These will include the fragmentation of the trade system engendered by regional trade agreements, the increasing role of emerging powers, including China, India and Brazil, and the impact of the trade system on developing countries. The module will also examine the contentious treatment of agriculture within the WTO and analyse the debates concerning ethical trade, gender and trade and the enviornment. Drawing on all of the above and integrated throughout the module, the module will evaluate and elucidate the current round of WTO trade negotiations - the Doha Development Agenda - with the aim of understanding why it has stalled and to consider the future prospects for a more equitable trading system.

The Politics of Terror

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module offers an advanced level introduction to terrorism and political violence in modern societies. Through attention to case studies, academic literatures and original sources the module focuses on:

- the conceptual and analytical challenges of defining and understanding terrorism and political violence 
- terror as a political instrument
- the relationship between state and non-state terror
- the historical development of terrorism and counterterrorism
- the organisational, ideological and strategic dynamics of terrorist organisations
- the policy dilemmas faced and principle methodologies employed by democratic and other states in countering terrorism
- the role of media, mass communication and 'public dismodule' in political violence

The module is divided into two sections. The first, studying terrorism: historical and conceptual issues, offers a thematic exploration of terrorism considering its historical development in modern societies; relation to other forms of organised violence; some of the animating ideas historically associated with the use of terror for political purposes; the phenomenon of 'suicide terrorism' and the ideas, organisations and practices used by states in their efforts to counter terrorism. The second section, cases and contexts, situates terrorism and political violence within the changing context of state power, international and global politics, exploring the historical and contemporary relations between them. We conclude  by surveying the origins and contemporary character of al-Qaeda type terrorism and how states have sought to counter it.

The Politics of Terror

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module addresses the relationship between fear, security and identity in international politics. Typically, security is taken to defend already existing identities such as the national interest or the integrity of the environment. However, during this module you will explore the argument that security constitutes identity in relation to fear. That is to say, rather than simply defending extant entities, discourses of security produce novel identities. These identities are produced in relation to perceived fears. The question thus becomes how are fears constituted and what identities are secured against such perceived threats?

The module will begin with an examination of the nature of fear and identity in international politics. The remainder of the module will comprise an examination of the broadened security agenda of the post-Cold war era. The purpose of this examination will be to show the multiple ways in which fear is mobilised and the manifold identities thus produced. The consequences of such fears and identities will be examined in relation to cases such as ethnic nationalist conflict.

The Reign of Rights in Global Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Proponents and opponents alike would today concur that human rights are becoming the world's secular religion (Eli Wiesel). This module systematically interrogates the rise of human rights to such prominence. You examines the history and evolution of rights within the history of liberalism and introduces the prominent ways of defining and understanding human rights. You explores new theorisations of rights as practices of governing and forms of subjectification in global politics. Moreover, the module discusses well-known critiques of the universality of human rights and their Western-centric conception of the human. You analyse the challenges that rights present to state sovereignty and examines the violent global politics associated with human rights, such as the emergence of human rights wars and the more recent, often racist, trade-off between rights and security within the ensemble of practices we call the 'war on terror'. You investigate the use of rights in our practices of resistance, analysing how rights delegitimise other paths of action whilst inciting rights-holders as appropriate political subjectivities.

It discusses the expansion of human rights into emergent areas such as women's rights, indigenous rights, etc (you will be able to select specific cases for further research and presentation to suit your particular interests) and explores the ways in which human rights talk becomes the hegemonic register in which to articulate and legitimate social/political action. We conclude by discussing the practical ethico-political problems of the reign of rights and of our own acceptance of this language in global politics. Do global interventionist practices render human rights the rights of those victims who have no (positive-constitutional) rights? Moreover, who can speak on behalf of subaltern others and finally, is the language of rights appropriate for righting historical and current wrongs?

The Reign of Rights in Global Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Proponents and opponents alike would today concur that human rights are becoming the world's secular religion (Eli Wiesel). This module systematically interrogates the rise of human rights to such prominence. You examines the history and evolution of rights within the history of liberalism and introduces the prominent ways of defining and understanding human rights. You explores new theorisations of rights as practices of governing and forms of subjectification in global politics. Moreover, the module discusses well-known critiques of the universality of human rights and their Western-centric conception of the human. You analyse the challenges that rights present to state sovereignty and examines the violent global politics associated with human rights, such as the emergence of human rights wars and the more recent, often racist, trade-off between rights and security within the ensemble of practices we call the 'war on terror'. You investigate the use of rights in our practices of resistance, analysing how rights delegitimise other paths of action whilst inciting rights-holders as appropriate political subjectivities.

