BA (Hons) International Relations and Politics

This module enables you to understand the world in which we live today. It provides a solid grounding in the study of international affairs through the varying theories that have been developed throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries. Through discussing these theories, we also examine how they have informed the international system and the institutions and practices that operate within it.

In order to understand how the state engages with other actors at the international level it is essential to understand how the state functions. It is driven both by theory and practical examples. In this module you will examine the various political models and how they operate in practice. How does China, for example, operate in the space between authoritarian rule and democracy? Does China's political model offer stability and an example for other states to follow? Can a state lose its democratic identity as well as gain one? These are all the kinds of questions that arise when comparing different political systems, states and societies with each other.

In the first year of your degree you would have examined the different theories that are applied in International Relations, and how they were developed. Whilst you would have touched on how these theories formed and how they disputed each other, this module goes into the controversies in further detail. Structured around the 'Great Debates', this module provides greater insight into the theories that help inform our understanding of the world.

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of a particular topic related to International Relations and Politics, and enables you to develop the necessary research skills for the work place and prepares you for your Level 6 research project module.

This module enables you to explore politics and popular culture as a sub-field that articulates the ways in which politics is understood through popular culture. It demonstrates how theory as a means of making sense of the world impacts upon the everyday. It provides you with an opportunity to take ownership over your learning process through student-led seminars, guided by preceding interactive lectures.

This module deepens students' understanding of Scandinavian history, society, and politics. They engage in key debates, study various political systems, and explore Nordic culture through media and literature. The syllabus covers topics like the Welfare Model, colonialism, modernization, and contemporary political issues, offering a well-rounded perspective on the region's past and present.

Numbers on this module are strictly capped at 5 per institution. Alongside selecting this module in OMS, students wishing to follow this course will also have to make a direct application for consideration to the host institution. That application will take the form of a letter/personal statement outlining their suitability for this role and their commitment to teaching as a profession. This will take place in May/June. Initial shortlisting will be undertaken by the LJMU IRP team taking account of the following criteria: Record of attendance through Level-4 to be at least 75% across semester 2. Academic performance at Level-4: successful applicants will have achieved a minimum overall level mean mark of at least 60%. A clearly articulated appreciation of the nature of teaching and a commitment to this vocation. Where possible, evidence of teaching experience either as a classroom assistant, or equivalent, or teaching observation. All DBS checks will be completed with the host institution.

This module aims to bring together the critical study of terrorism and critical approaches to the study of race and empire. This module will critically examine contemporary counter-terrorism practices and their historical origins in colonial contexts. As such, this module will provide students with the necessary theoretical tools to understand how contemporary discourses on ‘terrorism’ open up wider questions of power, coloniality and empire. Students will further be provided with the tools to apply decolonial approaches to contemporary issues in world politics. In particular, this module will be important for students who are keen on pursuing a career within research, policy-making, NGO work, and organisations concerned with security, development and peace-building, counter-terrorism, and counter-insurgency, as well as race, gender, and decoloniality.

The dissertation is an independent research project. Working under the direct supervision of a research-active member of staff, you will produce an extended piece of original independent research which will draw upon the latest developments in your field and demonstrate your in-depth knowledge. It will further enhance key transferable skills developed from Level 5 such as project management, effective research skills, effective communication, critical analysis and high-level evaluation of data, as well as professional time-management.

The module is based on the Hacking for Defense™ (H4D) programme initially developed at Stanford University (http://hacking4defense.stanford.edu) and is an education initiative sponsored by the U.S. Defense Accelerator, and National Security Innovation Network (NSIN). In the UK, Hacking for Ministry of Defence (H4MoD) is funded by the Ministry of Defence.

This module is designed with the understanding that our extant historical knowledge (which is implicitly Eurocentric) needs to be globalised. It means the non-western world should be better weighted and given due attention rather than seen as a passive receiver of western impacts. It emphasises a lot on the historically situated forces in the making of non-western world of ideas and, more importantly, their connections and complex relationships.

This module provides you with a critical reflection on the application of democracy promotion by successive US governments, and questions whether democracy promotion as employed by the US delivers democracy.

This module will introduce the concept of 'world literature' through a selection of texts from the twentieth to the twenty-first centuries in relation to the rise and expansion of a global modernity. You will examine on-going critical debates around key areas of research in the global humanities: a singular modernity, the politics of translation, the periphery and the world system.

This module provides you with an understanding of the history, nature and operation of international law and the actors and bodies involved in the development and enforcement of international law. It encourages reasoned, critical analysis and debate of contemporary issues within international law, with particular reference to the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security.