This page contains details about the units available on our:
- Contemporary European Studies: Politics, Policy and Society (Euromasters) course
- Contemporary European Studies with Transatlantic Track (Euromasters) course
Contemporary Comparative Russian Politics
Credits: 10
Explore the nuances and develop an in-depth understanding of the Russian political system. The unit incorporates a comparative regional element, linking Russia to the wider post-Soviet space.
You’ll be introduced to key topics in Russian and post-Soviet politics and society, from the failure of democratisation and the rise of autocracy to nationalism, civil society, the economy, and gender.
Critical Approaches to International Security
Credits: 10
Familiarise yourself with the field of international security.
Through theoretical and empirical explorations, you’ll develop strong analytical skills to critically assess the scope, practice and politics of international security. You’ll learn how to develop new perspectives, arguments and policy suggestions.
As part of this unit, you’ll also gain a deeper understanding of contemporary international security challenges.
Contemporary European Studies Dissertation (Politics, Policy and Society & Transatlantic Track)
Credits: 30
The dissertation option is your opportunity to apply and extend the skills developed during your taught units.
You’ll develop a coherent research question that addresses a topic related to European studies which interests you. This question should allow you to demonstrate your understanding of relevant theories and practices in the field of European studies.
Throughout your dissertation unit, you will receive assistance from a designated academic supervisor.
Democracy versus Technocracy: Modernity and Risk
Credits: 10
Covering 1989 to the modern day, you’ll explore the debate on the demise of the liberal world order.
You'll study the impact of social transformations driven by depoliticization and disengagement, as well as the responses to these, by exploring a variety of cases in detail.
You’ll learn to contextualise the advent of risk management, safety culture and the prioritisation of supposed evidence over moral values, and apply this to emerging national and international crises and discourses.
European Politics in a Changing World
Credits: 10
Gain an overview of key questions about the EU’s role and capacity as a collective actor in the world today.
You’ll consider how rules are generated in the EU and how they are applied within and outside of its borders. Through theoretical and empirical analysis of specific cases, you’ll develop analytical skills and knowledge of the EU and its place within the global order.
Gender, Security, and Transitional Justice from the Global South to Global North
Credits: 10
Explore the dilemmas associated with transitional justice in Global North and Global South contexts, paying particular attention to gender and LGBTQ+ implications.
You’ll engage with historical and contemporary cases of transitional justice and peace processes while gaining an understanding of wider critical theories such as decolonial theory and feminism.
Gender Theory
Credits: 10
Gain a comprehensive introduction to gender and feminist theory.
You’ll approach a wide variety of gender and feminist theories and gain an appreciation of the ways in which politics, society and international relations are gendered.
You’ll also learn about major theoretical debates within feminist thought and demonstrate the relevance of feminist thought to contemporary issues via written assignments.
Genocides, Human Rights' Violations, and International Justice
Credits: 10
Explore the connection between international politics and international law and explore the most significant cases of transitional justice since the 1990s.
Through theoretical and empirical approaches, you’ll develop the analytical skills to assess the implementation of, and the risks associated with transitional justice mechanisms, both domestic and international. You’ll also gain knowledge of how these have manifested throughout history.
International Terrorism
Credits: 10
Discover different theoretical approaches to the study of international terrorism, insurgency, and counter-insurgency in order to understand the causes, modi operandi and the potential approaches to the pacification of state and non-state terrorist violence.
You’ll focus on the nexus of theoretical and conceptual debates and draws on both historical and contemporary case studies.
Memory Cultures and Memory Politics
Credits: 10
Explore the key theoretical debates in interdisciplinary memory studies and learn how to critically apply their insights to case studies in Europe and beyond.
You'll focus on the role of politics, the state, museums, media and the arts in the fashioning of collective memory, and on the relationship between collective memory and identity construction. You’ll also engage with the historical development of different forms of collective memory.
Research Methods in Political Science and International Relations
Credits: 10
Gain an overview of key questions about the EU’s role and capacity as a collective actor in the world today.
You’ll consider how rules are generated in the EU and how they are applied within and outside of its borders. Through theoretical and empirical analysis of specific cases, you’ll develop analytical skills and knowledge of the EU and its place within the global order.
Statecraft and Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific Region
Credits: 10
Explore how the states in the Indo-Pacific region cope with great power rivalry and adjust their policies to achieve great power status in international politics.
You’ll focus on the agency of countries and international organisations operating around the Indian and Pacific Oceans
This unit is aimed at people with of both academic interests and practitioner backgrounds in policy analysis, diplomacy, intelligence and defence.
The Global Politics of Cyberspace
Credits: 10
Familiarise yourself with the key challenges and issues in international cyber-policy.
You’ll study the policies and approaches of the main actors of the international system when it comes to cybersecurity, the development of norms in cyberspace, and the strategic use of cyber weapons. You’ll write and present a policy brief on a cyber-related topic, as well as an academic essay that explores in greater detail one of the main issues covered during the semester.
The Politics of Asia and the World
Credits: 10
Study some of the most significant political, social and security challenges concerning the Asian continent.
Asian politics-related concerns are becoming increasingly significant, so a thorough and comprehensive understanding of global politics is not possible without studying the continent of Asia.
You’ll apply a variety of conceptual and theoretical lenses to cases from the sub-regions of Southern Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Central Asia.
The Politics of Environment
Credits: 10
Drawing on insights from politics, international political economy and political ecology, you’ll explore key issues in environmental politics.
You’ll acquire a critical awareness of the social and political causes and impacts of global environmental change by studying topics like carbon markets and the role of technology.
Through theoretical reflection and empirical analysis, you’ll develop strong analytical skills and assess solutions for the most complex and defining challenge of our times.
The Politics of Gender Inequality
Credits: 10
Examine the causes and consequences of gender inequality in political life, the household, and the workforce.
Drawing on interdisciplinary literature and cutting-edge research, you’ll critically analyse links between gender identity and multiple facets of social and political life, from career choices to care work within the family.
You’ll take an in-depth look at ongoing challenges for gender equality, paying special attention to promising policies and interventions to close gender gaps.
The Politics of Organised Crime
Credits: 10
Familiarise yourself with the theoretical debates associated with organised crime and its relationship with politics.
In this unit, you’ll:
- discover the ways in which organised crime challenges democracy (politics, economics and civil society)
- gain an empirical understanding of organised crime in Europe and beyond
- study critical and analytical approaches to the major issues raised by organised crime
- assess the security implications of organised crime for the EU and the world
The Resurgence of Reactionary Politics
Credits: 10
Develop a critical understanding of the resurgence of reactionary movements and ideas and explore some of the most significant and controversial developments in contemporary politics.
You’ll engage with cutting-edge theoretical, conceptual and empirical research to grasp key concepts such as populism and racism. You’ll explore contemporary case studies through independent research to develop a more practical understanding of the impact of such concepts on contemporary politics and democracy.
Theoretical Approaches of International Politics and Foreign Policy
Credits: 10
Familiarise yourself with different theoretical approaches to the study of international relations and foreign policy.
While this unit is theoretically driven, you’ll also learn about key current examples of conflict and cooperation, war and peace, and multilateralism to show the analytical values of approaches such as:
- neorealism
- liberal institutionalism
- social constructivism
- critical approaches
- non-Western perspectives
Theories of Conflict and Conflict Resolution
Credits: 10
Learn about main conflict trends and the most common theories on the roots of conflict.
You’ll study the main theories of, and approaches to conflict resolution and assess their value for understanding and resolving conflicts. Theoretical elements of the unit will be applied to real cases of conflict by inviting conflicting parties to the class and by organising joint classes with students in conflict areas.