Faculty of Law & Social Sciences
School of Oriental & African Studies
University of London
Politics & International Studies (MSc)
Departmental Handbook 2010-11
Department of Politics and International Studies
Postgraduate Handbook 2010/11
All applications enquiries to:
Admissions Office
School of Oriental and African Studies
University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
admissions@soas.ac.uk
All coursework and other enquiries to:
Student Support Office
Faculty of Law and Social Sciences
School of Oriental and African Studies
Phone – 44 (0) 20-7898-4405
Fax – 44 (0) 20-7898-4829
Email Student Support Office (politics@soas.ac.uk)
For General information please see
www.soas.ac.uk
This handbook (24th edition) was published in June 2010. Every effort has been made to ensure
that information presented in this handbook is correct at the time of publication. However, all
information is subject to change. The most up-to-date version of this handbook can be found in
the relevant department section of the SOAS website here: http://www.soas.ac.uk/departments/
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION A - INTRODUCTIONS
Studying Asian and African Politics at SOAS
The Department of Politics and International Studies
1
2
SECTION B – DEGREE STRUCTURES
Introduction to Taught Master’s Programmes
Entry qualifications
Examinations and Assessment
4
4
4
MSc Programmes - Diagrams
MSc International Politics
MSc State, Society and Development
MSc African Politics
MSc Asian Politics
MSc Middle East Politics
5
6
7
8
9
SECTION C – COURSE INFORMATION
MSc Course Descriptions
Language Courses
10
18
SECTION D – GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS
Assessment Guidelines for MSc Students
Writing Essays
Writing and Giving Presentations for Seminars/Discussions
Preparing for and Writing Examinations in Politics
Guidelines for the Preparation of MSc Dissertations
Coursework Submission and Deadlines
Resubmission of Failed Coursework
Late Submission of Coursework
Plagiarism
Attendance
Leave of Absence
Timetable
Blackboard
19
20
22
23
25
27
28
29
30
30
30
31
31
SECTION E – HELP & ADVICE
Help and Advice
32
SECTION F – DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
Members of the Department
Student Representatives, Department Meetings & Staff-Student Forum
Further Information
34
38
38
SECTION G – GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Glossary
40
SECTION H – CONTACT DETAILS
Useful Contacts
Academic Contact Details
41
42
SECTION I – TERM DATES & KEY DEADLINES
Term Dates and Deadlines
Getting Around SOAS: Map
Blank Timetable
43
44
45
Please note that information contained in the School's Postgraduate Handbook
takes precedence over any information in this Departmental Handbook
SECTION A – INTRODUCTIONS
STUDYING ASIAN AND AFRICAN POLITICS AT SOAS
Aristotle described Politics as the 'master science'. By this, he meant that it brings together the
findings of all the other branches of knowledge and applies them in the common pursuit of the
good life. The discipline of Politics has a long tradition going back to the debates among Ancient
Greek philosophers about the forms of government (i.e. the manner in which power should be
organized and exercised) most appropriate to this goal. The study of Politics, now as it was then,
is built upon this fundamental question.
As with Politics degrees elsewhere, the Politics degree at SOAS is structured around four core
sub-disciplines, namely comparative political sociology, comparative political economy, political
theory, and international relations (although these sub-disciplines are sometimes known by other
names). Students receive a thorough training in the concepts and methods of these subdisciplines, which are then applied to the analysis of real life political situations.
Where we differ from other Politics degrees is that our students have the opportunity to examine
the concepts and methods of the sub-disciplines against the historical and contemporary
conditions of Asia (including the Middle East) and Africa. By contrast, for most Politics degrees,
the empirical focus tends to be directed towards Europe and the US, meaning that the nonwestern world does not receive sufficient attention.
Asia and Africa contain the majority of the world’s population as well as the dynamic economies of
the Asia-Pacific Region (China, Japan, Korea, ASEAN) and India and some of the principal hot
spots of international tension in the world today (such as the Middle East). By studying Asia and
Africa at SOAS, students will gain good knowledge and understanding of some of the most
important power shifts and conflicts of ideas taking place in the world today. They will also come
to appreciate the limitations (and relevance) of social science concepts generated from western
contexts.
Acquisition of Skills
Through the study of Politics, students are expected to acquire both discipline-related and
transferable skills. The training provided by the degree seeks to:
•
foster the academic study of Politics, with particular reference to Asia and Africa, as an
appropriate introduction to critical thought about the purposes and scope of human activity
more generally;
•
define the study of Politics in terms which go beyond a narrowly Western focus and which
insist on the integration of theoretical and empirical study;
•
give students the opportunity to refine and develop a broad range of transferable skills with a
particular emphasis on the presentation of written argument;
•
prepare the culturally diverse student body for a variety of careers or further study in a
learning environment which allows them to take some responsibility for their intellectual
development;
•
stimulate student performance through committed teaching informed by research of a high
standard.
•
provide a range of taught programmes in Politics suitable for postgraduate students
•
prepare students for the transition to a research degree
Students completing any of the Masters programmes in the Department will have:
1
•
acquired an enhanced understanding of political processes in Asian and African societies and
a comprehensive knowledge of central theories and concepts central to understanding
political developments in Asia and Africa;
•
acquired a set of transferable skills at an advanced level emphasising written communication,
the ability to construct and critique arguments, to undertake oral presentations, to access a
wide variety of written resources, and the use of ICT;
•
acquired through the conceiving, researching and writing of an assessed 10,000-word
dissertation under supervision further advanced knowledge and understanding, as well as
advanced skills of independent research, analysis and written expression.
Students completing one of the Department’s two Disciplinary Masters programmes will also
have:
•
acquired broad understanding of aspects of social, political and international relations theory,
with special reference to the study of Politics in Asia and Africa;
•
acquired detailed knowledge of either the domestic or the international Politics of at least one
region of Asia or Africa; or of two distinct regions of Asia and Africa
Students completing one of the Department’s three Regional Masters will also have:
•
the opportunity to acquire knowledge of the international as well as the domestic Politics of
their preferred Region;
•
the opportunity to acquire knowledge of a language or of a cognate discipline pertinent to
their preferred Region.
This handbook sets out the structure and content of the various degree programmes available in
the department. A more general introduction to the School and its facilities is provided in
undergraduate and postgraduate prospectuses.
Careers After Studying Politics at SOAS
First degree students, as well as recipients of the MSc, have entered a wide variety of professions
after leaving the Department. Some have been able to pursue careers directly related to Asia and
Africa, including government departments (of both the UK and other countries), and in firms
requiring particular skills and knowledge related to trading, investment and promotional interests
outside Europe. Others have gone to work for various charitable and human rights/development
agencies such as OXFAM, Amnesty International and the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees. The general intellectual training provided by a degree in politics is useful for analysing
and solving many of the problems contemporary societies now face. Recipients of PhDs have
often taken positions in leading academic institutions worldwide as well as in government and
non-governmental agencies and organisations concerned with world affairs at all levels.
THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
Originally established as the Department of Economic and Political Studies in 1962, two separate
departments of Political Studies (& International Studies) and Economics came into existence in
1990. There are at present nearly 500 students studying for degrees (BA, Certificate, MSc and
MPhil/PhD) in the Department. There are also visiting students who are here as part of a year's
work towards degrees in other countries (notably the United States, EU, Korea and Japan).
Apart from providing students with a firm grounding in the discipline, the department has particular
strengths in the following areas:
2
* Regional Politics: Middle East, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and
Africa.
* International Relations: IR theory, security, human rights, transnational justice, IPE.
* Comparative Politics: comparative political sociology, comparative political economy.
* Political Theory: political Islam, non-western political thought, multi-culturalism.
Most members of the department have both regional and theoretical interests. Most also have a
command of one or more of the languages of the regions which they study and have spent
substantial periods doing research in the countries of their expertise.
3
SECTION B – DEGREE STRUCTURES
In 2010-2011, the department offers five linked Masters programmes in the politics and
international relations of Asia and Africa. All may be taken full-time over one year, or part-time
over two or three years. Two of the programmes are classified as disciplinary MScs International Politics, and State, Society and Development. In these, the objective is to give the
student the opportunity to undertake a rigorous training in political theory, with special reference
to the study of politics outside Europe and America. The strengths and weaknesses of existing
theories are explored, and applied to particular case studies. The remaining three programmes
are regional specialist MScs, aiming to provide students with a detailed specialist understanding
of both domestic and international politics (and of the implications of one for the other) in a
particular region. The distinction between these two types of MSc is, however, a matter of degree.
The regional specialist MScs will of course introduce students to relevant bodies of theory and will
require them to confront various theoretical issues
Discipline Focused


MSc International Politics
MSc State, Society and Development
Regionally Focused



MSc African Politics
MSc Asian Politics
MSc Middle Eastern Politics
At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work. Students often make full-scale
presentations for the units they take, and are expected to write substantial coursework papers
that often require significant independent work. These count for at least 30 per cent of the marks
in each course. A quarter of the work for the degree is given over to the writing of an adequately
researched 10,000-word dissertation. Students are encouraged to take up topics which relate the
study of a particular region to a body of theory.
