BA American History with Politics (V2L2)

Course Code UNU1V2L2401
Duration 4 Years
Attendance Full Time
Award Degree of Bachelor of Arts

Overview
Why Choose Us
Study Abroad
Requirements
Course Profile
Fees and Funding
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Overview

The two principal components of this four-year degree course are American History and Politics. The foundation year includes introductory courses in American history, American politics, and social and political theory. Combining depth with breadth of study, this course provides rich opportunities for progressively more specialised and advanced work.

Course Structure

During your first year you will take six modules in: American history x 2; contemporary politics; social and political theory; American studies; and an introductory module that will equip you with the general intellectual and analytical skills necessary for this course.

In the second year, three of your six modules will be in American history two in politics, and one will be a free choice from the UEA catalogue. Examples of American history modules you might choose are: American and Vietnam; Native Americans; Civil Rights and Black Liberation; Contemporary US Foreign Policy and International Affairs. Examples of politics modules are: Politics in the USA; Politics and Mass Media; EU’s Future as an International Actor; Terrorism; Topics in British Politics; Russian Politics.

Your third year is spent in the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand.

Your final year includes: the writing of a research based dissertation; a two-semester documents-based special subject in American History (focusing, for example, on American Slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, Native American history, or the Cold War); a fourth module chosen from a wide range of topics in either politics or history.

Assessment

Key skills, issues and ideas are introduced in lectures given by all members of faculty. These are accompanied by more specialist study, undertaken in small seminar groups. You will also spend time studying and researching in the library. You will be assessed at the end of each semester on the basis of coursework, and at the end of each year by examination. In your final year, you will write a dissertation on a topic of your choice and with the advice of tutors. There is no final examination. Your final degree result is determined by the marks you receive in years two and four.

Course Organiser

Dr Malcolm Mclaughlin

Course Brochure

View Course Brochure

Related Courses

Why Choose Us?

First Class Teaching

The School of American Studies prides itself on achieving the highest standards of teaching, as well as offering first rate provision of course information, grading, and feedback to students on their work. Our teaching is monitored internally by a comprehensive programme of reporting by the students themselves, and by annual review of these reports. All external audits of teaching quality in the last ten years have rated us as "Excellent".

Choice

Modules taught in the School range across American culture, literature, history, politics and film. This means that in your second and final years you shape your own degree, by choosing from over fifty lecture or seminar modules on topics as diverse as the cultural history of American music, US foreign policy, visual culture, African American and Native American history and culture, drama, poetry, the classic novels of the nineteenth century, and much more besides.

Academic Support

To help you shape your degree and chose your modules you will have an Academic Adviser who is a member of faculty within the School, and who stays with you throughout your time at UEA.

Friendly Community

The School of American Studies provides an academic and social ‘home’ for students and teaching staff. Offices are located close together, and all teaching staff hold regular ‘open door’ Office Hours. Students can join the UEA American Studies Society, which organises social events, and use the society’s Facebook page to stay in contact with their friends even when abroad.

Lively Academic Environment

Here at UEA we are engaged in cutting-edge interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research that seeks to break new ground in the field of American Studies. As committed university teachers, we translate that work into an exciting and constantly evolving range of modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Why not take a tour of our website and find out what we are researching and teaching in the School of American Studies?

Unrivalled Year Abroad Programme

We offer every one of our undergraduate students enrolled on a four year degree programme the opportunity to study abroad at one of forty American universities located across the country, from New England to California, Alaska to Louisiana. We also have placements in Canada, and some of our students may elect to spend the first half of their year abroad in the USA or Canada and the second half in Australia.

Half Year's Fee

Our students pay only half a year’s UK fees for their entire academic year spent overseas. This means that you pay the equivalent of only 3 ½ years’ worth of fees for your four years of study.

Great Sources of Financial Support.

American Studies students will be eligible for University bursaries (as outlined in the University's general information). In addition, however, we offer half of our first years £1000 Arthur Miller Scholarships to those scoring top marks in their A level exams, to help finance their year abroad. This is awarded only to students in the school who will be going abroad and is paid out at the end of the second year.

Employment Opportunities

Our graduates find work in a very wide range of occupations, from research to publishing, and from teaching to banking. The extra skills and confidence gained from Study Abroad gives American Studies graduates an advantage in the job market.

Internationally renowned Literary Festival

Each year, UEA brings major writers from the USA and around the world to its International Literary Festival, open to the public and – of course – our students, too. Visitors have included Norman Mailer, Toni Morrison, Elmore Leonard, Gore Vidal, Richard Ford, Jonathan Franzen and Margaret Atwood.

Why Study in the School of American Studies?

Why American Studies at UEA?

What Our Students Say

Entry Requirements

Qualification BA (Hons)
A Level AAB - ABB at A Level inc Grade B in History
International Baccalaureate 33 - 32 points inc Grade 5 in History
Scottish Highers At least one Advanced Higher preferred in addition to Highers
Scottish Advanced Highers AAB - ABB inc Grade B in History
Irish Leaving Certificate AAAABB - AABBBB
Access Course Please contact the university for further information
HND Please contact the university for further information
European Baccalaureate 80% - 75%

Students for whom English is a foreign language

If English is not your first language you must have a recognised English Language qualification: Minimum IELTS 6.5 with a 6 in each sub-section, or TOEFL 585 (238 CBT / 93 IBT). Please contact us for more information about other qualifications that we may consider.

If you do not meet the academic and or English requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO University of East Anglia offers guaranteed progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree:

International Foundation in Humanities and Law

Interviews

The majority of candidates will not be called for an interview. However, for some students an interview will be requested. These are normally quite informal and generally cover topics such as your current studies, reasons for choosing the course and your personal interests and extra-curricular activities.

Students will have the opportunity to meet with an academic on a Visit Day in order to gain a deeper insight into the course(s) you have applied for.

Gap Year

We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year.

Deferred Entry
We also welcome applications for deferred entry, believing that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry and may wish to contact the appropriate Admissions Office directly to discuss this further.

Special Entry Requirements

Students must have an A Level History at Grade B or above (or equivalent qualification).

Intakes

The School's annual intake is in September of each year.

Alternative Qualifications

If you have alternative qualifications that have not been mentioned above then please contact university directly for further information.

GCSE Offer

Students are required have Mathematics and English at Grade C or above at GCSE Level.

