International relations

The Short Twentieth Century and Beyond

Module code: L2005
Level 4
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Lecture
Assessment modes: Essay, Coursework

In this module, we’ll take a journey through the big events and key themes of the 20th century. Few periods in history have been more tumultuous or world changing. Two world wars had been fought even before the century’s halfway point. The European colonial empires reached their zenith by the 1920s, only to be swept away in a wave of anti-colonial struggles by the 1970s. In 1917, the Russian Revolution gave birth to the Soviet Union, which then challenged the United States in a superpower stand-off that almost lead to nuclear annihilation in 1962, and then collapsed altogether by 1991.

By the end of this module, you’ll have a strong understanding of the dramatic events that brought the global politics and power relations of the 2020s into being.

Module learning outcomes

• Develop a knowledge of and the ability to interpret the themes and problems associated with the study of international history
• Develop lines of argument that demonstrate sound judgement and appreciation of the central controversies facing historians as they have attempted to interpret historical events.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to the study of the international order from 1914 to 1989.