BA (Hons) International Relations and Politics

This module introduces you to the main theories of international relations (IR): realism, idealism and Marxism. You will critically analyse and assess these approaches and perspectives against real world case studies, and explore the way in which we understand the world according to these theories.

This module examines international history from the 1890s until the post-war period. You will study the European balance of power system, Wilsonian internationalism, the rise of powers such as Japan, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany and the outbreak of the Second World War.

You will continue your studies in international history by exploring the Cold War in Europe and Asia, decolonisation, European integration, the superpower relationship and the rise of China and Japan. You will also study the impact of US foreign policy and the global ‘war on terror’.

This module is an introduction to new forms of governance at the global level. You will study international organisations such as the EU, UN, NATO and a host of others, including the World Bank and the IMF, and assess their role in global politics, as well as their impact on states and individuals.

In this module you will study the British political system, political parties and elections. You will also compare cabinet and presidential government and examine legislatures in detail. This module will also look at the international context, covering British foreign policy, decolonisation, and Britain’s role in Europe and the ‘special relationship’ with the USA.

This is a critical political theory module that covers the most important theories, concepts and thinkers in politics: Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Freud, Schmitt and others. You will develop a critical knowledge of liberalism, power, and the state.

This module continues your exploration of international relations theory and moves on to more radical approaches to questions of war, identity, globalisation and economics, as well as new security challenges. You will develop your skills as theorists and explore new ways of thinking about international relations.

This module prepares you for your dissertation, which is submitted in your third year. It ensures you formulate a viable research question, identify the relevant material you need, develop your research question and structure your dissertation to a high standard. You will be working with your allocated supervisor to develop and hone your dissertation topic.

Central to this module is the study of power, and you will explore the theories of Weber, Marx, Gramsci, Foucault and Althusser, with a focus on the social foundations of political power, political power and the formation of the individual, and political power and the role of organisation and bureaucracy.

This module offers an introduction into the Arab Israeli conflict since the beginning of the 20th century by examining the main events and actors that have helped shape its course. You will also undertake a computer-based simulation where you can decide on issues of war and peace from the perspectives of the Israeli Prime Minister and Palestinian President.

This module introduces you to ‘traditional’ and ‘new’ approaches to defining and conceptualising security. You will study some of the most important issues on the international security agenda such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, resource wars and energy security, the privatisation of warfare, peacekeeping, pandemics and health security, and environmental degradation.

This module explores the relationship between the media and politics in liberal democracies. You will focus on the nature of political media and reporting, the media’s influence on politics, and how political actors use the media. You will also study the rise of the internet and new media technologies and what this means for democracy.

This module explores the claims and evidence about the impact of global media on international politics, particularly on the dynamics of international affairs, power relations among governments, foreign policy-making, conflict, security, diplomacy, development, and civil society.

This module examines a number of sociological and political thinkers and problems fundamental for understanding contemporary forms of rule/domination. You will critically explore modern democracy, bureaucracy and the state. The issues of authority, domination and obedience, liberty and subjection, hegemony, conformity and resistance will be a regular focus of attention.

This module introduces you to the history of the British Labour Party, its ideology, organisation and electoral strategy, while also focusing upon some of the most crucial periods, in particular that of Labour’s early development as well as that of its apparent crisis and transformation.

This module focuses on the impact of globalisation in relation to poverty and development. You will consider the role of the industrialised western states in the global economy, as well as post-colonial states, critically examining North-South relations.

This module explores the place of ethical and moral questions in global politics, covering democracy and human rights, humanitarian intervention, just wars, foreign aid and sanctions, and the problems of international society and realising a universal order. You will engage with critical approaches to these topics and explore normative questions.

Studying political corruption in detail you will explore the dynamics and impact of this problem for western democracies through key theories and case studies.

You will learn about the history of EU enlargements, tracing the expansion of the EU to include more member states. You will also study the key ideas behind enlargement and the concepts that guide it.

Aimed at giving you a taste of EU decision making and negotiation, in this module you are assigned to national, EU institutional and other teams and play your role in a simulated decision making scenario that concludes with a final one-day European Council ‘summit’.

This module examines the rise and fall of the main socialist traditions from their origins in 19 century Britain and France to their global spread in the 20th century. You will study key aspects of the course of socialism in Germany, Britain, Sweden, Russia, and China.

This course introduces you to a number of key social and political thinkers who have sought to understand the singularity of the modern epoch. Some of the topics you will study include liberalism, fascism, and colonialism, using film and other methods. The module is expected to help you identify and critically assess some of the major problems and prospects of modern and contemporary capitalist societies.

Develop your knowledge of political economy in this module, which aims to help develop critical ways of thinking about the contemporary world of work and the political economies of production our post-industrial world.

This module assesses the growing influence of new media technologies (internet, email, mobile phones) on democracy. You will explore questions of censorship, voting, power relations and the effects of new media technologies in society.

In this module, you will assess Islamism comparing it to fundamentalisms in other religions. It includes an examination of Muslim responses to Western modernity, and the development of modern Islamism from the Muslim Brotherhood to al Qaeda, as well as wider questions of the adaptability of Islamism to democratic practices.

Channel M is a terrestrial channel financed by Granada TV and the Manchester Evening News. It broadcasts to 600,000 homes in the Greater Manchester area. In this placement you will take up the role of researcher in production teams led by media students. You will undertake background research for your programme, and learn about television research and production through hands-on practice. You will present, edit and interview as part of your placement, learning valuable organisational skills in the process.

An exciting and unique opportunity to work with a Westminster MP in London. You will put your research and communication skills to work in a challenging setting that places you at the centre of British politics.