Students
IRPG841 – Theories of International Relations
2016 – S1 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Conor Keane
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
4
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MIntRel or PGDipIntRel or GradDipIntRel or PGCertIntRel or MIntCommMIntRel or MIntBusMIntRel or MIntRelMIntTrdeComLaw or MTransInterMIntRel or MConfInt or MPPP or PGDipPP or PGCertResPrep(Arts) or MA in (History or Modern History) or PGDipArts in Modern History or PGCertArts in Modern History or GradCertPP or GradDipPP
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides students with a grounding in the principle theoretical approaches to the study of international relations and world order. Beginning with a focus on the historical emergence of traditional approaches such as realism, liberalism and Marxism and their competing perspectives on the causes of war and the conditions for peace, the unit goes on to consider more recent approaches, including gender approaches, critical theory, constructivism, postcolonialism, postmodernism and green theory.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-semester test | 10% | 10/04/2016 |
| Essay | 50% | 3/05/2016 |
| Participation (internal only) | 10% | Ongoing |
| End-of-semester test | 30% | 5/06/2016 |
Mid-semester test
Due: 10/04/2016
Weighting: 10%
A mid-semester test comprising 20 multiple choice questions (worth 1 mark each and therefore 10% of the total assessment) covering material presented in the unit up to and including week 5. The test itself will be conducted at the end of week 6 and will cover material presented in the first 5 weeks. The test will be administered on-line. You will have access to the test from 9 am Thursday 7 April – 11pm Sunday 10 April. Once you open and start the test, however, you will have only a certain amount of time in which to finish it (e.g. one hour). You will need to have revise all the material presented in the first 5 weeks of the course to answer the questions before you start the test. You won’t be able to attempt to simply look answers up during the test.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Essay
Due: 3/05/2016
Weighting: 50%
An essay of up to 3,000 words max. (worth 50%). You must include the word count on the title page of your essay. If you don’t provide an accurate word limit you will be penalized. If you exceed the word limit by more than 10% you will be penalized. Essays that are well short of the word limit (more than 10% under) will also be penalized. Due date is Tuesday 3rd May 11:55pm. All essays should be upload it through Turnitin - no hardcopy is required. Students who submit by the due date will get their essays back before the end of the lecture period. Alternatively, students may take an extension of a week without penalty (and without asking the convener) and submit by Tuesday 10th May 11:55pm. This date is for students who, for whatever reason (illness, poor time management, personal problems etc.), cannot make the due date. However, students submitting after 3rd May are unlikely to get their essays back before the exam period starts. Priority in marking will be given to those who submitted on 3rd May. It is entirely up to you as to when you submit. Please note also that there will be no extensions for illness or other reasons beyond 10th May, except in the case of very serious, prolonged illness or hospitalization.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Participation (internal only)
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%
Internal students will be required to conduct group presentations. More detail on this will be forthcoming in the first tutorial.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
End-of-semester test
Due: 5/06/2016
Weighting: 30%
An end-of-semester test worth 30% of the total assessment (for external students it is worth 40% and contains an extra question). Students will be asked to answer a total of 4 short essays out of a choice of ten questions. Answers should be between 500-700 words. The short answer test must also be submitted electronically to turnitin in the same as an assignment and also uploaded to Turnitin. Students must reference any source material and include a single bibliography. Answers must be in your own words, and reflect your own thoughts. You have from Tuesday Week 13 to Sunday (11:59pm) to complete the examination. (opens 9am 31 May; closes 11:59pm 5 June).
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Delivery and Resources
Teaching Methods/Mode of Delivery
Teaching on the unit consists of lectures and tutorials for both day and evening students. The tutorials follow the lecture program and their purpose is to allow students to participate in discussions and ask questions about the topics dealt with in the lectures. Students must also be prepared to discuss issues during the seminars based on the recommended readings and the lectures. Tutorial sessions will be led by qualified tutors who will share responsibility for the marking of coursework and who will be responsible for awarding marks for tutorial participation.
External students are provided with the recorded lectures. External students should also use the reading guide and questions provided for each week’s topic as a self-tutorial program. That is, if you do the required reading each week and consider the questions set, you should acquire a good understanding of the various topics. A tutor will be available to answer queries on the material from external students.
Prerequisites and Preparation
Students taking this unit inevitably come from a wide range of academic backgrounds. Some students will already have been introduced to the study of IR, and IR theory, at undergraduate level. For others, this unit will be their first experience of the subject, or of the more general field of political studies, of which IR is a part. For those with little or no previous background in the study of politics and IR, it is essential that you do some extra reading and preparation for the unit. Even if you have done some politics and IR before, you will benefit from some revision.
