Introductory description

N/A

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Nine topics from the following list (the selection may vary in any one year in line with individual staff availabilities). Colleagues' initials are indicative: all have been consulted. Some lectures may be delivered in the style of a debating forum with more than one presenter. The focus will be on one big book - or several related books

1. Why IS? The added value of studying internaitonal security: the questions that only comparative politics poses, can address and provides compelling answers to. Also a brief introduction to approaches or methods in the study of IS (RA).
2. Ideas of Feminism - Cynthia Enloe's Bananas, Beaches, and Bases [TH]
3. Ideas of Economy - PW Singer Corporate Warriors and J Kirshner, Appeasing Bankers [AH]
4. Ideas of Sovereignty - Stephen Krasner on Sovereignty. [MK]
5. Ideas of Foreign Policy - Joseph Nye "soft power" and US foreign policy [TM]
6. Ideas of Geopolitics - Halford Mackinder's 'The Geopolitical Pivot', George Kennan's 'The sources of Soviet Conduct', Huntington's 'Clash of Civilisations'. [CB]
7. Ideas of Refuge - Peter Nyers 'Rethinking refugees'/Emma Haddad's 'Refugees in international society'. [VS]
8. Ideas of Power — focused on Foucault: readings might be Mitchell Dean's 'Governmentality' and Steven Lukes"Power: A Radical View' [JN]
9. Ideas of Civilisation - Samuel Huntington's 'clash' from the perspective of Middle East studies (de-constructing monolithic conceptions of 'civilizational' blocs). [NP]
10. Ideas of Religion - Juergensmeyer's Terror in the Mind of God [RC]
11. Ideas of the Internet - John Perry Barlow, Jaron Lanier, Lawrence Lessig [RA]
12. Ideas of Conspiracy - Richard Hofstader and the paranoid style [CM]

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of how international relations and international security (IR/IS) contributes to the study of politics as a whole.
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of different approaches to the study of IR/IS, including a critical awareness of ideational approaches and the role of ideas in global society.
• Be able to relate scholarly literature theorising IR/IS and actual contemporary political developments including very topical events.
• Be able to make informed comparisons of various strengths and weaknesses of different IR/IS approaches.

Indicative reading list

Paul Williams (ed.). Security Studies: An Introduction (Routledge, 2nd ed 2012)

Subject specific skills

TBC

Transferable skills

Written communication skills
Oral communication skills
Problem-solving skills
Skills in the use of information technology
Skills of interpretation and the critical analysis of primary and secondary sources
Awareness and sensitivity to diversity (in terms of people, cultures) and the ability to understand unfamiliar ideas and ways of thinking
the ability to digest, retain and apply complex information and ideas
Ability to conduct research and reference their work appropriately
Time management skills and the ability to meet deadlines
The ability to reflect critically on the extent and limitations of how and what they have learned, discovered and understood