BA (Hons) Politics Bachelor's degree at the University of Leeds

This module will introduce students to key themes and topics when studying politics and international studies (POLIS). You'll understand how you collaborate in an academic community, and you'll gain key skills for academic work, research and scholarly independence. You'll also be introduced to the main themes and questions surrounding the politics of global challenges.

This module features two separate yet connected components. It compares the nature of politics and processes across different political systems, and it studies how and why we make these comparisons. Featuring both theory and real-life examples, it uses case studies to put its ideas into context.

This is an introduction to British politics since 1979, with key debates concerning its changing character. You may discuss ideas like Thatcherism, Blairism, Brexit and the approaches of recent political leaders in the UK.

This module introduces Western political thought, establishing a grounding in key ideas and theories that have shaped modern politics. You'll focus on the work of five influential thinkers, investigating the historical context in which they wrote, the problems they were trying to understand and solve, their ideas and theories, and the potential to apply these to the contemporary world. This enables you to develop essential study skills in reading and writing political theory, making arguments, a

You will learn here about the different ways we approach research, with a showcase of the latest research in POLIS. This helps introduce you to key ideas like designing and implementing a research project, along with key methods in politics, international development and international relations. You'll gain practical experience of gathering evidence, while many of your other skills developed will transfer well to employment.

In this module you'll learn about some of the twentieth century's most important thinkers, as well as the problems and challenges they were trying to resolve. You'll encounter a mix of radical and reactionary ideas, and explore an era driven to the extremes of hope and destruction by its political ideas.

This module explore a key question: how do we live well together with a deep diversity of cultures, beliefs and moral values? You'll explore a range of concepts and issues in contemporary political theory (like justice, community and conflict) and how we apply those ideas to social and political problems. Other topics in this module include hate speech, pornography and the morality of political protest.

This module explores how the Labour Party have defined and positioned themselves to demonstrate their competence and ensure their electoral success. You'll explore their various statecraft strategies and the developments within post-war Labour Party politics, understanding how the party has shifted from 'Old' Labour to 'New' Labour in the process.

This module gives you the chance to explore the truth behind various "Euromyths", such as the concept of a superstate overriding the will of national governments. You'll examine how the EU actually works, as well as the roles played by its various institutions.

This module interrogates the idea of the "media democracy", and our tendency to blame "the media" for problems in democratic life. It asks why political communication mediated by the media is relevant to democratic politics.

This module explores the origins of American political culture and the constitution, how the President, legislature and Supreme Court are selected, and how they wield power. You'll also consider the influence that political parties, interest groups and the media have on the divisiveness of US politics.

This module investigates the concept of the 'African renaissance', brought about by the continent's positive GDP growth and increasing election frequency after the instability of the 1980s. You'll consider if such a narrative is credible and learn more about the continent's various social, political and developmental challenges.

This module will introduce students to some of this 'Planet Politics'. It will consider question such as: Are we on the verge of a planetary ecological crisis? Is capitalism the problem, or the solution? Are there just too many people? Is meaningful international environmental cooperation possible? What are the vested interests obstructing change? What forms of social resistance are appropriate? And what is 'environmental justice'? Examining both key environmental and resource issues and the mai

This module helps students to better understand Britain today, this module explores the evolution of the British political economy in the post-1945 period through periods of crisis and upheaval. The effects of the 2008 crisis and austerity are still being felt, Brexit has taken the UK out of Europe, while Westminster has become destabilised. The UK faces many new challenges too, from tackling the cost-of-living crisis to Net Zero, which it is ill-equipped to respond to.

Your Final Year Project is an extended piece of written work. As its topic is your choice (within guidelines set down by the School) it's an opportunity to research a topic of interest to you in more depth. In addition to advanced research skills, it also gives you project management and communication skills.

This module reflects on how we understand the political, social and cultural impact of video games, and asks how we might better understand the messages contained within the games themselves. An enthusiasm for playing, talking about and writing about video games is essential to this module.

This module explores the role of nuclear weapons in global politics. You'll learn how nuclear weapons have influenced state power and conflict, the role of international institutions and transnational activism. Core concepts you'll study include deterrence, disarmament, security and terrorism, as well as how nuclear weapons have more broadly shaped our politics and society.

In this module you'll explore a range of different questions relating to contemporary human rights theory. You'll have the chance to reflect critically on a legal, political and moral framework – one that's part of the fabric of the modern world, and a controversial idea in today's moral and political theory.

This module focuses primarily on British Foreign Policy after the Second World War. It begins with the theory of foreign policy analysis, with later weeks focussing on regions, relationships and events crucial to the policy. Examples include the Anglo-American relationship, former colonial nations like India and Australia, the Post-War Settlement in Europe and the Cold War.

In this series of seminars you will be able to study one of the most important developments in contemporary European politics, and to see the rise of the radical right in a comparative perspective. You will learn about comparative and general features of the extreme right, the causes of surges in support for these parties, problems in the discussion of the extreme right and the historical context to the main extreme right movements in Europe.

This is an opportunity to explore some of politics' more radical ideas, challenging received ways of thinking. You'll discuss the meaning of politics and what it means to be a political subject, as well as ideas of inclusion, identity, the self and freedom. Other topics for your consideration include what political subjects we give power, as well as what is made marginal or prohibited.