Assessment

For the majority of candidates the most important factors in assessing the application will be past and future achievement in examinations, academic interest in the subject being applied for, personal interest and extra-curricular activities and the confidential reference. We consider applicants as individuals and accept students from a very wide range of educational backgrounds and spend time considering your application in order to reach an informed decision relating to your application. Typical offers are indicated above. Please note, there may be additional subject entry requirements specific to individual degree courses.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4

Year 1

Compulsory Study (120 credits)

Students will select 120 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
Containing Multitudes: American History I This module offers a survey of American history from the colonial period through the nineteenth century, taking such key events as, eg, the conquest of the continent, the development of American democracy and the traumatic years of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Students in American Studies four-year programmes also take the complementary module Containing Multitudes: American History II, which is taught in the Spring Semester. Students attend a weekly seminar and an associated lecture series. more...	AMSA1F09	20	Semester 1
Containing Multitudes: American History II This module continues where Containing Multitudes I leaves off and tracks the historical narrative through from the end of the nineteenth century into the twentieth century, covering industrialisation and America's emergence as a world power, the Progressive era, the New Deal, the Cold War and its legacy, and the impact of the dramatic changes of the 1960s. Students attend a weekly seminar and an associated lecture series. more...	AMSA1F04	20	Semester 2
Introduction to Contemporary Politics This module introduces students to some of the key contemporary debates and issues in the disciplines of Politics and International Relations. The central theme of the module is liberal democracy, its nature, scope and potential strengths and weaknesses. We consider forces which have had an impact upon western liberal democracy ' such as globalisation and the media ' and examine case studies which illustrate the success and failure of liberal democracy in practice. The case studies change from year to year, but currently include Weimar Germany, Northern Ireland, Britain and the Middle East. more...	PSI-1A02	20	Semester 2
Reading Cultures I: American Icons This module provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary research methods and writing skills that are essential for students undertaking a degree programme in the School of American Studies. Students will be encouraged to look at reading American culture across disciplines and media, and to develop their own strategies for learning, from note taking and planning, through locating and engaging with critical opinions, to producing and evaluating academic writing. This module is intended as an introduction to interdisciplinary scholarship and its transferable skills. more...	AMSA1F17	20	Semester 1
Reading Cultures Ii: Ideas and Ideologies The module develops and expands the research methods, writing skills, and oral skills acquired in Reading Cultures I: American Icons. By continuing the exploration of contemporary American culture and introducing cultural and critical theory as a means to engage with current ideas and ideologies circulating around American cultural icons, the module will encourage exploration of America's changing position in the world. The module is intended to further facilitate skills in reading, writing, analysis, synthesis, independent thinking, and confidence as self-supporting learners in order to provide a strong foundation for work at levels 2 and 3. more...	AMSA1F18	20	Semester 2
Social and Political Theory This module introduces students to the fundamentals of modern social and political thought by means of in-depth study of key texts by leading thinkers of the nineteenth and twentieth century. An emphasis is placed on classical social theory and liberal political theory as well as more recent departures from those traditions. Students will have an opportunity to read and discuss major works of social theory by Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Pierre Bourdieu, and of political theory by J. S. Mill, John Rawls, Robert Nozick, and Iris Marion Young. more...	PSI-1A01	20	Semester 1

Year 2

Compulsory Study (20 credits)

Students will select 20 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
Politics in the USA Virtually alone among the world's modern democratic nations, the US does not have parliamentary government. This module is an introduction to the American system, in which power is divided between state and federal authorities, and further among legislative, executive and judicial branches. Does this open-textured system encourage democratic participation? Has it become so chaotic that sound policy making is discouraged? more...	PSI-2A03	20	Semester 1

Option A Study (20 credits)

Students will select 20 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
America and Vietnam This module examines the involvement of the United States in Vietnam, from the Second World War to the Paris Peace Accords of 1973. Focusing on the main period of US entanglement, 1963-1973, it uses documents, historical studies, film, and literary texts to illuminate the American experience in Vietnam and its domestic repercussions. more...	AMSA2H01	20	Semester 1
Contemporary US Foreign Policy and International Affairs The aim of this module is to introduce students to issues in recent American foreign policy for the most part since the end of the Cold War, though with some reference where appropriate to earlier periods and events. We also examine institutional and political processes in policy-making. The module draws on the disciplines of history, political science and international relations to develop historical awareness along with an understanding of the workings of American political institutions in their international context. more...	AMSA2H41	20	Semester 1
Gender and Sexuality in the New Republic This module examines the social construction of gender and sexuality within the United States during the period 1789-1861. It will trace the emerging gendered discourses of the post-revolutionary period, and address their significance to the formation of an American identity during this period. It will also focus upon the ways in which discourses of gender and sexuality interacted with those of race, class and ethnicity. A particular focus will be placed on the competing and contradictory identities that emerged in the northern and southern states, and the course will explore the possible reasons for, and consequences of these differences. more...	AMSA2H06	20	Semester 2
Native Americans This seminar will study Native Americans within the broad context of American history, although the cultures of individual tribes will also be examined. Brief attention will be paid to pre-colonial times, but the main emphasis will be on the period after the white man's arrival. more...	AMSA2H15	20	Semester 1
New York City: History and Culture in the 20th Century This module will explore the history and culture of New York City in the 20th century. The readings, lectures, and discussions will concentrate on ethnic identity, the civil rights movement, public art, political and social conflict, urban development, film, architecture, and literature. The course will also examine why New Yorkers pay inordinate attention to their neighbourhoods and how this emphasis on place has racial and ethnic implications. more...	AMSA2H10	20	Semester 2
Protesting the American Century: Dissent and US Foreign Policy The module considers dissent and protest vis-??-vis US foreign relations during what was famously termed the `American Century'. It looks at how dissenting voices ' from government officials, military officers, intellectuals, spies, citizen groups, and whistleblowers ' have challenged the status quo from 1898 to the present. Analysing the connections with other protest movements at home, it explores how opposition to unjust US policies abroad is considered a quintessential American characteristic. It looks at the writings and activities of a wide range of political figures, activists, and writers, including George Kennan, Walter Lippmann, Seymour Hersh, Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Philip Agee, as well as the emergence of classified material into the public domain such as the Pentagon Papers and WikiLeaks State Department cables. Finally, it considers the effort to oppose and, in some cases, silence critical voices. more...	AMSA2H13	20	Semester 1
Race and Racism in the USA This seminar will explore the origins and continued role in American culture of the idea of race. Where did the concept of race come from? And to what uses has it been put by various groups within America's pluralistic society? Restricted to students on programmes in American History or Literature, or who have previously done modules on race. Not available to first year students. more...	AMSA2H32	20	Semester 2
The Cold War and American Culture This module explores the way in which American society and culture was shaped during the years of the Cold War, the tense standoff between the two 'superpowers' between the end of World War II and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The work includes consideration of the key events, issues, and concepts in the history of the Cold War, from the division of Europe and the Marshall Plan, the emergence of the Truman Doctrine, the impact of the Chinese Revolution, through the Cuban missile crisis, the period of detente in the 1970s and the chilling of US-Soviet relations during the 'second Cold War' of the early 1980s. Particular attention is given to the impact of those events in the USA, upon the ways in which Cold War anxieties were represented ' and, also, the ways in which anxieties about American society became meshed in the Cold War. Discussion will range across issues from the bomb and the space race to the family, gender, and race. Throughout, particular use will be made of visual sources and film. more...	AMSA2H44	20	Semester 2

