This module serves to consolidate postgraduate research and learning support by enabling students to engage with theories, methods, and skills relevant to your studies. The module is core for all PPR PGT politics students and complements core subject and discipline-specific provision in religious studies and philosophy. Through this module we aim to equip you with the ability to reflect upon the processes and implications of research project planning, design and execution in Politics, Philosophy and/or Religion.

The first part of the module examines the principles of research, including different disciplinary traditions of knowledge production. It goes on to set out the process of structuring a research project and explores how to develop and apply theory. The second part of the module examines a range of methods for conducting research, including interviews, surveys, and case studies. The final section covers questions of ethics and goes through how to write up and present research. Through the module, students will design research projects, develop writing and critical evaluation skills, and have the opportunity to present their research ideas as part of the annual MA conference. The module involves a combination of lectures, small group discussion, and presentations covering the following areas:

• The academic research process.
• Project planning, design and process management.
• Ethics in postgraduate research.
• Resource identification and review processes.
• Data acquisition techniques and issues.
• Analytical and interpretative approaches.
• Academic conventions (e.g. making an argument, writing, referencing).

Assessment is by 5,000 word research proposal.

Anthropology is the systematic study of humanity in all of its diversity and forms of social organization. Policy is a key organising concept of modern societies and as such it merits anthropological research, that is close ethnographic attention to the sites, actors and texts involved in policy making and implementation. Beyond understanding the sheer mechanics of how policy programmes come about, anthropology of policy pays close critical attention to the values, meanings and power relations implicated in the process of achieving desired societal outcomes. Approached in this way, the study of policy becomes a window onto governance at multiple levels, and the prevailing regimes of truth and power. This module will equip students with the tools to understand policy contexts and processes through an anthropological lens. This involves developing the valuable capacity to understand institutional cultures, norms and ways of doing things which determine policy outcomes. The module will provide an advanced theoretical and methodological introduction to the field covering topics such as ethnographic research methods in policy contexts, key relevant concepts in critical social and anthropological theory (culture, power, discourse, the state, governmentality, ritual and ritualization etc.) and policy practices in the governance of such fields as migration, health, research, policing, banking and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), explored through a range of ethnographic case studies. Students will be able to hone their own ethnographic skills through guided research which forms part of the final assessment.

Introduction

Week 1 Introduction to the study of Gender, Religion and Islam: This session is devoted to getting to know each other and discussing key issues in the study of gender and religion in light of feminist and post-colonial approaches.

Gender in the Tradition: Weeks 2-5

Week 2 Women in Qur'anic Narratives: This session introduces students to the study of the Qur’an with a focus on the representation of gender in Qur’anic narratives.

Week 3 The Construction of Gender Norms: This session investigates the moral boundaries of gender relations in the Qur’an, Hadith and early Muslim interpretation with a focus on the model of the Prophets’ wives and its extension to Muslim women in general.

Week 4 Sexuality and Modesty: This session continues to investigate the moral boundaries of gender relations in the Qur’an and Hadith with a focus on the question of sexuality and the dress code.

Week 5 Authority and power: This session will explore premodern Muslim views about the status of women and male authority, particularly in light of the central text Q. 3:34 (Male guardianship and the so-called beating verse)

Week 6 Individual Tutorials

Feminist Approaches and Contemporary Movements: Weeks 7-10

Week 7 Feminist Approaches to the Islamic tradition: Deconstructing Patriarchy: This session will look at the reform discourses which led to new approaches to the Qur’an with a focus on feminist interpretations that aim to deconstruct ‘patriarchal’ readings of the Qur’an.

Week 8 Feminist Approaches to the Islamic tradition: Reconstructing Islamic law: In this session, we take a closer look at the transnational Muslim Musawah (Equality) movement associated with Sisters in Islam and its effort to reconstruct Gender norms and laws in Islam.