Courses on regional politics can also be taken as part of Masters programmes elsewhere in the
School, especially the Regional Studies and Development Studies programmes. For further
details see the postgraduate prospectus or the individual degree booklets.
Entry qualifications
The usual qualification for entry is a first or upper-second class Honours degree in Politics or in a
closely related discipline in which there is clear evidence of a substantial Politics component.
Applicants whose qualifications do not meet this standard or the equivalent, but who are
otherwise considered suitable for admission, may be required to pass at upper second class
standard a preliminary one year qualifying course leading to a Certificate in Political Studies (see
Department Undergraduate Handbook for details). However, taking and passing this course, even
at upper second standard, does not guarantee admission to the Department’s Masters
programmes.
Examinations and assessment
The MSc degree will be awarded on the successful completion of a final examination and
coursework in three taught courses and a 10,000 word dissertation. All courses and the
dissertation carry equal weight. Examinations are normally held in May/June. Each examination
consists of a three-hour paper from which the student must choose three questions. In addition,
not less than 30 per cent of the mark in each course will be determined by coursework essays.
The dissertation topic must be approved by the MSc convenor and the dissertation must be
submitted by 15th September 2011.
4
MSC PROGRAMMES: STRUCTURES
MSc INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units + dissertation:
1.
ONE half-unit from A (compulsory) and ONE half-unit from B;
2
ONE unit from C;
3.
ONE unit (or 2 half units) from D;
4.
Dissertation (compulsory) on some aspect of International Politics.
A.
Compulsory Course
International Theory (Term 1 half-unit) – 15PPOH014
B.
ONE from the following
Conflict Rights and Justice (Term 2 half-unit) -15PPOH018 (not offered 2010-11)
Foreign Policy Analysis (half-unit) – 15PPOH013 (not offered 2010-11)
International Migration and Diaspora Politics (Term 2 half-unit) - 15PPOH012
Power in World Politics (Term 2 half-unit)– 15PPOH017
Security Governance (Term 2 half-unit) - 15PPOH015
Violence, Justice and the Politics of Memory (Term 2 half unit) - TBC
C.
ONE of the following Regional International Politics courses:
China and International Politics – 15PPOC018
International Politics of Africa - 15PPOC009
International Politics of East Asia – 15PPOC251
International Politics of the Middle East – 15PPOC027
D.
ONE of the following Regional Politics courses (or two half courses):
Government and Politics in Africa – 15PPOC205
Government and Politics of Modern South Asia – 15PPOC003
Government and Politics of Modern South East Asia – 15PPOC247
Politics and Society in Central Asia – 15PPOC007
Political Society in the Middle East (Term 1 half-unit) - 15PPOH008
State and Development in Asia and Africa – 15PPOC017
State and Society in Asia and Africa – 15PPOC008
State and Society in the Chinese Political Process – 15PPOC012
State and Transformation in the Middle East (Term 2 half-unit) 15PPOH011
Taiwan’s Politics and Cross-Strait Relations – 15PPOC252
E.
Dissertation
15PPOC999: This would be focused on some aspect of International Politics
raised by the compulsory course 15PPOH014
5
MSc STATE, SOCIETY & DEVELOPMENT
Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units + dissertation:
1.
ONE or TWO units from A;
2-3.
ONE or TWO units (or equivalent half-units) from B;
4.
Dissertation on some aspect of State & Development or State & Society (compulsory).
A.
ONE or TWO disciplinary politics courses from:
State and Development in Asia and Africa – 15PPOC017
State and Society in Asia and Africa – 15PPOC008
B.
ONE or TWO of the following REGIONAL politics courses:
Government and Politics in Africa – 15PPOC205
Government and Politics of Modern South Asia – 15PPOC003
Government and Politics of Modern South East Asia – 15PPOC247
Politics and Society in Central Asia – 15PPOC007
Political Society in the Middle East (Term 1 half-unit) - 15PPOH008
State and Society in the Chinese Political Process – 15PPOC012
State and Transformation in the Middle East (Term 2 half-unit) - 15PPOH011
Taiwan’s Politics and Cross-Strait Relations – 15PPOC252
C.
Dissertation: – 15PPOC999 (following the DISCIPLINARY perspective [State & Development or State &
Society] of the chosen pathway)
6
MSc AFRICAN POLITICS
Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units + dissertation:
1.
ONE unit from A (compulsory);
2-3.
TWO units from B, C or D;
4.
Dissertation on some aspect of African Politics (compulsory).
A.
Compulsory Course:
Government and Politics in Africa – 15PPOC205
B.
International Politics of Africa – 15PPOC009
C.
ONE from the following DISCIPLINARY courses:
State and Development in Asia and Africa – 15PPOC017
State and Society in Asia and Africa – 15PPOC008
D.
ONE course focused on Africa in a cognate discipline:
Economic Development of Africa (Economics) – 15PECC203
Power, Authority & Political Thought in East and Central Africa (History) – 15PHIC035
West African Coastal Societies and Cultures 1780-1930 (History) – 15PHIC054
One of the following languages: Hausa, Amharic, Somali, Yoruba, Swahili
E.
Dissertation (15PPOC999): this would focus on some aspect of African Politics raised by the compulsory unit
15PPOC205
7
MSc ASIAN POLITICS
Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units + dissertation:
1.
ONE unit from A (compulsory);
2-3.
ONE or TWO units from B;
ONE unit from C;
ONE unit from D;
4.
Dissertation on some aspect of Asian Politics (compulsory).
A.
ONE of the following regional politics courses:
Government and Politics of Modern South Asia – 15PPOC003
Government and Politics of Modern South East Asia – 15PPOC247
Politics and Society in Central Asia - 15PPOC007
State and Society in the Chinese Political Process – 15PPOC012
B.
ONE OR TWO of the following regional politics courses:
China and International Politics – 15PPOC018
International Politics of East Asia – 15PPOC251
Taiwan’s Politics and Cross-Strait Relations – 15PPOC252
C.
ONE of the following disciplinary courses:
State and Development in Asia and Africa – 15PPOC017
State and Society in Asia and Africa – 15PPOC008
D.
ONE of the following courses :
Language course (one from Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Cambodian, Indonesian, Thai,
Vietnamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Nepali, Sinhalese, Tamil or Urdu)
Chinese Law II: Modern Chinese Law – 15PLAC139
Culture and Conflict in the Himalayas – 15PSAC2910
Economic Development of South East Asia – 15PEC004
Economic Problems and Policies in Modern China – 15PECC035
Economic Problems of South Asia – 15PECC003
Islam in South Asia -15PHIC042
Japanese Modernity 1 -15PHIH013 (half unit, Term 1) and Japanese Modernity 2 - 15PHIH014 (half unit,
Term 2)
E.
Dissertation: this would focus on some aspect of Asian Politics
8
MSc MIDDLE EAST POLITICS
Students take taught courses to the value of 3 full units + dissertation:
1.
TWO half-units from A (compulsory);
2-3.
ONE full unit or TWO half-units from B;
ONE unit from C;
4.
Dissertation on some aspect of Middle East Politics (compulsory).
A.
COMPULSORY
EITHER
Political Society in the Middle East
[Term 1 half-unit] 15PPOH008
Combined with ONE of the following half-unit courses offered in Term 2:
State and Transformation in the Middle East 15PPOH011
Islam and Politics 15PPOH006 [not running 2010-11]
The Politics of Resistance in the Middle East 15PPOH010
OR
State & Transformation in the Middle East
[Term 2 half-unit] 15PPOH011
Combined with ONE of the following half-unit courses offered in Term 1:
Political Society in the Middle East 15PPOH008
Islamic Political Ideologies 15PPOH007
Political Violence 15PPOH009
B. ONE Full unit or TWO half-units from the following REGIONAL politics courses:
EITHER
International Politics of the Middle East [Full unit] 15PPOC027
OR
Politics and Society in Central Asia [Full unit] 15PPOC007
OR
TWO of the following (if not already chosen in 1)
Islamic Political Ideologies [Term 1 half-unit] 15PPOH007
Political Violence [Term 1 half-unit] 15PPOH009
The Politics of Resistance in the Middle East[Term 2 half-unit] 15PPOH010
Islam and Politics [Term 2 half-unit] 15PPOH006
OR
ONE of the following DISCIPLINARY politics courses
State and Development in Asia and Africa (full unit) 15PPOC017
State and Society in Asia and Africa (full unit) 15PPOC008
C. EITHER
ONE of the following DISCIPLINARY politics courses (if a DISCIPLINARY course not already chosen in 2)
State and Development in Asia and Africa (Full unit) 15PPOC017
State and Society in Asia and Africa (Full unit) 15PPOC008
OR
ONE of the following courses from another department:
Language courses:
Elementary Hebrew
Elementary Written Persian
Elementary Written Turkish
Introduction to Modern Standard Arabic
Kurdish (A) Kurmanji [subject to availability]
Courses focussed on the Middle East in a cognate discipline:
Turkey - Continuity and Change 15PNMC377
Islamic Law I 15PLAC121
Economic Development of the Middle East 15PECC341
Modernity and the Transformation of the Middle East 1839-1958 15PHIC019
Gender in the Middle East (Term 1 Half course unit) 15PGNH001
D Dissertation 15PPOC999 (on an aspect of Middle East Politics)
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SECTION C – COURSE INFORMATION
MSc COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
NB: Normally if fewer than ten students choose to take a course in a particular Academic session, it will
not run. In this instance, students who have selected it will be notified and asked to select an alternative
course.
