Registry

Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2012 - 2013
Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title	Key Issues in International Relations
Module Code	LG329
School	School of Law & Government
Online Module Resources
Module Teacher	Karen Devine
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Description

This module will give final year students an opportunity to explore major theoretical and empirical debates in the discipline of International Relations (IR). Much of the scholarship in IR is concerned with the process and practice of institutions or with understanding international events and crises such as wars and acts of terrorism. In the process of accounting for theseempirical processes and events, the intersection of international relations with theory and research can be overlooked. Since the end of the Cold War, methodological issues have returned to centre-stage in IR.This module will explore the role of theory and research approaches in how we read about and understand international relations. Students will become familiar with significant debates in IR about explaining and understanding, ontology and epistemology, agency and structure and levels of analysis. The first part of the course will examine the theoretical research paradigms in International Relations and will apply theories of realism, liberalism and constructivism to international relations issues and events. The second part of the course will consider the positivist and post-positivist divide in IR scholarship and will compare and evaluate examples of both types of research.

Learning Outcomes

1. Define the philosophical foundations of a number of major International Relations theories
2. Apply theories of International Relations to understand and explain issues in international relations
3. Interrogate the philosophical consistency of academic research in International Relations
4. Evaluate the merits of positivist and postpositivist research approaches to issues in International Relations, including a key issue of the student's choosing
5. Identify her/his own theoretical and methodological preferences

Workload	Full-time hours per semester
*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Tutorial	2	Feedback/evaluation of chosen positivist and postpositivist papers
Lecture	22	Interactive lectures with contributions from students building on assigned course readings, past and future lecture topics and studentsâ€™ own self-knowledge/experiences
Tutorial	5	Participation in analysis and evaluation of assigned tutorial readings based on submitted summary position paper
Tutorial	5	Interactive exploration of assigned readings within small groups and with tutor focusing on specific case-studies and also, where appropriate, students' chosen key issue
Library	1	ISI web of science training to undertake secondary research and fulfil students' targeted research goals as part of the research paper course assignment
Independent learning	117	Reading, summation, evaluation and integrated learning of lecture and research materials
Assignment	98	Research and writing for mutliple choice exam, position papers and research paper
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Realism and neorealism.
Liberalism and neoliberalism.

(Neo)realist research paradigm.
(Neo)liberal research paradigm.

Conventional Social Constructivism.
Critical Social Constructivism.

Social Constructivist research paradigms.
Explaining and Understanding.

Ontology and Epistemology.
Levels of Analysis.

Agency and Structure.
Positivist/Post-positivist ways of doing research.

Positivism: grand theory, causal models, Security Studies.
Post-positivism: poststructuralism, discourse theory and deconstruction, Critical Security Studies.

Apositivist case-study using Irish neutrality.
Apost-positivist case-study using Irish neutrality.

Apositivist case-study using European Integration.
Apost-positivist case-study using European Integration.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Course Work Breakdown
Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Multiple choice questions	30 questions on International Relations theories and research approaches	30%	Once per semester
Project	4,500 word Research Paper	65%	Sem 1 End
Report (s) (written / oral)	5 * 300-900 word position paper	5%	Other

Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Knud Erik Jorgensen: 2010, International Relations Theory: A New Introduction, 1-4, 7-10, Palgrave Macmillan, London,
Alan Colllins: 2010, Contemporary Security Studies, 2nd, 1-4, 6, 27, Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York,
Robert Jackson and Georg Sorensen: 2007, Introduction to International Relations: Theories and Approaches, 3rd, 1-4, 6, 9-11, Oxford University Press, Oxford, New York,

Other Resources

None

Array

Programme or List of Programmes

BA in International Relations

IRYA

BA in International Relations

Timetable this semester: Timetable for LG329

Date of Last Revision

27-SEP-11

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