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GEOG41120

Academic Year 2024/2025

Geopolitical Risks and Crises (GEOG41120)

Subject:
Geography
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Geography
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Geoff Boyce
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

A "crisis" describes a particular development, event or dynamic that threats the wellbeing and/or healthy functioning of a system (urban, economic, environmental, biological, etc.). By definition, a crisis describes a temporary and transitional moment, bounded in time, in which unknown, and/or unanticipated, and/or unpredictable possibilities remain emergent. Lawrence et al. (2022) describe a "polycrisis" as "the causal entanglement of crises in multiple global systems in ways that significantly degrade humanity's prospects." This module aims to apply these concepts to analyze multiple contemporary global events and dynamics that include climate change, war, media, the cost of living, artificial intelligence, migration, and illiberal political movements and governments. Students will explore connections between these topics, their political geographic implications, and the practical challenges they pose for geopolitical governance.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module students should have:
1. Developed a critical understanding and assessment of the concepts of "crisis" and "polycrisis," and their critical application as an interpretive lens for unpacking contemporary global events and dynamics.
2. Studied and analyzed multiple specific global crises, including climate change, cost of living, war, artificial intelligence, migration, media, and illiberalism.
3. Applied theories and concepts of "crisis" and "polycrisis" to assess the connections between these topics
4. Considered the implications of these topics and their connections for politics, political geography and geopolitical governance.
5. Become familiar with and undertaken the practice of developing an annotated bibliography around a particular topic of interest.
6. Developed an in-depth research paper on a particular topic of interest.

Indicative Module Content:

This graduate module applies the concepts of "crisis" and "polycrisis" to examine the connections between multiple contemporary global events and dynamics. Indicative topics will include:

Key questions, literatures and concepts in political geography and geopolitics
Critical literature around the conceptual frameworks of "crisis" and "polycrisis"
Scholarly literature on specific topics that will include: media; war; climate change; cost of living; artificial intelligence; migration; illiberal political movements and governance.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

0
Small Group

4
Seminar (or Webinar)

24
Total

28

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will be structured as a seminar, with weekly readings coupled with in-person class discussion to unpack topics and apply theory, concepts and ideas encountered in assigned texts. Student will obtain practice facilitating small-group discussion, and will also obtain feedback from one another and from the instructor through the completion of regular assignments, as well as a final essay assignment.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Group Work Assignment: This assignment will require you to workshop a draft of your capstone essay with your peers, and to provide peer review of others' essays in small groups. Week 9 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
10
 No
Individual Project: This assignment requires you to develop your final essay, with benchmarks at regular intervals throughout the trimester. Week 3, Week 6, Week 9 Graded No
30
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: This module is structured as a reading-intensive seminar. This requires routine preparation of assigned readings and participation in discussion Trimester with your peers and with the instructor. Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12, Week 14, Week 15 Graded Yes
20
 Yes
Assignment(Including Essay): Your final essay will require you to select a particular topic and undertake a critical assessment of this topic informed by readings and concepts covered over the course of the trimester. Week 14 Graded Yes
40
 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Throughout the trimester, students will be expected to reach regular benchmarks associated with preparing materials that will contribute toward their final essay. Following weeks 3 and 6, students will obtain instructor and peer feedback on these prepared materials. During week 9 students will provide one another with peer feedback based on the materials they've each prepared. The final essay assignment will require each student to select a topic of relevance to the module's overall themes, and to develop a critical assessment of this topic drawing on readings and concepts covered throughout the trimester.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 11:00 - 12:50
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