Government and Politics

Course summary

The study of Global Politics is the study of global political trends in the 21st century. It is a ‘international relations’ course that considers alternative perspectives to explain current world events. We discuss the changing nature of power and how it has shifted away from the traditional nation state onto entities such as Multinational Corporations (MNCs) and intergovernmental organisations (IGOs). We discuss the clash between economic development and environmental sustainability; we discuss the clash between universal human rights and cultural relativity; we discuss the causes of, and ways to end, various types of conflict. Throughout, we use contemporary examples. The students are able to pursue their own political interests in coursework that is developed in class under teacher supervision. Students will study the following Units: • Power; Development; Human Rights, Peace and Conflict. • They analyse using Key Concepts (e.g. legitimacy, interdependence, power etc.); Levels of Analysis (e.g. local, national, regional); Theoretical Perspectives (e.g. realism; liberalism etc.).