麻豆女优

• Class code: L2107
• Level: 1
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: lectures, seminars, tutorials

Class descriptor

This class provides an introduction to the study of politics from a scientific perspective. In particular, the course covers how modern states around the world function and interact from a social science perspective. The course will cover the basic concepts that characterise the essence of political life within and across countries and use these concepts to explore arguments and theories on the functioning of human behaviour. We will cover key concepts, ranging from the meaning of democracy and authoritarianism, to structures and institutions – including elections and governments – essential to understanding modern politics. Students will leave the class with the basic tools, concepts and approaches to interpret the political events as a political scientist and the background information to succeed in your journey through political science topics at the University of 麻豆女优.

• Class code: L2101
• Level: 2
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Practical

Class descriptor

The objective of this class is to introduce students to the academic study of International Relations (IR) and its major subfields. The class begins by examining the discipline’s foundations, both theoretical and historical, in order to give students a basic but firm grounding in IR. The second part of the course then moves on to Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA). In this part of the course, students will acquire the basic theoretical building blocks employed in the explanation of interstate interactions and policy outcomes. The third part of the course moves on to consider one of IR’s enduring questions, namely the causes of war and the causes of peace. Building on parts one and two, students will acquire working knowledge of the major theories of and approaches to International Security (IS). The course’s fourth part touches upon International Political Economy (IPE). It introduces students to the workings and major theories of the global economy. The fifth and final section prompts students to reflect on contemporary challenges in international relations.

• Class code: L2235
• Level: 2
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Class descriptor

This course provides an introduction to fundamental political concepts, such as justice, democracy, power, authority, liberty and equality. It considers the relationship between the normative evaluation of political systems and how we study them. Students also become familiar with the basic ideologies necessary to understand political debate.

• Class code: L2307
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

This course is designed for students who are enthusiastic for learning about Chinese politics and society. This course will provide a comprehensive overview of Chinese politics since 1949. The fundamental goal of the course is to help students lay their theoretical and empirical foundations for their 3 in-depth understanding of the fundamental rules, prominent players, and major issues in contemporary Chinese politics. To achieve this goal, this course contextualizes Chinese politics within the study of comparative politics, historical inheritance, and contemporary Chinese society. It will give students grounding in the dynamic evolution of the Chinese state and Chinese nationalism, China’s self-identified problems of weakness and underdevelopment, and the difficult political choices faced by political elites. Furthermore, the course will analyse how the country’s Communist legacy offers both opportunities and constraints for the present politics of China. The case of Taiwan is also included as a comparison.

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2308
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

The class provides a comprehensive overview of European politics, identifying the common characteristics of politics and government across the continent, but also the distinguishing features that make individual countries different. After a general introduction to the cultural and constitutional context, different electoral systems and their effects are analysed. This is followed by a section focusing on the emergence and evolution of parties and party systems. Particular attention is given to the emergence of green politics and the rise of the far right. The class combines thematic topics with studies of politics in particular countries. The political systems of France, Germany, Italy, and Poland are examined in detail but also politics in Scandinavia and Southern Europe is covered. A special lecture focuses on the politics of austerity in Greece which has major implications for politics across Europe.

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2309
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

This class introduces students to the basic concepts and theories related to the study of constitutional rules, political institutions, elites, citizens, and making of public policy in the United States. The class will conclude with consideration of the quality of and consolidation of democracy in the United States.

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2340
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Class descriptor

This class provides an overview of how Britain is governed and examines various concepts and theories that have been advanced to aid understanding of governance processes in Britain. The course will consider how the British political system has been challenged by and has adapted to globalisation, decentralisation and Brexit. After providing some contextual and institutional background, we will look at the institutions of the British political system; policymaking; the constitution; patterns of representation and political behaviour as well as contemporary developments.

• Class code: L2345
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Class descriptor

This class introduces students to the literature on elections, political parties, and public opinion. Outlines the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the democratic process from a comparative perspective. Contributes to an understanding of democratic, policymaking and governance processes across different political systems. Students will gain an understanding of how political parties operate, which influences elections, and the role of public opinion in the above. This class aims to contextualise the classic works in the field, which will allow the students to apply these works to more specialized classes and topics in the future. The class aims to outline the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the three broad class topics. This class aims to contribute to an understanding of democratic, policymaking and governance processes across different political systems

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2346
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Class descriptor

This class introduce students to the literature on public policy and political economy. Outlines the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the crafting of public policy. Outline the key institutions, actors, and activities involved with political economy -- both comparative and international. 4 Contributes to an understanding of public policy and its effect, development of economic activities and cooperation, both within and across different political systems. Students will gain an understanding of how public policy develops within states along with how economic policy and outcomes are created and impacted both within and across states. This class aims to contextualise the classic works in the field, which will allow the students to apply these works to more specialized classes and topics in the future. The class aims to outline the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the two broad class topics. This class aims to contribute to an understanding of public policy and its effect, development of economic activities and cooperation, both within and across different political systems

