Global Resistance: Contesting Capital and Coloniality (L7090S)

30 credits, Level 6

Spring teaching

This module will introduce students to key events in the recent trajectory of resistance to global order-building, and locate contemporary "global resistance" in historical context.

You will explore the main concepts and theories used to make sense of resistance by scholars, but also by those engaging in struggles themselves (including Marxist, post-structuralist, decolonial and feminist approaches). We will also consider the different political subjects that have been hailed as the locus of emancipatory or revolutionary struggle (e.g. the "anti-globalization movement", the "global working class" or the "multitude").

Rather than assuming that resistance is straightforwardly emancipatory, the module will interrogate the variegated politics of resistance, the ways in which anti-systemic struggles may become entangled in relations of power and the various modes of intervention geared toward repressing, managing or disciplining dissent.

The module will also consider these issues in relation to thematic debates cross-cutting various manifestations of "global resistance": the concept of solidarity and the racialised and gendered politics of resistance. These issues will be explored through discussion of specific instances of dissent to world ordering, including:

  • the global summmit protests of the early 21st century 
  • the emergence of the influential Zapatista movement in Mexico
  • international trade unionism
  • peasant and indigenous struggles over land
  • the more recent phenomena of Occupy Wall Street and anti-austerity protests in Europe.

Teaching

100%: Seminar

Assessment

30%: Coursework (Portfolio)
70%: 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 2022/23. 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.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses: