BA Politics and German

This course explores the complex relatonship between (the coloniality of) gender, war and militarism in practices of global politics. Beginning with an understanding of gender as constitutive, the course will examine:

1. How gendered representations are central (colonial) logics in practices of war and militarism;

2. How war and militarism produce (the coloniality of) gender in a variety of competing and conflicting ways;

3. How war and militarism produce a range of gendered and colonial affects and effects.

The course will develop a deep and critical engagement with the three central categories of analysis – (coloniality of) gender, militarism and war – and work at the intersections of the core concepts. Thinking with and through the coloniality of gender, the course will also critically explore other categories of analysis (race, class, class and sexuality and embodiment, experience and the everyday) to further complicate the relationship between gendered subjectivity and militarism and war.

Some of the questions the course will explore are: What is gender? How does it work with other differences? What is its relationship to violence? What is the relationship between subjectivity and violence? What is war? What is militarism? Where and when are they taking place? Who does war/militarism? How are these gendered? What, if any, are alternatives to militarism and war? How does this involve (or not) gender? Feminism?

The course takes seriously how gender works to shape bodies, enact embodiments and experiences of war and militarism through complex arrangements of power and violence. It does so to explicitly rethink the so-called “realities” of war and militarism. The objective of this course, then, is to sensitise students to the politics of gender as a relation of power that is profoundly and violently constitutive of militarism and war and to critically engage how gender serves as a visceral limit to how we might otherwise “be” in the world. The course encourages both a reconceptualisation of “gender”, “war” and “militarism”, and a broadening of "international politics”, and thus what we deem as “international” and "political”.

This course is ONLY OPEN to students from the following degree programmes: BSocSci, BA (Econ) Politics Specialists (including development studies), PMH, Phil/Pol, Law with Politics, PPE, BASS

This course explores the complex relatonship between (the coloniality of) gender, war and militarism in international politics. Beginning with an understanding of gender as constitutive, the course will examine:

1. How gendered representations are central logics in practices of war and militarism;
2. How war and militarism produce gender in a variety of competing and conflicting ways;
3. How war and militarism produce a range of gendered affects and effects.

The course will develop a deep and critical engagement with the three central categories of analysis – (coloniality of) gender, militarism and war – and work at the intersections of the core concepts. Thinking with and through the coloniality of gender, the course will also critically explore other categories of analysis (race, class, class and sexuality and embodiment, experience and the everyday) to further complicate the relationship between subjectivity and militarism and war.

On completion of this unit successful students will be able to:

 Knowledge and understanding of the subject:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the complex relationship between gender, war and militarism;
• Demonstrate an understanding of feminist approaches to the study of war and militarism in relation to both mainstream and critical approaches;
• Outline and discuss how critically engaging with gender is significant to international politics;
• Demonstrate an ability to think critically about feminism and the gendered politics of violence in international politics;
• Evaluate different interpretations of the complex relationship between these three core concepts;
• Articulate their own views on gender, war and militarism with recourse to (and sometimes rejection of) both the literature covered in the course and literature and information gathered for the research essay.

 Knowledge and understanding of the subject:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the complex relationship between gender, war and militarism;
• Demonstrate an understanding of feminist approaches to the study of war and militarism in relation to both mainstream and critical approaches;
• Outline and discuss how critically engaging with gender is significant to international politics;
• Demonstrate an ability to think critically about feminism and the gendered politics of violence in international politics;
• Evaluate different interpretations of the complex relationship between these three core concepts;
• Articulate their own views on gender, war and militarism with recourse to (and sometimes rejection of) both the literature covered in the course and literature and information gathered for the research essay.

