POL1046 : Order and Disorder: The Shaping of the 21st Century
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Dr Megan Armstrong
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
• To introduce students to key political ideas, movements, and events which have contributed to the shaping of the 21st century
• To introduce debates over the differing interpretations of political history
• To deepen and broaden students’ awareness of historical context
• To equip students with factual and conceptual knowledge which will promote their ongoing study of contemporary politics
Outline Of Syllabus
Will the 21st century witness a ‘clash of civilizations’? Or is history leading towards ever increasing forms of liberal democracy? Structured around the concepts of order and disorder in the international system, this module introduces students to key ideas and events of 20th century history. It focuses on those events which have led to the most dramatic changes in politics at the national and international levels and which have helped to shape the 21st century. The module provides a solid foundation for future studies in Politics and reinforces an element of progression in the programme. The module goes beyond merely discussing history by focusing on the relevance of historical events and their interpretations for contemporary politics. By presenting the material in an engaging fashion, the module seeks to enhance student motivation and encourage them to expand their knowledge of historical context through independent study.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | PIP lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 140:00 | 140:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 9 | 1:00 | 9:00 | Pre-recorded lecture materials |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 9 | 3:00 | 27:00 | Guided questions/tasks based on readings. Preparation for seminars in small study groups. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | PIP seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | Assessment surgeries for assessment preparation |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will provide students with an introduction to key ideas, movements and events, which have helped shape the 21st century. The lectures are delivered in two formats - an online asynchronous lecture that introduces students to key concepts and historical information, and an in-person lecture. The use of online lectures allows students to engage with and process key theories and concepts before attending the in person lecture, and at their own pace.
There will be no pre-recorded lecture for the first week of teaching, as students are not yet familiar with the Canvas system. There will also be no pre-recorded lecture for the final week of teaching, and instead there will be an assessment surgery. This is to support focus on engagement with the VLE, and the assessments.
Seminars will allow students to follow up these ideas and issues by asking questions and debating amongst themselves; students will be guided through preparation for seminars through both questions and tasks to help them get maximum benefit from the readings, and through working together in small study groups. They provide the context for students to articulate their knowledge and understanding and to help them prepare for written assessment. The weekly feedback hour will allow students to ask questions and get guidance from the module leader.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 1 | A | 60 | N/A |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 1 | M | 40 | 2 x 500 word annotated bibliographies |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Portfolio: Students will be asked to submit 2 annotated bibliographies. Each annotated bibliography will be focused on one of the weekly conceptual themes, and will include 5 academic sources related to the topic, and 100 words for each of the sources summarising the key arguments of each source and explaining why they find this source useful.
This encourages students to start thinking about how to find relevant sources and to critically evaluate academic sources.
Exam: Exam will ask students to answer questions that require them to make an argument that synthesises a range of ideas and concepts introduced throughout the module.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- POL1046's Timetable