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2349
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Practical

Class descriptor

This class introduces students to the literature on international relations (broadly defined). Outlines the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the relationships between states, both cooperative and conflictual. Contributes to an understanding of democratic, policymaking and governance processes across different political systems and how that impacts interstate relations. Students will gain an understanding of the theories and findings upon how international relations operates. This class aims to contextualise the classic works in the field, which will allow the students to apply these works to more specialized classes and topics in the future. The class aims to outline the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the broad class topics, which includes war, peace, economics, critical theory, empirical theory. This class aims to contribute to an understanding of democratic, policymaking and governance processes across different political systems

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2444
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

This course is designed for students who are enthusiastic for learning about Chinese politics and society. This course will provide a comprehensive overview of Chinese politics since 1949. The fundamental goal of the course is to help students lay their theoretical and empirical foundations for their 3 in-depth understanding of the fundamental rules, prominent players, and major issues in contemporary Chinese politics. To achieve this goal, this course contextualizes Chinese politics within the study of comparative politics, historical inheritance, and contemporary Chinese society. It will give students grounding in the dynamic evolution of the Chinese state and Chinese nationalism, China’s self-identified problems of weakness and underdevelopment, and the difficult political choices faced by political elites. Furthermore, the course will analyse how the country’s Communist legacy offers both opportunities and constraints for the present politics of China. The case of Taiwan is also included as a comparison.

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2438
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

The class provides a comprehensive overview of European politics, identifying the common characteristics of politics and government across the continent, but also the distinguishing features that make individual countries different. After a general introduction to the cultural and constitutional context, different electoral systems and their effects are analysed. This is followed by a section focusing on the emergence and evolution of parties and party systems. Particular attention is given to the emergence of green politics and the rise of the far right. The class combines thematic topics with studies of politics in particular countries. The political systems of France, Germany, Italy, and Poland are examined in detail but also politics in Scandinavia and Southern Europe is covered. A special lecture focuses on the politics of austerity in Greece which has major implications for politics across Europe.

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2439
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

This class introduces students to the basic concepts and theories related to the study of constitutional rules, political institutions, elites, citizens, and making of public policy in the United States. The class will conclude with consideration of the quality of and consolidation of democracy in the United States.

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2447
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Class descriptor

This class introduces students to the literature on elections, political parties, and public opinion. Outlines the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the democratic process from a comparative perspective. Contributes to an understanding of democratic, policymaking and governance processes across different political systems. Students will gain an understanding of how political parties operate, which influences elections, and the role of public opinion in the above. This class aims to contextualise the classic works in the field, which will allow the students to apply these works to more specialized classes and topics in the future. The class aims to outline the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the three broad class topics. This class aims to contribute to an understanding of democratic, policymaking and governance processes across different political systems

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2446
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Class descriptor

This class introduce students to the literature on public policy and political economy. Outlines the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the crafting of public policy. Outline the key institutions, actors, and activities involved with political economy -- both comparative and international. 4 Contributes to an understanding of public policy and its effect, development of economic activities and cooperation, both within and across different political systems. Students will gain an understanding of how public policy develops within states along with how economic policy and outcomes are created and impacted both within and across states. This class aims to contextualise the classic works in the field, which will allow the students to apply these works to more specialized classes and topics in the future. The class aims to outline the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the two broad class topics. This class aims to contribute to an understanding of public policy and its effect, development of economic activities and cooperation, both within and across different political systems

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2448
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Practical

Class descriptor

This class introduces students to the literature on international relations (broadly defined). Outlines the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the relationships between states, both cooperative and conflictual. Contributes to an understanding of democratic, policymaking and governance processes across different political systems and how that impacts interstate relations. Students will gain an understanding of the theories and findings upon how international relations operates. This class aims to contextualise the classic works in the field, which will allow the students to apply these works to more specialized classes and topics in the future. The class aims to outline the key institutions, actors, and activities involved in the broad class topics, which includes war, peace, economics, critical theory, empirical theory. This class aims to contribute to an understanding of democratic, policymaking and governance processes across different political systems

Additional info: This class can be taken both in third and fourth year under different class codes, it is the exact same class and should not be taken twice

• Class code: L2406
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

This course examines the theory and practice of democratic government through the lens of the worldwide movement away from authoritarian and toward democratic government that took place in the last 25 years of the 20th century, and the problem of democratic backsliding that confronts us in the 21st century. We focus on the following questions. What is democracy and how best can we measure it? By what sequence and process have countries become democratic? How can countries maintain democracy? What are the consequences of democracy? And what is the most likely future of democracy across the globe?

• Class code: L2406
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: Because many of the theories and 5 concepts developed in this course are tested in an applied setting in the new Honours Politics course, L2433 Can Democracy Deliver?, students should consider taking the courses in parallel.
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

This course examines the theory and practice of democratic government through the lens of the worldwide movement away from authoritarian and toward democratic government that took place in the last 25 years of the 20th century, and the problem of democratic backsliding that confronts us in the 21st century. We focus on the following questions. What is democracy and how best can we measure it? By what sequence and process have countries become democratic? How can countries maintain democracy? What are the consequences of democracy? And what is the most likely future of democracy across the globe?