Textbooks and Sources: Students make an enormous financial investment in studying for a Master’s degree. Don’t compromise by not investing in the core texts for any unit and relying solely on the library. You are strongly advised to acquire your own copies of the core texts so that you have ready access to them when you need them. You will find that these texts are useful for other units as well. The core texts for IRPG841 are:
Stephanie Lawson, Theories of International Relations: Contending approaches to world politics (Polity, 2015) is now available to be purchased at the co-op book store. Most of the readings for each week’s topic will come from this document.
The second text is: Stephanie Lawson, International Relations, (Polity, 2012). This book introduces students to the general field of IR, explains the emergence of IR theories in an historic context, and examines three major contexts for the application of theoretical concepts, namely: security and insecurity, global governance and world order, and globalization and the state. You are advised to read this book within the first week or so of the course as it will give you a good overview of the field of IR and the role of theory at a fairly accessible level. You can then re-read the relevant sections each week as indicated in the week-by-week program.
Supplementary Texts
You need not buy these, although they are certainly highly relevant to the unit and would be a good investment.
John Baylis, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens (ed), The Globalization of World Politics, 6th edn, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2014. This book covers a range of IR theories, from the principle strands of realism, liberalism and Marxism through to constructivism, feminism, poststructuralism and postcolonialism. In addition to the theory chapters, there are more than 20 chapters on a range of other topics in IR, so it will be useful for wider reading and for other units in the MIR program. However, it does not cover ‘green theory’ and a separate reading will be provided.
Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki and Steve Smith (eds), Theories of International Relations: Discipline and Diversity, 3rd edn, Oxford University Press, 2013.
Scott Burchill et al, Theories of International Relations, 5th edn, Palgrave, 2013.
Martin Griffiths and Terry O’Callaghan, International Relations: The Key Concepts, Routledge, 2nd edn, 2008.
Further Reading
There are many other good texts that students may benefit from reading and consulting for seminar and essay preparation. These include the following:
Amitav Acharya and Barry Buzan (eds), Non-Western International Relations Theory: Perspectives from Asia, Routledge, 2009.
Brooke A. Ackerly, Maria Stern, Jacqui True (eds), Feminist Methodologies for International Relations, Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Robert J. Art and Robert Jervis, International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 8th edn, Pearson International Edition, 2007.
Robin Attfield, The Ethics of the Global Environment, Edinburgh University Press, 1999.
J. Marshall Beier, International Relations in Uncommon Places: Indigeneity, Cosmology, and the Limits of International Theory, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
Duncan Bell (ed.), Political Thought and International Relations: Variations on a Realist Theme, Oxford University Press, 2008.
Duncan Bell (ed.), Ethics and World Politics, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2010.
Felix Berenskoetter and Michael J. Williams, Power in World Politics, Routledge, 2007.
Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckman, The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge, Anchor Books, 1966.
Antony Best et al., International History of the Twentieth Century, Routledge, 2004.
Henrik Blidall, Casper Sylvest and Peter Wilson (eds), Classics of International Relations: Essays in Criticism and Appreciation, Routledge, 2013.
Lee-Anne Broadhead, International Environmental Politics: The Limits of Green Diplomacy, Boulder, Lynne Rienner, 2002.
Stephen G. Brooks and William Curti Wohlforth, World Out of Balance: International Relations and the Challenge of American Primacy, Princeton University Press, 2008.
Chris Brown and Kirsten Ainley, Understanding International Relations, 4th edn, Palgrave, 2009.
Chris Brown, Terry Nardin and Nicholas Rengger (eds) (2002), International Relations in Political Thought: Texts from the Ancient Greeks to the First World War, Cambridge University Press, 2002.
Hedley Bull, The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics, 3rd edn, Macmillan Palgrave, 2002.
Barry Buzan, People, States and Fear, Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1991.
Walter Carlsnaes, Thomas Risse, Beth A. Simmons (eds), Handbook of International Relations, 2nd eedn, Sage, 2013.
E. H. Carr, The Twenty Years’ Crisis, 3rd edn, Palgrave, 2001.
Ian Clark, Legitimacy in International Society, Oxford University Press, 2005.
R.W. Connell, Masculinities, University of California Press, 2nd edn, 2005.
Ian Clarke, The Post-Cold War Order: The Spoils of Peace, Oxford, 2001.
Oliver Daddow, International Relations Theory, Sage, 2009.
James Der Derian, Critical Practices in International Theory: Selected Essays, Routledge, 2009.
Richard Devetak, Anthony Burke and Jim George, An Introduction to International Relations: Australian Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, 2007.
Diehl, Paul F. and Brian Frederking (eds), The Politics of Global Governance, Lynne Rienner, 2010.
