MA Geopolitics & the Global Economy

Critical geopolitics is concerned with the geographical assumptions and designations that underlie the making of world politics. Critical geopolitics aims to elucidate and explain how political actors spatialize international politics and represent it as a “world” characterized by particular types of places. This module explores Critical Geopolitics as an approach to understanding political geographies. It begins by examining how Critical Geopolitics has emerged in Human Geography and the reaction and misuse of ‘Geopolitical’ thinking in Europe. The module will examine conceptually and analytically the nature of Critical Geopolitics. Much of the empirical context for the module will be the EU politico-economic project. The module examines the notions of space and place in European elite thinking, situated political practices in EU governance, and EU elites' construction and implementation of geopolitical narratives. The nature of political change in Europe is interpreted through these components.

This module is exclusive to the MA Geopolitics and will be taught through a residential field class in Brussels. This 4/5 day field class will see you explore Brussels as a 'place', enabling you to recognise and interpret the key geopolitical processes in place and appraise their significance and effect. The field class will involve literature preparation, field class planning, interviewing and discussion by all students.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allow the acquisition, storage, analysis and visualisation of location-based data. This core module will introduce you to ArcGIS, the most widely used GIS software package. It will enable you to understand conceptual, theoretical and practical geographical considerations and, most importantly, gain practical GIS skills for their use and application. These skills will cover spatial data creation, sourcing, management, mapping and geoprocessing.

The module is delivered mainly through hands-on computer lab-based practicals, complemented with lectures covering theory and analytical themes that GIS are designed to handle. The practicals will focus on analysing, visualising and interpreting spatial data to support environmental and socio-economic assessments, using demonstrative examples and problem-solving exercises. A significant part of the learning will be self-directed, allowing you to develop your skills and spatial awareness by designing and delivering a spatial analysis project tailored to individual research and/or interests.

This module allows you to build your understanding of the spatialities of power and inequalities. With a focus on Critical Geographies, the module explores with students how, that is how power and inequalities are central to the creation of places, cities, rurals, regions, nations, transationalisms and scales and how these, in turn, are formed through power and recreate inequalities. Areas for discussion will vary annually and may include queer theory, feminism, intersectionality/critical race studies, postcolonialism/decoloniality, Marxism, radicalism, anarchism, and non-representational approaches.

Following expert introductions to key areas of critical geographies, students will work with the module coordinator to choose readings and scholarly and activist materials in their areas of interest. They will present these materials in class, developing discussions and everyone’s learning. Assessment will be developed with the module coordinator and led by the students. Options include in-depth theoretical essays, explorations of key activisms/movements using materials and scholarly literature, videos or performances.

This course covers both theoretical and thematic topics in the field from the perspective of the "American" school. It examines the central issues in IPE of trade, money, foreign investment, globalisation, regionalisation, and the politics of the illicit global economy. The module considers the historical evolution of international economic governance before turning to contemporary issues, including the rise of the BRICS countries, Brexit, Trump and the emergence of economic nationalism.

Cyber security is no longer the exclusive preserve of disciplines like computer science or computer engineering. Instead, understanding cyber security has become a critical skill for all of us. This module will help you look at the ways in which new technologies, including the internet, are having a growing impact on global politics – and our lives. You will investigate the meaning of the Information Revolution and cyberspace; analyze the extent to which new techs have changed traditional features of both global and US politics; and discuss their implications for international conflict and the development of international norms, among other issues.