• Class code: L2410
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

Political parties structure conflict and decision-making in modern representative democracy. As a consequence, the study of party politics is one of the most exciting fields in political science. In this class, we’ll explore the roles parties play in advanced industrial democracies with a focus on their formation, growth, and strategies using a broad, comparative approach. The readings and discussion will challenge you to consider why parties exist, how their roles differ within party and electoral systems across countries, and the ways in which parties structure citizen and elites’ decision-making. We will further examine the concept of party government through government formation in multi-party systems and to what extent they matter for policy-making.

• Class code: L2426
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: Previous completion of the following classes is strongly recommended: L2201 International Relations and Global Politics.
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

The purpose of this class is to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the concepts and theoretical approaches central to understanding and analysing conflict and international security issues. The topic of this class includes interstate wars/conflict, intervention, mediation, and outcomes. Each area is also examined though the different ways actions can be taken over time; e.g. traditional manners of arms transfers, direct intervention, and military aid and newer manners such as intelligence and cyber operations, etc. By the end of this class, students will be able to explore a range of conceptual and practical issues within contemporary international security studies. Students will be familiar with the debate over the (changing) meaning of security, the nature of new threats and the appropriate national and international policy responses to them.

• Class code: L2905
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Lectures, Private Study

Class descriptor

What makes voters turn out in elections and determines their choice of candidates? Does having female politicians affect policy outcomes? This course will teach students how to address these important questions in social science by analysing quantitative data. The course introduces basic principles of data science and programming skills for data analysis so that the students learn how to analyse data in their own research and critically evaluate both non-academic reports and academic studies. Throughout the course, we use the data sets taken directly from published quantitative social science research and show students the exciting cutting-edge quantitative research in our field. This course will provide students with the basic principles of the data science and thus prepare them to learn statistical inference, the topic covered in the Quantitative Methods II course.

• Class code: L2909
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

This class provides an overview of the ever-expanding field of qualitative methods in political science, international relations and public/social policy. A variety of methods and analytical tools will be examined, and situated within different traditions of social research such as positivism and interpretivism. The focus is on both principles and practices. The idea is to develop an understanding of the logic and quality standards associated with different forms of qualitative inquiry, but also engage the practical tasks involved in conducting qualitative research. Rather than privileging one tradition as ‘more scientific’ or ‘more humanistic’ than the other, this class adopts an inclusive, pluralistic approach. We will cover a good range of approaches, methods, tools, techniques. We will study both methodological guidelines and empirical applications (from various disciplines). In terms of content, the structure is as follows. In the first seminar, we will discuss the foundations and survey the terrain of qualitative methods. Each of the following seminars will focus on a specific qualitative approach/tool: case studies & small-N comparisons, case selection strategies, process tracing, interviews, focus groups, qualitative content analysis (with NVivo), discourse analysis, ethnographies. Throughout this class, we will discuss how these methods can be applied in students’ own research projects.

Additional info: In terms of content, the structure is as follows. In the first seminar, we will discuss the foundations and survey the terrain of qualitative methods. Each of the following seminars will focus on a specific qualitative approach/tool: case studies & small-N comparisons, case selection strategies, process tracing, interviews, focus groups, qualitative content analysis (with NVivo), discourse analysis, ethnographies. The final seminar looks at an increasingly popular approach: mixed methods.

• Class code: L2917
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

Policy analysis is the study of government policy, focusing particularly on what issues a government addresses (agenda), what it does (policy adoption and implementation), how it does so (though policy processes) and the factors which enable and constrain policy making (such as networks of powerful actors and inherited institutional frameworks). The initial introduction focuses on the nature of public policy and the key concept of the policy stages/cycle framework: agenda setting, policy formation and decision making, policy implementation, and policy evaluation. We then critically review the major models/frameworks/theories of public policy. Although the variety of theoretical concepts, foundations and mechanisms, the frameworks reviewed have a common underpinning that decision makers rationality is bounded. Comparative analyses are the common setting in several of the theoretical frameworks. However, the focus of the course is different from the Comparative Public Policy class (L2916). We shall not focus as much on comparative politics methodology, policy diffusion/convergence, public administration, or international influences on national policy. But these topics are obviously relevant to the study of public policy and will crop up occasionally, e.g., the influence of the EU in certain policy areas.

