Understanding global politics

Abstract

This is a module framework. It can be viewed online or downloaded as a zip file.

As taught in Autumn Semester 2009.

This module introduces global politics through the major theoretical, historical and empirical ways of seeing international relations. Different claims, about, for example, human nature, power, war, peace, the state, society, law and politics are offered by thinkers who exercise a major influence on our contemporary understanding. These claims contribute to different approaches to politics in a global context.

Suitable for: Undergraduate level one students

Dr Vanessa Pupavac, Dr Xiaoke Zhang, Dr Sabine Carey, School of Politics and International Relations

Dr Vanessa Pupavac is a lecturer in International Relations at the University of Nottingham. She has previously worked for the UN Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia and other international organisations. Vanessa Pupavac's research encompasses international human rights, children's rights, linguistic rights, humanitarian and development politics. In recent years she has been examining the international politics of trauma, that is, the influence of Western therapy culture on international aid policy and the rise of international psychosocial programmes. She is also currently examining international language rights and language politics. Her research is underpinned by an interest in contemporary subjectivity and the crisis of meaning in international politics.

Dr Xiaoke Zhang is an Associate Professor in political economy and Asian studies in the School of Politics and International Relations, the University of Nottingham. Before joining the School of Politics and International Relations in September 2003, Dr Zhang was a lecturer in the International School of Humanities and Social Sciences and a research fellow in the Amsterdam School of Social Science Research, both at the University of Amsterdam. Dr Xiaoke Zhang's major research interests are in comparative and international political economy, with a regional focus on Asia-Pacific.

Dr Sabine Carey is Lecturer in Political Science and Associate Fellow of the Methods and Data Institute and the Human Rights Law Centre at the University of Nottingham. She holds a PhD in Government from the University of Essex. A summary of her research interests includes comparative Politics, in particular democratization, domestic political change, human rights, repression and African politics. International Relations, in particular war and conflict, and foreign policy. Political Methodology, in particular time series, pooled cross-sectional time series, VAR modelling and event data analysis.