This course is not currently offered, please contact the school or faculty of your program.

Course description

This course will be offered as the Level 2 POLS2208 in 2014 and will move to the Level 3 POLS3208 from 2015. Students who commenced their program prior to 2014 and who wish to obtain credit for this course as a Level 2 should enrol in this course in 2014. From 2015 students who complete this course will obtain credit as a Level 3 course. Please note: the course Levels are not interchangeable - if the course is completed as a Level 2 it cannot be credited as a Level 3. The principal purpose of this course is to introduce students to the various theoretical approaches to the study of world politics. The subject matter of political theory - who gets what, when, where and how on a global scale - is open to a number of contrasting interpretations. The course therefore helps students critically engage with the ways in which ideas shape the practices of global politics. The course examines rival paradigms such as realism, liberalism, constructivism and feminism, as well as key concepts such as power, the international system, the state, anarchy, sovereignty, security, governance and norms.

U21 global issues students should register their interest through the Global Issues portal.