Gwybodaeth Modiwlau

Module Identifier
GS23020
Module Title
Placing Politics
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Exclusive (Any Acad Year)
Reading List
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Essay  (2,500 words)  50%
Semester Assessment End of module assessment  50%
Supplementary Assessment Essay  (2,500 words)  50%
Supplementary Assessment End of module assessment  50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Identify, describe, and assess contemporary debates in the field of political geography.

2. Critically interrogate a range of sources and texts of concern to the political geographer, ranging from academic texts to policy documents.

3. Demonstrate evidence of a depth of reading in political geography.

4. Articulate a written argument in essay form on the significance of academic research in a particular area of political geography.

5. Apply and evaluate political geography concepts in the context of examples and case studies drawn from independent study.

Brief description

This module provides second year students with a comprehensive grounding in the important subject area of political geography. Drawing explicitly on research conducted within and outwith the New Political Geographies research group, the module will introduce students to the key academic debates taking place within this subject area, as well as demonstrating their real-world applicability through the use of policy and other case studies.

Content

The course is divided into two parts. part 1, ‘Key concepts in political geography’, focuses on (but is not limited to) themes including; the state; the nation; the region; Empire, and; colonialism’. Part 2, ‘current debates in political geography’ will include material focusing on (but is not limited to); critical geopolitics; globalization; consumption; landscapes of power; citizenship, and; electoral geographies’
The module will also have induction session, session in the National Library and revision component.

Revision / Political Geography in Turbulent age session (2 hours)

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Not explicitly addressed in this module.
Communication The module will develop students’ skills of written communication, both in writing their case study essay and in completing their written examination.
Improving own Learning and Performance The structure of the module has been geared towards providing students with regular feedback over the course of the academic year and this should provide students with the opportunity to improve their own learning and performance.
Information Technology The exam, essay and independent study requires students to undertake independent research of case studies. The module will enable students to enhance their research skills and practise their IT skills when writing the essay.
Personal Development and Career planning The module will help students to develop a range of transferable skills. The essay will test students’ ability to discuss the applied nature of political geography.
Problem solving The module will develop students’ problem-solving skills in a number of ways. Students will be required to analyse a range of sources and texts, and complete small problem-solving exercises during the lectures.
Research skills The exam, essay and independent study requires students to undertake independent research of case studies, which will require students to synthesize a range of academic and non-academic source material.
Subject Specific Skills The essay will develop and test students’ ability to see how ideas and debates from political geography can be applied to empirical case studies.
Team work The lectures will include class-based problem-solving exercises and discussions which will provide opportunities for students to develop team-working skills and discuss their thoughts with the class.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5