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HIS33310

Academic Year 2026/2027

The Global Cold War 1945-1991 (HIS33310)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Mark Jones
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

*** Not available in the academic year indicated above ***

This course is a level-three undergraduate module examining the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1945 until 1991. Following recent scholarship, the module emphasizes intersections between the superpower rivalry and decolonization struggles across the ‘Third World’ in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Topics include: the origins of the cold war, communism and anti-communism, competing economic development models, the spirit of Bandung and nonalignment, revolutionary movements, Sino-Soviet conflict, détente, the end of the cold war, and memory. By examining regional case-studies, the module will consider how the superpowers’ cold-war interventions contributed to today’s international crises. It will also assess the usefulness and limitations of ‘the global cold war’ as a framework for understanding 20th-century international history. Students will read a range of primary and secondary sources to become familiar with scholarship in this field before writing an original research paper.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the semester, students will: (1) become familiar with the latest scholarly approaches to studying the global cold war; (2) develop analytical skills by evaluating primary and secondary sources in both discussion and in writing; and (3) apply these skills by researching, drafting, and revising an original research paper.

Indicative Module Content:

The module will follow this general schedule:

Week 1 Introductions
Week 2 The United States and the Soviet Union
Week 3 Origins of the Cold War
Week 4 The Making of the ‘Third World’
Week 5 The Cuban Crisis and Latin America
Week 6 Southeast Asia
Week 7 The Middle East

Week 8 Reading Week
Week 9 Africa
Week 10 The Rise and Fall of Détente
Week 11 Memory and the End of the Cold War
Week 12 Conclusions

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Advanced Beginner

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Advanced Beginner

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

95
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

11
Total

212

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a small-group, seminar-based module. It is taught through a one-hour weekly lecture and a two-hour seminar. The weekly lecture provides an overview of the week’s topic, focusing upon key historical trends, debates and events. The weekly seminar is focused upon individual active / task-based learning by means of class debates, and discussion. Advanced research, writing and citation skills are developed through the essay plan and annotated bibliography, and the semester-long 4,000 word research project. Autonomous learning is advanced through student-led debate and discussion of set primary or secondary sources each week.

Generative AI is not permitted to be used in this module. Any questions about this should be addressed to the module coordinator.

A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of History are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader. This can include oral moderation meetings where the student is invited in for a short meeting with the module coordinator to discuss the assignment. Moderation contributes to better informed marking.

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
Assignment(Including Essay): Students will submit a final research essay of c. 4000 words on a topic chosen in consultation with the lecturer. Week 14 Graded No
50
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Students will submit a detailed outline of their project that includes a research question, historiographical discussion, research plan, and bibliography. Week 7 Graded No
30
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Students will read assigned weekly primary and secondary sources and actively participate in discussion. Each week they will post a brief comment on Brightspace about the assigned readings. Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
20
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the research outline assignment will be given in writing on Brightspace. Feedback on Participation is given to the class throughout the trimester. Feedback on the end-of-semester Research Project Assignment will be given on Brightspace.

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