MPA — 2025 entry Public Affairs

The module provides a more advanced understanding of the policy-making process in the EU than Level 4 POL1018. It addresses how the process of EU integration unfolds and how the EU of today works (or fails). It provides an analysis of the theories and methods of how we can understand, explain and possibly expect how this process develops. The module addresses and assesses the potential for further European integration or disintegration. Each week, I will upload a 10mn podcast on the topic of the day. I will then invite you to prepare a reading in advance and we will convene together (two-hour seminar) to examine the topic before the seminar. The lecture will consist of two parts: one virtual and one in-class. The virtual lecture will be uploaded to SurreyLearn in the week before the class sessions – you should watch and make notes, since this will be where the bulk of the substantive knowledge is located. The lecture/zoom element of the lecture will be designed to be more interactive, allowing you to ask questions about the virtual lecture and to situate it within the broader context. The seminars will typically be focused around a particular activity and may require the group to produce a collective output, to be posted on SurreyLearn for the rest of the module’s students to see. However, it is expected that ALL students will bring new materials and ideas to the session, contribute towards the debate and thereby support their fellow-students. Further documents as handouts, summaries, and notes will be uploaded by me to help you through the module. As part of the module, there will be a process of both learning and critical reflection. This will enable students to develop your skills towards how to select and write a literature review and demonstrate their critical thinking towards the academic literature.

This module enables students to gain a solid understanding of key theories of International Political Economy (IPE) such as Mercantilism, Liberalism and Marxism. It strongly emphasises the political, philosophical and ethical aspects of IPE and is therefore more in-line with studies of Political Theory and Philosophy rather than Classical Economics. It therefore builds on a good understanding of International Relations, the links between history and theory and experience with empirical case studies acquired in POL1013. It deepens knowledge in political and social philosophy acquired in POL1014, specifically on questions of liberty, welfare, and justice. The acquired knowledge should be applied in a critical fashion for the analysis of case studies. Multi-national corporations and institutions in the International Trade and Monetary System are introduced as key actors in the international political economic environment. Students will be able to discuss and debate the role of these institutions in the development of, and their behaviour during, crises, with focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Current and future challenges to the status quo of IPE are discussed as well. The acquired knowledge on state and market relations, the focus on non-Western case studies together with presentation and communication skills directly link the module to Level 6 modules POL3090 and POL3072.

In this module students will develop their knowledge and understanding of Political Ideologies, which form a key component of the study of political theory more broadly. The module starts with a brief definition of an inclusive model of ideology, which is the one most commonly adopted in political science. Subsequent lectures deal with a range of major ideological traditions, covering the political spectrum from extreme right to extreme left and taking account of recent developments which overflow traditional left/right borderlines, most notably due to the rise of populism. Specific emphasis is placed on the historical, social, and geographical context of the development of ideologies. Underlying the module is a concern for the condition of modernity, which serves as the backdrop for the genesis of current ideological frameworks. At a meta-level, the module critically assesses whether conditions of modernity still hold or whether these are being replaced by an increasingly reflexive form of modernity, liquid modernity, or even post-modernity. This raises wider questions about the continued applicability of the classic ideologies.  In addition, the module offers insights, feedback, and assessment forms which cumulatively provide students with opportunities to engage in five key areas: employability, global and cultural capabilities, digital capabilities, sustainability, and resourcefulness and resilience.

This module develops students' understanding of international security through a focus on the ways in which international relations is shaped by great powers. By studying how the United States, Russia, and China, define their interests and approach to international order, the module places its emphasis on the practice of international security in a series of flashpoints and crises in which great powers' security relations interact. Students will understand the security implications of resource scarcity and the globalisation of production. The module includes a crisis management exercise in which students are tasked with managing an evolving security crisis in real time.

