Geopolitics and International Affairs (915M1)

30 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Autumn teaching

This module is designed to provide you with an overview on the changing nature of contemporary geopolitics, great power foreign policy strategies and world order. We’ll examine this in the context of globalisation and against the background of the major historical and epoch-making shifts of longue durée – economic and civilisational – which are challenging the western-centric nature of modern international society.

The first part of the module will:

  • present the contemporary debate on world order
  • explore the current revival of geopolitical thinking as well as a number of approaches to the analysis of the contemporary international system with a particular attention to the issues of multi-polarity, regionalisation and non-western perspectives.

The second part of the module will focus on the grand strategies and foreign policy practices developed by the major powers of the international system.

The final part of the module will cover some of the key regional dynamics of contemporary geopolitics including:

  • the Middle East
  • the transatlantic relationships
  • the international security in South and East Asia as well as in the post-Soviet world.

Teaching

100%: Practical (Workshop)

Assessment

20%: Coursework (Report)
80%: Written assessment (Essay)

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 33 hours of contact time and about 267 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2023/24. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.