• Class code: L2929
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

From the local campaigner gathering signatures on a petition to the opposition leader delivering a rousing speech at a mass protest, political behaviour is the lifeblood of democracy. Amongst its many forms, we might be interested in how political elites vote in legislatures, what they say in their speeches or tweets, or how they campaign during elections. Or we could concern ourselves with how the public engage with politics through voting, posting content online, joining organisations, protesting, or taking direct action. Whatever the behaviour that we are most interested in, we can draw on different approaches to explaining why, how, and to what extent people get involved in politics. This class begins by considering three of those approaches: rational choice; psychological; and sociological. It also considers the range of methods that can be used to investigate political behaviour before moving onto examine a range of kinds of political behaviour. Throughout, the class will encourage students to consider whether different theories and methods are more or less applicable when accounting for elite or public behaviour, and whether we should distinguish between how those two groups act. Students will be expected to approach the class both as critical researchers and as citizens with an interest in understanding and solving problems affecting political behaviour in practice.

• Class code: L2941
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures

Class descriptor

The most important skill students should develop in graduate education is how to design research projects that withstand critical scrutiny. This module is designed to develop this skill at MSc level. The module introduces students to the theoretical and practical issues they will need to address when designing and conducting political science research in the fields of comparative and international politics and public policy. The module begins by considering the idea of "science" in political research. It then moves on to examine how to formulate research questions appropriately, how to integrate research questions into existing political research, and how to formulate and test explanations of political phenomena. During this module students will critically evaluate empirical research, develop an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different research 8 designs, and build a foundation for their research projects and master theses.

• Class code: L2962
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Class descriptor

This course introduces students to the literature and research agendas related to conflict and cooperation in international relations studies. We will cover a wide array of approaches that relate to interstate and intrastate conflict, cooperation and other contemporary security topics such as peacekeeping operations, terrorism, and human rights violations. By the end of this course, students should be able to answer questions such as why international (intrastate) conflicts occur, when cooperation between countries emerges, whether peacekeeping missions are effective in reducing violence against civilians and promoting post-conflict peace, how terrorist groups emerge, why some governments torture their citizens and how international institutions might prevent human rights violation. While we will not have time to comprehensively cover all the important relevant work, we will sample a spectrum of the work from foundational studies to state- of-the-art approaches.

• Class code: L2992
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures

Class descriptor

The global economic order is at a crossroads. In Europe and beyond, governments are facing a set of unprecedented challenges: economic, political, social, ecological. This class surveys the turbulent politicoeconomic landscape across crises, from the 2008 financial crash to the Covid-19 pandemic. More specifically, the class critically examines core issues in the political economy of crisis: the austerity debate, the inequality & tax regimes, the rethinking of growth models, the green revolution, the power of central banks, the future of EMU, the populist temptation (e.g. Brexit). By engaging these themes, students will develop a better understanding of the complexity and direction of contemporary capitalism. They will also be confronted with key economic debates, assessing competing approaches and drawing policy lessons. The focus of this class is comparative, looking at developments across advanced nations in the context of wider transformations in the global periphery. All in all, this class offers a window into the most pressing issues facing policymakers and wider contemporary around the world. The following (big) questions will underpin seminar discussions: will the Covid critical juncture finally structure a transition towards a new political economy era? Or will the neoliberal order be (once again) resilient?

• Class code: L2993
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 1 (September to December)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

The study of institutions is central to the modern political science research. Indeed, a large proportion of research in the top journals in the field rely on institutional perspectives. Theories of politics focused on political institutions emphasize their comparative differences, but major role in structuring political outcomes. This class will cover the primary institutional perspectives by focusing on the assumptions, theories and applications within the field of political science with a particular emphasis on theories derived from sociological and rational choice backgrounds. Students will be expected to approach this research in the role of an engaged researcher and critical reviewer with an aim to building on state-of-the-art research.

• Class code: L2108
• Level: 1
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Class descriptor

This class investigates the role of actors and political institutions in policymaking processes within states and across political regimes. The class builds on L2107 Politics: Concepts in which the main focus was on concepts and key institutions. This previous knowledge is used to develop a deeper understanding of political actors’ behaviour and the processes through which they influence outcomes. It covers a range of political processes that take place within democratic and non-democratic states and beyond. The class examines a range of outcomes that influence the lives of citizens, including the policies associated with modern welfare states. Students will leave the class with the ability to read and critically discuss research in political science and the broader social sciences. This class will equip them to evaluate academic findings and debates in the field of comparative politics, to interpret the political events as a political scientist and to eventually undertake research in political science topics.

• Class code: L2236
• Level: 2
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Class descriptor

Social science students are expected to develop core research skills, learn to work in groups, planning and conducting independent research projects. This course ensures that Politics students in 麻豆女优 understand the ideas of applied social research, and thus it prepares students for an employment market that seeks out graduates with research skills beyond narrow subject-specific knowledge.