This module builds on students’ existing knowledge of electoral systems and voting behaviour. It will give students an understanding of the implications of the use of particular electoral systems in different contexts and how people vote. Through the examination of existing theories and analytical frameworks, students will develop their ability to analyse the results of contemporary elections. Students will develop their ability to analyse the results of contemporary elections, the emergence on new political parties, and the contemporary developments in party systems. The module enables students to critically apply key voter’s behaviour theories to contemporary elections and understand strategies through which participation in voting can be encouraged. Together we will examine both parties and voters, and through the analysis of case studies we will examine contemporary debates on voting behavior. The module complements and expands elements of UK politics electoral systems featured in POL1017 (Debates in British Politics) and on theories of voting behaviour such as rational choice which have been discussed in POL1012 (Introduction to Politics). There are no pre-requisites for this module. Students have the opportunity and are asked to carry out independent research.

Following one of the most controversial administrations in recent history, this module situates the Trump presidency in the context of other executives and considers to what extent this period was a major departure for norms and strategy in US foreign policy. It considers recent history, theory and key concepts to reflect on the impact both for US power projection, and on world politics more generally.

In a time of increasing challenges to the core components of representative democracy, this course provides an introduction to populism in theory and practice, employing an increasingly consensual ideational approach to populism. It introduces participants to an extensive conceptual debate, historical and current populist forces, their characteristics, causes and consequences, as well as the often-ambivalent relationship between populism and democracy. This course aims to introduce students to some of the most relevant issues and debates revolving around populism, its causes and consequences. Readings and activities have been carefully selected to deepen students’ knowledge of specific cases. They are also designed to build more general critical thinking and analytical skills that students can use to form their own understanding of the relationship between populism and democracy, as well as present their views in both oral and written formats, developing a global perspective on a topical issue of political culture. To do so, this module addresses the following main issues: concepts of populism (assessment of definitions and presentation of populism as a set of ideas) overview of populism amongst the masses and elites overview of populist forces in Europe, Latin America and the USA causes of populism consequences of populism, and most notably its ambivalent relationship with democracy implications of and responses to populism 

This unit is concerned with understanding the role of political communication in contemporary politics. Arguably parties use the media to influence voters, but the media also has a role in holding (selected) politicians to account. This unit explores the various theoretical perspectives on the role of political communication and the media, before moving on to consider a series of empirical examples. The unit also covers key topics relevant to political communication including the relationship between political parties and the national media; whether it is the role of political broadcasts, televised debates, or the impact of rolling news coverage on the ability of politicians to control the media. It considers how changes in media have offered new opportunities for citizenship and democracy, including agenda setting. It also considers how parties and political organisations have adapted to use these new media. There is a focus on key issues in contemporary politics and case studies will be situated throughout the module. Students will also gain coding and content analysis skills in order to explore how key topical political themes are framed in political communication.   The module complements and expands elements of POL 1012 (Introduction to Politics), particularly structuralist theories of the state. It will also complement knowledge gained of British politics in POL 1017 (Debates in British Politics). The coding and content analysis skills also build on knowledge gained in Approaches to Research (POL 2027); although this module is not a pre-requisite – full training will be given as part of this module. There are no pre-requisites for this module and students have the opportunity to carry out independent research on a media/theme of their choice for the critique assessment.  

The module is concerned with understanding the source, practice, effect and response to terrorism in the modern world.  In particular, the objective is to provide students with a clearer understanding of how and why terrorism exists and how other political actors respond to it.

This module seeks to introduce students to a range of topics relating to the roles of gender structures and sexuality in defining world politics. The module will explore the complex interactions that underpin the relationship between the personal and the international. The module will look at key debates in feminist theorising, in order to show how the concepts of gender and sexuality require scholars to unpack key defining concepts such as “masculinity” and “femininity”. This will allow us to interrogate and critique a number of challenges facing world politics today such as, gender mainstreaming in politics and demographic trends, but also domestic politics and representation, who is representing whom, and how?

This module investigates the relationship between state and market in East and West by discussing views on philosophical ideas of democracy, development and justice. The module will build upon theoretical perspectives, ranging from Marxism to neo-liberalism. The students will analyse the practical policy applications of these theories as they have been manifested through neo-liberal politics, the Welfare State model and particularly the Development State model. Topical case studies will focus on East-Asia. The region allows for a critical discussion of major economic models and how they function as justification for particular regime forms and vice versa. Students will engage in debates over the socio-political consequences of economic and political transformations. It therefore builds on understanding of political and social philosophy on questions of welfare and justice acquired in POL1014 and more fundamentally on skills and knowledge obtained in POL2038 as it will deepen discussions on developmental strategies and state-market relations in political economy.