Week 9 Politics and Piety: Reconstructing Islamic Practice: In the final two sessions we move to look at women’s involvement in changing religious practices through political action. This session looks at the British and US contexts and the emergence of the women-led mosques.

Week 10: Politics and Piety: The Revival of the Tradition and Critiques of Feminist Approaches: This session focuses on the revivalist, more traditionally-oriented mosque movement in the Middle East with reference to Egypt. The primary aim, however, will be to critically reflect upon and assess feminist approaches to Gender in Islam.

The course aims to explore a variety of approaches to conflict management in contemporary conflicts, by third parties and parties in conflict, and critically assesses their effectiveness and potential. The course draws its theoretical foundations from peace and conflict research but is aimed at enabling students to learn to assess the scope for conflict management and peace- building in practice. The module includes both academic literature as well as policy relevant papers.

The focus of the course is on analysing peace processes and practical problems of conflict prevention, conflict management and peace-building in a range of contemporary international, internal, ethnic, community and environmental conflicts.

Students will be divided up into groups of two or three, and each group will take responsibility for identifying and investigating a specific approach to conflict management in a conflict of their choice. The choice of cases will vary with the interest of students. In recent year topics included Afghanistan, Chechnya, Georgia, Kashmir, Kosovo, Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Liberia/Sierra Leone, Timor Elste, conflict prevention and the emergent global climate change negotiations, and peace-building in contemporary Africa and Asia.

The course is taught in 10 2-hour lecture seminars, with the first half devoted to the lecture and the second half dedicated to substantial presentations by the student / group.

This module revolves around different aspects of Asian Security and looks at some of Asia’s trouble spots. The course will also examine the politics of intervention in these conflicts, and the attempts made to manage and prevent conflicts, and transform these conflict zones into more peaceful situations. The case studies that this module looks at include Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China.

The module aims to provide you with an in-depth knowledge of the different facets of contemporary Asian conflicts and how international organisations and Western and Asian governments have attempted to deal with these challenges in recent times. Conceptually, the course will examine the principles of state failure; terrorism, ‘New Wars’, the New Security Agenda, nationalism and sub nationalism, international conflict prevention; peace keeping; and global governance. The course also covers topics like the rise of Islamism and Hindu nationalism in contemporary South Asia. This module provides you with an overview of the key security concerns of South-Central Asia.

• To firstly identify trouble spots in contemporary Asia and the different layers of conflict in each case study;
• To analyse the politics of intervention;To examine the basis of political identities, the nature of nationalism and sub nationalism and their implications for the nation state, regional stability, security, peace, cooperation and development;
• To identify methods of conflict resolution for these violent conflict zones and to look at the politics of reconstruction.

This module is designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration between social scientists and computer scientists. It will enable you to gain a critical understanding of deviance online, ‘cybercrime’ and ‘cybersecurity’ by engaging with classic and cutting-edge social research. With an emphasis on workshop discussion, you will be encouraged to develop your critical and reflective thinking around criminal and deviant activities online, through for example a consideration of gender and age power relations as they are played out in offline/online environments and through online practices.

This module is part of the MSc in Cybersecurity and is a compulsory module for this programme.

In the age of the 'anthropocene', the devastation of the natural environment, loss of biodiversity, global warming and pollution can no longer be ignored. At the same time, the solutions to the environmental crisis have not yet materialised.

This module introduces you to the challenges the environmental crisis poses to a multitude of actors, including international organisations, governments, political parties and individuals. It will discuss the way in which institutions, ideas and interests shape environmental politics, and will provide a comprehensive introduction to environmental activism and green politics at local and international levels.

The course will begin with a look at the history of the subcontinent, covering ancient, medieval and modern times. This will help us to understand the historical and cultural roots of the region and what impact modernisation has had on it. Since most states of the region have adopted western political institutions, it is important to inquire if these are working satisfactorily and if they are not, what is the alternative? This necessitates an examination of political systems. However, in order to further our understanding of South Asian politics, we also need to look at ethnicity and nationalism in the region. An examination of the relations between the states in the region as well as their relations with the rest of the world is important in understanding the foreign policy goals of each state and their contribution to the regions overall development. Important issues that need to be examined include efforts to promote regional cooperation and South Asias role in the global political economy.

