module specification

The broad aims of this module are to introduce you to some of the most important issues the international community faces and to enable you to think as problem-solvers and practitioners.

You will examine topics such as terrorism, race, gender, poverty, the environment, nuclear proliferation, migration, genocide, human rights and humanitarian develop. You will consider the impact of these issues at the local, national and international level.

You will explore how the forces of globalisation have influenced many of the issues that we will look at, and consider how there has been a push-back against globalisation with the rise of strong populist movements, the dislocation of the pandemic, and the alleged return of Great Power politics. At the end of the module students should be able to make informed judgements about current international affairs.

Throughout you will consider how these impact on your own lived experience as a global citizen.

None; This module is available for Study Abroad students.

A key motivator of this module is to empower students to make critical decisions, engage in reflective practice, and to consider the changing nature of key contemporary issues at the local, national and international level. (LO 1-5)

The syllabus for this module will therefore include the following contemporary issues: Cultural Conflict in World Affairs; Terrorism; The Environment; Race; Poverty and Development; Gender; Genocide; Human Rights; Humanitarian Aid; and Human security. (LO 1-2)

A key element of the syllabus will be skills specific, supporting students in developing learning skills for life. This will include class taught skills and exercises using blended learning opportunities. The applicability of these skills to enhancing employability will be explored. (LO 3-5)

Teaching consists of a weekly lecture followed by a seminar/workshop. Lectures will be interactive, involving a combination of taught lectures, videos and occasional group work. Seminars/workshops will combine a variety of methods including discussion based on pre-set questions and role plays.

Blended Learning will be a key component of the module and will present a ‘resource’ of information relative to content and current issues as well as a tool for formative assignments and feedback. Lectures will be supported by additional materials online which will enable students to fully engage with the module, including online tasks, PowerPoint slides, lecture notes, discussion tools, full reading lists, audio-visual /documentary material, and links to first-hand documents and websites. 

Materials for use in class will be posted at least one week in advance online to allow students to prepare and reflect on the subject. Questions for class discussion will be available from the beginning of the module via the Module Booklet available on weblearn, which will include a list of resources students can use to answer the questions and study the subject in greater depth.

The themes of the module are developed to ensure direct relevance to the future employment aspirations of the students; practical application of ‘real world’ situations will give students the opportunity to work in a team and collate and manipulate information; their oral and writing skills will be geared towards ‘diagnostic’ work and analysis, as well as critical writing.

Reflective learning will be encouraged throughout in activities, discussions, lectures, and through assessments. Students will be expected to work together as partners, in co-created spaces, learning from each other and building on their studies.

Upon completion of this module you will be better equipped to:

1. Identify key actors and processes in international relations, both historically and in the present day.

2. Assess and take an informed overview of selected contemporary international developments, including critical analysis of international events and issues, their causes, and the implications.

3. Communicate effectively in speech and writing (for example, writing an essay using commonly accepted standards of definition, analysis, grammatical prose, and documentation).

4. Use research skills, including the ability to synthesise and analyse arguments and exercise critical judgement from a variety of resources.

5. Enhance the capacity to work independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation and time-management, as well as co-operating with other students to achieve common goals.

There will be both formative and summative assessments on this module.

A formative piece of work in the form of a group role play on a contemporary issue, which will be peer reviewed in class, will take place mid-module to enable students to reflect on their understanding of the subject matter to date in order to put in place learning strategies for the remainder of the module. This will encourage the development of a variety of employability skills including: research involving information retrieval from a variety of resources; analysing and advocating solutions to problems; developing a reasoned argument; exercising critical judgement; and collaborating with others towards a common goal. 

The summative assessment will be a detailed briefing paper on a key issue covered in the module, such as terrorism, climate change, or poverty. Students will be expected to consider solutions to the issue they choose, presenting the arguments for and against, and recommending a course of action, thinking as practitioners and problem solvers.

The paper will be 2,000 words long.  This will enable students to build on the summative exercises and will develop further many of the employability skills introduced during the module, in particular the ability to present information in a concise, well-balanced and constructive manner, drawing considered conclusions which lead to a policy recommendation. Students will also be encouraged to reflect on what they have learnt and make use of the constructive feedback they have received.

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/19655C7A-8F32-A9E5-F6BB-46675A64B092.html?draft=1&lang=en&login=1