International Relations and Politics

In this module, you’ll get to know the global economy. You’ll investigate how economics and politics shape world affairs in both trivial and profound ways. 

In part 1, you’ll gain a strong knowledge of the history of the world economy. You’ll develop key analytical skills, as you explore competing explanations of how it functions. You’ll gain the tools you need to understand recent economic changes.

In part 2, you’ll dig into key debates on how the global economy functions today, including: 

• finance
• global production
• trade and international development
• the relationship between the global economy and the environment. 

What is security? How can we achieve it? And who should provide it? In this module, you’ll dive into key debates on security, and its definitions. You’ll join policy makers, academics and civil servants as you discuss fundamental issues of security. You’ll explore the different ways we look at security, and the things it protects, for example:

• The nation-state
• The environment
• The economy
• A ‘way of life’

You’ll also look at the implications of security on peace and current global conflicts, as well as everyday violence and exclusion. 

In this module, you can investigate the politics of either Europe or the USA, subject to student numbers and staff availability. 

In the European strand, you’ll explore themes of democracy and citizenship. You’ll look closely at what democracy and citizenship might mean to people living in the UK, France, Germany and in Europe’s post-communist countries. You’ll also look at the future of European states and societies, and how they can adapt to challenges such as migration.

In the American strand, you’ll focus on governmental and political institutions. You’ll also explore explosive issues in American politics, including religion, race and capital punishment.

• migrations across national boundaries
• regional organisations
• trade agreements

• NGOs
• corporations
• colonisation
• refugee movements
• the migrant ‘crisis’.

In this module, you’ll explore the effect of nationalism. You’ll understand the different concepts, debates and controversies in the study of nationalism. You’ll gain fantastic analytical skills, as you apply these approaches to real world cases, and explore the implications of their different perspectives. 

You’ll also look at how globalisation impacts the politics and identity of a country. You’ll analyse whether globalisation is a force for good, or if it is divisive, leading to nationalist resistance.
 

In this module, you’ll have the chance to carry out a work placement closely linked to your International Relations course. You’ll be supported by your module leader to find a placement that meets your needs, and which will support your learning. With a carefully chosen placement, you’ll build on the skills and knowledge you’ve already gained in Year 1, and you’ll also strengthen vital skills for the workplace, like time management, communication and team-working. 

Students have found placements in organisations like:

• Asylum Welcome, working with asylum seekers in Oxford
• Viva, an international children’s charity
• Depaul, working with homeless people and immigrants in Paris.

During and after your placement, you’ll:

• create a placement portfolio, recording what you’ve done and achieved
• craft a CV showing your experience
• give a presentation on your placement.

This module offers the opportunity to study abroad, experience a new culture, and apply your skills in different contexts to enhance your employability. It will help you develop self-management, cross-cultural communication, and interpersonal skills.

You’ll receive support to secure a place at a partner institution abroad, where you can choose modules related to your degree or explore new areas that complement your studies.

Studying at an international university will help you enhance your interpersonal skills through cross-cultural communication with students and tutors, allowing you to build lasting relationships. You'll also improve your study skills by focusing on your chosen areas of interest, gaining valuable international experience that will strengthen your CV.

This year abroad module lasts for one academic year and is taken after the conclusion of your second year of study, once you’ve completed all your level 5 studies. Your year abroad is not credit-bearing.
 

In this module, you’ll get to grips with capitalism today. You’ll explore what colonialism and the modern world can teach us about its laws and events. You’ll gain a fascinating, alternative history of international relations, as you explore the modern sovereign states system. You’ll also gain the key skills you need to study the relationship between history, international relations and law. 

Each week, you’ll take a crucial world event and analyse it. You’ll look at:

• Arab spring
• struggles for human rights
• extraterritorial obligations
• cross-border protests
• migrants and refugees

You’ll contrast these events with the following historical events which also involved high tension and legal debate:

• colonial trading companies
• slave revolutions
• capitulations
• the Treaties of Westphalia
• the Ottoman empire. 

• conceptualise peace and the causes and dynamics of contemporary conflict
• investigate models of peacemaking
• understand how building a sustainable peace can be achieved by societies emerging from war

How can we respond to and solve global injustice and the ecological crisis without a world government? How can we resolve issues in international politics which are beyond the limit of individual countries? A global unified approach is critical for success. 

In this module, you’ll gain knowledge of the theory and practice of global development, justice and sustainability, and build your analytical skills. You'll take a combined approach of looking at global development and the ecological crisis. You'll examine competing and contrasting perspectives that feature across these global issues. Helping you gain understanding in their global justice implications. Also you'll look at international policy responses and global governance initiatives.

In this module, you’ll develop key critical skills as you explore the democratic challenges facing Russia. Contemporary Russia has undergone enormous social, political and economic transformation since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.You’ll gain a strong grounding in the key issues of this diverse, multi-ethnic state. You’ll look at core themes, such as:

• regime dynamics and trajectory
• the role of informal relations
• corruption and governance problems
• war and militarism
• and identity politics. 

How does violence occur in different societies? How do people’s ideas of violence affect their cultures? In this module, you’ll look at how states manage violence such as terrorism. You’ll also consider how social norms and military values of violence shape our lives. You can choose to specialise in terrorism or counter-terrorism, or critical militarism studies.

In this module, you’ll explore understandings of freedom, justice and liberation in contemporary social and political thought. We’ll focus on a range of theoretical approaches, including:

• decolonial theory 
• feminist and queer theory 
• post-structuralism 
• crip theory
• the black radical tradition.

These will be put in dialogue with classical theoretical discussions on freedom, justice and liberation. We will discuss questions like: 

• Is it possible, and desirable, to make claims for justice and liberation based on group identity? 
• Can past wrongs be addressed through reparations? 
• Can justice be delivered via the criminal justice system? 

As such, the module provides students with the theoretical tools to understand and navigate discussions on the meanings of justice, freedom and liberation in contemporary society, and to develop their own positions in relation to them.
 

What should world leaders do? How much power should countries give each other? And how should states and individuals behave towards each other? In this module, you’ll get to understand the key questions in world politics. You’ll explore:

• how we determine rights and duties
• how we both enable and restrict dominance
• how issues of race, gender and class interact in relation to world politics.                                    You’ll choose one of three topics that on international ethics and power - human rights, migration and immigration, or racism and colonialism.

This module gives you the chance to research a topic that fascinates you. With support from a supervisor, you’ll choose, plan and carry out your independent research, gaining in-depth knowledge of your subject. Student projects have included subjects like:

• Is democracy failing in Eastern Europe?
• Did Putin solve Russia’s governance problems?
• Authoritarianism and political stability in North Korea

You’ll build great project management and research skills, which will help you in your future career.