International relations

Colonialism, Modern Social Theory, and the International

Module code: 021IRS
Level 6
30 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Seminar
Assessment modes: Essay, Coursework

How has colonialism shaped the international political order from empires to nations?

How important has colonialism been to the emergence of a global system of capitalist political economy?

How have colonial histories shaped how we think about the international?

In this module, we engage with modern theorists from Hobbes and Locke, to Marx and Du Bois, to help us to understand and answer these questions. We discuss the ways in which their ideas of private property and possession, capitalism and class, and religion and race have been important in understanding the emergence of the modern world, and how we think of the world as modern.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the ways in which colonialism was central to the development of the traditions of modern social and political theory.
• Evaluate the thought of the different thinkers addressed in the module in the context of their time.
• Critically assess the strengths and limitations of modern social thought and its influence on contemporary constructions of relations, including international relations, among individuals, institutions, and wider society
• Clarify and critically discuss the concepts developed by selected theorists and theories