Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Essay 2000 Words | 50% |
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours Examination | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay 2000 Words | 50% |
| Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours Examination | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Demonstrate understanding of key aspects of contemporary trade politics.
Demonstrate ability to apply concepts of trade politics to case studies.
Evaluate how different approaches to trade diplomacy contribute to resolving global issues.
Demonstrate understanding of how global trade negotiations influence contemporary international politics.
Brief description
The module examines how different developed and developing states negotiate in the global trading system. It discusses a range of contemporary case studies in order to understand how states respond and adapt to the changing balance of power in the global economy. The module examines how trade conflict erupts when major economies fail to find consensus in trade negotiations, and also examines how trade cooperation emerges when trade negotiations succeed. The module emphasizes the strategic and security dimensions of trade policy, and explores he ways in which trade policy is deployed as a tool of the foreign policy of major economies.
Content
The module involves a number of case studies, some of which will be drawn from contemporary cases of global trade politics, including: the trade wars between US and China, UK’s trade policy after ‘Brexit’, the role of emerging powers such as Brazil, India and South Africa in the World Trade Organisation, and the energy trade competition between the regional powers of the Mediterranean region.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | N/A |
| Communication | Students will learn how to communicate their ideas verbally and in writing, and how to present their arguments most effectively. They will develop skills in using the many sources of information available to best advantage. They will learn to be clear in their writing and speaking, and to be direct about aims and objectives. They will learn to consider only that which is relevant to the topic, focus and objectives of their argument or discussion. Students will also be required to submit their written assessments in word-processed format and the presentation of work should reflect effective expression of ideas and good use of language skills in order to ensure clarity, coherence and effective communication. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | The module is designed to hone and test skills of use to students in their working lives, particularly in speaking to small groups, listening, thinking and responding to the statement of others. Moreover, the written work requires students to write clearly and concisely, which is a common task in the workplace. Students will be encouraged throughout to reflect on their performance and to consider lessons for future application. |
| Information Technology | Students will enhance their digital proficiency using Blackboard, where materials to support learning will be made available. Students will also develop skills in searching for, and assessing the validity of, online information sources as part of preparation for lectures, workshops and assessed tasks. Assessed work will be presented in electronic format, according to standard expectations. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Students will be given the opportunity to regularly reflect on their progress at the workshops taking place throughout the module. The module convener will provide students with questions on the module topics that will help guide self-reflection. |
| Problem solving | Creative problem solving will be one central goal of the module; the submission of an essay and preparation for workshop discussions will require that students develop independent research skills as well as problem solving skills. The ability of students to solve problems will be developed and assessed by asking them to: adopt differing points of view; organize data and estimate an answer to the problem; consider extreme cases; reason logically; consider similar cases; look for patterns; divide issues into smaller problems. |
| Research skills | Students will be required to undertake independent research in order to complete the assessed work for this module. This will involve utilizing a range of information sources, including core academic texts, journal articles, electronic publications, and online news sources. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students have the opportunity to develop, practice and test a wide range of subject specific skills that help them to understand, conceptualise and evaluate examples and ideas on the module. These subject specific skills include: • Collect and understand a wide range of data relating to the module. • Evaluate competing perspectives. • Apply a range of methodologies to contemporary political problems. |
| Team work | Students will undertake team exercises in the workshops. For some of the topics of this module, workshops will consist of small-group discussions where students will be asked to discuss as a group the core issues related to the workshop topic. These class discussions and debates form a significant part of the module, and will allow students to approach and examine a given topic through team work. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5