• Class code: L2304
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Practical

Class descriptor

The class teaches students a range of simple quantitative research methods. This class builds on Research Methods for Political Scientists. The class does not presuppose a strong mathematical background. There is some maths involved, but most is straightforward, and that’s all you’ll need to achieve the key learning objectives. The central concepts are not numbers but dependent and independent variables, which tend to be everyday things like people’s opinions, incomes, or ages. Our aim will be to understand the relationship between these everyday things. So, students will not be disadvantaged by a limited maths background. The material is presented in a way that emphasises meaning over mathematics (and deals with maths as painlessly as possible). Students will learn two skills: first, to identify the appropriate statistical technique for a particular research question; second, to evaluate critically the results from other researchers’ quantitative analysis. Whether the research is your own or someone else’s, you should be able to answer the following questions: 1) Have the dependent and independent variables been measured appropriately? 2) Was the appropriate statistical technique chosen for the task? 3) Has that technique been used correctly? 4) Does the researcher’s answer to her question follow from the results that she reports? At the end of the class, students will be well-equipped to answer these questions for a range of techniques.

• Class code: L2310
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

The class will seek to provide a comprehensive overview of Scottish politics contextualising it within UK, European and world politics, historical inheritance and contemporary Scottish society. It will examine the practice of Scotland’s governing institutions, the changing nature of democracy in Scotland, the impact of devolution on policy and broader governance as well as Scotland’s constitutional status.

• Class code: L2313
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, External Site Visit

This class aims to investigate this paradox and to examine the claim that ‘parliaments matter’. In a multi-level system of governance such as the UK the study of parliamentary institutions necessarily entails analysis of other parliaments alongside Westminster – especially for this class the Scottish parliament. In examining the case that ‘parliaments matter’ the class provides a novel and path-breaking mode for studying both why they matter and how their practical operations both reflect and serve to address the paradoxes confronting them. Not only does the class have a distinctive academic focus – in taking a specific type of political institution and then analysing that institution in a matrix of normative and empirical theories and comparative investigation – but it is also distinctive in its mode of delivery. It is co-taught with staff from the UK Parliament and the Scottish Parliament. In session 2017-18 the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, along with a number of senior officials of the House of Commons will provide first hand insights into the workings of the Westminster Parliament. In this manner, the academic study of legislatures is linked with the practical world of decision-making in representative institutions.

Additional info:  The activities of the Scottish Parliament will be analysed during the course of an extended session at Holyrood; and a study visit to Westminster has, provisionally, been organised.

• Class code: L2347
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This class introduce students to the literature on qualitative research design. Outline the key qualitative research designs like case selection, process tracing, and QCA in political science from a comparative perspective. Contribute to a critical assessment of different qualitative research designs. Apply essential knowledge and skills in conducting independent qualitative research. Students will gain an understanding of fundamental basis of quantitative research designs in modern science. This class aims to contextualise the qualitative research designs in different subfields of political science (e.g., IR and CP), which will allow the students to apply these designs to their own dissertations and more specialized classes and topics in the future. The class aims to outline the key qualitative research designs in political science. The class aims to help students to develop essential knowledge and skills in conducting independent qualitative research

• Class code: L2348
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Practical

This class introduce students to the literature on quantitative research design. Outline the key quantitative research designs like regression analysis, experiment analysis, big data approach in political science from a comparative perspective. Contribute to a critical assessment of different quantitative research designs. Help students to develop essential knowledge and skills in conducting independent quantitative research. Students will gain an understanding of fundamental basis of quantitative research designs in modern science. This class aims to contextualise the quantitative research designs in different subfields of political science (e.g., IR and CP), which will allow the students to apply these designs to their own dissertations and more specialized classes and topics in the future. The class aims to outline the key quantitative research designs in political science. The class aims to help students to develop essential knowledge and skills in conducting independent quantitative research.

• Class code: L2351
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

How and why do people get involved in politics? More specifically, which are the main determinants of electoral behaviour in contemporary democracies? These are some of the classical questions that political science has addressed for decades. This course has two main goals for each of the topics under study. 12 First of all, we will look at a range of possible explanations of political participation and voting behaviour. The second part of each class will be devoted to test the empirical utility of the various theoretical approaches through an examination of a number of aspects of political behaviour such as electoral turnout, party membership and activism, or participation on social media, and in protest. A wide range of empirical studies using mainly quantitative methods will be discussed.

• Class code: L2356
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This class explores feminist theory and practice, and their political implications. After considering what feminism is, its evolution over time and space, and its key concepts, the class will explore feminist extensions of the political to issues like motherhood and sexuality. In the third section, we focus on feminist interventions in longstanding debates in the Politics discipline. Throughout you will be encouraged to engage critically with feminist thought and to reach your own assessment of its varying strands. Finally, you will have the opportunity to reflect on the relevance of feminist argument to other areas of your degree as well as to everyday life. The class is supported by a wide variety of online learning materials, and asks you to write an academic blog post as well as a more conventional essay.

