GV945-7-AU-CO:
International Institutions and Global Governance

The details
2024/25
Government
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 13 December 2024
15
23 April 2024

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

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Key module for

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Module description

This graduate module examines the institutions that govern international relations. The module is designed around the following question: Do international institutions promote international cooperation? In particular, the course analyses how formal and informal international institutions can help to overcome the main challenges for international cooperation and promote global governance.


To answer this question, the module relies on three pillars: First, it introduces a set of theories to help understanding cooperation among states. Second, it applies these theories to the analysis of the design and performance of international institutions. Finally, the last weeks focus on the effects of international institutions both on the behaviour of states.


By the end of the module, the students should be able to: (i) understand and identify the central problems for governance in an anarchic world; (ii) identify and explain key concepts for the analysis of international institutions; (iii) use theories to analyse the role of international institutions in world politics; (iv) demonstrate analytical and critical thinking skills when analysing political phenomena.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • To teach students to think and write critically about international institutions using theories and methods of political science.

  • To develop the ability to think and make reasoned arguments using positive theories and supported by the best available empirical evidence.

  • To work on skills that support the production of their own research.

Module learning outcomes

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



  1. Identify the main approaches, concepts, and methods employed in the study of international institutions.

  2. Use theories to explain the nature, characteristics, and effects of international institutions.

  3. Demonstrate analytical and critical thinking skills when analysing political phenomena.

  4. Contribute to the production of knowledge through constructive criticism of the literature and the work of peers.

  5. Advance and justify research questions framed in the literature, and propose adequate research designs to address them.

  6. Communicate ideas in different formats (written essays, poster elaboration and presentation).

Module information

Topics:



  • Global governance and institutional complexity.

  • Skills development: How to read a political science academic paper.

  • Theories: The puzzle of cooperation in an anarchic world.

  • Why do countries use (formal or informal) institutions?

  • Skills development: How to choose and justify a research question.

  • Participation in international institutions: Membership.

  • Selection and compliance. Enforcement and sanctions.

  • Skills development: Formulating testable hypotheses.

  • Decision-making and performance of international institutions.

  • Effects of international institutions on states: Socialization and diffusion.

  • Skills development: How to deal with/incorporate feedback.

  • Effects of international institutions on states: conditionality and rewards.

  • Skills development: How to make a poster.

  • Special Types of IOs - Alliances.

  • Institutional change and death of international institutions.

  • Skills development: Poster presentation.

Learning and teaching methods

The module will be delivered via:

  • One interactive seminar per week.

This is a 10-week module. 

This is a research-led taught module, but PGT students may have heterogenous abilities and previous experience, half of the sessions will devote some time to the development of useful skills to succeed in the module assignments – which are transferable to other modules and the dissertation. Students are encouraged (and expected) to submit questions electronically and to attend to academic support hours.

Bibliography*

(none)

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Reading quizzes     20% 
Coursework   Research Question    15% 
Coursework   Literature review and hypothesis    30% 
Coursework   Poster    35% 

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
Dr Zorzeta Bakaki, email: zbakak@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Zorzeta Bakaki
Please contact govpgquery@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
Yes
Yes
Yes

External examiner

Dr Adrian Florea
University of Glasgow
Senior Lecturer in International Relations
Resources
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.

 

Further information
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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