Option B Study (40 credits)

Students will select 40 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
Adolescence in American Culture Post-1950 This module will suggest that there is a preoccupation with adolescence in postwar and contemporary American culture, and will explore why this is the case. It will do so by introducing students to representations of adolescence in various disciplines, focusing particularly on literature, film, psychoanalysis and cultural studies. Questions to be explored will include: What is 'American' about adolescence? How do representations of adolescence vary according to factors such as gender, race and region? Is there a particular discipline or artistic form which is especially suited to depictions of adolescence? more...	AMSA2S53	20	Semester 1
America and Vietnam This module examines the involvement of the United States in Vietnam, from the Second World War to the Paris Peace Accords of 1973. Focusing on the main period of US entanglement, 1963-1973, it uses documents, historical studies, film, and literary texts to illuminate the American experience in Vietnam and its domestic repercussions. more...	AMSA2H01	20	Semester 1
American Masculinities This interdisciplinary module will examine how national identity and white masculinity are entwined in a conflicting discourse of hegemonic and challenging narratives in the US. It will focus on a specific construction of white masculinity as it has become embedded and legitimized as the normative national identity against which all others are subordinated. The module will examine gender discourses that radically challenge this accepted link between masculinity, whiteness and national identity. more...	AMSA2S02	20	Semester 2
American Music The first book published in the New World was a hymn book. Music, sacred and profane, has been at the centre of American lives ever since. Accordingly, this module will explore the history of American music - but it will also examine the way that its development tells a larger story. Focusing largely on the vernacular musical traditions we will encounter a wide range of musical styles and musicians, each of which has something vital to tell us about the shaping of America. After all, as Plato knew, "When the mode of the music changes, the walls of the city shake." more...	AMSA2S45	20	Semester 1
American Voices: Oratory and Speech in American Culture As annual readings of the `Declaration of Independence' remind us, the United States was born through voice. Public speech has profoundly shaped American life and various types of oral expression ' such as sermons, lectures, conversation and song ' have had a seminal influence on cultural development. Thinking about voice in America raises fascinating questions. Why has oratory been so important and how has its symbolism changed? In what ways has voice unified, divided or transformed society? Whose voices have been heard, and whose silenced? What happens when the voice is written down? In this module, we will examine verbal expression in American culture from the oratory of the Iroquois to that of Barack Obama. We'll embark on a chronological survey of public speech, thinking about place of the `oral' in American writings, and the representation of voice in literary history. Each week will involve the active class exploration of passages from speeches, novels, videos and other texts, demonstrating how attention to oral contexts and rhetoric can enrich an appreciation of cultural history. more...	AMSA2S10	20	Semester 2
Contemporary US Foreign Policy and International Affairs The aim of this module is to introduce students to issues in recent American foreign policy for the most part since the end of the Cold War, though with some reference where appropriate to earlier periods and events. We also examine institutional and political processes in policy-making. The module draws on the disciplines of history, political science and international relations to develop historical awareness along with an understanding of the workings of American political institutions in their international context. more...	AMSA2H41	20	Semester 1
Doing It Yourself: Punk and America Although the exact provenance of `punk' remains a contested issue, since its emergence in the mid-1970s this transnational musical and cultural phenomenon has become very much a part of the American grain. Indeed, punk's capacity to adopt, appropriate, assimilate, and re-invent a vast and eclectic range of cultural styles, forms, and ideas, as well as its `do-it-yourself,' places it in a longstanding American intellectual tradition of self-reliance and innovation. In this interdisciplinary module, we will attempt to define punk, and consider what it means to be punk, by examining its influence in music, film, poetry, and fiction. The unit will also explore the socio-political implications of punk in terms of gender, sexuality, and community, and question the possibility of punk in an increasingly globalised and commoditised world. more...	AMSA2S05	20	Semester 1
Films That Made US American: the 1980s Through the Movies The module will examine America in the1980s. It will look at youth culture, post-Vietnam revisionism and the `remasculinization of America', yuppie culture, and the impact of both AIDS and drug addiction. Core factors of study in this module are the effects of both New Right morality upon the American socio-cultural landscape, and Ronald Reagan as postmodern president administrating to a `celluloid America' of his own fantastic imagining. Overall, the module will offer the chance to analyse the tensions and contradictions of the decade as they were played out in both the content and structure of contemporary American film. more...	AMSA2S03	20	Semester 1
Gender and Sexuality in the New Republic This module examines the social construction of gender and sexuality within the United States during the period 1789-1861. It will trace the emerging gendered discourses of the post-revolutionary period, and address their significance to the formation of an American identity during this period. It will also focus upon the ways in which discourses of gender and sexuality interacted with those of race, class and ethnicity. A particular focus will be placed on the competing and contradictory identities that emerged in the northern and southern states, and the course will explore the possible reasons for, and consequences of these differences. more...	AMSA2H06	20	Semester 2
Looking At Pictures: Photography and Visual Culture in the USA Photographic portraits, family albums, anthropological illustrations, lynching postcards, advertisements, food packaging and fashion photos are just some of the pictures that will be "read" and analysed in this module. Students will explore how visual texts can contribute to an understanding of nationhood, class, race, sexuality and identity in the USA. Opening sessions will focus on ways of "reading" visual texts. [No previous experience of working with images is necessary]. Most of the semester will be devoted to analysing how photographic images both reflect and contribute to constructions of American culture. more...	AMSA2S48	20	Semester 2
Native Americans This seminar will study Native Americans within the broad context of American history, although the cultures of individual tribes will also be examined. Brief attention will be paid to pre-colonial times, but the main emphasis will be on the period after the white man's arrival. more...	AMSA2H15	20	Semester 1
New York City: History and Culture in the 20th Century This module will explore the history and culture of New York City in the 20th century. The readings, lectures, and discussions will concentrate on ethnic identity, the civil rights movement, public art, political and social conflict, urban development, film, architecture, and literature. The course will also examine why New Yorkers pay inordinate attention to their neighbourhoods and how this emphasis on place has racial and ethnic implications. more...	AMSA2H10	20	Semester 2
Protesting the American Century: Dissent and US Foreign Policy The module considers dissent and protest vis-??-vis US foreign relations during what was famously termed the `American Century'. It looks at how dissenting voices ' from government officials, military officers, intellectuals, spies, citizen groups, and whistleblowers ' have challenged the status quo from 1898 to the present. Analysing the connections with other protest movements at home, it explores how opposition to unjust US policies abroad is considered a quintessential American characteristic. It looks at the writings and activities of a wide range of political figures, activists, and writers, including George Kennan, Walter Lippmann, Seymour Hersh, Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Philip Agee, as well as the emergence of classified material into the public domain such as the Pentagon Papers and WikiLeaks State Department cables. Finally, it considers the effort to oppose and, in some cases, silence critical voices. more...	AMSA2H13	20	Semester 1
Race and Racism in the USA This seminar will explore the origins and continued role in American culture of the idea of race. Where did the concept of race come from? And to what uses has it been put by various groups within America's pluralistic society? Restricted to students on programmes in American History or Literature, or who have previously done modules on race. Not available to first year students. more...	AMSA2H32	20	Semester 2
The Cold War and American Culture This module explores the way in which American society and culture was shaped during the years of the Cold War, the tense standoff between the two 'superpowers' between the end of World War II and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The work includes consideration of the key events, issues, and concepts in the history of the Cold War, from the division of Europe and the Marshall Plan, the emergence of the Truman Doctrine, the impact of the Chinese Revolution, through the Cuban missile crisis, the period of detente in the 1970s and the chilling of US-Soviet relations during the 'second Cold War' of the early 1980s. Particular attention is given to the impact of those events in the USA, upon the ways in which Cold War anxieties were represented ' and, also, the ways in which anxieties about American society became meshed in the Cold War. Discussion will range across issues from the bomb and the space race to the family, gender, and race. Throughout, particular use will be made of visual sources and film. more...	AMSA2H44	20	Semester 2
You may also pick any of the modules that begin with: AMSA2S06

