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Dive into the world of political thought with this module. Explore the ideas of famous political thinkers and see how their concepts shape today's politics. You'll discuss key political ideas and historical events, making connections between past and present.

Engage with key political concepts like democracy, legitimacy and freedom. This module challenges you to think critically about these ideas and their implications for real-world politics. You'll develop analytical skills and learn to build strong, justified arguments.

Uncover the major issues in global politics, from security threats to inaction on climate change. This module uses real-world examples to help you understand the complexities of international relations and the roles of states and non-state actors in addressing global problems, while taking a close look at the nature of ‘global politics’ itself.

Get to grips with the big questions in international politics and the theories that explain them. You'll explore both traditional and modern approaches to understanding global issues, providing a solid foundation for further study in international relations.

Build on your quantitative skills with a focus on regression analysis. This module teaches you how to manage and manipulate data, estimate models using statistical software and interpret statistical analysis, preparing you for advanced political science research.

Understand the central role of political parties in the British political system. This module examines the structures, ideologies and fortunes of British political parties, helping you grasp their importance in shaping government policy and public opinion.

Investigate the principles of democracy and the arguments of its critics. This module uses primary sources to explore historical and contemporary debates in democratic theory, helping you develop analytical skills to assess its merits and limitations.

Explore how national identities are expressed and contested in everyday life. This module examines the role of identity in local and international contexts, teaching you key approaches in qualitative research and data analysis.

Explore global security issues from the Cold War to the present day. This module covers everything from state use of force and cyber security to human security and nuclear weapons, building on first-year modules to deepen your theoretical and empirical knowledge of international security.

Discover the factors that influence voting behaviour in elections. This module explores whether voters base their choices on party policies, past successes or other factors like media coverage and party leaders. You'll gain skills to evaluate arguments about electoral behaviour.

����ԭ�� the evolution of international political economy (IPE) with a focus on development. This module introduces different theoretical approaches and examines the empirical development of the global economy since World War II, preparing you for advanced studies in international relations.

The module examines major events and themes in 20th-century international politics. The module is taught from the disciplinary standpoint of International Relations rather than that of International History. Various theoretical perspectives and debates are, therefore, brought to bear on explaining and understanding the events of the last century.

Gain a comprehensive introduction to contemporary Chinese politics and public policy. This module covers the evolution of authoritarianism, the structure of the party-state and key policy areas, helping you understand the challenges of governance in China.

Examine key themes in political theory, such as justice and equality. This module looks at contemporary issues like wealth distribution, civil disobedience and environmental concerns, encouraging you to think critically about the role of justice in global politics.

Delve into the current debates in European politics, from party systems and elections to populism and immigration. This module covers both long-established and newer democracies, providing a comprehensive understanding of the political and social changes in Europe.

Enhance your quantitative skills with advanced training. This module will provide you with the tools to analyse and interpret complex data in social science research.

Dive into the key themes and debates in African politics. This module covers nationalist resistance, theories of the African state, political economy and relations with former colonial powers. You'll explore contemporary political developments and understand the complexities of African politics from multiple perspectives.

Explore China's role as a rising superpower. This module examines China's foreign policy, political and economic relations with major powers and its global influence, helping you understand the dynamics of China's interactions with the world.

This module enables you to undertake a sustained piece of research and analysis into a subject within the discipline of politics and international relations.

Examine the role of political ideas and ideologies in contemporary Britain. This module looks at how mainstream and non-mainstream parties and social movements influence policies and practices, helping you understand the significance of political ideologies.

Explore the UK's place in Europe post-Brexit. This module examines the legacy of UK involvement in European integration, the future of UK-EU relations and contemporary policymaking challenges, helping you understand the impact of Brexit on British political life.

Explore the relevance of 'left' and 'right' as organising principles in contemporary politics. This module examines their use in party competition, policy formation, public opinion and media consumption, helping you understand their role in linking mass populations and political elites.

Understand the relationship between the Middle East and the rest of the world. This module covers key events and themes like the Cold War, the Arab Spring and terrorism, providing a deeper understanding of the region's contemporary challenges.

Analyse political challenges and crises in the global economy. This module covers issues like sovereign default, free trade and climate change, using theories from international relations and political economy to understand global politics.