This cutting-edge final year module introduces students to a range of key debates relating to European and EU security and diplomacy. Students are provided with a series of carefully scaffolded opportunities to engage in contemporary debates on Europe’s ability to operate as a security and foreign policy actor, in national, bilateral and multilateral forms. In addition, the module offers insights, feedback, and assessment forms which cumulatively provide students with opportunities to engage in five key areas: employability, global and cultural capabilities, digital capabilities, sustainability, and resourcefulness and resilience.   European Security and Diplomacy will provide students with in-depth opportunities to consider, analyse, synthesize and critique a wide range of current issues in security and diplomacy in Europe. In doing so, students are presented with first-hand opportunities to engage in a diverse European and international environment, allowing them to compare various political and cultural viewpoints.  Students will develop an understanding of complex issues regarding European actors, institutions, policies, diplomatic and defence structures. In learning about the unique challenges facing European security and diplomacy, students will be provided with key opportunities to develop their capability for sustainable thinking e.g. in tackling governance issues directly connected to the EU’s approach to climate change and sustainability), as well as medium and long-term options for European ‘actorness’ in relation to itself, and others.   Students will be provided with a wide range of opportunities to apply relevant analytical, synthesis-based and critical thinking skills in in this module. The forms of assessment will further require students to invest in both independent and team-based work, strengthening their resourcefulness as young scholars, and deepening their forms of resilience in managing challenges.   Give the wide range of conceptual, documentary, case-based and speech-related materials comprising this area, students will develop a range of research skills in tackling both classic and fast-moving contemporary political issues using a range of primary/secondary sources, including digital portals and repositories. This in turn will underwrite enhanced digital capabilities.  Lastly, the sum total of various in-classroom skills, including developing debating and argumentation skills, alongside the range of soft skills connected to global awareness, digital capabilities, sustainability plus resourcefulness and resilience will cumulatively enable POL3087 students to augment their overall employability.

This course provides an opportunity to students taking all pathways to explore key topics in political science, such as: What is 'activism' in the age of social media; Who are the activists today; What are the motivations behind political activism; How do different organizational vehicles (parties, movements, NGOs, pressure groups) contribute to the functioning of democracy.   The module links well to modules at Level 5 (such as POL2029 and POL2047) and at Level 6 (such as POL3081, POL3082, POL3088, POL3089).

The purpose of this module is to connect theories of democratisation with their application to specific regions, namely Central and Eastern Europe, but also beyond, looking at the post-Soviet space to understand the impact of EU Enlargement, demand and support for democracy in post-Communist Europe, and develop a wider knowledge of countries within this geographical space

Since the US anti-Vietnam War movement, philosophical interest in armed conflict has increased considerably. Beginning with Michael Walzer's classic Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations (1977), this module looks at key thinkers, themes, and ideas from contemporary just war theory and the ethics of armed conflict, mostly from within the analytical tradition of philosophy. Topics include the paradigm of self-defense and its critics, the moral status of combatants, the normative sources (and limits) of non-combatant immunity, the moral nature of terrorism, as well as the problem of intervention. The module concludes by examining more recent ethical challenges posed by remote-warfare, cyber warfare, and the prospect of robotic weapons. In studying these topics, students will not only gain a sound understanding of contemporary just war theory; they will also be introduced to key ideas and concepts from contemporary ethical and political theory. Finally, students will be able to apply the more abstract philosophical material discussed on the module to real-life events via an assessed Ethics Case Study

The module will examine, from a historical and practice-based perspective, international intervention in response humanitarian crisis, abuses of human rights, state failure, and armed conflict. Students will engage the historical cases of international intervention, to understand why, when, and how intervention talks place in practice. A UN Security Council simulation provides students with the experience of negotiating a resolution for intervention in the context of an evolving humanitarian crisis. Students also benefit from experienced practitioner engagement and a career-focused session.