• Class code: L2354
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: Previous completion of the following classes is strongly recommended: L2201 International Relations and Global Politics.
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This class explores debates about key concepts in International Relations (IR) theory. IR theory has long been regarded as a distinct field of inquiry, largely focused on relations between states while the rest of social and political thought has focused on arrangements within states. This division of labour has been challenged by recent events, including the end of the Cold War and processes associated with globalization and the War on Terror, and by inter disciplinary theoretical innovations. By taking a theoretical approach to international relations, this class seeks to train students both to think abstractly about everyday politics, and to use concrete evidence from current events to assess the strengths and weaknesses of abstract theory. Students will learn to think critically about the international system, nation-states, international organizations, and international processes including terrorism, trade and globalization.

• Class code: L2353
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

The quality of representation is a key element of democracy. How representative of the views and preferences of the public at large are those who participate in politics? This raises the broader question of how and why people get involved in politics. Who votes, goes on a protest march, joins a pressure group or a political party? And why do some people engage in violent forms of political activity outside of the framework of a representative democracy, such as riots and terrorism? This class aims to give an overview of the various approaches to try and explain political activity and to test their validity with reference to empirical studies of a broad range of forms of political action.

• Class code: L2352
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This class introduces students to the literature and research agendas related to political violence and conflict within countries. It will cover topics such as the dynamics of civil war, coups, repression, terrorism, and related human rights 13 issues. Through close study of classic works in the field, the class will outline the key institutions, actors and activities involved with political violence and conflict, and contribute to an understanding of their causes and consequences. Students will be required to write a research proposal and a final research project.

• Class code: L2315
• Level: 3
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

This module will introduce students to the politics of human rights. The objectives of this module are to: 1) encourage students to engage with concepts, theories, and methods that have been used to study human rights; 2) help students understand how human rights spread and what effects they have on state behaviour. In this course, we will examine a variety of empirical work - both quantitative and qualitative - to understand various theories and empirical approaches to the study of human rights and critically evaluate further avenues for future research in this field. We will also pay attention to the methods and measures that have been adopted in political science to conduct research in this area. The module is divided into three sections. The first section will introduce students to key human rights concepts and institutions and address state violence, human rights diffusion, and activism in a comparative perspective. The second section will examine politics of human rights practice, assessing various strategies and mechanisms for improving human rights. The last section will focus on the politics of human rights within the debate on political violence and the effect of ICL and ICC on HR.

• Class code: L2443
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, Practical

The class teaches students a range of simple quantitative research methods. This class builds on Research Methods for Political Scientists. The class does not presuppose a strong mathematical background. There is some maths involved, but most is straightforward, and that’s all you’ll need to achieve the key learning objectives. The central concepts are not numbers but dependent and independent variables, which tend to be everyday things like people’s opinions, incomes, or ages. Our aim will be to understand the relationship between these everyday things. So, students will not be disadvantaged by a limited maths background. The material is presented in a way that emphasises meaning over mathematics (and deals with maths as painlessly as possible). Students will learn two skills: first, to identify the appropriate statistical technique for a particular research question; second, to evaluate critically the results from other researchers’ quantitative analysis. Whether the research is your own or someone else’s, you should be able to answer the following questions: 1) Have the dependent and independent variables been measured appropriately? 2) Was the appropriate statistical technique chosen for the task? 3) Has that technique been used correctly? 4) Does the researcher’s answer to her question follow from the results that she reports? At the end of the class, students will be well-equipped to answer these questions for a range of techniques.

• Class code: L2441
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

The class will seek to provide a comprehensive overview of Scottish politics contextualising it within UK, European and world politics, historical inheritance and contemporary Scottish society. It will examine the practice of Scotland’s governing institutions, the changing nature of democracy in Scotland, the impact of devolution on policy and broader governance as well as Scotland’s constitutional status.

• Class code: L2440
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials, External Site Visit

This class aims to investigate this paradox and to examine the claim that ‘parliaments matter’. In a multi-level system of governance such as the UK the study of parliamentary institutions necessarily entails analysis of other parliaments alongside Westminster – especially for this class the Scottish parliament. In examining the case that ‘parliaments matter’ the class provides a novel and path-breaking mode for studying both why they matter and how their practical operations both reflect and serve to address the paradoxes confronting them. Not only does the class have a distinctive academic focus – in taking a specific type of political institution and then analysing that institution in a matrix of normative and empirical theories and comparative investigation – but it is also distinctive in its mode of delivery. It is co-taught with staff from the UK Parliament and the Scottish Parliament. In session 2017-18 the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, along with a number of senior officials of the House of Commons will provide first hand insights into the workings of the Westminster Parliament. In this manner, the academic study of legislatures is linked with the practical world of decision-making in representative institutions.

Additional info: The activities of the Scottish Parliament will be analysed during the course of an extended session at Holyrood; and a study visit to Westminster has, provisionally, been organised.