China and International Politics (full unit)
15 PPOC 018
Convenor: Yuka Kobayashi
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to China's role in world affairs and the foreign policy
and international relations of the Peoples' Republic of China. It addresses how China came to be in its
current circumstances and how these circumstances can be understood or interpreted. The first half of
the course is predominantly narrative and is designed to provide students with a comprehensive
overview of key issues, trends and events in China's international relations from the 19th Century to the
present day. The second half of the course is analytic and addresses thematic issues of relevance to
the contemporary foreign policy of the PRC, such as 'Greater China', China and the global
environment, China and the 'clash of civilisations' and China and the 'Asian Values/Human Rights'
debate. Along with a detailed analysis of key issues and events in China's foreign policy the course
requires students to engage with concepts and arguments from the theoretical literature of the social
sciences in general and from politics and international relations in particular.
Selected readings: Samuel S. Kim (ed.) China and the World: Chinese Foreign Relations in the PostCold War Era 4th edition (Westview, 1998) Michael Yahuda The International Politics of the Asia
Pacific (Routledge, 2002) David M. Lampton (ed.) The Making of Chinese Foreign and Security Policy
in the Reform Era, 1978-2000 (Stanford, 2001)
Assessment is 30% Coursework and 70% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Comparative Politics of the Middle East (full unit)
15PPOC026
Convenor: Laleh Khalili
The aim of this course is to offer students with a wide range and variety of backgrounds the opportunity
to engage and grapple with the most important debates in the study of the politics of the Middle East
and to locate and contextualise the Middle East within wider debates and scholarship of world politics.
The themes studied include an examination of the role of the state in the politics of the region, the
meaning of citizenship, the processes of democratization, social and political movements, revolutions,
and the role of ideologies, gender, culture, and militarism in the politics of the Middle East.
Assessment is 45% Coursework and 55% unseen examination – all coursework is
resubmissable
Conflict, Rights and Justice (half unit, not running 2010/11)
15PPOH018
Convenors: Stephen Hopgood & Leslie Vinjamuri
This course is about the politics of normative change in international relations generally, and more
particularly about the ways in which specific developments – human rights, transitional and
international criminal justice, the laws of war, and humanitarianism – have impacted on world politics,
especially in situations of conflict. We address this question theoretically and empirically. We consider
various explanations of why particular human rights norms have been adopted. Who promotes these
institutions, and who resists them? Are they effective at achieving what they seek to achieve? What
hampers their effectiveness and what consequences – intended and unintended – flow from this?
Does the embedding of these institutions in norms, rules, laws and courts, represent a permanent
constraint on state sovereignty (even if only of some states), or a transient phenomenon in international
relations that will have no long term impact on the nature of world politics? We consider the politics
that underpin the growth of a global human rights protection system, the rise of humanitarianism and of
international law to deal with conflict, and the growth of transitional justice and international criminal
justice. In doing this we draw a map of the ‘architecture’ of morality and justice at the international level.
Specific topics covered also include norms about the use of weapons, the targeting of civilians, and
10
accountability, both during and after conflict, for state and individual decisions and actions. We
examine the impetus for and limits to intervention, and look at the more or less permanent reality of
global governance for many vulnerable populations, especially in Africa. In conclusion, we consider
questions of legitimacy and authority in the international system.
As the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students
Assessment is 50% unseen exam and 50% coursework – all coursework is resubmissible.
Foreign Policy Analysis (half unit, not running 2010/11)
15 PPOH 013
Convenor: Mark Laffey
The aim of this course is to provide students with a critical introduction to the subfield of foreign policy
analysis (FPA). The general theme of the course might be summarised as ‘from foreign policy to state
action’. From its origins in the classic works of Snyder, Bruck and Sapin and the Sprouts, foreign policy
analysis has been shaped by a particular set of premises that have determined the ways in which the
field has developed. Specifically, foreign policy has been equated with decision-making and studied on
the basis of individualist, positivist and liberal assumptions as the external projection of processes
internal to the nation-state. The vast bulk of conceptual, theoretical and empirical work has focused on
the United States. Over time, these assumptions have been increasingly questioned. Foreign policy has
come to be seen as a social activity that often transcends state boundaries, and studied in postpositivist ways. The course introduces students to the core assumptions and models that have
structured the field.
Assessment is 40% Coursework and 60% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissible
Government and Politics in Africa (full unit)
15 PPOC 205
Convenor: Stephen Chan
Covering a geographical range from east to central and west Africa, and the historical period from
colonial rule to the present day, this course deals with the main themes in the analysis of the state in
Africa: the colonial legacy of the imported state, the institutional and informal relationships between
rulers and ruled, the place of ethnicity and religion in mediating political alignments, the resurgence of
democratic politics and the comparative politics of military rule, the political economy of predatory and
developmental states, the virtual collapse of the state in some countries. Within this broad framework,
students are encouraged to pursue their own interests in specific topics and particular countries.
Suggested Readings: J F Bayart The State in Africa; L Villalon and P Huxtable (eds) The African State
at a Critical Juncture; W Tordoff Government and Politics in Africa; D Cruise O'Brien, J Dunn and R
Rathbone (eds) Contemporary West African States; R Sandbrook The Politics of Africa's Economic
Stagnation; B Davidson The Black Man's Burden
Assessment is 30% Coursework and 70% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Government and Politics of Modern South Asia (full unit)
15 PPOC 003
Convenors: Rochana Bajpai & David Taylor
This course covers the major features of the political systems of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri
Lanka (the smaller countries of the region can be covered on request). Topics given special attention
include the nature of the state in South Asia and its relationship to society, the political economy of
planned economic development, centre-locality relations, and ideological change.
Suggested reading: Rajni Kothari, Politics in India. Sunil Khilnani, The Idea of India. Sudipta Kaviraj
(ed) Politics in India. Rajeev Bhargava(ed) Secularism and its Critics.
Assessment is 40% Coursework and 60% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Government and Politics of Modern South East Asia (full unit)
15 PPOC 247
Convenors: Steve Heder & Alex Grainger
This course provides an overview of major themes and issues in the analysis of contemporary South
East Asian politics. The course takes a comparative historical-sociological approach to South East
Asian politics, beginning with a close treatment of the transformation of state structures, class and
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identity formation, and the emergence of modernity and nationalist consciousness during the colonial
era. Through a series of paired comparisons, moreover, the course treats key issues in the modern
politics of Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The course also focuses on contemporary themes such as money politics, civil society, class conflict
and struggles over religious, ethnic, and regional identities in the region.
Suggested reading: Benedict Anderson, The Spectre of Comparisons; James C. Scott, Weapons of the
Weak.
Assessment is 40% coursework, 10% tutorial presentation and 50% unseen examination – all
coursework is resubmissable
Identity in International Relations (Term 1) (half unit)
15PPOH016
Convenor: Felix Berenskoetter
This course explores the analytical and normative value of taking an identity perspective in the study of
international politics. It looks at the emergence of ‘identity’ in the discipline of IR and asks how scholars
have engaged its key parameters – notions of individual and social identity, Self and Other, difference
and similarity – from the systemic to the state level. Students will debate what it means for communities
to seek an ‘identity’ and introduced to liberal/cosmopolitan, realist/communitarian and
postcolonial/postmodern readings of identity formation in IR. They will discuss processes and features
of identity politics such as bordering, bonding, discrimination and socialisation and examine how these
play out in specific cases ranging from violent conflict to peaceful integration. Throughout, students will
be asked to consider the ethical issues tied to an identity perspective and will be introduced to
methodologies suitable for undertaking research in this area.
As the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students
Assessment is 70% coursework, 10% seminar participation, and 20% seminar presentation - all written
coursework is resubmissable.
International Migration and Diaspora Politics (Term 2) (half unit)
15PPOH012
Convenor: Fiona Adamson
This course examines international migration and diaspora politics as transnational processes in world
politics. Cross-border mobility and diasporic political projects are key features of the contemporary
international environment, yet they remain undertheorized in International Relations. How do migration
and diaspora politics inform or challenge our understandings of the state, national identity, sovereignty,
and the nature of the international system? What is the relationship between international migration and
key areas of concern for International Relations scholars such as economic development, diplomacy,
international security and global normative contestation? A range of theoretical approaches and
empirical examples will be covered.
Suggested Readings: Alexander Betts, Forced Migration and Global Politics (Oxford: Blackwell, 2009);
Stephen Castles and Mark J. Miller, The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the
Modern World, 4th edition (London: Palgrave, 2008); Kamal Sadiq, Paper Citizens: How Illegal
Immigrants Acquire Citizenship in Developing Countries (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009); Yossi
Shain, Kinship and Diasporas in International Affairs (Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press,
2007); Aristide Zolberg, Astri Suhrke and Sergio Aguayo, Escape From Violence: Conflict and the
Refugee Crisis in the Developing World (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993).