• Introducing South Asia
• Perspectives on the history of the Indian subcontinent
• India: The Construction of a Nation State
• Pakistan and Bangladesh: Weakness of Internal Sovereignty
• Sri Lanka: The Failure of Multiculturalism
• South Asian Security: Its Different Dimensions
• India: A Heavyweight in Regional Politics?
• Pakistan: Survival is the key Concern
• Sri Lanka/Bangladesh/Bhutan/Nepal: Small State Psyche
• South Asian Regional Cooperation: SAARC
• Concluding the Course

Assessment is by 5,000 word essay.

Diplomacy and Foreign Policy are central to the understanding of international politics. The structure of the international system induces a constant need for political dialogue and negotiations. Besides war, diplomacy is the common language states are using to interact on the world stage.

Complementing the first core module on Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, which provides theoretical understanding of the subject, this module applies these theoretical tools to contemporary diplomatic and negotiation issues and great power politics (PPR.430 is NOT a prerequisite though). Indeed, the teaching and learning strategy of Diplomacy and Foreign Policy is designed to give you both theoretical and practical understanding of contemporary issues in diplomacy and foreign policy. Academic teaching will thus be complemented by guest lectures (e.g. by a practitioner) and in-class activities such as mock negotiation exercises.

The syllabus is likely to draw upon the following: Nuclear weapons and foreign policy, Arms control and diplomacy, International climate negotiations, South-North relations and development, and some in-class mock negotiation exercises.

Diplomacy and Foreign Policy are central to the understanding of international politics. The structure of the international system induces a constant need for political dialogue and negotiations. Besides war, diplomacy is the common language states are using to interact on the world stage.

Complementing the first core module (Theory and Concepts in Diplomacy and Foreign Policy), this module aims to apply your theoretical understanding of diplomacy and foreign policy to contemporary diplomatic and negotiation issues and great power politics. Our teaching and learning strategy seeks to give you both theoretical and practical understanding of contemporary issues in diplomacy and foreign policy. Where possible, academic teaching will be complemented by guest lectures (e.g. by a practitioner) and in-class activities such as mock negotiation exercises.

Topics covered vary each year but we often explore issues relating to the following areas: Nuclear weapons and foreign policy, Arms control and diplomacy, International climate negotiations, South-North relations and development, Diplomacy and terrorism, and Citizen protection.

Major Approaches to the Study of International Relations will explore the development of International Relations (IR) theory in the 20th and 21st centuries and examine it in the light of major historical developments and contemporary events. The module aims at providing the students with the necessary skills and background knowledge to engage critically with the world that we live in. To do so, the module pays special attention to the unequal power relations and Western dominance in the study of IR and politics, and to how they have become embedded into our institutions, theories and methods. The module will also introduce students to theories and debates in human and environmental sustainability.

Learning Outcomes

• compare and contrast the major international relations theories and apply them to contemporary international relations, security and sustainability issues and problems;
• understand the different historical contexts behind these theoretical developments and see how they change and develop over time;
• understand the different political implications of the main IR theories and how these interact with different political movements;
• better understand specialised debates in international relations, security and foreign policy, including a knowledge of specialised terminology;
• put into historical context, understand and criticise debates about international relations, security and sustainability;understand the larger theoretical framework in which international relations are positioned;
• provide space to engage in critical discussions about power, gender and race in IR, and help in developing a more critical eye to the challenges and possibilities of different approaches to and visions of IR;
• obtain an introductory knowledge of environmental sustainability.

This course will examine some of the core philosophical questions raised by warfare and conflict. We will look at the ethics of war and killing, but also at more neglected philosophical issues in this area, and non-Western approaches as well as classic texts in the Western tradition.

