Module SGIA1071: International Security, Interdependence and Organisation

Department: Government and International Affairs

SGIA1071: International Security, Interdependence and Organisation

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• As one of three core modules in International Relations at Level One this course will introduce students to the major theoretical and analytical problems in the fields of international security, interdependence and organization. Students will gain detailed and specific knowledge in the following areas:
• the conceptual and analytical discussion concerning the use of coercive force between organised political units in international relations - the ‘war problem’ - and the evolving meaning of ‘conflict’ and ‘security’;
• the historical context of ‘war’ and ‘peace’ in the modern world system, notably the shift from internecine inter-state war in the first half of the 20th Century to a conditional security in the second half; and the possible explanations as to why this may have occurred;
• the notion of patterns of complex and diverse interdependence that encourage states to accept some limited forms of governance of their relations, and the emergence of a variety of kinds of international organizations, from the universal and general – the UN system – to the selective and specific – security and economic regimes - that impose predictability on those relations;
• an analysis of European institutions – the EU and its various mechanisms of CFSP, ESDP, and ‘constitutionalism’ – as embodying a distinctive historical approach to the problems of security, interdependence, and organization; and the persistent scepticism of those who point to the ‘false promise of institutions’.

Content

• The module will be taught in four blocs with four lectures and two tutorials to each bloc. This entails - along with introductory meetings in lecture and tutorial - 26 contact hours. Typical indicative content includes:
• 1: The ‘war problem’. This bloc introduces students to the theoretical literature on human conflict and the competing assumptions that human nature, ‘failed states’, or systemic anarchy are the preponderant cause of war;
• 2: Hegemony vs Society. This bloc provides students with a historical examination of conflict in the 20th century, and debates the assumptions that the gradual establishment of a predictable security environment may be due to the imposition of a hegemonic order or the emergence of an international society;
• 3: Complex interdependence. This bloc looks at the evolution of the international order and the role of regimes and organizations in imposing some degree of predictability on inter-state relations. It looks first at the UN system and assesses the extent to which political authority has shifted from states to this institution and its agencies;
• 4: The Europeans and ‘Effective Multilateralism’. A final bloc looks at the experience of the Europeans and their attempt to move beyond the ‘total war’ of the first half of the 20th century. Is European institutionalism an international project that other states can embrace; or is it a product of Europe’s historical exceptionalism?

Learning Outcomes

• Subject specific knowledge will typically include:
• An awareness of the principal issues and problems involved in the study of security in international relations, with more detailed knowledge of specific aspects of the organization of peace, though regimes and institutions;
• A recognition of basic theories, concepts and principles used in the analysis of different kinds of political violence, and the continuing discussion of security as a concept that evolves as international politics evolves;
• An appreciation for foundational methods of conducting political analysis in international security, and notably an understanding of the attempted organization of security through the UN and its agencies at the global level and European institutions as a regional level case study.

• Subject specific skills will typically include:
• The ability to accurately describe and summarise the academic literature in this area, both theoretical and empirical;
• Foundational ability to identify competing conceptualisations and understandings for the framing of war, security and international organizations, and the capacity to offer critical assessments as to their relative merit;
• Show an appreciation for the changing comparative and historical context of the subject area and some ability to assess the claims of political science to explain this context;
• Recognising the need, and developing the capacity, for a self-critical and independent approach to learning.

• Key skills will typically include:
• Accessing and utilising resources, both with direction and independently;
• Foundational research techniques in political analysis of the international context, including the capacity to identify, and differentiate between, research sources according to their suitability and quality;
• Planning and writing academic assignments under time pressure and without recourse to supporting materials;
• Take responsibility for the planning and completion of their work within an agreed framework of expectations.
• Work effectively in groups

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module delivers a mixture of teaching and learning activities, including lectures, tutorials, presentations and the submission of written work. Lectures provide an established basis for the delivery of core knowledge on the subject areas and provide an opportunity for staff to indicate the methods of academic analysis appropriate to these subject areas. Small group tutorials provide an environment in which students can debate and discuss theories, concepts and issues in order to help them assess the merits of various positions. Group simulation exercises provide students with an innovative learning environment, where they can develop their organisational and communication skills. They will also allow students to achieve an understanding of the internal dynamics of international organisations by engaging as participants in intra-institutional bargaining.
• Summative assessment is primarily by a final written unseen examination in which students will be tested for their subject-specific knowledge in relation to the learning outcomes and the departmental assessment criteria. Further summative assessment is through a group presentation delivered by three to four students. Each contributor will submit a summary of the group's deliberations on one side of A4 (500-550 words) no later than two weeks after the presentation or in the first tutorial of the following term if a vacation intervenes. Assessment is on a pass-fail basis. This assessment tests the ability to work effectively in groups.
• Formative assessment through essays and presentations gives students an opportunity to practice the written and oral communication of the knowledge they obtain during the course. It also provides feedback on their level of success in achieving the learning outcomes of the module.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Tutorial presentation. Two 1,500 word essays.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University