International theory
- Course Code:
- 15PPOH014
- Unit value:
- 0.5
- Taught in:
- Term 1
The primary aim of this course is to give students taking the MSc in International Politics a rigorous introduction to international political theory. This provides a conceptual and theoretical basis for the more specialized coursework they will undertake elsewhere in the programme. The focus is primarily on the major theoretical traditions through which scholars have sought to make sense of international or world politics: liberalism, realism, constructivism, post-structuralism, historical materialism, and feminism. The study of international politics as a discipline in the form of International Relations (or IR for short) has long been a resolutely Western, indeed, an Anglo-American occupation, resting on models and assumptions that reflect the historical experience of the West. Each of the traditions we will examine has, to a greater or lesser extent, been shaped by that experience. In recognition of this context, we will also introduce students to the postcolonial critique of the discipline.
Objectives and learning outcomes of the course
At the end of the course, a student should be able to demonstrate…
- An ability to engage with competing scholarly perspectives in international politics
- A sound knowledge of the academic literature in international politics and international relations
- An ability to deploy relevant concepts appropriately given their theoretical grounding
- Familiarity with alternative theoretical frameworks
- Competence in sustaining their own arguments and supporting them with evidence, theoretical grounding and reference to relevant literatures
