Undergraduate Course: Politics and International Relations 1B: The Global Dimension (PLIT08018)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Politics and International Relations 1B introduces the key concepts of international politics, such as collective security, multilateralism, and human rights. Each week it explores a different concept, introducing students to the key debates and a contemporary case.
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| Course description |
PIR 1B builds directly on the knowledge and understanding students have gained in PIR 1a, and explores key concepts and debates, focusing on the international level. The course is structured around some of the most important political questions of our time, among them: Why do states go to war? What can be done to reduce global inequality? Can new powers rise peacefully in a US-led global order? Has globalization rendered the state irrelevant? For each question, the course will examine the actors, processes, and institutions at play, and discuss them in the context of pivotal cases. The course equips students with an understanding of key global political concepts, institutions and processes, and the analytical tools required to debate today's most prevalent global political issues.
Each week, lectures will
- Introduce a significant international political question or debate
- Identify the concept that enables students to make sense of that question or debate
- Challenge students' preconceptions by drawing out areas of conflict and contestation;
- Connect larger questions to the real world through a range of case studies, which might include the International Criminal Court, global efforts to address climate change, gendered structures in the global political economy, the Syrian civil war, or tensions in Kashmir.
- Show how concepts help us understand issues, and suggests solutions;
- Engage with a globally diverse range of research and individual thinkers, including primary sources;
- Provide a guide to the literature, informing and inspiring students to undertake further reading.
Weekly tutorials will
- develop students' understanding with focused discussion of key concepts and cases;
- develop their analytical and communication skills through discussion of key areas of conflict and contestation.
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Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2023/24, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 9,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
167 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
40 %,
Practical Exam
10 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Tutorial participation 10%«br /»
Essay (1500 words) 40%«br /»
Take-home exam 50%«br /»
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| Feedback |
We include non-assessed activities such as quizzes that provide formative feedback.
If submitted on time, essay feedback will be returned within 15 working days to enable exam revision.
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| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the history and development of the modern international system.
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key issues, actors and institutions of world politics.
- critically analyse academic texts and debate their significance for political debates.
- demonstrate fundamental writing skills, including academic referencing.
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Reading List
Baylis, J., S. Smith and P. Owens (2017) (eds), The Globalization of World Politics, 7th ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Beeson and Bisley (2017), Issues in 21st Century World Politics, Palgrave
Devetak, R., A. Burke and J. George (2012) Introduction to International Relations, 2nd ed., Cambridge: CUP.
Edkins and Zehfuss (2019) Global Politics: A new Introduction, 3rd edition
Heywood, A. (2014) Global Politics, (2nd ed.) Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Jackson, R.J. (2013) Global Politics in the 21st Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Marshall, T. (2015) Prisoners of Geography. Ten Maps that tell you everything you need to know about Global Politics. Elliott & Thompson. (e-book in library)
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
The course contributes to the following graduate attributes
- generic cognitive skills (e.g. evaluation, critical analysis);
- communication skills
- autonomy, accountability and working with others.
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| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stephen Hill
Tel: (0131 6)51 5362
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr Ian McClory
Tel: (0131 6)50 3932
Email: |
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