It discusses the expansion of human rights into emergent areas such as women's rights, indigenous rights, etc (you will be able to select specific cases for further research and presentation to suit your particular interests) and explores the ways in which human rights talk becomes the hegemonic register in which to articulate and legitimate social/political action. We conclude by discussing the practical ethico-political problems of the reign of rights and of our own acceptance of this language in global politics. Do global interventionist practices render human rights the rights of those victims who have no (positive-constitutional) rights? Moreover, who can speak on behalf of subaltern others and finally, is the language of rights appropriate for righting historical and current wrongs?

The United States in the World

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

As the 21st century begins, the United States is still the world's only superpower: no other nation possesses comparable military and economic power or has interests that reach the entire globe. To understand the place and power of the US in the contemporary world, it is vital to understand how its geopolitical strategies function, militarily and economically. Yet because US power is also secured through cultural and discursive strategies, it is equally important to analyse how US cultural/discursive products and processes participate in the construction of the US in all the varied ways it imagines itself. The aim of this module is to analyse how US cultural/discursive strategies participate in imagining the US in the world, either by being embedded within traditional geopolitical strategies or by sitting alongside them. Rather than taking an historical approach, the module is organised around specific theoretical and cultural/discursive themes and practices. These include architectural theory and the building of embassies abroad, design theory and designing the nation through everyday objects, film theory and screening the nation through popular film, remediation theory and virtually remediating the nation, entertainmentality theory and exhibiting the nation in museums, performance/performativity theory and re-enacting the nation though historical re-enactments as well as song, and advertising theory and advertising the nation to US citizens. Along the way, significant foreign and domestic policy debates from Cold War politics to the War on Terror to the US domestic War on illegal immigration will be considered through political, cultural, and discursive theories (eg Said's notion of orientalism, Foucault's notion of governmentality, Butler's notion of performativity, and Ranciere's notion of the birth of the nation).

The United States in the World: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

As the 21st century begins, the United States is still the world's only superpower: no other nation possesses comparable military and economic power or has interests that reach the entire globe. To understand the place and power of the US in the contemporary world, it is vital to understand how its geopolitical strategies function, militarily and economically. Yet because US power is also secured through cultural and discursive strategies, it is equally important to analyse how US cultural/discursive products and processes participate in the construction of the US in all the varied ways it imagines itself. The aim of this module is to analyse how US cultural/discursive strategies participate in imagining the US in the world, either by being embedded within traditional geopolitical strategies or by sitting alongside them. Rather than taking an historical approach, the module is organised around specific theoretical and cultural/discursive themes and practices. These include architectural theory and the building of embassies abroad, design theory and designing the nation through everyday objects, film theory and screening the nation through popular film, remediation theory and virtually remediating the nation, entertainmentality theory and exhibiting the nation in museums, performance/performativity theory and re-enacting the nation though historical re-enactments as well as song, and advertising theory and advertising the nation to US citizens. Along the way, significant foreign and domestic policy debates from Cold War politics to the War on Terror to the US domestic War on Illegal Immigration will be considered through political, cultural, and discursive theories (eg Said's notion of orientalism, Foucault's notion of governmentality, Butler's notion of performativity, and Ranciere's notion of the birth of the nation).

What is War

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

You will gain an advanced understanding of the place of war in the political world. What is war and how, if at all, is it different from other forms of violence? What is the relationship between war and politics? We will ask what war is and then investigate its relation to the fields of ethics, gender, sexuality, and culture. You will then use this knowledge to investigate specific forms of warfare, including genocide as a war of annihilation, insurgency/guerrilla warfare, and counterinsurgency. We conclude by addressing anti-war activism and related forms of civil disobedience as alternatives to war. You are provided with an advanced knowledge and analytical skills that will help you to think, talk, and write in an informed and critical manner about war.

What is War: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

You will gain an advanced understanding of the place of war in the political world. What is war and how, if at all, is it different from other forms of violence? What is the relationship between war and politics? We will ask what war is and then investigate its relation to the fields of ethics, gender, sexuality, and culture. You will then use this knowledge to investigate specific forms of warfare, including genocide as a war of annihilation, insurgency/guerrilla warfare, and counterinsurgency. We conclude by addressing anti-war activism and related forms of civil disobedience as alternatives to war. You are provided with an advanced knowledge and analytical skills that will help you to think, talk, and write in an informed and critical manner about war.