This module is concerned with understanding the role of leadership in the contemporary political environment. Much attention tends to be absorbed in observing institutional factors driving change, such as parties, parliaments and demography. However, this module establishes leadership as a vital factor in politics. This unit explores the various theoretical perspectives on the role of political leadership, including charisma and psychological approaches. It uses a range of examples to illustrate key dimensions of leadership and considers to what extend the requirement of political leadership have changed in response to the contemporary political environment. By examining leadership from a gender and dyadic perspective, the module also considers whether some nations have an issue in the accessibility of (and therefore representation by) leaders. It also examines key issues political leaders face; from exploring how they cope with conflict to how they keep their hands 'clean' of corruption. It also considers ways in which we can quantify how successful a leader is. There is a focus on key issues in contemporary political events and case studies will be situated throughout the module.

This module is concerned with understanding the role of political communication in contemporary politics. Arguably parties use the media to influence voters, but the media also has a role in holding (selected) politicians to account. This unit explores the various theoretical perspectives on the role of political communication and the media, before moving on to consider a series of empirical examples. The unit also covers key topics relevant to political communication including the relationship between political parties and the national media; whether it is the role of political broadcasts, televised debates, or the impact of rolling news coverage on the ability of politicians to control the media. It considers how changes in media have offered new opportunities for citizenship and democracy, including agenda setting. It also explores how parties and political organisations have adapted advertising strategies to use these new media. There is a focus on key issues in contemporary political events and case studies will be situated throughout the module. Students will also gain coding and content analysis skills in order to explore how key topical political themes are framed in political communication.

This module introduces students to one of the sub-disciplines of International Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis and explore the world of public diplomacy. Studying a variety of actors in world politics, students will be encouraged to apply the insights of Foreign Policy Analysis to improve their understanding of contemporary international relations and public diplomacy issues.

The module expands and develops upon the key issues in international security and defence. Beginning by providing a background to the study of security and defence, the module introduces theoretical perspectives into contemporary themes in security and defence, as well as their inter-relation. The module also examines various security and defence actors ranging from international, regional and sub-regional organisations to NGOs and private military companies. Through readings from diverse scholarly and cultural backgrounds, individual and group work, and in-class simulations, students actively and critically engage with issues including, but not limited to, humanitarian intervention, nuclear deterrence, the role of gender in conflict, and African peace and security architecture.

The module provides an opportunity for students to apply their understanding of key theories and debates in International Political Economy (IPE) to current developments and case studies. Students will be able to discuss and debate the role of the main IPE institutions. Current and future challenges to the status quo of IPE are discussed as well.

The module offers an introduction to the major theoretical and empirical debates that structure two subdisciplines: Critical Security Studies and Critical Terrorism Studies. In the first half, the module is organised around core questions in Critical Security Studies, such as: what is security; security for whom of for what; security from whom or from what; how should security be achieved; and is security possible? In the second half, the module is organised around similar core questions in Critical Terrorism Studies.  

The module examines armed conflict, civil war in particular, and international peacebuilding interventions. It draws on the multidisciplinary literature in Conflict and Peace Studies. Throughout the course students will become familiar with key actors, policies and institutions involved in conflict and post-conflict environments.

Since the US anti-Vietnam War movement, philosophical interest in armed conflict has increased considerably. Beginning with Michael Walzer's classic Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations (1977), this module looks at key thinkers, themes, and ideas from contemporary just war theory and the ethics of armed conflict, mostly from within the analytical tradition of philosophy. Topics include the paradigm of self-defense and its critics, the moral status of combatants, the normative sources (and limits) of non-combatant immunity, the moral nature of terrorism, as well as the problem of intervention. The module concludes by examining more recent ethical challenges posed by remote-warfare, cyber warfare, and the prospect of robotic weapons. In studying these topics, students will not only gain a sound understanding of contemporary just war theory; they will also be introduced to key ideas and concepts from contemporary ethical and political theory. Finally, students will be able to apply the more abstract philosophical material discussed on the module to real-life events via an assessed Ethics Case Study.