As the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students
Assessment is 90% Coursework and 10% seminar presentation – all written coursework is
resubmissible
International Politics of Africa (full unit)
15 PPOC 009
Convenor: Tom Young
This course examines the international politics of sub-saharan Africa since Independence. Against a
background sketch of nationalism and decolonisation the first half of the course concentrates on the
emergence of African states, conflict and cooperation between them and the insertion of those states
into the international order. In the second half of the course the emphasis shifts to the period since the
end of the Cold War and is organised round two main themes. Firstly the nature of conflict within Africa
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and the emergence of a greater degree of outside intervention in that conflict and secondly the attempt,
also largely by outside agencies, to effect long-term fundamental change within African societies.
Throughout considerable emphasis is placed on the critical questioning of mainstream orthodoxies both
academic and policy-oriented.
Assessment is 30% Coursework and 70% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
International Politics of East Asia (full unit)
15 PPOC 251
Convenors: Yuka Kobayashi and Winnie King
This course is designed to provide students with a theoretically rigorous and comparative introduction
to key issues in the contemporary international politics of Asia and particularly, East Asia. East Asia is
defined as the states of the Northeast and Southeast Asia, plus two main external actors, the United
States and Soviet Union/Russia who play a key role influencing the region's international relations and
politics. The first term examines broad themes in International Politics of East Asia by reference to the
post WWII structure and Cold War structure in Asia, and five regional sections focusing on the
international politics of China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. In Term 2, these regional components are
organised around key themes in the international politics of East Asia, those of security, international
political economy, human rights and environment. The course enables students to develop both area
expertise and to apply disciplinary insights from political theory and international political theory to the
comparative study of international politics.
Assessment is 30% Coursework and 70% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
International Politics of the Middle East (full unit)
15 PPOC 027
Convenors: Arshin Adib-Moghaddam and Corinna Mullin
Since the age of European colonial rule in the Middle East came to an end around WWII, nominally
independent nation-states in the region have tried to negotiate the opportunities and challenges of the
Cold War, regional conflict and co-operation, underdevelopment, and more recently, globalisation. This
course takes up the study of this rich politics through two different approaches, the first thematic, the
second through the study of inter-state politics. After examining the methodological issues involved in
the study of the Middle East and becoming familiar with the regions role during the Cold War and
thereafter, we will examine important themes and debates in international politics of the Middle East,
including war and militarism, ethnicity, development and globalisation, migration and ideological
movements. In the latter part of the course, through a more conventional examination of inter-state
politics of the Middle East, we will focus on conflict and cooperation between the Arab states in the
region and their non-Arab neighbours, Israel, Iran and Turkey.
Assessment is 50% Coursework and 50% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
International Theory (Term 1) (half unit)
15PPOH014
Convenor: Mark Laffey
The primary aim of this course, as stated in the Postgraduate prospectus, is to give students taking the
MSc in International Politics a rigorous introduction to international political theory. This provides a
conceptual and theoretical basis for the more specialized coursework they will undertake elsewhere in
the programme. The focus is primarily on the major theoretical traditions through which scholars have
sought to make sense of international or world politics: liberalism, realism, constructivism, poststructuralism, historical materialism, and feminism. The study of international politics as a discipline in
the form of International Relations (or IR for short) has long been a resolutely Western, indeed, an
Anglo-American occupation, resting on models and assumptions that reflect the historical experience of
the West. Each of the traditions we will examine has, to a greater or lesser extent, been shaped by that
experience. In recognition of this context, we will also introduce students to the postcolonial critique of
the discipline. Students wishing to undertake the course are advised to look at: Scott Burchill and
Andrew Linklater et al, Theories of International Relations (London: Macmillan, 2005, 3rd ed.); John
Agnew and Stuart Corbridge, Mastering Space: Hegemony, Territory and International Political
Economy (London: Routledge, 1995); and Roxanne Doty, Imperial Encounters: The Politics of
Representation in North-South Relations (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 1996).
Assessment is 60% Coursework and 40% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
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Islam and Politics (Term 2) (half unit,)
15 PPOH 006
Convenor: Corinna Mullin
The course examines the interaction between politics and the various expressions of Islam in the
modern period. It is organised around three main themes:
1) Islam in Western scholarship with a focus on approaches and methodologies used to study Islam
and Muslim societies.
2) Islam as a social and political force in the contemporary period. Here, we will focus on the social
and political movements which are organised around the idea of establishing the Islamic state. We will
examine the emergence of these movements, their ideologies and their modes of action.
3) An exploration of alternative readings of the interaction between Islam and politics. We will
explore recent scholarship and research from anthropology, sociology and cultural studies to come to a
more dynamic understanding of Islamic discourses and practices in their diversity.
As the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students
Assessment is 60% Coursework and 40% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Islamic Political Ideologies (Term 2) (half unit)
15 PPOH 007
Convenor: Arshin Adib-Moghaddam
The seminar traces the emergence of contemporary political theories within the Islamic worlds from the
19th century until the present. To that end, both the political philosophy of prominent Islamic thinkers
and the specific historical circumstances they were writing in, will be examined. The seminar thus
investigates the epistemology of contemporary Islam, developing a critical disposition towards Islamic
political theories along the way. On the one side, it explores the range of socio-economic, gender,
political and cultural theories that transcend terms such as “Islamism”, “political Islam” and “Islamic
fundamentalism”. On the other side, it explains the intellectual habitat out of which movements such as
HAMAS, Islamic Jihad, Hesbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic revolution in Iran emerged.
At the end of the seminar, students will have acquired a thorough and critical understanding of the interrelationship between contemporary Islamic theories, state power, societal emancipation, gender
relations and world politics.
As the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students
Assessment is 100% Coursework – all coursework is resubmissable.
Northeast Asian Politics and Society: Japan, Korea and Taiwan (beginning October 2011)
15 PPOC 245
Convenors: Tat Yan Kong and Dafydd Fell
This course examines the origins, characteristics and dynamics of the political systems of Northeast
Asia (Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Taiwan). These countries occupy sensitive geo-political
positions in both the Cold War and contemporary eras. Three of the cases (Japan, South Korea,
Taiwan) constitute Asia’s most advanced market democracies. As such, they provide excellent case
studies for understanding the relationship between economic growth, social change, and political
power. Their shared background of Japanese empire and US strategic alliance means that their
political systems are best studied together from a comparative perspective. By explicitly recognizing the
common background, this approach enables the specifics of each system to be revealed more clearly.
Despite being located outside of the capitalist democratic triad, North Korea is also included in this
course. Its presence has enormously shaped the political systems of the other three (especially those
of Japan and South Korea). Its origins in the Japanese empire illustrate the alternative political
trajectories that can emanate out of a common historical lineage. The course seeks to explain both the
workings of Northeast Asian political systems (mainly Term 1) and the wider social features with which
those workings are nested (mainly Term 2). The structure is theme rather than country based. Each
week’s theme is illustrated by examples from all three countries. This is done with a view to
understanding prevalent theories and the extent of their applicability to Northeast Asian conditions. The
comparative approach taken here means that this course is not suited to students with a singlecountry interest.
Assessment is 70% unseen examination and 30% coursework – all coursework is resubmissable
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Political Society in the Middle East (Term 1) (half unit)
15 PPOH 008
Convenor: Corinna Mullin
The course focuses on key issues in the study of politics in the Middle East. It deals with theoretical and
empirical questions that are central to the field. The main questions pertain to forms of societal
organisation and to patterns of state-society interaction. To understand the modes of societal action,
the course examines the bases upon which social and political forces are constituted, and the forms of
power deployed in the interplay between state and societal actors. Integral to this examination is
reflection on the analytical and conceptual tools used to understand and explain state-society relations.
Concepts such as class, kin and tribe, sect, civil society, and informal politics are critically examined
and assessed. The seminar takes a close look at the analytical assumptions underlying the main
theoretical approaches to the study of the region, namely the political culture and political economy
perspectives. It inquires into the methods of investigation used in these approaches.
Assessment is 60% Coursework and 40% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Political Violence (Term 1) (half unit)
15 PPOH 009
Convenor: Laleh Khalili
This course, a half-unit held during Term 1, offers Masters students in the MSc in Middle East Politics
an opportunity to engage with the a range of debates surrounding political violence in a variety of
manifestations prevalent in Africa and Asia, but especially the Middle East. The course themes include
conventional and civil warfare, colonial and decolonisation violence, counterinsurgencies, torture and
domestic repression, demonstrations and riots, and terror. Selected readings: Stathis Kalyvas, 2003.
“The Ontology of Political Violence” in Perspectives on Politics 1(3), pp. 475-494; Cynthia Cockburn:
“The Continuum of Violence. A Gender Perspective on War and Peace,” in Sites of Violence, (eds.)
