Introductory description

This module explores the fundamental principles of politics, international relations, and law. Students will engage with key concepts such as power, democracy, justice, human rights, and the relationship between law and morality. They will also examine how politics and law operate at local, national, and global levels, and how these disciplines intersect. The module helps students develop analytical skills to apply political and legal concepts to real-world cases and debates. By the end of the module, students will be able to explain key political and legal ideas, evaluate their application to global issues, and build a foundation for further study in social sciences.

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.

Unit One: What is Politics and Political Ideologies?
This unit explores democracy, political power and its exercise through voting, interest groups, social movements and protest. What is ideology and the core ideas of liberalism, conservatism and socialism? How have these ideologies changed and developed over time and how are they challenged by new, contemporary ideologies? Emphasis is placed on the contested nature of politics and the ideological foundations of political argument.

Unit Two: What is Law and Justice?
This unit explores the foundations of law, the concept of justice, and how a legal system reflects and responds to the society. Students will also look at how the law evolves with legal conflicts. The unit introduces students to key foundations of constitutional law, human rights and International law.

Unit Three: Political Issues and Law
The unit explores how law and politics intersect in practice. Students investigate cases involving human rights, protest movements, and political activism, and analyse how the legal system responds to public demands and social change. The unit also prepares students by encouraging the application of law to real-world events. Students analyse case studies involving human rights disputes, protest movements, and political activism, evaluating how legal systems respond to social change and public pressure. This unit explores how these legal frameworks define the limits of political power, protect individual freedoms, and regulate relations between states in the global arena.

Unit Four: Global Power and International Relations.
This final unit focuses on the key concepts of sovereignty and globalisation through international relations theories. The central ideas and content include international relations theories realism, liberalism, Marxism and constructivism, and apply them to global political issues such as war, diplomacy, global inequality, and international cooperation. Case studies include the United Nations, climate agreements, or current international conflicts to help students apply knowledge to the real world.

Learning outcomes

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

• Recognise and appraise the key ideological debates within politics and discuss its essentially contested nature as a broad discipline.
• Discuss key theories that explain what laws are and how they influence the rules that develop within a society.
• Explain the propositions of main international relations theories and apply them critically to contemporary global politics.
• Explain how the foundations of legal developments are built from political influences.
• Develop a range of key academic competences of public speaking, research skills, teamwork and the ability to form a coherent argument that is essential for progression to a broad range of social sciences disciplines.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Interdisciplinary

Students will have opportunities to draw on knowledge and skills acquired within the different modules on their pathway.

International

All students are international, representing a wide range of cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds. They bring diverse experiences and perspectives, enriching discussion and supporting the development of intercultural awareness. Examples for analysis and evaluation are drawn from a variety of countries, ensuring that teaching and learning are embedded in an international context.

Subject specific skills

By the end of this module, students will develop major skills relevant to politics and law in:

• Understanding and evaluating key political ideologies and debates
• Analysing core legal concepts such as justice, morality and legal authority
• Applying theories of international relations to global issues
• Exploring the interaction between law, politics and society across local and global contexts
• Exploring how legal systems are shaped by political and social and ethical forces

Transferable skills

By the end of this module, students will learn the following transferable skills for future studies:

• Building academic arguments and debating skills
• Developing independent research and critical thinking abilities
• Working collaboratively and presenting balanced, coherent arguments
• Engaging with complex texts and debates with clarity and confidence
• Preparing effectively for structured assessments