Gwybodaeth Modiwlau
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Seminars / Tutorials | 22 Hours. (1 x 2 hour seminar per week) |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | 1 x 2,500 word essay | 35% |
| Semester Assessment | 1 X Seminar presentation | 10% |
| Semester Assessment | 1 x 4,000 word essay | 55% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Students may, subject to Faculty approval, have the opportunity to resit this module, normally during the supplementary examination period. For further clarification please contact the Teaching Programme Administrator in the Department of International Politics. |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
• Thorough knowledge of different theoretical understandings of security;
• Ability to understand key concepts, related theories, and relevant issues;
• Ability to identify, analyse and evaluate the assumptions and theories that underpin contending conceptualisations of security;
• Ability to critically analyse and discuss the practical implications of these different conceptualisations of security, and participate in post-graduate level discussions about contending positions in contemporary security studies;
• Ability to make articulate, concise, persuasive and well-paced presentations in small groups;
• Ability to engage in critical and constructive debate.
Brief description
This module explores the ‘critical’ turn in Security Studies through an examination of the main contending conceptualisations of security that have emerged in recent years in distinction to the realist-derived orthodoxy. It is an optional module for students in the Msc Programme in Food and Water Security.
Aims
This module explores the ‘critical' turn in thinking about security through an examination of the main alternative conceptualisations of security that have emerged in recent years and is an optional module for students on the Master’s in Food and Water Security.
Content
The module provides a critical overview of the study of security in world politics from the perspective(s) of those employing alternative conceptualizations of security to the military-focused and state-centric approaches at the heart of traditional Security/Strategic Studies. Following discussions of understandings of the orthodox approach to the study of security, the module discusses, in turn, various constructivist, Critical Theory, Marxist, discoursive, poststructuralist, feminist and sociological attempts to conceptualize the meanings and implications of security in world politics. The differences and common ground between these approaches are highlighted through a consideration of key debates, empirical cases, and theoretical studies.
Transferable skills
Throughout the module, students should practice and enhance their reading, comprehension and thinking skills and their self-management skills. In seminars students will enhance their analytical skills and will practice listening, explaining and debating skills, as well as team-working skills. The review essay will allow students on the Specialist pathway to further develop analytical and communication skills. Essay writing will encourage students on both the Specialist and Research Training pathways to practice their independent research, writing and IT skills.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | N/A |
| Communication | Students will learn how to present their ideas both verbally and in writing and how to assert themselves to advantage. They will understand the importance of information and clear communication and how to exploit these. They will know how to use the many sources of information available and how to use the most appropriate form of communication to the best advantage. They will learn to be clear and direct in their and to be direct about aims and objectives. They will learn to consider only that which is relevant to the topic, focus and objectives of their argument or discussion. Seminars will be run in groups where oral discussion and presentations will form the main medium of teaching and the emphasis throughout the module will be on student participation and communication. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The module aims to promote self-management but within a context of assistance from both the convenor and the fellow students alike. Students will be expected to improve their own learning and performance by undertaking their own research and to exercise their own initiative, including searching for sources, compiling reading lists, and deciding (under guidance) the direction of their essay and presentation topics. The need to conduct a seminar presentation and to meet an essay deadline will focus students’ attention on the need to manage their time and opportunity resources well. |
| Information Technology | Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format. Also, students will be encouraged to search for sources of information on the web, as well as seeking sources through electronic information sources (such as Web of Science and OCLC). |
| Personal Development and Career planning | The discussions in particular will help to develop students’ verbal and presentation skills. Learning about the process of planning an essay and a presentation, framing the parameters of the projects, honing and developing the projects and seeing through to completion will contribute towards their portfolio of transferable skills. |
| Problem solving | Independent project work and problem solving will be one of the central goals of the module; the submission of an essay will require that the student develops independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The need to research and prepare seminar presentations will also enable the student to develop independent project skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider extreme cases; reason logically; construct theoretical models; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. |
| Research skills | The submission of essays will reflect the independent research skills of the student. The need to locate appropriate research resources and write up the results will also facilitate research skills. Research preparation for a seminar presentation will also enable the student to develop independent project skills. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students have the opportunity to develop, practice and test a wide range of subject specific skills that help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate examples and ideas on the module. These subject specific skills include: • Collect and understand a wide range of data relating to the module; • Ability to evaluate competing perspectives; • Demonstrate subject specific research techniques; • Apply a range of methodologies to complex political problems. |
| Team work | Seminars will consist in part of small-group discussion where students will be obliged to discuss as a group the core issues related to seminar topics. Such class room debates and discussions are a vital component of the module. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7