BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations Bachelor's degree at Westminster

This module gives students the opportunity to understand the dilemmas and challenges of 'doing politics' in contemporary political life, encouraging active learning to enable and enact political change. The module foregrounds a series of political challenges facing contemporary political systems across the world – such as inequality, right-wing populism, authoritarianism, militarism, anti-migrant politics, political alienation, democratic crisis, the future of work, and the climate crisis. It fo

This module provides an in-depth introduction to the multi-disciplinary field of development studies. It introduces you to key debates in development theory and to the history of development policy and practice. The course encourages you to think critically about what development is, about how it is carried out and what it can achieve. You'll explore the 'grand' development theories and approaches such as modernisation, dependency, neo-liberalism and alternatives.

This module introduces you to both the issues and phenomena covered by International Relations and the concepts, tools and skills needed to study contemporary global politics. The module examines core concepts of international relations (International Society, Sovereignty, Anarchy, Power, the State, and Legitimacy) as well as addressing enduring problems in global politics (war, co-operation, capitalism, hierarchies of power and privilege, justice and human rights).

The module presents you with an immersive introduction to the dynamic fields of international relations and law, elucidating how legal principles and international relations theories collectively shape today's global order. It delves deeply into the foundational principles, methodologies, and practical applications inherent in both disciplines, empowering you to understand the intricate ties between domestic legal systems and the global arena.

In politics, the most used concepts (such as freedom, equality, power, democracy) are the most contested. Hence, the very meaning of political concepts is the subject of political dispute. What, for example does it mean to be equal? What does it mean to be free? What role, if any, does the state have in judging these ideals or in helping us to achieve them?

This module introduces students to the inter-related dynamics of state, politics and development in Asia and Africa and its significance towards addressing global challenges- from peace and sustainability; to migration, gender and digitalisation. Students will engage with the concepts of democracy and development, and how together they define the past, present and future socio-political trajectories of Asia and Africa in a globalised world order.

The module introduces students to feminist political thought. It explores key concepts, theories, and debates within this field and examines the contributions of feminist thinkers and activists. Further, the module seeks to interrogate representations of women and femininity across diverse intellectual and cultural domains.

This module introduces students to institutions and governance at the local and global level. It begins with a focus on the nation-state as the foundational unit of political organisation. Students will explore and compare political systems and institutional arrangements across different states, including unitary and federal systems, and examine the evolving role of local and regional governance.

The political importance of migration has increased sharply in recent decades. The module – which focuses on Europe but has a strong comparative global element – studies the entire migration process and the many factors shaping it: domestic pressures (social, economic, political) in sending states; globalization processes; the policies of host states and regions; the active role of migrants themselves.

The module will offer students an in-depth engagement with postcolonial perspectives to the study of changes in global politics at local, national, regional, and international levels. How have various thinkers and leaders from different parts of the world sought to question the eurocentrism of the dominant theories and concepts in Politics and in International Relations?

This module provides an introduction to political research and practice within the social sciences and work-based learning. The module covers how to identify a suitable research topic and question, completing a literature search and identifying primary and critical sources. It introduces you to different approaches and methods of research, developing attributes of curiosity, creativity and resilience vital to successful careers in and beyond academia.

Practices of inclusion and exclusion are increasingly put at the centre of politics, affecting the way we approach sovereignty, participation, democracy, and liberalism. The module unpacks the methodological issues that such practices ingrain, engaging with broader debates about borders, antagonisms and affected communities.