The module provides a more advanced understanding of the policy-making process in the EU than Level 4 POL1018. It addresses how the process of EU integration unfolds and how the EU of today works (or fails). It provides an analysis of the theories and methods of how we can understand, explain and possibly expect how this process develops. The module addresses and assesses the potential for further European integration or disintegration. Each week, I will upload a 10mn podcast on the topic of the day. I will then invite you to prepare a reading in advance and we will convene together (two-hour seminar) to examine the topic before the seminar. The lecture will consist of two parts: one virtual and one in-class. The virtual lecture will be uploaded to SurreyLearn in the week before the class sessions – you should watch and make notes, since this will be where the bulk of the substantive knowledge is located. The lecture/zoom element of the lecture will be designed to be more interactive, allowing you to ask questions about the virtual lecture and to situate it within the broader context. The seminars will typically be focused around a particular activity and may require the group to produce a collective output, to be posted on SurreyLearn for the rest of the module’s students to see. However, it is expected that ALL students will bring new materials and ideas to the session, contribute towards the debate and thereby support their fellow-students. Further documents as handouts, summaries, and notes will be uploaded by me to help you through the module. As part of the module, there will be a process of both learning and critical reflection. This will enable students to develop your skills towards how to select and write a literature review and demonstrate their critical thinking towards the academic literature.

This module enables students to gain a solid understanding of key theories of International Political Economy (IPE) such as Mercantilism, Liberalism and Marxism. It strongly emphasises the political, philosophical and ethical aspects of IPE and is therefore more in-line with studies of Political Theory and Philosophy rather than Classical Economics. It therefore builds on a good understanding of International Relations, the links between history and theory and experience with empirical case studies acquired in POL1013. It deepens knowledge in political and social philosophy acquired in POL1014, specifically on questions of liberty, welfare, and justice. The acquired knowledge should be applied in a critical fashion for the analysis of case studies. Multi-national corporations and institutions in the International Trade and Monetary System are introduced as key actors in the international political economic environment. Students will be able to discuss and debate the role of these institutions in the development of, and their behaviour during, crises, with focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Current and future challenges to the status quo of IPE are discussed as well. The acquired knowledge on state and market relations, the focus on non-Western case studies together with presentation and communication skills directly link the module to Level 6 modules POL3090 and POL3072.

In this module students will develop their knowledge and understanding of Political Ideologies, which form a key component of the study of political theory more broadly. The module starts with a brief definition of an inclusive model of ideology, which is the one most commonly adopted in political science. Subsequent lectures deal with a range of major ideological traditions, covering the political spectrum from extreme right to extreme left and taking account of recent developments which overflow traditional left/right borderlines, most notably due to the rise of populism. Specific emphasis is placed on the historical, social, and geographical context of the development of ideologies. Underlying the module is a concern for the condition of modernity, which serves as the backdrop for the genesis of current ideological frameworks. At a meta-level, the module critically assesses whether conditions of modernity still hold or whether these are being replaced by an increasingly reflexive form of modernity, liquid modernity, or even post-modernity. This raises wider questions about the continued applicability of the classic ideologies.  In addition, the module offers insights, feedback, and assessment forms which cumulatively provide students with opportunities to engage in five key areas: employability, global and cultural capabilities, digital capabilities, sustainability, and resourcefulness and resilience.

This module develops students' understanding of international security through a focus on the ways in which international relations is shaped by great powers. By studying how the United States, Russia, and China, define their interests and approach to international order, the module places its emphasis on the practice of international security in a series of flashpoints and crises in which great powers' security relations interact. Students will understand the security implications of resource scarcity and the globalisation of production. The module includes a crisis management exercise in which students are tasked with managing an evolving security crisis in real time.