Jennifer Hyndman and Wenona Giles, University of California Press: Berkeley (2004), pp. 24-44;
Kalyvas, Stathis. 1999. “Wanton and Senseless? The Logic of Massacres in Algeria.” Rationality and
Society 11(3): 243-285; Fanon, Frantz. The Wretched of the Earth (Grove Press, 1963): pp 35-107
(‘Concerning Violence’); Mohammad Hafez, Why Muslims Rebel: repression and resistance in the
Islamic world (Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2003); Charles Tilly, 2004. “Terror, Terrorism, Terrorists” in
Sociological Theory 22(1), pp. 5-13.
As the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students
Assessment is 100% coursework. All coursework is resubmissable
Politics and Society in Central Asia (full unit)
15 PPOC 007
Convenors: Bhavna Davé and Anna Zelkina
This course analyses the nature of Soviet-era transformation and the post-Soviet transition in Central
Asia. It examines the interaction of social, political and economic structures and cultural and identity
politics in Central Asia. The first part offers a critical review of the existing historiography of the region
and an evaluation of the Soviet legacy. The second part examines the politics of post-communist
transition by focussing on the reconfiguration of Central Asia's relationship with Russia and its growing
contacts with the international community. The course evaluates the concept of Central Asia as a
region, discussing the specificity of each country and the relationship among the major ethnic groups.
Notions of identity based on religion, language, clan, and regional factors are discussed in a
comparative framework. Issues of economic reforms, political development, citizen participation, and
party formation are examined by drawing comparisons with relevant cases in the post Soviet region and
in other regions of Asia and Africa.
Selected readings: Adeeb Khalid, The Politics of Muslim Cultural Reform: Jadidism in Central Asia.
University of California Press, 1998; Jo-Ann Gross (ed), Muslims in Central Asia. Duke University
Press, 1992.; William Fierman (ed), Soviet Central Asia: A Failed Transformation. Westview Press,
1991; Pauline Jones Luong, Institutional Change and Political Continuity in Post-Soviet Central Asia.
Cambridge University Press, 2001; Martha Brill Olcott, Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise. The Brookings
Institution, 2001; Edward Allworth, Central Asia: 130 Years of Russian Dominance: A Historical
Overview; Duke University Press, 1994.; Ahmed Rashid, Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central
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Asia. Yale University Press, 2002.; Touraj Atabaki & John O’Kane, Post-Soviet Central Asia. Tauris
Academic Press, 1998.; Olivier Roy, The New Central Asia: Creation of Nations, New York University
Press, 2000.
Assessment is 60% Coursework and 40% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Politics of Resistance in the Middle East (Term 1) (half unit)
15 PP0H 010
Convenor: Charles Tripp
This course offers Masters students focusing on Middle East politics an opportunity to reflect critically
upon ideas of counterhegemony and resistance as ways of understanding politics and political struggle
in the Middle East. Much of the literature on politics in the Middle East foregrounds the dominant
structures of power, dominant ideologies and the varied forms of hegemony. Less studied, are the ways
in which variously situated groups and individuals throughout the reigon have tried to negotiate with,
subvert and resist these forms of hegemony and the mixed outcomes of many of these struggles. The
course will take certain general themes and illustrate them through specific case studies from different
countries in the Middle East.
As the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students.
Assessment is 60% Coursework and 40% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Power in World Politics (Term 2) (half unit)
15PPOH017
Convenor: Felix Berenskoetter
This course explores different understandings of ‘power’ in international relations. The first part
discusses the link between politics and (relations of) power and unravels the still popular view of
power as a straightforward realist concept. The second part introduces students to three faces of
power understood as winning conflicts, setting agendas and shaping normality, respectively, and
traces their presence in the arguments of dominant IR theories. It also discusses material (‘hard’)
and ideational (‘soft’) forms of power and their relationship, and it engages the distinction between
‘power over’ and ‘power to’. The third part of the course asks students to apply different readings of
power to specific case studies ranging from the Cold War to phenomena of globalization and the
‘War on Terror’.
Since the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students.
Assessment is 70% coursework (comprising one 6000 word essay), 10% seminar participation, and
20% seminar presentation – all written coursework is resubmissable.
Security Governance (Term 2) (half unit)
15PPOH015
Convenor: Lorraine Macmillan
Approaches to the study of international peace and security have traditionally focused on interstate
warfare and diplomacy. Increasingly, however, there is an appreciation that the governance of
security issues stretches across state boundaries, involving multiple actors and mechanisms. In
this course, we begin by examining the idea of security governance, situating it in a broader
discussion of globalization and global governance. Topics to be covered include human security,
transnational political violence, policing, regional security institutions, private security actors, postconflict reconstruction, NGOs and global civil society, and security as a public policy issue.
Suggested Readings: Peter Andreas and Ethan Nadelmann, Policing the Globe: Criminalization
and Crime Control in International Relations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006); Stathis N.
Kalyvas, The Logic of Violence in Civil War (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006);
Roland Paris, At War's End: Building Peace After Civil Conflict (Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2004); Peter W Singer, Corporate Warriors: The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry
(Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2007).
As the course is taught as a two hour seminar, enrolment is limited to 15 students
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Assessment is 90% Coursework and 10% seminar presentation – all written coursework is
resubmissibile
State and Development in Asia and Africa (full unit)
15 PPOC 017
Convenor: Lawrence Saez & Hannes Baumann
The purpose of this course is to examine the relationship between politics (domestic and international)
and economic development strategies. In particular, the course seeks to understand the role of political
factors in explaining why most East Asian and Latin American countries developed quite rapidly since
the 1950s (into ‘emerging market democracies) whereas most African states have experienced
continuing stagnation and even disintegration. It also seeks to understand the global trend towards neoliberalism and democracy of the past two decades, as well as to assess the consequences of this
transition for late-developers. The course is organized into two parts, corresponding to the two terms.
The first term focuses on the emergence and reform of 'capitalist developmental states' (using empirical
examples from East Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa), and the key development
controversies (democracy, corruption, distribution) that arise out of the transition from the
developmental state to emerging market (or ‘neo-liberal’) democracy. The second part focuses on the
contemporary institutional architecture of globalization (including IMF, World Bank, WTO and
international finance) and the development issues that arise out of its workings. Whereas the first part
emphasizes the comparative domestic dimensions of political economy, the second part emphasizes
the international dimensions
Preliminary Reading: Gary Gereffi and Donald Wyman (eds) Manufacturing Miracles: Paths of
Industrialization in East Asia and Latin America (1990); Stephan Haggard, Pathways from the Periphery
(1990); Colin Leys, The Rise and Fall of Development Theory (1996); Meredith Woo-Cumings (ed.) The
Developmental State (1999); Jeffry Frieden and David Lake (eds) International Political Economy (4th
ed. 2001); Thomas Oatley, International Political Economy: Interests and Institutions in the Global
Economy (2nd ed. 2006); Alice H. Amsden, Escape From Empire: The Developing World’s Journey
Through Heaven and Hell (2007).
Assessment is 30% Coursework and 70% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
State and Society in Asia and Africa (full unit)
15 PPOC 008
Convenor: Julia Strauss and Stephen Chan
This is a postgraduate class that examines the development of state institutions and their intersection
with social patterns. In the first term, we cover how “the state” was constructed in Europe and how it
developed as an implicit benchmark standard, before we move on to consider the many ways in which
Asian and Africa realities may or may not conform to that implicit standard. In the first term we explore:
military involvement in the state, neo-patrimonialism and clientilism, civil society and different forms of
representation, weapons of the weak, and collective action. In the second term we cover the kinds of
state-society relations that engage the emotions: religion, revolution, ethno-nationalism and sport, the
theatrical dimensions of politics, and media, before concluding with a consideration of state collapse.
Selected Readings: Joel Migdal, Strong Societies and Weak States, John Sidel, Capitalism, Coercion
and Crime: Bossism in the Philippines, Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, Nelson
Kasfir, Civil Society and the State in Africa: Critical Perspectives, Diamond and Plattner, Nationalism,
Ethnic Conflict and Democracy, James Scott, Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant
Resistance, O’Brien and Li, Rightful Resistance in Rural China, Alexis de Tocqueville, The Old Regime
and the French Revolution, Sunil Khilnani, The Idea of India, Ernest Gellner, Nations and Nationalism,
James Manor, Third World Politics, Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, and a large range of articles.
Assessment is 50% Coursework and 50% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
State and Society in the Chinese Political Process (full unit)
15PPOC 012
Convenor: Julia Strauss
This class focusses on state and society in Greater China (the People's Republic and Taiwan). It will
specifically consider two closely interrelated themes: how China's state and society have evolved and
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how they have interacted over the course of the last century. The class is divided into three temporal
segments that consider state and society in 1) the late imperial and Republican eras (1900-1949), 2)
the revolutionary People's Republic (1949-78), and the reform era (1978-present). The first term will
cover the first two periods, focussing on the nature of the state, the countryside, cities and intellectuals.
The second term will be devoted to the post-1978 period, when it will be possible to expand coverage
to a wider span of social sectors, including women, development vs. environment, minorities, industrial
growth and reform. The class will conclude with units on democratization, civil society and Taiwan.
