Module Identifier IP39220  
Module Title THE THIRD WORLD IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS  
Academic Year 2002/2003  
Co-ordinator Dr Jan E Selby  
Semester Semester 1  
Course delivery Lecture   16 Hours (16 x 1 hour)  
  Seminars / Tutorials   8 Hours (8 x 1 hour)  
Assessment Semester Exam   2 Hours   70%  
  Semester Assessment   Essay: 1 x 2,000 words   30%  
  Supplementary Exam   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

By the end of the module students you be able to:

- describe the main theories of Third World Development.
- assess the impact on Third World economies of their inclusion in the global economy.
- analyse the role of global institutions in Third World development.
- assess the position of the Third World in global politics during and following the Cold War.

Brief description

This module investigates the changing position of the Third World in global politics and within the study of International Politics.

Aims

The aim of the module is to provide an overview of the constraints and possibilities that confront Third World countries within the international economic and political system.

Content

The module begins with an overview of the various theories and approaches to the study of the Third World. The module then explores the Third World's role and involvement in international trade, including the possibilities for South-South trade and regional integration.   

We then turn to an examination of the role and influence of the Third World in international politics. The module investigates the role of these countries in various international organisations, like the United Nations, and also examines issues relating to non-alignment and the call for a New International Economic Order.   

The final section of the module deals with the Cold War and its aftermath. It explores the way in which many Third World countries were perceived as pawns in a complex game of ideological chess between the superpowers, discusses how and why the West during this period bolstered the power of brutal Third World dictators in the name of anti-communism, freedom and democracy, before finally focusing on the consequences of the end of the Cold War for the Third World.

Transferable skills

You will have the opportunity to develop, practice and test a wide range of transferable skills on this module. Throughout the course you will be able to practice and enhance your reading, comprehension and thinking skills, as well as basic numeracy and time management. In lectures you will be able to practice listening and note taking abilities as well as analytical skills. Preparation for seminars will encourage your research skills, with particular reference to making use of information technology. In seminars opportunities will be provided to practice analytical, listening, explaining, debating and problem solving skills. There will also be many occasions to develop team-working and presentation skills. The essay will encourage you to exercise your abilities in independent research, writing and use of IT, while the examination will assess these skills under conditions of limited time.

10 ECTS credits

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Robert Biel. The New Imperialism.
Caroline Thomas. Global Governance, Development and Human Security.