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PIR-10075 - Module Specification
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

PIR-10075 - Understanding contemporary world politics
Coordinator: Moran Mandelbaum Room: N/A Tel: +44 1782 7 33513
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 4
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

In a world of rapid change, how does world politics work, and how can we study it? This module introduces you to the history of the contemporary world, and to the main approaches to understanding it. You will explore the rise and fall of the Cold War, the growth of international organisations, and the birth of a twenty-first century new world order; and you will examine key approaches to the study of International Relations such as realism, liberalism and social constructivism.

Aims
This module aims to:
Introduce students to the history and study of world politics.
Introduce students to major approaches in International Relations.
Introduce students to key contemporary challenges in world politics and approaches to analysing them


Intended Learning Outcomes

Explain key systems, themes, and concerns in world politics.: 3
Review and appraise historical and contemporary developments in world politics.: 2
Identify and discuss key debates in or approaches to and perspectives in studying world politics: 1
Analyse contemporary challenges in world politics and different approaches to understanding those challenges: 4

Study hours

20 hours lectures
20 hours tutorials
8 hours assessment workshops
52 hours engaging with materials for lectures and tutorials
70 hours preparation of essay
70 hours preparation of research paper
30 hours preparation of presentation
30 hours preparation of key debate review

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Review weighted 20%
Review a key debate in world politics
Students will be asked to produce a 600 word review, choosing from a list of pre-set questions, identifying and discussing a debate or different approaches to and perspectives in the study of world politics

2: Essay weighted 30%
900 word essay
Students will be asked to answer an essay question from a list of preset questions, to review and appraise historical and contemporary developments in world politics. A 900 word essay.

3: Presentation weighted 20%
Presentation (5-7 minutes/equivalent of 600 words)
Students will deliver a short (5-7 minute, equivalent to 600 words) presentation, choosing from a list of preset questions to explain key systems, themes and concerns in world politics. This will be a small group presentation and an individual mark will be awarded, informed by self evaluation.

4: Research Paper weighted 30%
Research paper 900 words
Students will be asked to write a research paper (900 words), chosen from a list of preset questions to analyse contemporary challenges in world politics and different approaches to understanding those challenges.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025