Option C Study (20 credits)

Students will select 20 credits from the following module(s).

You may pick any of the modules that begin with:

PSI-2

Politics and Mass Media Mass media are an inescapable part of contemporary political life. This module examines the many dimensions of mass media's political involvement. We start with arguments about media power, and then go on to look at questions of media bias, before turning to the ways in which political communication has changed (and is changing). We look at the role of the state in using and controlling mass media and the new techniques of media management. This leads to a discussion about media effects. We end by asking what is meant by a democratic media and how new media are changing the relationship between politics and media. This module links closely to Level 3 modules such as Political Communication and Politics and Popular Culture. more...	PSI-2A02	20	Semester 2
International Organisations There are few areas of international politics which remain unregulated by international organisations or international norms. This module examines the historical development of international organizations and regimes, including the UN, NATO, European Union, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. It looks at why sovereign states decide to establish international organizations, the factors which determine their design and evolution, and the extent to which their operation reflects underlying power and interests. It critically evaluates the main theories to explain cooperation between states and the development of international institutions, examines the role played in security, trade, finance, gender and environmental policy, and asks whether global governance is possible. more...	PSI-2A30	20	Semester 2
Russian Politics In the first half of this module students study the rise and fall of communism in the Soviet Union. The module then goes on to consider the problems faced by post-Soviet Russia as it seeks to transform itself into a functioning democracy and market economy. The module shows that many of the difficulties of transition currently confronting Russia are a result of its Soviet past. more...	PSI-2A04	20	Semester 2
Comparative Politics The aim of this module is to enable students to develop understanding of political systems in advanced Western states. Students graduating from the module will be able to demonstrate: - critical understanding of the main theories, models and concepts applied in the analysis of political systems and their comparison - knowledge of national political systems and their institutional dynamics, political processes and debates concerning the emergence of new political regimes, the politics of territory, parties and party systems, political leadership, legislatures, interest groups, the state and public policy, and identity and citizenship; - critical awareness of current debates in comparative politics - key skills, including critical evaluation, analytical investigation, written presentation, and oral communication more...	PSI-2A45	20	Semester 1
Eu's Future As An International Actor The module focuses on European political co-operation at the turn of the century and projections into the future. Issues include: the EU's attempts at foreign policy in international conflicts such as the Gulf War, former Yugoslavia, Georgia, co-operation with other International organisations, as an economic superpower vis-a-vis the United States and Japan, as the second largest developmental aid-donor to the Third World and a pioneering force behind environmental policy and energy policy - as a hesitant superpower in security and defence (Iraq, Iran, terrorism, the Congo, etc.). It is advisable - but not compulsory - to know a few basics as to the make-up and workings of the EU before embarking on this module. more...	PSI-2A08	20	Semester 2
Introduction to Middle East Politics This module provides a historical background to the Middle East and its politics. It is concerned with politics within the region as well as relations between Middle Eastern countries and Western powers. The module encourages students to think critically about the links between some key concepts in the comparative politics of non-Western countries, including historical processes of state formation, the legacy of colonialism/neo-colonialism, the role of culture and identity and the significance of natural resources and economic factors. more...	PSI-2A46	20	Semester 2
Global Political Economy This module serves as an introduction to one of the core subfields of international relations, Global Political Economy (GPE), which examines the complex interplay of wealth and power in the evolution of global social order. Students will learn the basics of a political economy approach in evaluating how scarcity and production influence the dynamics of the interstate system. During the semester students will engage with the principal theories of GPE, learn about the rise and consolidation of the current international economic architecture, and explore key issues confronting the contemporary global political economy. In particular, we will look at the challenges posed by global inequality, financial crises and the spectre of ecological catastrophe. more...	PSI-2A51	20	Semester 1
Democratic Theory This module considers how the concept of democracy has changed since it originated in ancient Greece and looks at the critiques of democracy advanced by its opponents. The ideas and values underpinning democracy will be examined. The first part of the module focuses on texts by the major democratic thinkers including Locke, Rousseau and Mill. The second part concentrates on contemporary theories of democracy and examines the problems which democracy currently faces and evaluates the solutions proposed, including "electronic democracy" and "cosmopolitan democracy". more...	PSI-2A24	20	Semester 2
Topics in British Politics Some people are arguing that British politics is in crisis - tumbling electoral turnouts, decline of political parties, cynicism about the political class, high levels of apathy etc. We examine and make sense of this problem (if it is a problem), by examining in depth three or four topics. Recently these have included: changing patterns of electoral behaviour and campaigning; the issue of electoral reform; the evolving role of political parties in the face of social and technological change. more...	PSI-2A16	20	Semester 2
Politics in the USA Virtually alone among the world's modern democratic nations, the US does not have parliamentary government. This module is an introduction to the American system, in which power is divided between state and federal authorities, and further among legislative, executive and judicial branches. Does this open-textured system encourage democratic participation? Has it become so chaotic that sound policy making is discouraged? more...	PSI-2A03	20	Semester 1
Politics in the USA (Cw) This is a coursework-only version of PSI-2A03 Politics in the USA. THIS COURSEWORK VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-2A03C	20	Semester 1
The Media and Identity Drawing on a range of theoretical approaches in the field of media and cultural studies, this module explores the relationship between media culture and social identities. Discussing the representation of identity in media content, as well as issues of media production, regulation and consumption, it critically reflects upon the relationship between media culture and social power and considers how social and technological changes impact on the ways in which identity is experienced in everyday life. On successful completion of this module, students should be able, at threshold level, to critically reflect upon the ways in which media texts construct social identity and should be able to discuss the relationship between media and identity with awareness for social, institutional and technological factors that shape both media production and consumption. more...	PSI-2A26	20	Semester 2
Global Political Economy (Cw) This is a CW variant of PSI-2A51: Global Political Economy which is only available for PSI students undertaking the Study Abroad module in the Spring semester. more...	PSI-2A51C	20	Semester 1
