module specification

The discipline of International Relations seeks to examine the major issues affecting the world and theories of International Relations allow us to understand and try to make sense of the world around us through various lenses, each of which represents a different theoretical perspective. These theories can be used to understand a broad range of international events such as why nation states rise and fall, or the factors behind international conflict. Theories can even be used to help us understand the role state leaders, NGOs, civil society and activists play in solving the myriad problems and the challenges that face humanity.

In order to achieve these goals this module aims to enable students to understand and compare the wide range of contrasting contemporary theories and research ‘paradigms’ in international relations, bring out the key assumptions about the nature of international relations broadly shared in each tradition and the key concepts used by each school. At the same time the module will enable students to grasp the relationships between evolving theories in the field and real world issues and actors.

It will also highlight the debates, particularly among International Relations scholars about more fundamental issues in social science theory and research, concerning the nature of understanding and explanation within the discipline of International Relations.

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The syllabus takes as its basis the need to explore the role of wider theoretical debates in the study of international relations and therefore begins with highlighting the differences between rational / positivist and interpretivist approaches. It covers IR traditions such as

• Realism, Neorealism, the English School tradition, Liberalism as well as some of its variants such as Neoliberal Institutionalism and the Liberal Peace Thesis. It then considers the Marxist basis of Neo-Marxist approaches such as World Systems Theory, Dependency Theory, Gramcianism and Lenin’s theories of Imperialism.

• Interpretivist approaches such as Critical Theory, Postmodernism, Feminism and Social Constructivism are also dealt with to demonstrate the dynamic and contemporary nature of international relations and to further highlight the different routes to acquiring knowledge within the discipline.

• Learning and teaching combines lectures and seminars which will focus upon both contrasting IR theories and on contextualising the emergence and evolution of different schools of thought.

• Reflective and independent learning is encouraged through the research and writing of a research essay and a take home exam, but also through the interactive lectures and seminar discussions

• The module makes extensive use of blended learning, primarily through its dedicated Weblearn site. This includes interactive mail and discussion tools, module information, PowerPoint slides, full reading lists and, importantly, Recorded Lectures.

• Students will be required to attend all classes, to engage in the set activities, to prepare in advance by attempting assigned readings, to complete coursework by deadlines, and to reflect and act on the feedback they receive.

• Materials for use in class are posted in advance online to allow students time to reflect on the subject and prepare. Questions for class discussion are available in advance through the Weblearn site and a module booklet. This also includes an extensive list of resources that students can use to address the questions asked and understand the nature of the theories in greater depth.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Appreciate the rich diversity in approaches to International Relations
2. Contrast and compare different ‘paradigms’ in contemporary IR research.
3. Critically evaluate the knowledge claims made by the various paradigms.
4. Understand and critically assess debates among IR theorists on differing approaches to explanation and understanding in IR.
5. Appreciate the ways in which the theoretical approaches relate to the practice of actors in international relations

1. A take-home Essay: students are required to choose a question from a series of essay questions, conduct detailed research and write a concise and focused research paper which achieves in addressing the question directly. The overall intention is to encourage them to understand the nature of the theoretical basis of the question, apply IR theories to practical issues by placing their arguments within wider IR debates. Specific questions are designed to ensure that students have grasped the key issues in the debate and can critically assess the strengths and possible weaknesses of the arguments of the protagonists in the debate. (50%)

2. A take home Exam focuses students on questions about various theories current in the study of international relations, appreciate the internal structures of different schools of thought and the relations between different theoretical trends. (50%)

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/23EA3055-BE78-4604-63DE-4EDD58F15989.html

Websites

• E-International Relations - http://www.e-ir.info – One of the best open access websites for students and scholars of International Relations.

• Research Guide from the University of South Carolina
http://libguides.usc.edu/c.php?g=234935&p=1559228

• http://www.ancientgreece.com - excellent resource for the history and politics of the Ancient Greece, including the Peloponnesian War (431 - 404 BC) fought between the two leading city-states in ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta.

• http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook34.html - This site contains a lot of information about imperialism and subsequent expansion of the European state system.

• http://www.globalpolicy.org/nations/index.htm - This site looks at the history of states, nations, and the notion of sovereignty.

• http://www.irtheory.com/know.htm - The IR Theory Knowledge Base. This site includes useful descriptions of a wide range of theoretical approaches as well as links to many relevant IR-related websites.