Global Challenges in Context: Conflict and Security

Module overview

In order to address any contemporary global challenge, it is vital that we understand the roots of the problem and its historical context. This module explores the broad history of conflict, enabling you to place global events within a wider context and consider how best to address them considering this historical background. It will introduce you to the history of civil and international war and consider the evolution of great-power conflict both prior to and since the Cold War. The module will also consider contemporary and future threats, such as new waves of terrorism and cyber conflict.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

a wide variety of primary sources relating to the history of conflict.
the history of conflict, in particular the evolution of great-power conflict.
a wide variety of secondary source material relating to the history of conflict, including theoretical frameworks used in the field.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

engage with historiography and theoretical frameworks, contributing to the debates relating to the history of conflict and its relationship to future threats.
apply your developed knowledge, structuring your ideas and research findings into well-ordered assignments.
undertake a thorough critical analysis and assessment of a variety of textual, visual and material culture sources.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

research complex historical questions and communicate your findings convincingly and concisely in assignments.
utilise and develop your time-management skills.
use to good effect textual, visual and material culture sources, synthesising this material to develop cogent and persuasive arguments.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include lectures and seminars. Learning methods include close analysis of a range of primary sources and discussion of key themes and ideas.

Study time
Type	Hours
Lecture	12
Completion of assessment task	50
Preparation for scheduled sessions	50
Seminar	12
Wider reading or practice	26
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Ann Hironaka (2017). Tokens of Power: Rethinking War. Cambridge UP.

Odd Arne Westad (2018). The Cold War: A World History. Penguin.

P.W. Singer and Emerson T. Brooking (2018). Like War: The Weaponization of Social Media. HMH.

Bruce Hoffman (2017). Inside Terrorism. Columbia UP.

A J Coates (2016). The Ethics of War. Manchester.

Assessment

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	60%
Written assignment	40%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Resubmit assessments	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	60%
Written assignment	40%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External