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PIR-20120 - Module Specification
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Business, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 17 March 2026

PIR-20120 - Building a Better World Part 1
Coordinator: Moran Mandelbaum Room: N/A Tel: +44 1782 7 33513
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2026/27

Is a better world possible? This module explores the origins and functioning of major international organisations, international law, and non-state actors. You will learn about the United Nations, NGOs like Amnesty International, key legal bodies like the International Criminal Court, and the development of Human Rights in world politics. You will debate how these organisations work and the challenges they face, and put your learning into practice and develop your leadership skills by participating in class-based simulations.

Aims
This module aims to introduce students to major international institutions, organizations, and actors that work to govern world politics; introduce students to processes and structures used to maintain order in the world; develop students’ critical and analytical skills by engaging with changing concepts and norms of world politics and with critical debates in world politics; develop students’ academic expertise and professional skills through a scaffolded assessment regime; develop students’ ethical and social capacity through active learning; and develop students’ leadership skills and personal effectiveness through weekly seminars and through experiential learning.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Contextualise the key institutions, actors, and organisations that work to govern world politics.: 1
Analyse key problems in governing world politics and encouraging international cooperation, and develop possibilities for overcoming them.: Demonstrate effective and persuasive communication in written and verbal form using digital tools when analysing key institutions, actors, and organisations that work to govern world politics.: 1
Employ communication means appropriately, effectively, and persuasively to communicate to a general non-specialist audience.: 1

Study hours

15 x 1 hour lectures
7 x 1 hour seminars
2 x 1 hour assessment workshops
30 hours lecture preparation
14 hours tutorial preparation
30 hours poster preparation and completion
52 hours essay preparation and completion

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Poster weighted 40%
Digital poster presentation
Students will create a digital poster explaining and demonstrating the connection between the first (tangible organisations) and second (laws, regimes or norms) parts of the module. This assessment requires students to 1) research and provide an overview explanation of an agency, organisation, or institution not covered in the lectures; 2) identify and demonstrate the agency/institution/organisations role in reproducing or proliferating regimes, laws or norms; and 3) use digital resources to produce a poster aimed at a non-specialist audience. This assessment allows for students to research smaller agencies, institutions, or organisations that they may wish to work for in the future but which cannot be covered within the lectures or seminars. 1000 words including references and bibliography.

2: Essay weighted 60%
2000 word essay
2000 word essay with one set question to the effect of - "Drawing on a case study example of one form of intervention discussed in the lectures, explain how that case exhibits the role of institutions or organisations in the enforcement/reproduction of international organisation." The aim is to assess learning across the module as a whole by referencing the relevant literature and applying it to the case study under study.

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: 17 March 2026