Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

Summer School students only, aged 18 and over with IELTS 6.5 or above if taking module for credit

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

-To introduce key empirical and conceptual features of the post-war international order
-To explore competing perspectives on contemporary global transformations
-To study the interplay of domestic and international factors influencing development
-To compare and contrast the political, economic and social features of the 1945-1970 and post 1970s historical periods in world politics

Original Summary:
Are you interested in understanding the politics of contemporary global change? What is the future of globalisation? Does the nation-state have a role in the global political economy? This module looks at the transformations that are taking place in issue areas such as finance, production, culture, development and social movements. It is organised in three sections. The first section is an introduction to theories of international political economy, the second section deals with global transformations and the third section focuses on problems of development.

The first section is an introduction to current theoretical debates in international political economy, in particular, with reference to the role of the state and concepts of power, hegemony and globalisation. The second section examines the origin and current role of contemporary international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF; off-shore banking, and financial de-regulation; multi-national corporations, the new international division of labour; and global culture. The third section explores the causes and consequences of the debt crisis, structural programmes of and alternative paths to development, such as those associated with the new social movements.

Outline Of Syllabus

1.       Introduction: The great globalisation debate
2.       Global Change: Theoretical perspectives
3.       Bretton Woods: The rise and demise of embedded liberalism
4.       Off-shore banking and financial deregulation: The expansion of global finance
5.       Corporate Power and Global Production: The rise of the multinational corporation
6.       Contemporary Patterns of Global production: Global networks
7.       Global trade: Global markets
8.       Globalisation and Culture: Concepts and current debates
9.       Mobile People: Globalisation and migration
10.       Globalisation and the Environment: Problems and responses
11.       Global inequality: Poverty, development and hunger
12.       The Debt Crisis: causes and consequences
13.       Global Governance: Structures, institutions and civil society
14.       The New Social Movements: from local activism to the World Social Forum
15.       Concluding session.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Identify conceptually and empirically key features of the post-war international order.
Critically analyse the competing perspectives on the transformation of international politics.
Outline and critically assess the central aspects of contemporary globalisation.
Develop an understanding of the national and international constraints and opportunities for development.
Demonstrate an awareness of the political, social, and cultural dimensions of change in world politics.

Intended Skill Outcomes

N/A

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures provide basic information and overviews of key relationships between evidence and themes.
Seminars provide opportunities to examine key themes in greater depth through discussion.
Private study will include background reading and preparation for seminar presentations and assessments.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The individual presentation allows the students to explore a particular issue in depth, and further discussion durng the seminars.
The essay allows the student to demonstrate awareness of the political, economic, social and cultural dimensions of change in world politics. The essay alows the implementation of critical analysis of empirical and conceptual features of global change and the critical assessment of competing perspectives on the transformation of the international system.

General Notes

N/A