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Department of History

The International History of the Contemporary World

Course Code:
15PHIH021
Status:
Course Not Running 2012/2013
Unit value:
0.5
Year of study:
Any
Taught in:
Term 1

The course will examine the historical conditions under which the current international system came into being, together with a series of case-studies in which the operation and problems of the system are apparent. The course will be taught through a combination of informal lecture and intensive discussion of required readings. It will be divided into two halves. In the first half, the instructor will lecture and lead the discussion on the historical development of the contemporary world system. In the second half, groups of students will design each week’s class in consultation with the instructor, determining the readings, providing the necessary background information and structuring the discussion.

The provisional topics for each week are as follows:

  1. Westphalia vs the rest: realism vs idealism?
  2. Industry and empire: world system?
  3. Colonial nationalism, global communism: constructing the 20th century world
  4. Cold War world and aftermath: system maintenance and transformation
  5. International institutions: toward world government?
  6. Postwar partitions: Palestine, South Asia, Korea and Vietnam
  7. Rogues and pariahs: from Libya to Myanmar
  8. Failed states: Africa and Asia on the watch list
  9. Non-state actors: from NGOs to the multitude
  10. From the end of history to clashing civilizations: extrapolating the present

Objectives and learning outcomes of the course

  1. understanding of the historical development of the contemporary world system
  2. mastery of a particular case-study or studies and 
  3. command of a range of examples through which to illustrate the working and limits of that system
  4. ability to deploy and evaluate a number of theories (eg realism, idealism, world-systems theory, constructivism) in relation to the historical evidence
  5. ability to access and evaluate relevant information resources
  6. ability to analyze and synthesize primary and secondary sources
  7. ability to present findings effectively in oral and 
  8. written form
  9. ability to work effectively in a team

Workload

This is an 11 week course. You will spend 2 hours each week in seminar.

Method of assessment

The written exam will count for 50%. Two coursework essays will count 10% and 30% respectively and a group project 10%.