We will do so by examining some of the central dilemmas faced by soldiers, policymakers and non-combatants, in the form of a weekly question for discussion. These questions include: Can war be beautiful? When, if ever, should we go to war? What counts as legitimate action in war? What, if anything, do we owe to our enemies? Is soldiering a good life? What does technological development mean for warfare? What should a responsible citizen do when their country is or looks about to be, at war? Who has the epistemic authority to speak about war? Is war always tragic?

Every year the department runs several Special Subject modules in philosophy, in which students engage in depth with research topics chosen by individual members of staff. These modules offer an opportunity to work on cutting-edge philosophy, in a small group, under the guidance of a subject expert. They are open both to final-year undergraduate students and to MA students (under different codes for administrative purposes).

Special Subject classes are run as seminars or reading groups: the tutor convenes the group, sets reading, and guides discussion, but does not lecture; students are expected to be active, self-directed, and well-prepared participants.

Depending on student numbers and timetables, MA students may either take seminars with undergraduates or in their own separate groups. MA students also have their own, further meetings with the module tutor.MA students' assessed work for this module will be marked at the appropriate level, distinct from and higher than undergraduates' assessed work, and requiring a greater degree of depth, independence, and knowledge of the appropriate philosophical literature. Guidance will be provided.

Select Bibliography

• Behaviour, (Hoover, 1993)

This course familiarises you with the major issues in the politics and international relations of the contemporary Middle East region. The countries covered include all Arab states and non- Arab states such as Iran and Israel. Deliberately, the course will start with a hard look at the contemporary picture in the region and, from that, ask the questions about how we got there. Digging back will include a broad introduction to the people, society, history and politics of the Middle East. The course will then explore the interplay of factors such as religion, ethnicity, gender and class in the politics of the region; the role played by internal and external actors; issues of conflict in the region; political economies; foreign policies of major states and the perception of what those policies might be; regional integration; the concepts of political Islam and the challenge of democracy and Islam.

The aim of the course is not in the first place to cover in detail all of the most recent events, and it will be assumed that you follow current affairs in the region. Rather, the aim is to undertake a deeper exploration of the region: to help you understand and analyse the dynamics involved in these events and processes. In other words: why did things evolve the way they did, why are they what they appear to be today, and what does this tell us about where they are likely to go in the future? This will be done through guided reading, seminar discussion, and your own research and writing.

The topics covered in the course include:

• The Middle East after the Arab Spring(s); the shi’i/sunni pulls for influence
• “Political Islam” and the concept of the state; the “war on terror”
• Where did all this come from? People, society, tribes, money and politics
• Voices of the Middle East: religion, ethnicity, gender and class, salafis, language and the Qur’an
• Internal and External Actors in the Middle East; diplomacy
• Political economies of the region: oil power or dependency?
• The Arab-Israeli conflict
• Wars now in the region; containment, intervention and persuasion
• Democracy in the Middle East; shi’a and sunna; the “gates of ijtihad”

Immigration is one of the most controversial political issues across liberal democratic states. The issue dominates debate across the political spectrum and continues to be a top voting issue in many Western states including the UK. It is one of the most divisive, contested and important issues of our time. The goal of this course is to unpack the politicisation of immigration, including how and why immigration is so contested, the actors that shape these debates and how immigration policy is made. The course is designed to give students a rich understanding of the politics of immigration and immigration policies, including a comprehensive understanding of why immigration policies differ across countries, the critical debates at the heart of immigration policymaking, and ultimately why immigration is politicised. The course particularly considers European countries’ immigration policies and the political dynamics and processes that shape these policy outputs. By the end of the module, students will have developed an understanding of the theoretical and conceptual frameworks used by political scientists to analyse the politics of immigration, as well as acquiring a sound knowledge of political debates and policy trends across Europe. Students will acquire the skills to analyse the political dynamics of immigration policymaking.

