Module Identifier IP12320  
Module Title WORLD POLITICS IN THE AGE OF THE TWO WORLD WARS  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Dr Peter D Jackson  
Semester Semester 2  
Other staff Mr Iain George Wilson, Mr Huw Dylan  
Course delivery Lecture   17 x 1 hr lectures  
  Seminars / Tutorials   8 x 1 hr seminars  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours Examination  70%
Semester Assessment 1 x 2000 word essay  30%
Supplementary Assessment Students may, subject to Faculty approval, have the opportunity to resit this module. For further clarification please contact the Academic Administrator in the Department of International Politics. 

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Discuss concepts such as `causation', `sources', `evidence', `historical argument' and `historiography'.
2. Discuss the character of European colonialism in the late 19th Century
3. Discuss the general interpretive approaches to the origins of the First World War
4. Discuss the nature of the First World War and its impact on the international system
5. Discuss the impact of the Russian Revolution on world politics after 1917
6. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the role of nationalism and particularly the concept of `national self-determination' in the peacemaking that followed the First World War.
7. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the general dynamics of Fascist and Nazi ideology, in particular as they relate to international relations
8. Demonstrate a sound general grasp of the impact of the Great Depression on the global system
9. Discuss the character of politics in East Asia between the two world wars and the events leading to Japan's bid for regional hegemony
10. Discuss the general historiographical debates concerning the origins of the Second World War
11. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the central elements of international politics during the Second World War
12. Discuss debates over the origins of the Cold War.

Aims

This module will serve as students introduction to the international history degree scheme in the department. It will also introduce students on other degree schemes not only to the history of the period but also to the practice of international history. The subject material will also provide students with a general knowledge base with which to engage with Part Two modules on everything from the origins of the First World War to the international history of the Cold War

Brief description

This module will introduce students to the nature and practice of international history by examining global international relations during the era of the two world wars (1914-1945).

Content

- Introduction to international history and the historical method
- The expansion of European society and world politics before 1914
- The origins of the First World War
- The international politics of the Great War
- The Russian Revolution
- Nationalism and the Paris Peace Settlement of 1919
- European reconstruction after the First World War
- Colonial expansion and decolonization
- The Rise of Fascism and Nazism
- The Great Depression and international politics
- The Sino-Japanese War and Japan's bid for hegemony in East Asia
- The Origins of the Second World War
- The international politics of the Second World War and the origins of the Cold War

Module 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 for seminars will also enable the student to develop independent project skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed in seminars by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider extreme cases; reason logically; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems A final examination will ensure that an assessment of the student's ability to work alone can be undertaken.  
Research skills The submission of an essay 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. A final examination will ensure that an assessment of the student's ability to work alone can be undertaken and that their understanding of key concepts is of a suitable standard to undertake honours level work.  
Communication Students will learn how to articulate their ideas verbally and also to convey them in a clear and well-structured way in written form. They will, in addition, learn how to assert themselves to advantage. Seminars will be run in groups where oral discussion and teamwork will form the main medium of teaching and the emphasis throughout the module will be on student participation and communication. Students will be expected to submit their work in word-processed format and the presentation of work should reflect effective expression of ideas and good use of language skills in order to ensure clarity, coherence and effective communication.  
Improving own Learning and Performance The module aims to promote self-management but within a context of assistance from both the convener 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. The need to contribute to seminar discussions and to meet an essay deadline will focus students' attention on the need to manage their time and opportunity resources well.  
Team work Team work will not be a central component of this module. But students will need to learn how to interact and communicate effectively in group contexts during seminars.  
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 BIDS and OCLC).  
Application of Number During the module students will be required to undertake some data collection, numerical analysis and interpretation of particular key concepts.  
Personal Development and Career planning The module includes specific seminars on key study skills as well as sessions on Personal Development Plans. Discussions in seminars, in particular, will help to develop students' verbal skills. Learning about the process of planning an essay, framing the parameters of the projects, honing and developing the projects and seeing through to completion will contribute towards their portfolio of transferable skills  
Subject Specific Skills Students will learn the basics of using historical methodology. This will entail chiefly developing the ability to use evidence in a sophisticated way to make an argument. They will also be expected to provide detailed and accurate references to their source.  

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 4