This module builds on students’ existing knowledge of electoral systems and voting behaviour. It will give students an understanding of the implications of the use of particular electoral systems in different contexts and how people vote. Through the examination of existing theories and analytical frameworks, students will develop their ability to analyse the results of contemporary elections. Students will develop their ability to analyse the results of contemporary elections, the emergence on new political parties, and the contemporary developments in party systems. The module enables students to critically apply key voter’s behaviour theories to contemporary elections and understand strategies through which participation in voting can be encouraged. Together we will examine both parties and voters, and through the analysis of case studies we will examine contemporary debates on voting behavior. The module complements and expands elements of UK politics electoral systems featured in POL1017 (Debates in British Politics) and on theories of voting behaviour such as rational choice which have been discussed in POL1012 (Introduction to Politics). There are no pre-requisites for this module. Students have the opportunity and are asked to carry out independent research.

Following one of the most controversial administrations in recent history, this module situates the Trump presidency in the context of other executives and considers to what extent this period was a major departure for norms and strategy in US foreign policy. It considers recent history, theory and key concepts to reflect on the impact both for US power projection, and on world politics more generally.

In a time of increasing challenges to the core components of representative democracy, this course provides an introduction to populism in theory and practice, employing an increasingly consensual ideational approach to populism. It introduces participants to an extensive conceptual debate, historical and current populist forces, their characteristics, causes and consequences, as well as the often-ambivalent relationship between populism and democracy. This course aims to introduce students to some of the most relevant issues and debates revolving around populism, its causes and consequences. Readings and activities have been carefully selected to deepen students’ knowledge of specific cases. They are also designed to build more general critical thinking and analytical skills that students can use to form their own understanding of the relationship between populism and democracy, as well as present their views in both oral and written formats, developing a global perspective on a topical issue of political culture. To do so, this module addresses the following main issues: concepts of populism (assessment of definitions and presentation of populism as a set of ideas) overview of populism amongst the masses and elites overview of populist forces in Europe, Latin America and the USA causes of populism consequences of populism, and most notably its ambivalent relationship with democracy implications of and responses to populism 

This unit is concerned with understanding the role of political communication in contemporary politics. Arguably parties use the media to influence voters, but the media also has a role in holding (selected) politicians to account. This unit explores the various theoretical perspectives on the role of political communication and the media, before moving on to consider a series of empirical examples. The unit also covers key topics relevant to political communication including the relationship between political parties and the national media; whether it is the role of political broadcasts, televised debates, or the impact of rolling news coverage on the ability of politicians to control the media. It considers how changes in media have offered new opportunities for citizenship and democracy, including agenda setting. It also considers how parties and political organisations have adapted to use these new media. There is a focus on key issues in contemporary politics and case studies will be situated throughout the module. Students will also gain coding and content analysis skills in order to explore how key topical political themes are framed in political communication.   The module complements and expands elements of POL 1012 (Introduction to Politics), particularly structuralist theories of the state. It will also complement knowledge gained of British politics in POL 1017 (Debates in British Politics). The coding and content analysis skills also build on knowledge gained in Approaches to Research (POL 2027); although this module is not a pre-requisite – full training will be given as part of this module. There are no pre-requisites for this module and students have the opportunity to carry out independent research on a media/theme of their choice for the critique assessment.  

The module is concerned with understanding the source, practice, effect and response to terrorism in the modern world.  In particular, the objective is to provide students with a clearer understanding of how and why terrorism exists and how other political actors respond to it.

This module seeks to introduce students to a range of topics relating to the roles of gender structures and sexuality in defining world politics. The module will explore the complex interactions that underpin the relationship between the personal and the international. The module will look at key debates in feminist theorising, in order to show how the concepts of gender and sexuality require scholars to unpack key defining concepts such as “masculinity” and “femininity”. This will allow us to interrogate and critique a number of challenges facing world politics today such as, gender mainstreaming in politics and demographic trends, but also domestic politics and representation, who is representing whom, and how?

This module investigates the relationship between state and market in East and West by discussing views on philosophical ideas of democracy, development and justice. The module will build upon theoretical perspectives, ranging from Marxism to neo-liberalism. The students will analyse the practical policy applications of these theories as they have been manifested through neo-liberal politics, the Welfare State model and particularly the Development State model. Topical case studies will focus on East-Asia. The region allows for a critical discussion of major economic models and how they function as justification for particular regime forms and vice versa. Students will engage in debates over the socio-political consequences of economic and political transformations. It therefore builds on understanding of political and social philosophy on questions of welfare and justice acquired in POL1014 and more fundamentally on skills and knowledge obtained in POL2038 as it will deepen discussions on developmental strategies and state-market relations in political economy.