Selected readings: Mary Wright, China In Revolution, David Strand, Rickshaw Beijing, Timothy Cheek,
Propaganda And Culture In Mao's China, Jean Oi, Rural China Takes Off, Perry and Wasserstrom,
Popular Protest And Political Culture In Modern China, Goldman and MacFarquhar, The Paradox Of
China's Post-Mao Reforms
Assessment is 50% Coursework and 50% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
State and Transformation in the Middle East (Term 2) (half unit)
15 PPOH 011
Convenor: Charles Tripp
This course provides an analysis of the major political developments in the nature and form of the state
in the contemporary Middle East. It will introduce students to the main theoretical debates relevant to
the understanding of the state as a distinctive organisation of power and will examine the utility and
appropriateness of these perspectives when analysing the politics of a variety of states in the Middle
East. It will, therefore, examine the implications for state structures and institutions of the distinctive
histories, social formations and political conflicts that shape state politics in the Middle East.
This course is one of the two alternative core courses and will be taught as a one hour lecture,
followed by one hour seminars for smaller groups. There is no upper limit on the numbers of
students who may enrol.
Assessment is 60% Coursework and 40% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Taiwan’s Politics and Cross-Strait Relations (full unit)
15PPOC252
Convenor: Dafydd Fell
This course aims to examine the political processes that have shaped the Republic of China on Taiwan
since 1949, with particular emphasis on the last two decades. This course seeks to introduce to
students theories and empirical developments of Cross-Strait relations given the significance of Taiwan
Strait in regional and world politics today. Students should be able to evaluate the usefulness of
existing political science explanations for Taiwan’s domestic political development.
Assessment is 30% Coursework and 70% unseen examination – all coursework is resubmissable
Violence, Justice and the Politics of Memory (Term 2) (half unit)
Code TBC
Convenor: Phil Clark
This course offers historical, theoretical and empirical perspectives on the nature and causes of conflict
and its impact of on social and economic development in Africa and Asia over the past century, as well
as memory and justice responses to violence. The course emphasises the crucial linkages of conflict,
memory and justice, in particular the prevalence of unaddressed or manipulated memories of violence,
historical grievance and impunity as causes of further conflict. Countries given particular attention
include Rwanda, Congo, Uganda, Sudan, and Cambodia.
Assessment is
is 50%
50% coursework
coursework and
and 50%
50% unseen
unseen examination
examination –– all
all coursework
coursework is
is resubmissible
resubmissible.
Assessment
LANGUAGE COURSES
Many language courses have a limited number of places, so students who wish to study a language as a
‘floater’ are advised to enquire at the Languages and Cultures Faculty Office (room 351) at the earliest
opportunity.
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SECTION D – GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS
ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES FOR MSc STUDENTS
The guidelines below reflect the standards of work expected at postgraduate level. All your essays are
marked by a member of staff, and a sample is then moderated by another member of staff. Where essays
count for more than 30% are double marked by two members of staff. All essays are made available to
the external examiner(s). Please feel free to discuss your essay and how your grade was arrived at with
the appropriate member of staff.
70%
*as for the (65-69%) below plus:
• shows clear evidence of wide and relevant reading and an engagement with the conceptual issues
• develops a sophisticated and intelligent argument
• shows a rigorous use and a sophisticated understanding of relevant source materials, balancing
appropriately between factual detail and key theoretical issues. Materials are engaged directly and
their assumptions and arguments challenged and/or appraised.
• shows original thinking and a willingness to take risks
60-69%
* as for the (50-59%) below plus:
• shows strong evidence of critical insight and critical thinking
• shows a detailed understanding of the major factual and/or theoretical issues and directly engages
with the relevant literature on the topic
• develops a focussed and clear argument and articulates clearly and convincingly a sustained train of
logical thought
• shows clear evidence of planning and appropriate choice of sources and methodology
50-59% (50% = pass mark)
• shows some understanding of the major factual and/or theoretical issues involved
• shows evidence of planning and selection from appropriate sources,
• demonstrates some knowledge of the literature
• the text shows, in places, examples of a clear train of thought or argument
• the text concludes appropriately
45-49%:
• shows some awareness and understanding of the factual or theoretical issues, but with little
development
• misunderstandings are evident
• shows some evidence of planning, although irrelevant/unrelated material or arguments are included
44% or less:
• fails to answer the question or develop and argument
• does not engage with the relevant literature or demonstrate a knowledge of the key issues
• contains clear conceptual or factual errors or misunderstandings
25-49% Redeemable Fail: demonstrates sufficient knowledge of the subject, literature and/or main ideas,
and/or sufficient ability to construct an argument that the student be considered for re-examination/resubmission.
0-24% Outright Fail: does not address the question, fails to demonstrate adequate or relevant knowledge
of the subject, fails to develop a coherent argument.
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WRITING ESSAYS
Writing and Researching Essays for MSc Courses in Politics and International Relations
1. Why Write Essays?
1. Essay writing is a way of mastering a body of facts or ideas. You accumulate knowledge on a
particular topic by reading the relevant literature, and then present what you have found in your own
terms and in your own way. You thereby retain the material more effectively than merely reading.
2. Essay writing develops skills of selection, analysis and condensation. Out of the mass of
information available, you have to decide what to include and what to leave out, you have to be alert
to contradictory arguments and points of view presented by different authors, and you have to present
your answers in a succinct form without over-simplifying.
3. Essay writing helps you develop your powers of expression and communication. You have to
express your self clearly, develop a coherent argument throughout the essay, and as far as possible
write in a fluent and attractive manner.
4. An essay also teaches you a vital transferable skill: many jobs will require you to write written
reports and assessments, to demonstrate that you understood what you have read, and to
demonstrate that you can present a written argument.
These four points determine whether an essay is good or bad. These points are also relevant to your
dissertations.
2. Essay Marking
An essay mark takes account of both content and structure. When marking an essay the reader will
be looking for the following things:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The ability to pursue and develop a consistent argument;
The ability to use evidence, sometimes from a wide range of sources;
Logical control and organisation of your material;
The ability to discriminate between the significant and the trivial;
A clear structure to the essay;
The ability to write clearly, fluently and concisely;
Evidence of independent thought;
The ability to engage with relevant theoretical debates;
The ability to discuss, consider and assess the scholarly literature on the topic.
The ability to assess the assumptions and claims that underlie the existing literature.
3. Thinking
Give yourself plenty of time to think about the essay. Plan ahead to give yourself time to read, to plan
and to develop an answer. Managing time is a crucial element in essay writing - hurried and underresearched essays are a waste of everyone’s time.
Thinking should allow you to develop a coherent response to the question, and also to consider the
existing literature on the topic and how to address or engage this literature.
4. Understanding the Question
Essay writing is best thought of as a problem-solving activity, and it is vital that in your essay you
answer the question. Read the question/title carefully - the words are there for a purpose. Words
such as describe, discuss, explain, compare, contrast and assess are there to help you to focus
and guide your attention. Also pay attention to any special restrictions such as dates, type of literature
or specific cases.
DO NOT simply repeat everything you know about a certain subject. Answer the specific question,
and never descend to the level of a general commentary. Furthermore, NEVER change the wording
of a question without discussing it with the course convenor beforehand.
Finally, if you are not sure what a question means, ASK.
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5. Preparation
• Familiarise yourself fully with the library - not just the books, but also the periodicals and the electronic
resources.
• Read purposefully and selectively, concentrating on relevant material - use the index and contents
pages of books, and abstracting services such as International Political Science Abstracts or BIDS:
ask in the library about these resources. Your reading lists are a guide only, they are never fully
comprehensive.
• Take notes carefully, keeping full records of author, title, page numbers etc.
• Plan the essay - the plan is a map showing the route of your argument.
• Structure your essay - the structure is the skeleton which give the essay shape.
6. The Essay
Decide on your strategy - are you going to give a balanced summary of the various opinions on the
question, or are you going to show why you believe one opinion is better than another? Have
opinions but try to avoid polemics.
You should assume that the reader of your essay is intelligent but uninformed. Remember that
essays are not written for the benefit of the marker but should inform you about the subject.
Style is important. You are NOT marked on the standard or quality of your English, but the more
clearly you can express your ideas the easier it will be for the marker to realise your brilliance. There
are numerous writing guides available, the most helpful of which is Strunk and White, The Elements
of Style (Macmillan).
Introduction
Take great care with this. Show as briefly as possible that you have understood the question. You
may wish to outline your answer and how you intend to develop this answer in the introduction. [This
is very much a matter of personal style some people prefer a direct answer at the start, others prefer
the argument to emerge in the essay and the intro to be a summary of the topic. Both methods are
equally valid.]
Main Body
Much will depend on the subject matter, but you should order your points so that there is reasoned
argument and a smooth sequence. Link your paragraphs together with topic sentences. Show why
the information you are giving is relevant, and ask yourself continually if the information you are
providing is relevant, to ensure you exclude what is irrelevant.
