International Relations Theory (PO0064)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : SPS-P-PIRT

The course is designed to introduce the student to the major theoretical and conceptual paradigms of international relations and to encourage him/her to apply these critically to international events, developments and issues. The key objective of the course is to introduce students to the most significant orthodox and critical theoretical approaches within international relations. A critical assessment will be made of the principal propositions and arguments of the theories drawn from the traditions of realism/neorealism, the English School of IR, liberalism/neoliberalism, and marxism/ structuralism. Students will also be encouraged to engage with recent theoretical developments such as feminism, critical theory and social constructivism. Furthermore, the course will introduce students to the so called cosmopolitan communitarian debate in IR theory. The course will end by exploring the main propositions of the Ethics of War and students will be asked to identify arguments for and against humanitarian intervention.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of Social and Political Studies), (School of Social and Political Studies, Schedule J)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

To differentiate itself from the disciplines of international law and history, its intellectual predecessors, international relations has developed a number of theories of the nature of the international system and its constituent parts, which seek to explain, judge and even predict international behaviour.