����ԭ�� the development and functioning of political parties and party systems in democratic states worldwide. This module focuses on post-transitional democracies, using analytical concepts and empirical indicators to understand party organisation and system stability.

This module involves a part-time placement (one day a week) in an external organisation, and is aimed at developing hands-on work experience and employability skills in a workplace relevant to students of politics. Pre-placement training will be provided via three half-day workshops at the beginning of the module.

Each placement will be arranged by the work placement officer. Placements will be provided by organisations involved in private, public and third sector organisations, such as the civil service, charities and political parties.

Departmental mentoring will take the form of a weekly drop-in tutorial with the module convenor, in which experiences are shared and work is undertaken on the assessment tasks. Group presentations will occur during the final four hour workshop, at which time each group will critically reflect on their experiences of the ethos and goals of their host organisation.

This module seeks to introduce students to theories of race and racialisation, including, but not limited to, postcolonial theory, orientalism, and intersectionality. After learning the basics of these theoretical lenses, students will study the politics of race in different country contexts through countries’ histories of colonialism and imperialism as well as contemporary racial and ethnic disparities.   

Explore the politics and discourses around extremism and the multiple responses to extremism by states, the international system and civil society actors. This module covers various ideologies and approaches to countering terrorism and extremism, helping you understand the politics and ethics of extremism from multiple vantage points.

The Anglo-American so-called 'Special Relationship' has provoked controversy since the term was coined after World War Two. To some commentators it has represented an attempt by the UK to hide its decline by lofty rhetoric and becoming the 'poodle' of a Superpower. To others, it has been a relationship that has served the interests of both countries and provided a foundation for Western cooperation. This module explores the salient aspects of a relationship that has been built around security, conventional and nuclear. 

Understand the international role of the European Union. This module covers the foreign policy, security and economic policies of the EU and EU member states.

Investigate the ethical foundations and moral justifications of capitalism. This module examines the benefits and criticisms of capitalism, exploring issues like poverty, exploitation and environmental destruction. You'll develop analytical skills to assess the moral implications of economic orders.

Investigate the relationship between ethnic groups and political conflict. This module examines the rise of nationalism, the role of identity in populist mobilisation and the strategies governments use to manage diversity, using examples from Asia, Africa, Europe and North America.

Why are some states better at protecting, respecting, and fulfilling their human rights obligations, while others are not? Understanding the conditions under which governments protect human rights is crucial for the field of International Relations and policy makers alike. This module will discuss cutting-edge research within and beyond the human rights field.

You will learn about autocratic state behaviour, safeguards within democratic systems, the campaigns and challenges of NGOs and international organisations, and the wide-ranging effects of globalisation across the different categories and dimensions of human rights. The module will apply theory and empirical insights from these different fields of inquiry in order to understand the relative protection and enjoyment of human rights across different country contexts.

By the end of the module, you will have a clear understanding about human rights research and its effects on the real world.

Understand key theories and debates on social, political and economic inequality. This module examines the nature of equality and inequality, exploring which inequalities are permissible and what it means to live in a society of equals.

This module explores the causes and consequences of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It examines the decision to go to war, the unfolding conflict and its international implications.

At the dawn of the 21st century, democracy's status worldwide is uncertain. This module examines why some countries are democratic while others are not, how democracy emerged and its impact on people's lives. You'll explore different models of democratisation and think critically about the challenges of crafting democratic regimes globally.

This module will comprehensively deconstruct the causes, conduct and consequences of one of the most controversial wars of the modern era: the invasion and occupation of Iraq. It will assess how the road to war was paved at the United Nations and through the formulation of a 'coalition of the willing'. It will then critically evaluate how the swiftly concluded invasion of Iraq and toppling of Saddam Hussein gave way to a vicious insurgency.

The adaptation of the US military to the demands of counter-insurgency warfare will be analysed, as will British military performance in southern Iraq. The module will end by critically assessing the effectiveness of the 'surge' strategy under the implementation of Gen. David Petraeus, and evaluating the utility of 'analogical reasoning' through comparisons with the Vietnam War.  

Understand the power and authority of the modern state. This module examines key theories from historical and contemporary political thought, helping you appreciate the relevance of these theories to modern politics.