On completion of this unit successful students will be able to

Intellectual and Transferable Skills:

• Gather, organise and deploy analytical evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and some primary sources;
• Construct reasoned argument, synthesise relevant information and exercise critical judgement;
• Reflect on their own learning and seek and make use of constructive feedback;
• Critically analyse and disseminate information;
• Manage their own learning self-critically;
• Recognise the importance of explicit referencing and the ethical requirements of study, in particular critical and reflective use of information and communications technology in the learning process;
• Communicate effectively and fluently in speech and writing. *Employers require Politics and International Relations graduates to be able to communicate ideas effectively to a varied audience. This ability to translate complex ideas to a wide audience is a particularly valued skill;
• Use communication and information technology, including audi-ovisual technology, for the retrieval and presentation of information;
• Progress through the degree programme to become mature, independent learners who can demonstrate initiative, self-organisation and time management attributes. The ability to identify opportunities for continuous learning and development, leading to future continuous professional development, is particularly valued by employers;
• Collaborate with others to achieve common goals through, for example group work, group projects, group presentations. Employers regard collaboration and the identification of common goals highly.

On completion of this unit successful students will be able to

 Intellectual and Transferable Skills:

• Gather, organise and deploy analytical evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and some primary sources;
• Construct reasoned argument, synthesise relevant information and exercise critical judgement;
• Reflect on their own learning and seek and make use of constructive feedback;
• Critically analyse and disseminate information;
• Manage their own learning self-critically;
• Recognise the importance of explicit referencing and the ethical requirements of study, in particular critical and reflective use of information and communications technology in the learning process;
• Communicate effectively and fluently in speech and writing. *Employers require Politics and International Relations graduates to be able to communicate ideas effectively to a varied audience. This ability to translate complex ideas to a wide audience is a particularly valued skill;
• Use communication and information technology, including audio-visual technology, for the retrieval and presentation of information;
• Progress through the degree programme to become mature, independent learners who can demonstrate initiative, self-organisation and time management attributes. The ability to identify opportunities for continuous learning and development, leading to future continuous professional development, is particularly valued by employers;
• Collaborate with others to achieve common goals through, for example group work, group projects, group presentations. Employers regard collaboration and the identification of common goals highly.

Weekly Reading Journal 1,000 words 25%

Recruitment ad campaign + Self-Assessment 1,000 words, 25%

Essay 2,000 words, 50%

Politics staff will provide feedback on written work within 15 working days of submission.

Students should be aware that all marks are provisional until confirmed by the external examiner and the final examinations boards in June.

For modules that do not have examination components the marks and feedback for the final assessed component are not subject to the 15 working day rule and will be released with the examination results.

You will receive feedback on assessed essays in a standard format. This will rate your essay in terms of various aspects of the argument that you have presented your use of sources and the quality of the style and presentation of the essay. If you have any queries about the feedback that you have received you should make an appointment to see your tutor.

On assessments submitted through Turnitin you will receive feedback via Blackboard. This will include suggestions about ways in which you could improve your work in future. You will also receive feedback on non-assessed coursework, whether this is individual or group work. This may be of a more informal kind and may include feedback from peers as well as academic staff

Ackerly, Brooke A., Maria Stern, and Jacqui True, eds., Feminist Methodologies for International Relations (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006).Cohn, Carol, ed., Women & Wars (Polity Press, 2013).

Enloe, Cynthia, Bananas, Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics, 2 edition (London: University of California Press, 2014).

Kronswell, Annica & Erica Svedberg, eds., Making Gender, Making War: Violence, Military and Peacekeeping Practices (London: Routledge, 2013).

Parpart, Jane L., and Marysia Zalewski, Rethinking the Man Question: Sex, Gender and Violence in International Relations (London: Zed Books, 2008).

Shepherd, Laura, Gender, Violence & Popular Culture: Telling Stories (London: Routledge, 2013).

Sjoberg, Laura, Gender, War & Conflict (London: Polity Press, 2014).

Sjoberg, Laura & Sandra Via, eds., Gender, War & Militarism: Feminist Perspectives (Praeger, 2010).

Steans, Jill, Gender and International Relations: An Introduction, 3 Edition (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2013).

Weber, Cynthia, Imagining America at War: Morality, Politics, and Film (London: Routledge, 2006).

Zalewski, Marysia, Feminist International Relations: Exquisite Corpse (London: Routledge, 2013).

Length of Course: 10 weeks