This cutting-edge final year module introduces students to a range of key debates relating to European and EU security and diplomacy. Students are provided with a series of carefully scaffolded opportunities to engage in contemporary debates on Europe’s ability to operate as a security and foreign policy actor, in national, bilateral and multilateral forms. In addition, the module offers insights, feedback, and assessment forms which cumulatively provide students with opportunities to engage in five key areas: employability, global and cultural capabilities, digital capabilities, sustainability, and resourcefulness and resilience.   European Security and Diplomacy will provide students with in-depth opportunities to consider, analyse, synthesize and critique a wide range of current issues in security and diplomacy in Europe. In doing so, students are presented with first-hand opportunities to engage in a diverse European and international environment, allowing them to compare various political and cultural viewpoints.  Students will develop an understanding of complex issues regarding European actors, institutions, policies, diplomatic and defence structures. In learning about the unique challenges facing European security and diplomacy, students will be provided with key opportunities to develop their capability for sustainable thinking e.g. in tackling governance issues directly connected to the EU’s approach to climate change and sustainability), as well as medium and long-term options for European ‘actorness’ in relation to itself, and others.   Students will be provided with a wide range of opportunities to apply relevant analytical, synthesis-based and critical thinking skills in in this module. The forms of assessment will further require students to invest in both independent and team-based work, strengthening their resourcefulness as young scholars, and deepening their forms of resilience in managing challenges.   Give the wide range of conceptual, documentary, case-based and speech-related materials comprising this area, students will develop a range of research skills in tackling both classic and fast-moving contemporary political issues using a range of primary/secondary sources, including digital portals and repositories. This in turn will underwrite enhanced digital capabilities.  Lastly, the sum total of various in-classroom skills, including developing debating and argumentation skills, alongside the range of soft skills connected to global awareness, digital capabilities, sustainability plus resourcefulness and resilience will cumulatively enable POL3087 students to augment their overall employability.

This course provides an opportunity to students taking all pathways to explore key topics in political science, such as: What is 'activism' in the age of social media; Who are the activists today; What are the motivations behind political activism; How do different organizational vehicles (parties, movements, NGOs, pressure groups) contribute to the functioning of democracy.   The module links well to modules at Level 5 (such as POL2029 and POL2047) and at Level 6 (such as POL3081, POL3082, POL3088, POL3089).

The purpose of this module is to connect theories of democratisation with their application to specific regions, namely Central and Eastern Europe, but also beyond, looking at the post-Soviet space to understand the impact of EU Enlargement, demand and support for democracy in post-Communist Europe, and develop a wider knowledge of countries within this geographical space

Since the US anti-Vietnam War movement, philosophical interest in armed conflict has increased considerably. Beginning with Michael Walzer's classic Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations (1977), this module looks at key thinkers, themes, and ideas from contemporary just war theory and the ethics of armed conflict, mostly from within the analytical tradition of philosophy. Topics include the paradigm of self-defense and its critics, the moral status of combatants, the normative sources (and limits) of non-combatant immunity, the moral nature of terrorism, as well as the problem of intervention. The module concludes by examining more recent ethical challenges posed by remote-warfare, cyber warfare, and the prospect of robotic weapons. In studying these topics, students will not only gain a sound understanding of contemporary just war theory; they will also be introduced to key ideas and concepts from contemporary ethical and political theory. Finally, students will be able to apply the more abstract philosophical material discussed on the module to real-life events via an assessed Ethics Case Study

The module will examine, from a historical and practice-based perspective, international intervention in response humanitarian crisis, abuses of human rights, state failure, and armed conflict. Students will engage the historical cases of international intervention, to understand why, when, and how intervention talks place in practice. A UN Security Council simulation provides students with the experience of negotiating a resolution for intervention in the context of an evolving humanitarian crisis. Students also benefit from experienced practitioner engagement and a career-focused session.