Andrew Dobson, Green Political Thought, Routledge, 2007.
Nigel Dower, World Ethics: The New Agenda, Edinburgh University Press, 1998.
Tim Dunne, Inventing International Society: A History of the English School, Macmillan, 1998.
Robin Eckersley, The Green State: Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty, MIT Press, 2004.
Jenny Edkins and Nick Vaughan-Williams (eds), Critical Theorists and International Relations, Routledge 2009.
Lorraine Elliott, The Global Politics of the Environment, Macmillan, 1998.
Michel Foucault, Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings, ed. and transl. Colin Gordon, Harvester Press, 1980.
Mervyn Frost, Towards a Normative Theory of International Relations: A Critical Analysis, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Greg Fry and Jacinta O’Hagan (eds), Contending Images of World Politics, Macmillan, 2000.
John Garner, Peter Ferdinand and Stephanie Lawson, Introduction to Politics, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2009.
Joshua S. Goldstein, War and Gender: How Gender Shapes the War System and Vice Versa, Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Antonio Gramsci, The Modern Prince, and Other Writings, International Publishers, 1967.
Martin Griffiths, Fifty Key Thinkers in International Relations, 2nd edn, Routledge, 2008.
Stefano Guzzini and Anna Leander (eds), Constructivism and International Relations: Alexander Wendt and His Critics, Routledge, 2006.
Patrick Hayden (ed), The Ashgate Research Companion to Ethics and International Relations, Ashgate, 2009.
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Fontana, 1962.
Kimberley Hutchings, International Political Theory, Sage, 1999.
Beate Jahn (ed.), Classical Theory in International Relations, Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Branwen Gruffydd Jones (ed.), Decolonizing International Relations, Rowman & Littlefield, 2006.
Morton A. Kaplan, System and Process in International Politics, ECPR Press, 2005.
Charles W. Kegley and Eugene R. Wittkopf, World Politics: Trend and Transformation, Thomson Wadsworth, 2007.
Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict From 1500 to 2000, Fontana Press 1988.
Robert O. Keohane and Joseph S. Nye, Power and Interdependence, 2nd edn, Scott Foresman, 1989.
Robert O. Keohane (ed), Neorealism and Its Critics, Columbia University Press, 1986.
Torbjørn L. Knutsen, A History of International Relations Theory: An Introduction, Manchester University Press, 1992.
Milja Kurki, Causation in International Relations: Reclaiming Causal Analysis, Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Audie Klotz and Deepa Prakash, Qualitative Methods in International Relations: A Pluralist Guide, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008
Yosef Lapid and Friedrich Kratochwil (eds), The Return of Culture and Identity in IR Theory, Lynne Rienner, 1996.
Eric Laferrière and Peter John Stoett, International Relations Theory and Ecological Thought: Towards a Synthesis, Routledge, 1999.
Stephanie Lawson (ed.), The New Agenda for International Relations: From Polarization to Globalization in World Politics?, Polity Press, 2002.
Stephanie Lawson, Culture and Context in World Politics, Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.
Charles Lemert, Anthony Elliott, Daniel Chaffee and Eric Hsu (eds), Globalization: A Reader, Routledge, 2010.
V. I. Lenin, Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism, Progress, 1986.
Andrew Linklater and Hidemi Suganami, The English School of International Relations: A Reassessment, Cambridge University Press, 2006.
N. Machiavelli, The Prince, Penguin, 1961.
Cerwyn Moore, International Relations Theory and Philosophy: Interpretive Dialogues, Routledge, 2009.
Hans Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power, Alfred A. Knopf, 1948 (or any other edition of this text).
Michael Nicholson, International Relations: A Concise Introduction, 2nd edn, Palgrave, 2002.
Nicholas Onuf, World of Our Making: Rules and Rule in Social Theory and International Relations, University of South Carolina Press, 1989.
W. Park and G. Wyn Rees, Rethinking Security in Post-Cold War Europe, Longman, 1998.
Nicholas J. Rengger, International Relations, Political Theory and the Problem of Order: Beyond International Relations Theory?, Routledge, 2000.
Christian Reus-Smit and Duncan Snidal, The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, Oxford University Press, 2008.
James L. Richardson, Contending Liberalisms in World Politics, Lynne Rienner, 2001.
James N. Rosenau, The Study of World Politics: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges, Routledge, 2006.
Joel H. Rosenthal and Christian Barry (eds), International Ethics: A Reader, 3rd edn, Georgetown University Press, 2009.
Sanjay Seth (ed.), Postcolonial Thoery and International Relations: A Critical Introduction, Routledge, 2013.
Paul Sharp, Diplomatic Theory of International Relations, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Keith L. Shimko, International Relations: Perspectives and Controversies, Houghton, Mifflin, 2005.