Study Abroad Module The School of PSI has various arrangements with overseas Universities where it is possible to spend an ERASMUS semester studying abroad. For more information on this please contact Dr V Koutrakou - or the Study Abroad Office. Assessment types may vary, depending on university abroad. Please note that international exchanges with universities in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia are ONLY available in the Spring Semester. more...	PSI-2A19	60	Semester 1
Study Abroad Module The School of PSI has various arrangements with overseas Universities where it is possible to spend a semester studying abroad. For more information on this please contact Dr Marina Prentoulis (International exchanges), Dr V Koutrakou (ERASMUS exchanges) - or the Study Abroad Office. Assessment types may vary, depending on university abroad. more...	PSI-2A18	60	Semester 2
Building Blocks of Political Science The aim of this module is to introduce students to the key theoretical issues and debates that underpin the discipline of political science so that students understand the main methodological and ideological approaches to political science. It will also be of relevance to international relations students. The module will provide important foundations for the remainder of the politics major degree. It will be one of two compulsory modules for single honours Politics students. The first half of the module will focus on meta-theoretical concerns such as how to compare political phenomena and systems, ideas and material explanation, structure and agency, epistemology and ontology. The second part of the module will be concerned with the way in which these issues inform empirical political analysis. It covers the key empirical debates in political science about power, representation, accountability and policy making in the western democracies. more...	PSI-2A48	20	Semester 2
New Media and Society For better or worse, new digital technologies are hyped at having revolutionised society. This module will provide students with an introduction to the ways in which the internet and other digital technologies are (and are not) affecting society from theoretical and empirical perspectives, and how society shapes technology. Topics covered include: the evolution of the internet; the "network society"; regulating new media; the radical internet and terrorism; social networking, blogs and interactivity; culture and identity in the digital age; and how the internet affects politics and the media. . more...	PSI-2A27	20	Semester 1
Power and Society This module introduces students to key perspectives in 19th and 20th century social and political theory. Central to this module is an interest in the relationship between economic, social and cultural structures and individual agency and identity. Areas explored include the following: social conflict and consensus; conceptions of power and domination; Marxism and neo-Marxism; critical theory; structuralism; poststructuralism; ideology and discourse; postmodernity; the self and consumer society. more...	PSI-2A35	20	Semester 1
Methods of Social Research Students acquire knowledge of the theory and practice of a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods. A variety of skills can be acquired - interviewing, observation, taking fieldwork notes, computerised data analysis, report writing, etc. Assessment is via an individual research report based on a dataset which is provided, and a visual display of the student's research findings. more...	PSI-2A13	20	Semester 1
Introduction to the European Union This module examines the development, structure, nature and functions of the European Union and looks at the history and theories of European integration from the 1940s to the present day. The module concentrates on the institutions and processes which run the EU, demystifies its main policies, examines critically the role of the Euro, and assesses the positions of the member-states on the EU's constantly developing agenda. The significance of the European Union in relationship to the rest of the world, its democratic credentials and its importance for understanding politics and governance are also considered. This module is recommended for those students who intend to progress to the `EU Studies with Brussels Internship' module (PSI-3A72) in Year 3 more...	PSI-2A05	20	Semester 1
Consumer Culture and Society This module explores the significance of consumption as a major form of social life. Drawing on a variety of theoretical perspectives, including sociology and cultural studies, it examines how taste, style and identity are defined by consumption and explores how consumerism ties in with wider debates about globalisation and geo- politics. In your assignments you will be asked to apply your knowledge of different theoretical perspectives and critically analyse specific examples of consumerism. more...	PSI-2A50	20	Semester 2
International Security and Terrorism This module will offer an examination of the ways in which violent conflict, terrorism and the use of force are managed in world politics. The module surveys a variety of perspectives on the causes of terrorism, war and peace in order to better examine the roots of violent conflicts and security problems in the present day. The module provides students with an introduction to security and terrorism studies and includes examinations of theories of war and conflict, approaches to peace and security, just war theory, humanitarian intervention and conflict resolution. more...	PSI-2A34	20	Semester 2
International Relations Theory This module will give students an essential grounding in International Relations theory, that is, the different ways we understand and predict international politics. The module is structured around the positivist/post-positivist divide and starts with classical realism and neo-realism, and liberalism and neo-liberalism. It then explores constructivism before turning to more critical theories like post-colonialism, feminism and gender studies, and Marxism. By the end of the module you will design your own IR theory. The module will be taught predominantly using letures and seminars but will make use, where appropriate, of film and documentaries in order to explore different theoretical schools, both thermatically and empirically. more...	PSI-2A47	20	Semester 1
Britain and Europe The UK's relationship with its continental European neighbours has historically been fraught with tension and difficulty. This module investigates and attempts to explain Britain's ambivalent attitude towards European integration and considers competing visions of Britain's post-war destiny. It tracks, through examination of internal debates in the two main political parties, the UK's changing European policy from aloofness in the 1950s through the two half-hearted applications for membership in the 1960s to accession in 1973 and the development of its reputation as an `awkward partner'. It also examines the impact of EU membership on British politics and the British political system, assesses the success of Britain's efforts to shape the EU agenda, and critically evaluates the arguments for and against British membership, including those concerning British exceptionalism. This module is recommended for those students who intend to progress to the `EU Studies with Brussels Internship' module (PSI-3A72) in Year 3 more...	PSI-2A32	20	Semester 2
International Politics Since 1945 This module provides a brief historical and theoretical review of the cold war. It then goes on to look at some of the key issues of the post-cold war world. How far have international relations changed since the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989? What are the prospects for peace, stability and prosperity now that the ideological and military struggle between the USSR and the USA is over? more...	PSI-2A07	20	Semester 1

Free Choice Study (20 credits)

Students can select modules worth 20 credits from the course catalogue with the approval of their School.