Conclusion
Your concluding paragraph should sum up the discussion and set out the main results. Remember to
check that it agrees with your introduction. Also remember that an essay is not a cliff-hanger mystery
or a whodunit - don't leave your answer to the question to the last line, make sure you have developed
it throughout the essay. Never introduce a new idea or argument in your conclusion.
7. Referencing
Showing the source of your ideas and arguments is vital. Use the MLA footnote/endnote OR the
Harvard system to indicate clearly where your ideas have come from. Good referencing not only
helps you avoid plagiarism it also demonstrates that you know the literature and the arguments on the
topic.
Footnotes should never contain substantive pieces of argument or information: if something is
important it belongs in the text. If it is not important, it does not belong in the essay.
Always include a full bibliography.
8. Plagiarism
See page 32.
9.
Finally
• Use a word-processor, and print out your essay with a good sized font and sensible spacing.
• Remember that computers break down - always keep copies and back-up your work regularly.
21
•
•
•
•
Re-read your essay carefully in hard-copy before submitting.
Keep to the word limits - you may be penalised if you fail to do so.
Discuss your essay with friends.
Hand the essay in on time: you will be deducted marks if you fail to do so without good cause.
WRITING AND GIVING PRESENTATIONS FOR SEMINARS/ DISCUSSIONS IN POLITICS.
Seminars, tutorials and discussion groups are central to the teaching of politics at SOAS. They typically
involve a small group of students and a seminar leader and are based around either a lecture topic, a
specific issue, or a set of readings. Seminars provide you with an opportunity to interact with the teaching
staff and your fellow students in a semi-structured way. You are expected to attend all seminars unless
you are prevented from doing so due to illness or other good cause. In such cases please inform your
course convenor(s) and your postgraduate convenor as soon as possible. PLEASE NOTE: staff in the
Politics Department will often use the terms 'seminar', 'tutorial' and 'discussion group' inter-changeably.
1. What is the Purpose of a Seminar/Discussion Group?
The most important function of the seminar is to provide a forum for you to discuss the course with
your teachers and fellow students. You can use the opportunity to:
• ask questions about the lectures
• ask questions about essay preparation
• ask questions about how your essay has been graded
• ask questions about the organisation of the course
• ask questions about the examination
• meet fellow students and discuss issues related to the course with them
• raise any problems you may have
• deliver a presentation on a specific topic
2. Why Attend Seminars/Give Presentations?
• Giving a presentation is a way of developing powers of expression and communication. You have
to express yourself clearly, develop a coherent argument and demonstrate that you understand the
issue(s).
• As with writing an essay, preparing presentations develops skills of selection, analysis and
condensation. You need to express ideas and arguments in a succinct form that is easily
understood by others.
• Giving a presentation should enable you to present and defend your ideas in front of others. It helps
to develop your verbal reasoning skills and teaches you how to respond to different opinions and
arguments.
• Participating in seminars enables you to develop a range of transferable skills related to oral
presentation and discussion. Most jobs (and all interviews) will require to talk in front of groups of
people and to present ideas and information.
3. What Should I do When Not Presenting a Paper?
If you are not presenting a paper in a seminar or discussion you are still required to work and to
participate. It is essential that you read any required reading before the seminar begins and that you
are prepared to both answer and ask questions about the reading. Always ask as many questions as
you can, even if you think they are naive.
4. Preparing Presentation
There are two main types of presentation: those for which you have a set question (the seminar), and
those based on your own interpretation of a reading or set of readings (the discussion group). Give
yourself plenty of time to think about the presentation. Plan ahead to give yourself time to read, to
plan and to develop an answer. Managing time is a crucial element in preparing presentations hurried and under-researched papers are a waste of everyone's time.
A. Address the question
Where a question has been set, address it directly. As in essay writing you can regard presentation of
this sort as a problem-solving activity, and it is vital that in your presentation you address the question.
22
Read the question/title carefully - the words are there for a purpose. Words such as describe,
discuss, explain, compare, contrast and assess are there to help you to focus and guide your
attention. Also pay attention to any special restrictions such as dates, type of literature or specific
cases.
DO NOT simply repeat everything you know about a certain subject. Answer the specific question,
and never descend to the level of a general commentary. Furthermore, NEVER change the wording
of a question without discussing it with the tutor beforehand.
Finally, if you are not sure what a question means, ASK.
B. Address the Literature
Where a specific question has not been set it is important that you engage with the literature in you
presentation. This is more than simply summarising what you have read: you should discuss the
strengths and weaknesses or the author’s argument; consider the assumptions upon which the
reading is based and address the methodology employed by the author(s).
5. The Paper
Decide on your approach - are you going to give a balanced summary of the various opinions on the
question, or are you going to show why you believe one opinion is better than another?
You should assume that the people in your seminar are intelligent but uninformed. Remember that
presentations are not written for the benefit of the teacher, but should inform you and your classmates
about the subject.
Style is important. You are NOT marked on the standard or quality of your English, but the more
clearly you can express your ideas the easier it is for those in your discussion group. As in an essay
your presentation requires:
Introduction
Main Body
Conclusion
You may wish to distribute handouts with your presentation to enable other to follow your argument
more closely: where presentation are assessed this is required. The staff member in charge of the
tutorial can help you with photocopying.
6. Nerves
Many people feel nervous when speaking in front of others. Seminars offer a friendly and supportive
forum within which to develop the confidence needed to speak in public. Help yourself to relax by
breathing slowly, and staying focussed on your presentation. Remember that your fellow students will
be sympathetic to you as they will also have to make presentations. You can receive further advice
from the teaching staff and from the student counsellors on how to deal with nerves.
PREPARING FOR AND WRITING EXAMINATIONS IN POLITICS
Most courses in the Department of Politics and International Studies are examined by a combination of
coursework (typically essays) and a formal written examination. The main exception is the Dissertation.
The exam component of your final mark for each course can be up to 70%: please check your course
outline or discuss with an appropriate member of staff to find the exact proportion of coursework/exam to
final mark. These guidelines are designed to provide you with basic information on how to prepare for and
take written exams. They should be read in conjunction with the other guidelines in the Handbook,
especially those that refer to essay writing.
Why Take Examinations?
Examinations are a way of assessing your understanding of a course you have taken during a single
academic year. They require you write a number of essays (usually three) in a set time period (usually
three hours). Examinations provide a fair assessment of your ability to assimilate and retain knowledge
and to develop that knowledge in answer to a range of questions. Written exams therefore test your
knowledge of a specific subject, your ability to reason and to argue on paper, and your skills of expression
and communication.
23
How Should I Revise/Prepare for the Exam?
•
The best way to prepare for the examination is to work consistently throughout the year. If you have
worked hard, kept up with all the required reading, attended your lectures and seminars, and read as
much recommended reading as possible, preparing for the exams is straightforward.
•
Revision should consist of reminding yourself of material with which you are already familiar - it should
not involve acquainting yourself with material for the first time. Where available, re-read required
readings.
•
Read through your essays, and ideally those of your fellow class mates. Remember that re-reading a
poor essay can teach you as much (with regard to technique and style) as a good essay. Read
through notes you have taken in lectures or seminars and the notes you have taken on books and
articles you have read.
•
You should familiarise yourself with key events and issues, and also with the various interpretations or
explanations of these events and issues.
•
Read through previous examination papers - this will help to familiarise you with the format of the
exam. However, always check that the exam format has not changed. Also, never prepare for a
previous exam paper or try to guess/predict questions: the questions vary, often considerably, from
year to year. However they will always reflect what has been taught on your course.
•
Write practice essays: writing an exam is physically and mentally demanding. An excellent way to
prepare for this is by writing essays for one hour or two hours under exam conditions, either at home
or in the library. This will improve your technique, enable you to manage time better, and help you to
develop writing muscles that computer use has atrophied.
•
The benefits of placing books/revision notes under your pillow the night before the exam are as yet
unproven.
How is the Exam Organised/What is on the Exam/ What should I write?
• The typical Politics exam is three hours long, and usually consists of a list of 12 questions. You will
normally be asked to answer three question.
• Note however that some papers will have greater or fewer than 12 questions, and some exams are of
less than three hours: check your course outline and discuss the format with an appropriate member
of staff.
• Some papers are divided into sections. Always read the rubric very carefully and ensure that you
answer the correct number of questions from the correct sections.
• More specific details of each examination will be provided in a revision lecture/seminar, usually given
a few weeks before the examination in Term 3.
• The same advice for writing coursework essays applies to writing exam essays: please check the
appropriate pages in the Handbook.
• Knowledge from one course can often inform your understanding of another course: please use
information from different parts of your degree to inform and cross-fertilise your answers. Try not to
think in narrow, discrete units.
• You should not repeat significant pieces of information in separate answers, or cross-references
between your essays.
• A very common question is: how long should my essay be? Assuming that you have to answer three
questions in three hours, your essay should be 1 hour long. For four questions in three hours, your
answer should be 45 minutes long. However remember to leave yourself time to think about and plan
your answer and to read through your answer afterwards. For a one hour answer allow yourself at
least 5 minutes to think about plan your answer, and not more than five minutes afterwards to read
through what you have written and to check for errors/ambiguities.