The course will touch on a number of questions, including why is immigration politicised? Who makes and shapes immigration policy? What role do political parties play? To what extent is migration policy become ‘Europeanized’? Has multiculturalism failed? Have states ‘lost control’ of migration? Why do gaps persist between immigration policy outputs and outcomes? How can we explain differences in immigration policies, across streams and countries? Why do publics oppose immigration? To answer these questions, this course will unpack the political dynamics of immigration and in turn, the policymaking processes by examining different explanatory theories and concepts utilised by political scientists.

This is your opportunity to learn about policymaking theories and policy analysis.

You'll explore both theoretical and practitioner perspectives in public policy from the UK and beyond. This knowledge will enable you to use and apply public policy insights in your work.

The module covers important topics such as:

• What is policy? Why is it needed? Who makes policy?
• Theories of policymaking: policymaking cycle and the policymaking environment, how does policy change, policy instruments and policy tools, policy learning and transfer.
• Critical Policy Studies: issues of power in policymaking and alternative approaches to policymaking, critical theories such as feminism and anti-racism.
• Policy analysis: identifying steps that policy analysis should follow. Practical analysis of a policy problem and possible solutions in areas such as economic, social, justice/home affairs and foreign policy.
• Policy implementation and administration including the role of street level bureaucrats.
• Policy evaluation: methods for evaluation policy against objectives to assessing the extent to which the policy was implemented correctly and, if so, had the desired effect.

This module focuses on the politics and international relations of the European Union. It assumes a basic level of knowledge of the EU and as a consequence, will go on to cover specific public policy areas, with a focus on how and why the EU takes political decisions. The module will also analyse the wider dynamics of European integration, and the activities of the various European institutions in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg (Council, Commission, Parliament, Court of Justice).

Policy areas covered will include economic, social, cohesion, environmental, justice and home affairs, and foreign affairs. The wider European Social Model (ESM) - economic free markets mixed with social welfare - will act as a backdrop to the class, and the question of its effectiveness in 2022 will be discussed and analysed. This will also extend to the wider role of the EU as a ‘soft power’ in the world and the argument that it acts as a global model for International relations and government.

The class will be taught as a two hour graduate seminar with short introductory presentations and videos followed by class discussions. The module will also have the aim of introducing students to careers in the EU and looking at what it is like to work for a European institution.

This course examines the changing character of war and security in a time of rapid and disruptive technological and geopolitical/ecological change. The course combines analysis of contemporary policy documents with the interdisciplinary insights of intellectuals – such as Zygmunt Bauman and Paul Virilio – who have examined how war has changed in the modern age.

Students are introduced to a range of concepts that are currently significant in the debates about the future of war – concepts such as ambiguous war, the gray zone, unrestricted warfare, the third offset strategy, and the three block war.

While the course is grounded in broader debates from social and political thought about war and modernity, it explores a range of evolving and inter-related case studies that are central to understanding how war is changing: cybersecurity/artificial intelligence; cities and urban war; drones and the future of robotics; climate change and ecological insecurity.

Assessment is by 5,000 word essay.

Diplomacy and Foreign Policy are central to the understanding of international politics. The structure of the international system induces a constant need for political dialogue and negotiations.

This module introduces students to ways of conceptualizing diplomacy and foreign policy in the 21st century:

• Why do states rely on diplomacy?
• What are the current forms and features of diplomacy and foreign policy?
• Is diplomacy the only form of international dialogue besides war?
• How do states (and statesmen) negotiate?
• How has diplomacy evolved throughout history?
• Does ‘global governance’ exist?

The teaching and learning strategy of Diplomacy and Foreign Policy is designed to give students both theoretical and practical understanding of contemporary issues in diplomacy and foreign policy. Academic teaching can be complemented by lectures and in-class activities carried out by practitioners (e.g. diplomats, civil servants, etc.).

Assessment is by 5,000 word essay.