• Class code: L2412
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures, Seminars/Tutorials

Green politics has re-emerged as a major issue in recent years. Environmental issues are given increasing attention, featuring regularly in the news media and political discourse. Major political actors, such as political parties, interest groups and the business community, can ignore environmental topics. Public environmental concern has risen fairly dramatically in in many countries in the last year. Environment protest, such as the Fridays for Future movement and Extinction Rebellion, have helped to place environmental issues higher on the political agenda. Green parties continue to attract electoral support throughout Western Europe, with a new ‘green wave’ in evidence. What are we to make of this phenomenon? Will environmental issues continue to thrive or have environmental groups and parties already peaked and are set to decline? How strong is the support for environmental issues and policies amongst the public? Have environmental groups and green parties really made a difference in terms of policies and policy outcomes? In the past and present, the intensity of environmental conflicts and the political importance of green groups has varied widely. How are we to explain these differences, and what does this mean for our overall understanding of the significance of green politics? The class is divided into four main blocs, discussing (i) green political theory, (ii) environmental attitudes and behaviour, (iii) environmental movements; and (iv) green parties

• Class code: L2413
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

How and why do people get involved in politics? More specifically, which are the main determinants of electoral behaviour in contemporary democracies? These are some of the classical questions that political science has addressed for decades. This course has two main goals for each of the topics under study. 12 First of all, we will look at a range of possible explanations of political participation and voting behaviour. The second part of each class will be devoted to test the empirical utility of the various theoretical approaches through an examination of a number of aspects of political behaviour such as electoral turnout, party membership and activism, or participation on social media, and in protest. A wide range of empirical studies using mainly quantitative methods will be discussed.

• Class code: L2419
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This class will study territorial politics in the United Kingdom focussing on recent constitutional change, its implications and the nature of the UK post devolution. The influence of nationalism, asymmetrical nature of devolution, implications for sub-national political parties, citizenship, welfare and Brexit will be studied. This class aims to: introduce concepts and theories of territorial politics; understand the territorial distribution of power in the UK; develop skills in using both primary and secondary sources; explore the evolution of the various nationalisms in the UK.

• Class code: L2421
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This class explores feminist theory and practice, and their political implications. After considering what feminism is, its evolution over time and space, and its key concepts, the class will explore feminist extensions of the political to issues like motherhood and sexuality. In the third section, we focus on feminist interventions in longstanding debates in the Politics discipline. Throughout you will be encouraged to engage critically with feminist thought and to reach your own assessment of its varying strands. Finally, you will have the opportunity to reflect on the relevance of feminist argument to other areas of your degree as well as to everyday life. The class is supported by a wide variety of online learning materials, and asks you to write an academic blog post as well as a more conventional essay.

• Class code: L2422
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: Previous completion of the following classes is strongly recommended: L2201 International Relations and Global Politics.
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This class explores debates about key concepts in International Relations (IR) theory. IR theory has long been regarded as a distinct field of inquiry, largely focused on relations between states while the rest of social and political thought has focused on arrangements within states. This division of labour has been challenged by recent events, including the end of the Cold War and processes associated with globalization and the War on Terror, and by inter disciplinary theoretical innovations. By taking a theoretical approach to international relations, this class seeks to train students both to think abstractly about everyday politics, and to use concrete evidence from current events to assess the strengths and weaknesses of abstract theory. Students will learn to think critically about the international system, nation-states, international organizations, and international processes including terrorism, trade and globalization.

• Class code: L2427
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

The quality of representation is a key element of democracy. How representative of the views and preferences of the public at large are those who participate in politics? This raises the broader question of how and why people get involved in politics. Who votes, goes on a protest march, joins a pressure group or a political party? And why do some people engage in violent forms of political activity outside of the framework of a representative democracy, such as riots and terrorism? This class aims to give an overview of the various approaches to try and explain political activity and to test their validity with reference to empirical studies of a broad range of forms of political action.

• Class code: L2437
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This class introduces students to the literature and research agendas related to political violence and conflict within countries. It will cover topics such as the dynamics of civil war, coups, repression, terrorism, and related human rights 13 issues. Through close study of classic works in the field, the class will outline the key institutions, actors and activities involved with political violence and conflict, and contribute to an understanding of their causes and consequences. Students will be required to write a research proposal and a final research project.

• Class code: L2449
• Level: 4
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Undergraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

This module will introduce students to the politics of human rights. The objectives of this module are to: 1) encourage students to engage with concepts, theories, and methods that have been used to study human rights; 2) help students understand how human rights spread and what effects they have on state behaviour. In this course, we will examine a variety of empirical work - both quantitative and qualitative - to understand various theories and empirical approaches to the study of human rights and critically evaluate further avenues for future research in this field. We will also pay attention to the methods and measures that have been adopted in political science to conduct research in this area. The module is divided into three sections. The first section will introduce students to key human rights concepts and institutions and address state violence, human rights diffusion, and activism in a comparative perspective. The second section will examine politics of human rights practice, assessing various strategies and mechanisms for improving human rights. The last section will focus on the politics of human rights within the debate on political violence and the effect of ICL and ICC on HR.