Year 3

Essential Study (120 credits)

Students will select 120 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
American Studies Semester Abroad: America A semester spent at an American university taking an approved course of study. Restricted to students on American Studies 4 year programmes. more...	AMSA2Y03	60	Semester 1
American Studies Semester Abroad: Australia A semester spent at an Australian university taking an approved course of study. Restricted to students on 4 year programmes. more...	AMSA2Y02	60	Semester 2
American Studies Year Abroad A year spent at an American university taking an approved course of study. Restricted to students on 4 year American Studies programmes. For students on programmes:U1T700401, U1TQ73401, U1TW76401, U1T7W8401, U1V238401, U1V2L2401, U1TW76401. more...	AMSA2Y1Y	120	Year Period

Year 4

Compulsory Study (30 credits)

Students will select 30 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
American Studies Year Abroad Dissertation Final year dissertation involving research into a specific issue or topic in American culture, society, history or literature. Restricted to students on the 4 year American Studies degree programmes. Topics will already have been approved on the basis of dissertation proposals submitted during the year abroad. more...	AMSA3Y05	30	Semester 1

Option A Study (60 credits)

Students will select 60 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
Animals in American History This two-semester, 60 credit module familiarizes students with the wide range of approaches that have been taken toward the study of animals in American history. We will begin with early modern understandings of the place of animals in the natural order, and proceed through the introduction of domestic livestock into North America, controversies between colonists and Native Americans over hunting, cattle and fencing, wolf-eradication campaigns, wilderness preservation, the role of horses in the development of modern cities, the invention of the zoo, pet-keeping, factory hog-raising, and ideological battles over animal rights. By evaluating the developing historiography, students will learn about changing issues and concepts under debate. Primary sources will be used throughout both semesters. A range of different types of texts will be analysed and students will learn techniques appropriate for interrogating them. On their own and in groups, students in this module will work with an increasing level of independence. In the second semester, they will work in groups to introduce different weekly topics and everyone will be given the opportunity to write a research project on a topic of his/her own choosing. more...	AMSA3H3Y	60	Year Period
First Peoples, Colonizers and the USA This is a two-semester, 60 credit module that aims to provide students with specialised knowledge of American Indian history up to the present day. The first semester will follow a chronological sequence and the second semester will be organised around topics. We will be combining the methodologies of History (with a focus on analysing change over time), Anthropology (with its concern with social structures and values) and American Studies (with its focus on deconstructing cultural representations and identities). By evaluating the developing historiography of American Indian history, students will learn about changing issues and concepts in the historical debate. Primary sources will be used throughout both semesters. A range of different types of texts will be analysed and students will learn techniques appropriate for interrogating them. On their own and in groups, students in this module will work with an increasing level of independence. In the second semester, they will work in groups to introduce different weekly topics and everyone will be given the opportunity to write a research project on a topic of his/her own choosing. more...	AMSA3H7Y	60	Year Period

Option B Study (30 credits)

Students will select 30 credits from the following module(s).

Name

Code

Credits

Period

Gender in American Culture

The aim of this module is to think about democracy in the United States through a gendered lens. The Declaration of Independence declared that "all men were created free and equal", but throughout the history of the United States certain social groups have been denied their rights to citizenship and democracy. Therefore this module will be focusing upon the ways in which gender has been central to the construction of citizenship and democracy in the US. These concepts are critical elements in the formation of a modern American identity, and this module will provide a broader understanding of this distinctive feature of American history and society. more...

AMSA3S22

Semester 2

Native American Writing and Film

This module considers Native American writing and film as sites of cultural and political resistance, analysing the ways in which a diverse range of Native authors, screenwriters and directors within the United States respond to contemporary tribal socio-economic and political conditions. Taking popular ideas of 'the Indian', this module considers the ways in which stereotypes and audience expectations are subverted and challenged. Topics include race and racism, indigeneity, identity, culture, gender, genre, land and notions of 'home', community, dialogue, postcolonial theory in its application to those who remain colonised, and political issues such as human rights and environmental racism. more...

AMSA3S02

Semester 2

US Interventionism, the Cia and Covert Action

The covert activities of the CIA represent arguably the most notorious face of US foreign relations. Yet to what extent is clandestine American interventionism consistent with official overt policies? And how do we come to understand covert action campaigns? This module will introduce the main conceptual and historic debates relevant to the analysis of covert action as a tool of US foreign relations. In so doing it will consider the institutions and processes behind covert action, especially the role of the CIA. It also considers the mediums that narrate and explain American covert action. This will provide a fuller and richer understanding of the United States' place in the international system since World War II, its relationship to other states and non-state actors, and discussions about American identity and the nation's role in the world. more...

AMSA3H26

Semester 2

You may also pick any of the modules that begin with:

PSI-3

Analysing Media Discourses This module is a 20 credit version of PSI-3A41 Analysing Media Discourses. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A43	20	Semester 1
Analysing Media Discourses The module will explore some of the main approaches to the analysis of media texts including structuralism, psychoanalysis and discourse analysis. These approaches will be discussed in relation to films like James Bond, advertising campaigns like the ones by the United Colors of Benetton, and newspaper articles on current affairs. The aim of the module is to bring together theory and hands-on analysis and research in media products. more...	PSI-3A41	30	Semester 1
Ideology, Culture and Revolution in the Politics of the Middle East This module is a 20-credit version of PSI-3A53 Ideology, Culture and Revolution in the Politics of the Middle East. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A55	20	Semester 1
Better Worlds? Utopias and Dystopias This module is a 20-credit version of PSI-3A08 Better Worlds? Utopias and Dystopias. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A24	20	Semester 2
Multiculturalism This module is a 20-credit version of PSI-3A38 Multiculturalism. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A40	20	Semester 2
Power Over the Pacific: the American Relationship With Asia This module is a 20-credit coursework-only version of PSI-3A29 POWER OVER THE PACIFIC: THE AMERICAN RELATIONSHIP WITH ASIA and is available only to Visiting, Exchange and Non HUM Students. more...	PSI-3A31	20	Semester 1
Australia: Politics, Culture, Society This module is a 20-credit version of PSI-3A12 Australia: Politics, Culture, Society. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A28	20	Semester 2
Power Over the Pacific: the American Relationship With Asia This module will introduce important themes in the American relationship with East Asia, at a time when the Pacific region has assumed great importance. There will be a particular focus on the important historical periods in the American relationship with China and Japan. An understanding of elements of the trajectory of these relationships will be provided by taking a selection of historical subjects for analysis. While this will address the knowledge of history, and of long-term themes, the latter part of the module will consider contemporary political issues. This will require an understanding of the interaction of the United States with Asia, and China and Japan in particular. more...	PSI-3A29	30	Semester 1
Dissertation Module This dissertation module gives students the opportunity to undertake research on a project of their own choosing under the supervision of a member of staff. The goal is to produce an extended essay of between 7,000-8,000 words, which relates in-depth research on a specialist topic to wider issues in politics, sociology and international studies. A limited number of parliamentary internships and an advertising internship are also available as part of this module. The only timetabled contact time is an introductory lecture from the module convenor. Thereafter, it is up to you to arrange meetings with your supervisor after s/he has been allocated. more...	PSI-3A0Y	30	Year Period
Better Worlds? Utopias and Dystopias Would an ideal society have no more crime? Who would be wealthy? Would politics be outlawed? Do utopians wish to impose their views on the rest of us? This module explores questions such as these, which are central to political and social theory, through the prism of selected utopian and dystopian novels and other utopian texts ranging from Thomas More's Utopia (1516) to the present. It focuses on themes such as property, social control, gender, work, the environment and politics. A major question which the module addresses is the political significance and effects of utopian ideas ' often derided as frivolous or impractical in their own time - and the historical role of utopian ideas in political theory and social reform. more...	PSI-3A08	30	Semester 2
Western Political Thought This Level 3 module examines in depth the works of selected thinkers who are seminal to the Western tradition of political thought, including Plato, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Marx. Their work will also be compared thematically, with a focus on ideas such as political obligation, authority, the state and freedom. The module will be based on the study and interpretation of key texts and will enable students to develop skills of textual analysis and critique. more...	PSI-3A01	30	Semester 1
Western Political Thought This module is a 20-credit coursework-only version of PSI-3A01 Western and Political Thought. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A17	20	Semester 1
Australia: Politics, Culture, Society This module examines the history, structures and key institutions of Australian government and their broader relationships with Australian society and culture. It has been argued Australia was manacled to its colonial past, and lacked innovation and proactivity. At the same time, the phrase, 'lucky country', has been used to project Australia as uniquely stable, politically, socially, and economically. Is this accurate? Some think so, attributing it to Australia's system of government: are they right? This module addresses such questions and, in its later stages, considers some of the challenges Australia faces, both internal such as multiculturalism and Aboriginality, and external, for example, regionalisation and globalisation. more...	PSI-3A12	30	Semester 2
Political Economy of the Environment This module is a 20 credit version of PSI-3A44 Political Economy of the Environment. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A46	20	Semester 2
Political Economy of the Environment In an attempt to better understand the environmental dilemmas that confront us in the contemporary world, this module tries to move beyond the limitations of mainstream political and economic analyses. In coming to terms with the threats of environmental degradation and climate change, it tries to reawaken a broader type of ethical, natural and social theorisation that defined an earlier political economy. This is not a module on environmental or resource economics, nor are students expected to have an economics background. Rather, this module tries to understand social production as much more than a series of market relations. It tries to develop a broader socio-cultural understanding of production that "de-naturalises" the way we view and exploit the natural world. more...	PSI-3A44	30	Semester 2
Public Affairs and Politics: Influencing the Political Process This module enables students to understand the theory and practice of public affairs, interest intermediation, and the strategies used by interest and advocacy groups to influence the political process. As well as covering the main debates in the academic literature, it draws directly on the experience of practitioners and offers unique insights into this under-studied area of politics. Students graduating from this module will: ' be able to demonstrate understanding of the theories, models and concepts of public affairs ' be able to demonstrate understanding of the theories, models and concepts applied in the study of interest intermediation and lobbying ' be able to demonstrate knowledge of public affairs and lobbying in a variety of political settings ' have developed important key skills, including making oral presentations, that will be of use in employment. Indicative outline 1. Introduction. Public affairs: influencing the political process 2. Making policy: processes and decision points 3. Lobbyists, interest and advocacy groups 4. The art of public relations 5. Communications and marketing 6. Public affairs and the media 7. Influencing the political process I: Whitehall 8. Influencing the political process II: Westminster 9. Influencing the political process III: Brussels 10. Influencing the political process IV: Washington 11. Influencing the political process V: local government more...	PSI-3A78	30	Semester 2
The Clash of Fundamentalisms This module examines the resurgence of religion as an issue in international relations. IR literature has tended to marginalise religion but the events of 9/11 and the growth of fundamentalism is refocusing attention on this important area. Using case studies this module critically analyses religion and international relations. more...	PSI-3A57	30	Semester 1
Capitalism and Its Critics The aim of this module is to enable students to develop an understanding of capitalism and its political and social impact. Students graduating from the module will be able to demonstrate: - critical understanding of the main theories, models and concepts applied in the analysis of capitalism - critical understanding of normative debates about capitalism - knowledge of the arguments made by advocates and critics of capitalism, with an awareness of their strengths and weaknesses more...	PSI-3A52	30	Semester 2
Capitalism and Its Critics This module is a 20 credit version of PSI-3A52 Capitalism and its Critics. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A54	20	Semester 2
Ideology, Culture and Revolution in the Politics of the Middle East This module seeks to expand the knowledge and understanding of the contemporary politics of the Middle East acquired by students taking PSI-2A46. A main feature of this module is to allow students to delve into the complexities of political thought in the region. The aim of the module is to make students think critically about the ways in which political mobilisation functions in the modern Middle East. For this purpose the module will feature many examples of contemporary political ideologies that have constituted key political frameworks in the politics of the Middle East since the First World War. more...	PSI-3A53	30	Semester 1
Political Communication This module is a 20-credit version of PSI-3A10 POLITICAL COMMUNICATION and is available only to non-HUM and Visiting Students. Political communication occurs on many different levels, and subsequently with different implications and effects. Political communication can be verbal or nonverbal by political actors or about political actors and systems. This module builds upon the Politics and Mass Media unit and explores the forms and impact of political communication. It will be organised around the themes of who communicates, whether that is the state, celebrities, media organisations, the message they communicate, and the effect this has on the receivers of the message. The module will address areas such as spin, globalisation, the role of the new media in order to explore the changing nature of political communication. more...	PSI-3A26	20	Semester 2
