SSST - Introduction to Politics and International Relations

PS110 Introduction to Politics and International Relations

Programme(s) where module is offered

BA Political Science and International Relations with Business
BA Political Science and International Relations with International Law (TBC)
BA Political Science and International Relations with Diplomacy

Status (core, option, free choice)

Core

FHEQ Level

Unit Value

8 ECTS

Semester taught

Autumn

Pre-Requisite Modules or Qualifications

None

Module Code

PS110

Module coordinator

Zlatko Hadzidedic

Applicable From

2017

Educational Aims of the Module

Political science is an attempt to understand how and why events unfold in the way that they do. Accordingly, this understanding serves us to predict how similar events will unfold in the future, and take action to impact these events.
Therefore, the course dealing with politics necessarily must account for historical forces driving current action. World politics directly impacts the quality of our environment, the extent of our personal freedoms, and the length and quality of our life.
Accordingly, this course explores the broad forces at play in the world: international economics, national interests, military power, nationalism, ethnicity, the environment, and human rights. We discuss world events as they unfold and debate grand global issues underlying those events.
We reveal analytical tools that help make sense of our political world, and we apply those tools in open discussion to contemporary cases. Students of this course acquire a vision of the world’s political landscape and an ability to better understand the multitude of events that comprise that landscape.

Module Outline/Syllabus

Introduction: What is politics?
Governments, systems and regimes
The state
Government I (constitutions and laws, judiciaries, assemblies)
Government II (political executives, bureaucracies, militaries, police forces)
Democracy. Representation, elections and voting
Parties and party systems. Groups, interests and movements
Introduction: From international politics to world politics. Theories of world politics.
Realism
Liberalism
Marxist theories of international relations
Social constructivism
Post-structuralism
Post-colonialism

Student Engagement Hours

Type	Number per Term	Duration	Total Time
Lectures	30	1 hour 30 minutes	90 hours

Total Guided/Independent Learning Hours			110
Total Contact Hours			90
Total Engagement Hours			200

Assessment Method Summary

Type	Number Required	Duration / Length	Weighting	Timing / Submission Deadline
Final exam	1	3 hours	50%	End of semester
Mid-term exam	1	2 hours	20%	Week 8
Case study presentation	1	20 min.	20%	ongoing
Research paper	1	2000 words	10%	Week 13

Module Outcomes

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Discuss the history of and trends in the emergence of the international nation-state system and modern challenges to that system.
Comprehend the various theories and concepts used to study international politics, as a distinct branch of the social sciences.
Respectfully discuss political topics, and engage in debate with fellow students (inside and outside of class) in an intellectually informed manner; as a corollary to this objective it is expected that students will leave the course able to distinguish between reasoned argument and ad hominem invective.
Understand the structure and activities of the various actors influencing policy decisions on the world stage, including the ability to elicit a more specialized knowledge about important countries and regions of the world, current leaders and issues.

Teaching and Learning Strategy:

Lectures/presentations by the course instructor (ILO: 1-4);
Course readings and group discussions in class (ILO: 1-4);
Individual and group presentations (ILO: 1-4)

Assessment Strategy

Course work – midterm exam (ILO: 1-4)
Research paper (ILO: 1-4)
Case study presentation (ILO: 1-4)
Final Exam (ILO: 1-4)

Transferable Skills

Ability to think analytically
Clarity of oral argument
Research skills
Presentation skills
Ability to critically reflect and evaluate information relating to international relations

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Course readings and class discussions (TS: 1-4)
Lectures and in-class exercises (TS: 1-5)
In-class presentations (TS:1,3,4)
Research paper (TS: 1-3)

Assessment Strategy

Mid-term exam, research paper, case study presentation (TS: 1-4)
Final Exam (TS: 1-5)

Key Texts and/or other learning materials

TEXTBOOKS

Heywood, A. (2013) Politics. 4 Edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Baylis, J., Smith, S., Owens, P. (2013) The Globalization of World Politics. An Introduction to International Relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Supplementary Resources:

Jeffrey A. Frieden, David A. Lake, and Kenneth A. Schultz (2015). World Politics: Interests, Interactions, Institutions.3 Edition, Norton.
Shimko, Keith L. (2015) International Relation: Perspectives, Controversies & Readings (5 Edition) Boston: Wadsworth
Dunne, Tim, Milja Kurki and Steve Smith (2016) International Relations: Theories Discipline and Diversity (4 Edition) Oxford: Oxford University Press
Burchill, Scott, et al., (2013), Theories of International Relations, 5th Edition, Palgrave
Pendakis, A., Diamanti, J., (Eds) (2014), Contemporary Marxist Theory, Bloomsbury Academic
Onuf, Nicholas, (2012), Making Sense, Making Worlds: Constructivism in Social Theory and International Relations, Routledge
Loomba, A., (2015), Colonialism/Postcolonialism: The New Critical Idiom, 3 Edition, Routledge

Please note

This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the module and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.

More detailed information on the learning outcomes, content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each module and programme can be found in the departmental or programme handbook.

The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually by the University of Buckingham and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.

Date of Production : June 2016

Date approved by School Learning and Teaching Committee: 19th April 2017

Date approved by School Board of Study : 26th April 2017

Date approved by University Learning and Teaching Committee: 10th May 2017

Date of Annual Review: 31st December 2018

SSST Subjects