• Class code: L2908
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Lectures

Theoretical and practical knowledge in quantitative research methods are vital skills that students gain from a degree in politics. This course will introduce students to the process and application of quantitative political research beyond the basic concepts covered in Quantitative Methods 1. It will teach them to conduct a range of statistical analysis using the statistical software R. Students successfully completing this class should feel familiar and comfortable with reading and conducting quantitative research, which entails a range of advantages. Understanding the statistical methods commonly employed in social science research will enable students to critically reflect upon and better evaluate the research they encounter in their studies. Moreover, they will have the necessary tools to conduct original research and investigate the questions which motivated them to study politics in the first place. The skills acquired in this course will thus prove extremely useful in writing the dissertation, and especially for those who are planning to pursue a Ph.D., but also in a range of different careers that involve research or data analysis. Prospective employers will be quite pleased to hear that candidates have been exposed to and are familiar with data analysis and with the widely used programming language R.

• Class code: L2912
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

The theory and practice of international institutions and regimes is a dynamic dimension of world politics, yet it is often ignored and widely misunderstood. The purpose of this class is to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the concepts and theoretical approaches central to understanding and analysing the role of international institutions and regimes in the contemporary world. In the context of recent calls for reforming the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation as well as readdressing the balance in established environmental and humanitarian regimes, such an analysis is particularly timely and increasingly important. This class will survey a variety of international institutions and regimes, exploring how they shape global interactions in a number of cross-cutting issue areas such as security, trade, human rights and the environment. The overall analysis will contribute to the understanding of the theories, practices and processes through which global politics are organised and to an assessment of the future of international institutions and regimes in global governance.

• Class code: L2914
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

It is increasingly recognised that the European Union constitutes a complex system of governance. The legislation emerging from the European Union has profound effects upon the functioning of member state polities and upon the interactions between institutions and interests at all levels of administration. Citizens of EU member states are increasingly subject to laws, regulations and policies emerging from the EU level, yet it is generally acknowledged that the 3 EU lacks a popular mandate. There have been a number of recent attempts to ‘bring Europe closer to the people’ and questions of democracy and legitimacy are coming increasingly to the fore in debates about the European Union. This class seeks to examine the EU system of governance through the lenses of democracy, legitimacy and efficiency. Examining key processes, policy areas and proposals for reform, participants will be encouraged to consider the role of the EU and the nature of its relationship with its public.

• Class code: L2916
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials

The typical research questions of comparative public policy analysis are: How and why are policies different/similar across countries, regions, or cities? After an initial introduction to the purpose, scope, issues, and methodology of comparative public policy, the seminars are structured around two distinct research fields. One research field revolves around four modes of comparative policy analysis. The first mode aims to cluster countries according to different institutional, economic, social and cultural settings. The second mode aims to generalise a given theory of policy process in different geographical contexts and by taking time into consideration. The third mode contrasts or integrates different (usually two) theoretical frameworks. Finally, the fourth mode is about benchmarking countries’ policy performance. There is also a more recent strand of comparative research that tends to capture the interdependence of countries. Research on globalisation, policy diffusion and transfer can be conducted exclusively through comparative analysis. The questions addressed are: How and why does a policy programme transfer from a country A to country B and C? To what extent countries emulate and learn from and compete with each other? Do international organisations impact on domestic policy of their member states and to what extent?

• Class code: L2963
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

Security is an overarching concern of contemporary times. The late 20th century saw radical changes to the concept of security. No longer primarily focused on war between nation-states, security threats became far more varied and a-symmetrical, with increased attention paid to counter-terrorism and cyber-security. Contemporaneously, the concept of national security expanded to incorporate not only ‘traditional’ threats from hostile actors, but a host of issues ranging from the impact of climate change, natural disasters, resource security and even recession. Security has become increasingly globalised and interconnected in threat and response while also increasingly recruiting the populace to be ‘secure citizens’.

• Class code: L2964
• Level: 5
• Semester (including exams): 2 (January - May)
• Credits: 20 (10 ECTS)
• Level of study: Postgraduate
• Prerequisites: None
• Teaching methods: Seminars/Tutorials, Private Study

This core class on the MSc in International Relations (IR) aims to introduce students to current debates in IR theory. The academic discipline of IR has developed its own distinctive theoretical traditions, as well as drawing on other fields, and learning about these traditions will help students navigate and engage with competing claims about the subject matter of IR and the best way to make sense of it. The class provides a synthetic overview and critical assessment of a range of theories, focusing particularly on contemporary literature and drawing from both sides of a deep divide between positivist/rationalist approaches, on the one hand, and post- positivist/critical approaches, on the other. Students will be encouraged to reflect critically on the strengths and weaknesses of the rival frameworks, and on their application and purpose, thus gaining the theoretical understanding to help make sense of material on the other classes on the MSc IR programme. Students from other MSc politics programmes are also welcome to take this class as a stand-alone option if they wish to gain a grounding in debates in IR theory. The class is assessed entirely through coursework, designed to allow formative feedback as the class progresses and to foster deep learning.

This is a core class for international relations.