We the People? Publics, Crowds and Democracy IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE PSI-3A84. This module is a 20 credit version of PSI-3A84 We the People? Publics, Crowds and Democracy. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON-HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A86	20	Semester 2
Rhetoric: Democracy and the Politics of Persuasion Political activity involves a lot of talking, discussing and debating, speechifying, speaking and listening. In Parliaments, from public platforms and through many forms of media people try to persuade others to see things their way, to take their side and to adopt their proposals. Naturally, therefore, the form, function and implications of different forms of public argument are an important concern of political theorists and scientists. This course will explore some contemporary theorists who, in different ways, help us think through the politics of public speech and persuasion (Arendt, Dryzek, Laclau, Ranciere and others). It will also introduce you to the rhetorical tradition. Rhetoric, according to Aristotle, is 'the ability to identify in any given case the available means of persuasion". In studying political rhetoric we learn about the different ways in which political arguments may be made and about how we might try to persuade particular people, about particular things at particular times. more...	PSI-3A59	30	Semester 1
We the People? Publics, Crowds and Democracy This module examines the position of mass publics and collectives in democratic society, taking into consideration models of collective behaviour and some of the available empirical evidence. The module is all about the relationship between the individual and the group: how does that relationship work in different contexts, and what are the consequences for the democratic character of governance and the rationality or otherwise of collective decisions? Liberal theory has an ambiguous attitude to the `public', portraying it as a source of legitimacy but also as a threatening and unreasoning force. We explore these issues in a variety of contexts: mass political movements, public opinion surveys, un-coordinated mass action such as moral panics and health scares, arts prize juries and political executives. We also look at whether mass publics can be manipulated and steered by the rhetoric of `leaders' and by biases in the information environment. more...	PSI-3A84	30	Semester 2
Political Communication This module looks behind the headlines about politics and analyses the processes by which those headlines are created. It encourages students to think about the way in which we engage with politics. Are we being persuaded about our politics or are we being subject to propaganda? Is war only what we see on our TV screens or read about in the newspaper? Do politicians have to be telegenic to be elected? Does it matter if our only source of news is via the internet? Can new media really been seen as the cause of revolution? These are just some of the questions which we might discuss. This module also links together processes of politics and communication to ask some of the `big' political questions of the day: what is being communicated politically to us, by whom, and why? What methods do elites use to communicate to us? And how do we as citizens communicate politically to elites? And what impact does that communication have on our politics? Centred around issues of ideology and power, and combining theory and empirics, this module asks questions about the nature of politics and communication through a range of topics which may include: election campaigns; spin; war and foreign policy; the political economy of news production; common sense; politics beyond the nation state; and revolution. more...	PSI-3A10	30	Semester 2
European Studies (With Brussels Internship) This is an intensive module for ambitious students who are a national of an EEA member state (i.e. UK and other EU countries, plus Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein ) who demonstrate drive, and commitment to wanting to work at the international level, have some prior knowledge of how the EU works, and a basic knowledge of another language of the EEA. It will provide insights into the operation of the EU, facilitiate e networking and the follow up of job opportunities. There will be 10 two hour seminars during the Spring Semester and a four week period in Brussels (or elsewhere if placements can be established). Currently, there are a number of placements available at the East of England office in Brussels, which represents the interests of the region. A substantial contribution will be made towards the costs of accommodation and travel. more...	PSI-3A72	30	Semester 2
Politics and Governance With Internship (Work Based Experience/employability Training Programme) The module aims to provide a sound understanding of the `nuts and bolts' of the different levels of government - local, regional, and national, and through the third sector ' and how each contributes to democratic pluralism. It will relate public policy and administration taught in other modules to the organisation and structures of governance and also focus on career and job opportunities, and developing specific skills to enhance employability. Field trips and study visits will complement class-based teaching and `real world' experience will be available through a short internship, other work based learning or an employability training programme to enable students to build a network of contacts, increase confidence, experience and the skills necessary to secure graduate employment. more...	PSI-3A80	30	Semester 2
Intellectuals and US Foreign Policy This module is a 20 credit version of PSI-3A48 Intellectuals and US Foreign Policy, 1880-2008. THIS 20 CREDIT VERSION IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO VISITING, EXCHANGE AND NON HUM STUDENTS. more...	PSI-3A50	20	Semester 2
Intellectuals and US Foreign Policy This module examines the ideas and influence of nine American foreign policy 'intellectuals,' beginning with Alfred Mahan and concluding with Paul Wolfowitz. Why did each 'intellectual' strike a particular chord at a particular time? Do individuals matter in the history of US foreign policy? How, and with what consequences, were these ideas translated into policy? This module will explore the origins of key US foreign policy concepts such as isolationism, internationalism, containment and 'pre-emptive defence.' Aims of the Module ' To introduce students to nine particular strains of US foreign policy ideology. ' To encourage students to engage critically with the primary output of these 'intellectuals' and to identify their strengths and weaknesses. ' To stimulate students to consider whether these ideas have been manifested in policy, and to trace their impact. ' To encourage students to develop their own foreign policy philosophy. more...	PSI-3A48	30	Semester 2
Broadcast Journalism Broadcast Journalism provides students with an overview of the practice of modern TV journalism, and related TV production processes. The module enables students to contextualise academic study and criticism of news gathering and presentation processes as well as gain first-hand experience of producing video news items using modern technology. There is a high level of practical class activity: students will take part in workshop exercises, develop an understanding of the use and importance of pictures, preparing and presenting well-written broadcast scripts and interviews. Students will collaborate in producing short, broadcast-style video news reports, which will be compiled into a magazine format TV programme. There will be an introduction to the 'art' of journalism, the techniques and practices that are used to shape news reports. Students will also be introduced to technical production skills including cameras, sound and editing. Students will be taught by experienced production and news journalists and use broadcast quality equipment. The practical teaching will be reinforced by instruction on the packaging and presentation of news and factual material for broadcasting purposes. more...	PSI-3A51	30	Semester 1
Politics and Popular Culture The module explores three issues: the role of popular culture in political thought and action, the political organisation of, and response to, popular culture, and the political meanings and interpretations placed upon popular culture. more...	PSI-3A37	30	Semester 1
Politics and Popular Culture This module is a 20-credit coursework-only version of PSI-3A37 POLITICS AND POPULAR CULTURE and is available only to Visiting, Exchange and Non-HUM Students. more...	PSI-3A23	20	Semester 1
Multiculturalism This module looks at the political implications of the rise of multicultural societies in Europe and North America since the end of World War II. (Canada is given consideration because of its importance to these debates both as a practical model as well as a source of influential theorists.) The aim is to introduce students to a range of contemporary theoretical perspectives on multiculturalism and facilitate critical assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of such approaches in the face of competing political discourses such as nationalism and alternative forms of liberalism. Theorists under examination will include; Parekh, Kymlicka, Levy, Taylor and Modood as well as major liberal alternative views; Barry, Rawls and Raz. Among the module themes the following will be addressed; group differentiated rights; institutional racism, Islamophobia, recognition vs toleration and cultural offense. The module will also look at divergent policies adopted within European states (eg: France and Germany) and give attention to the attempts to operationalize multiculturalism in the UK in particular via the Parekh Report. more...	PSI-3A38	30	Semester 2

Disclaimer

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules and regular (five-yearly) review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff or sabbatical leave. Where this is the case, the University will endeavour to inform students.

UEA

American Studies Courses

American Studies

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Lively Academic Environment

Unrivalled Year Abroad Programme

Half Year's Fee

Great Sources of Financial Support.

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Internationally renowned Literary Festival

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