Steve Smith, Ken Booth and Marysia Zalewski (eds), International Theory: Positivism and Beyond, Cambridge University Press, 1996.
Jill Steans, Gender and International Relations: Issues, Debates and Future Directions, 2nd edn, Polity Press, 2006.
Jill Steans and Lloyd Pettifer, International Relations: Perspectives and Themes, Longman, 2001.
Jennifer Sterling-Folker, Making Sense of International Relations Theory, Lynne Rienner, 2005.
Jennifer Sterling-Folker, International Relations Theory: A Brief Introduction, Routledge, 2009.
Geoffrey Stern, The Structure of International Society: An Introduction to the Study of International Relations, Pinter, 2000.
Peter John Stoett and Eric Laferrière (eds), International Ecopolitical Theory: Critical Approaches, UBC Press, 2006.
Benno Teschke, The Myth of 1648: Class, Geopolitics and the Making of Modern International Relations, Verso, 2003.
J. Ann Tickner, Gender in International Relations: Feminist Perspectives on Achieving Global Security, Columbia University Press, 1992.
Edwin Van de Haar, Classical Liberalism and International Relations Theory: Hume, Smith, Mises, and Hayek, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
John Vogler and Mark Imber (eds), The Environment and International Relations, Routledge, 1996.
R. B. J. Walker, Inside/Outside: International Relations as Political Theory, Cambridge University Press, 1993.
Kenneth Waltz, Man, the State and War, Columbia University Press, 1959.
Kenneth Waltz, Theory of International Politics, Addison Wesley, 1979.
Cynthia Weber, International Relations Theory: A Critical Introduction, 3rd edn, Routledge, 2009.
Phil Williams, Donald M. Goldstein and Jay M. Shafritz (eds), Classic Readings and Contemporary Debates in International Relations, Thompson Higher Education, 2006.
James H. Wylie, European Security in the New Political Environment, Longman, 1997.
John W. Young and John Kent, International Relations Since 1945, Oxford University Press, 2004.
The above lists are not exhaustive. There are literally hundreds of other books as well as many journals dealing with the subject matter of this unit, and the literature is growing all the time. You should sample other texts in the library as well as journal articles, especially when researching for essays.
With respect to journals, some of the main international ones that carry articles on IR theory are: Review of International Studies; Millennium: Journal of International Studies; British Journal of Politics and International Relations; European Journal of International Relations; International Studies Quarterly; International Studies Review; International Organization, Foreign Affairs and World Politics. Relevant journals based in Australia are: Australian Journal of International Affairs; Global Change, Peace and Security; Australian Journal of Political Science; Australian Journal of Politics and History.
Journal articles generally provide commentary on more specialized issues in world politics as well as aspects of IR theory. The Macquarie library holds a large range of books and journals on the subject matter of IR and it is recommended that you explore the shelves to see what is available at an early stage in the unit. It is certainly expected that you go beyond the readings listed in this unit guide, especially when researching for essays. For specialized reading, it is very important that you learn to find relevant journal articles via the library’s electronic data bases. Once you know how to use these, access to journal articles is quite straightforward. Also, recent journal issues are more readily accessible than recently published books which take much longer to get into the library system (and for which reason many books published in 2013/14) may not yet be in the library). One way to find books and articles on any aspect of IR is to use Google Scholar. Simply type ‘google scholar’ into your search tab, then type you topic, like ‘international relations theory’ or ‘liberal international relations theory’ and you will immediately find literally hundreds of academic books and articles on the subject. Google Scholar does not bring up other web-based sources – only serious academic articles suitable for citing in essays. However, you have to exercise your own judgement about which are the most relevant or useful for your purpose.
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Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
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Graduate Capabilities
PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Assessment task
- Participation (internal only)
PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Assessment tasks
- Mid-semester test
- Essay
- Participation (internal only)
- End-of-semester test
PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Assessment tasks
- Mid-semester test
- Essay
- Participation (internal only)
- End-of-semester test
PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability
Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Assessment tasks
- Essay
- Participation (internal only)
- End-of-semester test
PG - Effective Communication
Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Assessment tasks
- Essay
- Participation (internal only)
- End-of-semester test
PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens
Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aims and Objectives: As a core compulsory unit for all students in the MIR program, this unit provides an essential grounding in theories of International Relations (IR). The main aim of the unit is to equip students with a critical appreciation of traditional theoretical approaches to the study of IR as well as of newer approaches that have emerged in recent years. The key objective is to enable students to work with the conceptual tools essential to analysis. Thus by the end of the unit students should be able to not only understand the various theories of IR, but also to apply them in the analysis of issues in the general field of international politics.
Assessment task
- Participation (internal only)