Entry requirements

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

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

The course is part of the main field of Political Science on advanced level and can be included in a Master's degree in Political Science.

Course contents

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 four modular components, which are as follows: **Module 1**: *The Sovereign State and Beyond* (7.5 credits) **Module 2**: *Transnational Policy* (7.5 credits) **Module 3**: *Norms in Global Politics* (7.5 credits) **Module 4**: *Gender and Power in Global Politics* (7.5 credits) The **first 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 **second 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 **third module**, ‘Norms in Global politics’, introduces students to one of the programme’s central concepts: norms. Norms are a contested element in international relations, particularly due to the absence of a clear global authority and the constant threat of violent conflicts, which renders questions of power and governance more complex and disputed. Academic debates often ask whether norms are merely instruments employed by interest-driven actors to advance their particular agendas, or whether norms themselves shape the interests that motivate actors. This module approaches the role of norms in global politics from a broad perspective, asking what is meant by ‘norms’, how they emerge, and what they bring to our analysis of global politics. The **fourth module**, ’Gender and Power in Global Politics’, introduces students to the critical analysis of global politics through a gender lens, building upon epistemological questions from previous modules. It focuses on how gender intersects with power, conflict, security, and governance in contemporary global politics by engaging with feminist theoretical, conceptual, and methodological approaches. Students examine global political issues and institutions, including climate change, war and militarism, digital technologies, migration, disability, and global health. Through seminars, case studies, empirical research, and collaborative discussions, students develop critical thinking skills and learn to connect power relations with knowledge production. The module emphasizes applying feminist perspectives to analyze complex global challenges and equips students with tools for independent research and informed evaluation of gendered dimensions in IR. Where beneficial to the programme’s aims, the modules may run concurrently.

Learning outcomes

After completing **module 1** (*The Sovereign State and Beyond*) the student shall be able to: (1) Analyse and critically discuss contemporary theories of the nation state, the Westphalian system and political governance at several levels. (2) Critically discuss and independently investigate how and why states cooperate through international organizations. (3) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of governance that challenges traditional notions of sovereignty. (4) Show how empirical data can be used to develop scientific, theoretical explanations or interpretations of how political systems change. After completing **module 2** (*Transnational Policy*) the student shall be able to: (5) Critically discuss, compare and evaluate current theories of transnational policy. (6) Analyse how international organizations and transnational networks contribute to policymaking. (7) Independently collect and critically process empirical data on transnational policy. (8) Use case study methodology to analyse how transnational policies affect global politics in certain areas. After completing **module 3** (*Norms in Global Politics*) the student shall be able to: (9) Demonstrate knowledge of alternative approaches to how norms and ideas are used to study empirical phenomena relevant to Global Politics. (10) Outline the development over time of norms and their function on a local, national, and international level. (11) Utilize operationalisation of norms and ideas as a means to study both change and continuity within global politics. (12) Critically discuss the relationship between actors and structures with respect to norms. After completing **module 4** (*Gender and power in Global Politics*) the student shall be able to: (13) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of feminist and gender theory. (14) Explain and apply feminist and gender theory to analyze diverse global political issues. (15) Critically discuss how feminist and gender theory can be used to analyze how institutions and knowledge production contribute to policymaking in global politics. (16) Show how empirical data can be used to develop scientific, theoretical explanations or interpretations of gender dynamics in global politics. (17) Use case study methodology to analyse how gender and/or antigender policies affect global politics in certain areas.

Learning activities

Teaching is primarily delivered through lectures and seminars. In certain modules, seminars are preceded by structured base-group work supported by tutorials. Participation in seminars and base-group activities is compulsory. Beyond attendance, students are expected to engage in extensive independent study of the course literature and prepare assignments for assessment.

Assessment

The student’s performance is assessed through a combination of individual examinations, active seminar participation, base groups and tutorials, oral presentations and written assignments. ILOs 1-4 are evaluated through portfolio, consisting of seminar participation and individual examinations. ILOs 5-8 are evaluated through seminar participation and individual examinations. ILOs 9-12 are evaluated through seminar participation and an individual examination. ILOs 13-17 are evaluated through seminar participation, basegroup work and an individual examination.

Course literature

**Module 1** - Pierson, C. (2012) *The Modern State* (Third edition) (London: Routledge). Available through MAU library as an e-book. **Module 2** - Triandafyllidou, A., (ed.) (2017) *Global Governance from regional perspectives: a critical view* (Oxford: Oxford University Press). Available through MAU library as an e-book. **Module 3** - Ingvild, B. & H. Huelss (2022) *Autonomous Weapons Systems and International Norms* (Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press). Available through MAU library as an e-book. - Schmitt, C (1996 or later editions) *The Concept of the Political* (Chicago: University of Chicago Press **Module 4** - Federici, S. (2021) *Caliban and the Witch. Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation*. London: Penguin Classics. - hooks, bell (2000) *Feminism is for Everybody*. London: Pluto Press. - Kang, M., L. Heston and S. Nordmarken (Eds.) (2017) *Introduction to Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies*, Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries. Available through MAU library as an e-book. - Shepherd, L.J. and C. Hamilton (2022) 3rd ed. *Gender matters in Global Politics.A feminist introduction to IR*. New York: Routledge. Module 1-4: Additional literature (articles, reports and other material) will be added, up to 1800 pages.

Course evaluation

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).

Interim rules

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.

Additional information

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.