A Bachelor’s Degree equivalent to 180 credits within Social Science (e.g., Political Science, Peace and Conflict Studies, International Relations, International Political Economy, Human Rights or a related major field). English B/6

How should Global Politics be understood as a social science, one that is primarily based in Political Science, but that is also highly interdisciplinary as it draws upon International Relations, Human Rights, and Peace & Conflict Studies? The course addresses this central question through five modular components, which are as follows:

Module 1: Introduction to Global Politics (4 credits).

Module 2: The Sovereign State and Beyond (6.5 credits)

Module 3: Transnational Policy (6.5 credits)

Module 4: Norms and Ideas in Global Politics (6.5 credits)

Module 5: Visions of Global Politics (6.5 credits)

The first module, ‘Introduction to Global Politics’, offers a broad overview of the varied approaches to research covered within the programme, outlines what is meant by the field of ‘Global Politics’, as well as working to strengthen students’ core study skills to ensure they are better able to manage the programme.

The second module, ‘The Sovereign State and Beyond’, focuses on the ‘nation state’ as a political concept. Its emergence is commonly (though not uncontroversially) dated to the Treaties of Westphalia (1648), and has largely formed the basic unit of international politics for the last three centuries. However, its hegemony as a unit of governance has varied in different parts of the world. Even in its original Western context, the notion of state sovereignty is increasingly being challenged by the pressures of globalization, transnational migration and new forms of governance through international organizations. This module examines the early emergence of the sovereign state and its characteristics; discusses the effect of globalization and international governance structures on sovereignty; and concludes by critically examining these concepts in the context of the 21st century world.

The third module, ‘Transnational Policy’, focuses on phenomena such as policy convergence and policy transfer between different levels in the international system, e.g. from the local to regional or global levels, and the role of international organizations and transnational networks in their actualization. The module considers theories of cross-border policy mobility and contrasts orthodox rational-actor approaches with more critical interpretations that highlight power relations and the construction of knowledge. In addition, the course encourages students to recognise that their future careers may potentially involve a policy-influencing role (i.e. legislation, advocacy, providing expert-advice) and to think about how their current studies and knowledge operate as an ‘evidence base’ in the policy world.

The fourth module, ‘Norms and Ideas in Global Politics’, introduces students to two concepts central to much of the literature covered in the programme. Norms and ideas matter in global politics. Perhaps more so than at the national level because the lack of a clear authority means that questions of power and governance are much more contested. The precise role norms and ideas play is itself a highly debated question. Are they devices utilized by interest-driven actors to advance their particular objectives, or do they play a role in creating those interests which drive actors? Where do we place norms and ideas in our attempts to model political behaviour at the global level? This module approaches the role of norms and ideas in global politics from a broad perspective, asking what is meant by ‘norms’ and similar ideational phenomena and what they bring to our analysis of global politics. It also asks if the ideational domain can be truly separated from the material (e.g. economic distribution, military weapons, ecological depletion).

The fifth module, ‘Visions of Global Politics’, seeks to unpack the historically and culturally conditioned world views that influence ways of conceptualizing issues pertaining to globalization; and how these themes can provide a critical and fresh understanding of what ‘Global Politics’ can mean and how it intersects with societal change on different unit levels, analysing key developments and concepts.

Where beneficial to the programme’s aims, the modules may run concurrently.

After completing module 1 (Introduction to Global Politics) the student shall be able to:

(1) Identify and critically analyse key scientific concepts in the field of Global Politics with a focus on how knowledge of global politics is conceptualized in the field. Students should also be able to seek and find relevant material in the library and its online data bases.

(2) Utilise established academic practices from Political Science and related fields in writing texts, particularly in relation to structure, clarity, presentation and the referencing of sources.

(3) Outline the key methodological approaches utilized by scholars conducting research in the field of Global Politics.

After completing module 2 (The Sovereign State and Beyond) the student shall be able to:

(4) Analyse and critically discuss contemporary theories of the nation state, the Westphalian system and political governance at several levels.

(5) Critically discuss and independently investigate how and why states cooperate through international organizations.

(6) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of governance that challenges traditional notions of sovereignty.

(7) Show how empirical data can be used to develop scientific, theoretical explanations or interpretations of how political systems change.

After completing module 3 (Transnational Policy) the student shall be able to:

(8) Critically discuss, compare and evaluate current theories of transnational policy.

(9) Analyse how international organizations and transnational networks contribute to policymaking.

(10) Independently collect and critically process empirical data on transnational policy.

(11) Use case study methodology to analyse how transnational policies affect global politics in certain areas.

After completing module 4 (Norms and Ideas in Global Politics) the student shall be able to:

(12) Demonstrate knowledge of alternative approaches to how norms and ideas are used to study empirical phenomena relevant to Global Politics.

(13) Outline the development over time of norms and their function on a local, national, and international level.

(14) Utilize operationalisation of norms and ideas as a means to study both change and continuity within global politics.

(15) Critically discuss the relationship between actors and structures with respect to norms.

After completing module 5 (Visions of Global Politics) the student shall be able to:

(16) Critically discuss the different interpretations of global politics and how these can provide diverse consequences for the political, cultural, social and societal visions that are politically viable.

(17) Demonstrate a critical, scientific approach to the study of visions of global politics.

(18) Summarise the text of current research in the area, demonstrating a good academic ability.

(19) Clearly present their own analysis of the current research.

Teaching takes place in lectures and seminars. Seminar participation is mandatory. In addition to their attendance students are also expected to spend substantial time on studying the course literature and in preparation of work for assessment.

The student’s performance is assessed through a combination of examinations, seminar participation, oral assignment and course papers.

ILOs 1-2 are evaluated through seminar participation and a course paper.

ILO 3 is evaluated through an oral group presentation.

ILOs 4-7 are evaluated through seminar participation and a portfolio including 1-2 written papers.

ILOs 8-11 are evaluated through seminar participation and a portfolio consisting of a written paper and case study reports.

ILOs 12-15 are evaluated through seminar participation and a course paper.

ILOs 16-19 are evaluated through seminar participation and the writing of a course paper.

O’Byrne, D. J. & A. Hensby (2011). Theorizing Global Studies (New York, NY: Palgrave).Available through MAU library as an e-book.

Additional literature will be added, up to 1500 pages.

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented.

If a student has a decision on individual pedagogical support, the examiner has the right to offer this student an adjusted or alternative assessment method.

The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.