This module is concerned with understanding the role of leadership in the contemporary political environment. Much attention tends to be absorbed in observing institutional factors driving change, such as parties, parliaments and demography. However, this module establishes leadership as a vital factor in politics. This unit explores the various theoretical perspectives on the role of political leadership, including charisma and psychological approaches. It uses a range of examples to illustrate key dimensions of leadership and considers to what extend the requirement of political leadership have changed in response to the contemporary political environment. By examining leadership from a gender and dyadic perspective, the module also considers whether some nations have an issue in the accessibility of (and therefore representation by) leaders. It also examines key issues political leaders face; from exploring how they cope with conflict to how they keep their hands 'clean' of corruption. It also considers ways in which we can quantify how successful a leader is. There is a focus on key issues in contemporary political events and case studies will be situated throughout the module.

This module is concerned with understanding the role of political communication in contemporary politics. Arguably parties use the media to influence voters, but the media also has a role in holding (selected) politicians to account. This unit explores the various theoretical perspectives on the role of political communication and the media, before moving on to consider a series of empirical examples. The unit also covers key topics relevant to political communication including the relationship between political parties and the national media; whether it is the role of political broadcasts, televised debates, or the impact of rolling news coverage on the ability of politicians to control the media. It considers how changes in media have offered new opportunities for citizenship and democracy, including agenda setting. It also explores how parties and political organisations have adapted advertising strategies to use these new media. There is a focus on key issues in contemporary political events and case studies will be situated throughout the module. Students will also gain coding and content analysis skills in order to explore how key topical political themes are framed in political communication.

This module introduces students to one of the sub-disciplines of International Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis and explore the world of public diplomacy. Studying a variety of actors in world politics, students will be encouraged to apply the insights of Foreign Policy Analysis to improve their understanding of contemporary international relations and public diplomacy issues.

The module expands and develops upon the key issues in international security and defence. Beginning by providing a background to the study of security and defence, the module introduces theoretical perspectives into contemporary themes in security and defence, as well as their inter-relation. The module also examines various security and defence actors ranging from international, regional and sub-regional organisations to NGOs and private military companies. Through readings from diverse scholarly and cultural backgrounds, individual and group work, and in-class simulations, students actively and critically engage with issues including, but not limited to, humanitarian intervention, nuclear deterrence, the role of gender in conflict, and African peace and security architecture.

The module provides an opportunity for students to apply their understanding of key theories and debates in International Political Economy (IPE) to current developments and case studies. Students will be able to discuss and debate the role of the main IPE institutions. Current and future challenges to the status quo of IPE are discussed as well.

The module offers an introduction to the major theoretical and empirical debates that structure two subdisciplines: Critical Security Studies and Critical Terrorism Studies. In the first half, the module is organised around core questions in Critical Security Studies, such as: what is security; security for whom of for what; security from whom or from what; how should security be achieved; and is security possible? In the second half, the module is organised around similar core questions in Critical Terrorism Studies.  

The module examines armed conflict, civil war in particular, and international peacebuilding interventions. It draws on the multidisciplinary literature in Conflict and Peace Studies. Throughout the course students will become familiar with key actors, policies and institutions involved in conflict and post-conflict environments.

Since the US anti-Vietnam War movement, philosophical interest in armed conflict has increased considerably. Beginning with Michael Walzer's classic Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations (1977), this module looks at key thinkers, themes, and ideas from contemporary just war theory and the ethics of armed conflict, mostly from within the analytical tradition of philosophy. Topics include the paradigm of self-defense and its critics, the moral status of combatants, the normative sources (and limits) of non-combatant immunity, the moral nature of terrorism, as well as the problem of intervention. The module concludes by examining more recent ethical challenges posed by remote-warfare, cyber warfare, and the prospect of robotic weapons. In studying these topics, students will not only gain a sound understanding of contemporary just war theory; they will also be introduced to key ideas and concepts from contemporary ethical and political theory. Finally, students will be able to apply the more abstract philosophical material discussed on the module to real-life events via an assessed Ethics Case Study.