War in World Politics (826M9)
War in World Politics
Module 826M9
Module details for 2021/22.
30 credits
FHEQ Level 7 (Masters)
Module Outline
The course offers an advanced understanding of the place of war in world politics. What is war and how, if at all, is it different from other forms of violence? What is politics and how, if at all, is it to be distinguished from war? What is the relationship between politics and war? That there is a distinction between these activities is fundamental to the self-understanding of liberal democracies. We begin by enquiring into this politico-military history with a close reading of Carl von Clausewitz. We then turn to an examinination of war in specific relation to ethics and law (the distinctive political morality of war and legal rules governing its conduct), gender (the construction of certain kinds of 'men' and 'women' through military socialisation), and culture (military Orientalism and associated forms of identity construction). We then use the knowledge acquired in the first part of the course to investigate three specific forms of warfare. These are genocide as a war of annhilation, insurgency/guerrilla warfare and counterinsurgency. The overall aim and objective of the course is to develop advanced knowledge and analytical skills to think, talk, and write in an informed and critical manner about war in world politics.
Module learning outcomes
Possess an understanding of war, including its place in history and theories about war
Convey an advanced capacity for critical judgment of the role of war in human affairs and the wider historical and political influences on war
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of some of the different approaches to the history and theory of war
Demonstrate familiarity with the major thinkers, approaches, concepts of war, as indicated in the syllabus
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | Semester 2 Assessment Week 2 Thu 16:00 | 100.00% |
Timing
Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.
Weighting
Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.
| Term | Method | Duration | Week pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Workshop | 3 hours | 11111111111 |
How to read the week pattern
The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.
Mr Zdenek Kavan
Assess convenor
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