University of Essex

GV902-7-AU-CO:
International Relations: Theory and Analysis

The details

Year: 2025/26

Department: Government

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Autumn

Level: Postgraduate: Level 7

Status: Current

Start date: Thursday 02 October 2025

End date: Friday 12 December 2025

Credits: 15

Last updated: 10 April 2025

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

MA L25012 International Relations,
MA L250EB International Relations,
MA L250EK International Relations,
MRESL25024 International Relations,
MSC L25012 International Relations,
MSC L250EB International Relations,
MSC L250EK International Relations,
MPOLL268 International Relations,
MPOLL269 International Relations (Including Placement Year),
MPOLL370 International Relations (Including Year Abroad),
MPOLL234 Politics and International Relations,
MPOLL235 Politics and International Relations (Including Placement Year),
MPOLL236 Politics and International Relations (Including Year Abroad)

Module description

The objective of the course is to provide students with an overview of different epistemological and theoretical perspectives as well as some of the methodological approaches and tools commonly encountered in the discipline of international relations. It is intended to provide students the tools and knowledge necessary to scrutinise, analyse, explain and explain historical and contemporary events in world politics. The course aims to provide a sound basis for studying international relations and world politics from different epistemological, theoretical, and methodological viewpoints.

Through the module, student will: (i) understand the origins, historical evolution, and current debates and challenges of the discipline of international relations, (ii) identity and explain different theories and paradigmatic perspectives commonly employed in international relations research, (iii) critically evaluate common theoretical, epistemological, and methodological approaches and critique contemporary disciplinary scholarship in international politics, (iv) apply different theoretical lenses and methodological tools to analyse historical and contemporary events in international politics.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:

To provide students with an overview of a wide and intellectually demanding range of IR literature and the ability to use this material to analyze world politics.

To provide a basis for studying politics from different theoretical and methodological viewpoints.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

Understand the origins, historical evolution, and current debates and challenges of the discipline of international relations.

Identity and explain different theories and paradigmatic perspectives commonly employed in international relations research.

Critically evaluate common theoretical approaches and critique contemporary disciplinary scholarship in international politics.

Apply different theoretical lenses to analyse historical and contemporary events in international politics.

Synthesise different arguments from international relations scholarship in order to evaluate the current state of knowledge on a topic within the field. Understand differenent methdological approaches commonly employed in the discipline of international relations.

Module information

This course will help students to develop the following skills:

Apply theory and evidence to support argument

Learn how to work in teams and recognise the importance of testing arguments with contrary views.

Publicly present/discuss research and respond to feedback

Learning and teaching methods

The module will run over 10 weeks. There will be a two-hour class.

Bibliography*

Frieden, J.A., Lake, D.A. and Schultz, K.A. (2021b) World Politics. Fifth Edition. New York: WW Norton & Co. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/1129625.
Hobbes, T. (1998) 'Of the Natural Condition of Mankind As Concerning Their Felicity, and Misery', in J.C.A. Gaskin (ed.) Leviathan. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 82–85. Available at: https://www.bartleby.com/34/5/13.html.
Robert L. Carneiro (1970) 'A Theory of the Origin of the State', Science, 169(3947), pp. 733–738. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1729765.
Stephen D. Krasner (1995) 'Compromising Westphalia', International Security, 20(3), pp. 115–151. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2539141.
Conversi, D. (2016) 'Sovereignty in a Changing World: From Westphalia to Food Sovereignty', Globalizations, 13(4), pp. 484–498. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2016.1150570.
Kenneth N. Waltz (1988) 'The Origins of War in Neorealist Theory', The Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 18(4), pp. 615–628. Available at: https://www-jstor-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/stable/204817.
John J. Mearsheimer (1995) 'The False Promise of International Institutions', International Security, 19(3), pp. 5–49. Available at: https://www-jstor-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/stable/2539078?searchText=&searchUri=&ab_segments=&searchKey=&refreqid=fastly-default%3Aec86f90ecdf1f7d4d6f7458bed003f63.
Helen Milner (1991) 'The Assumption of Anarchy in International Relations Theory: A Critique', Review of International Studies, 17(1), pp. 67–85. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20097244.
John M. Owen (1994) 'How Liberalism Produces Democratic Peace', International Security, 19(2), pp. 87–125. Available at: https://www-jstor-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/stable/2539197?casa_token=ku4gTBJlnRwAAAAA%3Ad_lFqrH-ffQcszY8uJVJyzPBHn20vUXkmuhM7DxS1IRl9y-YFvKzHKOAymblX_4oDsicz0m5OOfOaYmBpOcuoIh7QhMGJWCYshlWYPYLt0kJBqRE58o7&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents.
Robert O. Keohane, Lisa L. Martin (1995) 'The Promise of Institutionalist Theory', International Security, 20(1), pp. 39–51. Available at: https://www-jstor-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/stable/2539214?sid=primo&seq=1.
Tickner, J.A. (1997) 'You Just Don't Understand: Troubled Engagements Between Feminists and IR Theorists', International Studies Quarterly, 41(4), pp. 611–632. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2600855.
Sjoberg, L. (2011) 'Gender, the State, and War Redux', International Relations, 25(1), pp. 108–134. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0047117810396990.
Thinking Global - Cynthia Enloe (no date). Available at: https://www.e-ir.info/2023/05/15/thinking-global-podcast-cynthia-enloe/.

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam	Description	Coursework weighting
Coursework	Curated reading list	25%
Coursework	Group data presentation	25%
Written Exam	Exam	50%

Exam format definitions

Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Prof Reed Wood, email: reed.wood@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff: Professor Reed Wood

Contact details: Please contact govpgquery@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: Yes

Available to Outside Option: Yes

Available to Audit: Yes

External examiner

Name: Dr Kyriaki Nanou

Institution: Durham University

Academic role: Associate Professor in European politics

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording:* No lecture recording information available for this module.

Further information

Department website: Government

* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.

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Module Directory

GV902-7-AU-CO:International Relations: Theory and Analysis