• Poor handwriting. Clarity of expression is very important in the exam, and if the markers cannot read
your writing it will be difficult for them to assess your answer. If your handwriting is hard to read a
simple way to improve its legibility is to write on every other line.
How are Exams marked?
All exams in Politics are anonymously double marked. This means that your script is anonymous (it does
not have your name on it) and it is marked by two members of staff independently of one another.
Assessment is also moderated by the External Examiner.
Three Pieces of Vital Information
The three most important pieces of information for any examination are the DATE, TIME and PLACE of
the exam. This information is usually made available provisionally at the end of the second term, and is
24
confirmed at the start of the third term. If you have any doubts please confirm with the Registry
(Examinations Section) and/or the Faculty Office. It is vital that you have this information correct and it is
your responsibility to attend the correct venue at the correct time.
Concessions (Dyslexia, Illness etc)
If there is any medical or personal reason that may have an influence on your exam performance, please
alert your MSc Convenor or the course convenor, and notify the Registry (Examinations Section). You will
usually be required to provide evidence to substantiate any request for a concession.
GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF MSC DISSERTATIONS
General Regulations
As part of the MSc course requirements, students are required to submit a dissertation of up to 10,000
words on a topic of their choice and in consultation with their supervisor. In some programmes the
dissertation must relate to a specific area; see below for more advice on topics.
The dissertation accounts for 25% of the total assessment for the MSc programme, it is thus equivalent to
one taught element. The mark for the dissertation is based on the dissertation alone, and follows the
normal scale for the MSc. Students are required to complete the dissertation to a satisfactory standard
(pass mark 50%) in order to complete the MSc, and may be required to resubmit the dissertation if it is
unsatisfactory. The grading of dissertation follows broadly the same criteria as that used for grading
essays.
The dissertation must not exceed 10,000 words, excluding footnotes and bibliography. The word limit
must be strictly adhered to. Dissertations that exceed 10,000 words may be penalised or rejected
altogether. Candidates are further warned that, if there is an unrealistic ratio between the length of the
text and the footnotes, this may also be taken to be non-compliance with the regulations.
The dissertation deadline is 4.00 pm on 15 September of the year in which the dissertation is
undertaken. Dissertations submitted after this are liable to be penalised for late submission. If 15
September falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the deadline is 4.00 pm on the Monday immediately
following 15 September.
The School deadline for the submission of a dissertation is 4.00 pm on 30 September. No marks will be
awarded for a dissertation submitted after 4.00 pm on 30 September unless an application has been
made and approved permitting submission in the following academic year. If 30 September falls on a
Saturday or Sunday, then the deadline is 4.00 pm on the Monday immediately following 30 September.
A dissertation submitted after the dissertation deadline of 4.00 pm on 15 September but before the School
deadline of 4.00 pm on 30 September will be marked but the mark awarded will be reduced by the
relevant Sub-Board of Examiners by 2 percentage points for each working day that the work is late. This
reduction of marks will not apply if the relevant Sub-Board of Examiners determines that there is good
cause for the late submission. If the claim for good cause rests on medical or other certifiable grounds,
certification will be required
Students who submit a dissertation after the dissertation deadline but before the School dissertation
deadline should submit their dissertation in the normal way. Any evidence of other extenuating
circumstances relating to the late submission should be attached to the dissertation submission form
when the work is submitted. There is no procedure for granting submission extensions in the period 15 to
30 September or in advance of this period. No member of staff has the authority to grant such an
extension (neither dissertation supervisors, nor Programme Convenors, nor Associate Deans).
Students who wish to apply for a long-term deferral of submission (allowing them to submit between 1
October and 15 September of the following year) must complete the dissertation submission deferral
application form, obtainable from the Examinations and Assessments Manager (exams@soas.ac.uk), by
1st September. The results for dissertations approved for submission in the period 1 October to 15
September of the year following will be considered by the relevant Sub-Board of Examiners in November
25
of the year following. The award date, if the student is successful, will be 1 December. There will
therefore be a year’s delay in the award in the case of long-term deferral.
Academic Requirements and Key Dates:
An introduction to the dissertation process, including advice on picking a topic, research methods, and
writing up, will be held during January/February 2011 (date to be advised).
Dissertation Topic Proposal: In January, all MSc students will receive a dissertation topic and prospective
supervisor form from the Law and Social Sciences Faculty Office that must be returned, together with a
working title and brief outline of the proposed topic, usually by Friday of the week following Reading Week
Term 2. At the beginning of the second term you should therefore consult with your prospective supervisor
to discuss this outline. The Department as a whole allocates supervisory responsibilities after these
proposals have been received. In most cases students will receive the supervisor they expect, but in some
the Department will specify an alternative based on the topic proposed.
A more detailed outline and at least one draft chapter should then be submitted to the supervisor by the
end of June 2011. This date marks the end of formal teaching and it is likely that most members of the
Department will only be available for supervision at specified times or by email until September.
The purpose of the dissertation is to enable students to demonstrate their capacity to carry out a
substantial piece of independent academic work on a selected topic. Students will be assessed on their
capacity to define a topic for examination, to articulate a coherent scheme for examining this topic, to
gather the necessary information, and to present and analyse this information in a way which satisfactorily
addresses the question which has been set.
Students are reminded that all work submitted as part of the requirements for any examination of the
University of London must be expressed in their own words and incorporate their own ideas and
judgements (see page 35. Any offence must be referred to the Academic Registrar.
With the above dates in mind, students should start thinking about the topics they wish to tackle.
Inevitably, however, prospective supervisors will be best placed to provide more detailed advice, so
students should initiate discussions with them in the first weeks of the Second Term.
Students are encouraged to select dissertation topics which are linked to the themes covered in other
parts of their MSc. They may be primarily empirical investigations of an aspect of politics in the region on
which the student is specialising, or they may be theoretical investigations of questions raised in
disciplinary courses. For those students on the MSc International Politics, their proposed topic must have
an international or foreign policy dimension, a requirement which the Department will evaluate carefully.
For those students taking a regional MSc, their proposed topic must have clear relevance to the politics
of that region. In all cases, topics should be clearly focussed: a piece of work carried out over 3-4 months
to a maximum of 10,000 words can provide scope for only a limited amount of research and the more
focussed the topic, the greater the opportunity to produce an interesting and to some extent original piece
of work. All dissertation titles are sent to the external examiner for approval and cannot be changed after
(date)..
The dissertation outline should include the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name:
Working Title:
Statement of the research hypothesis/argument (max. 40 words)
A rationale for the topic, explaining the theoretical or practical relevance of the topic and its relation to
the existing literature (max. 300 words)
5. A brief outline of the dissertation, indicating the principal sections into which it will be divided (max.
300 words)
6. Methodology. State the methods of investigation to be employed, including an indication of the
sources to be consulted. Students should here raise any problems which they foresee in collecting
adequate data (max. 150 words)
7. Bibliography. This should include at least 10 readily accessible items of direct relevance to your topic.
26
Following discussion of the proposal with the supervisor, and its modification where necessary, students
will then carry out the programme of research required and write up the results. Since the dissertation is
substantially longer than an essay, it is particularly important for students to take notes accurately and file
them carefully, in order to ensure that they have access to the right information at the right time. It is good
practice to keep a list of sources consulted and to file notes either by source, or according to the place at
which the material is to be used in the dissertation. Where word-processing makes it easy to make
duplicate copies of notes, it may be helpful to do both.
The Role of the Supervisor
The main responsibilities of the supervisor are as follows:
1. to meet with the student at least three times, once before and twice after reading week in the second
term;
2. to discuss and approve the choice of topic and dissertation plan;
3. to provide guidance on the preparation of the dissertation (sources to be used, method of analysis);
4. to read and comment on the dissertation outline and at least one chapter of the dissertation draft;
5. to act as the first marker following the 15th September 2011 submission deadline. (All dissertations
will be assessed by two internal examiners as well as an external examiner.)
The supervisor does not, however, have any responsibility for the preparation of the dissertation itself, for
the ideas and material that it contains, or for the standard that it attains; the dissertation must be entirely
the student's own work, and the help given by the supervisor must necessarily be limited.
Presentation
The presentation of the dissertation in a clean and correct form is an important part of the dissertationwriting process, and examiners will take it into account in awarding marks. The final text should be
carefully examined for typing errors before it is submitted.
TWO copies of the dissertation should be submitted to the Department of Politics and International
Studies for marking and should be bound in secure and firm folders. One copy may be retained by the
Department for consultation by future MSc students. Students are advised to make an additional copy or
copies for themselves.
Dissertations should be word-processed in order to permit easy amendment or correction in the course of
preparation. All material in the main part of the dissertation, excluding only the footnotes and bibliography,
should be double-spaced.
The dissertation should include the following elements:
1. Cover: this should state the title of the dissertation, the name of the student, the degree scheme for
which it is submitted (e.g. MSc in Asian Politics).
2. Title Page: this should give the same information as on the cover, together with the statement: "This
dissertation is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MSc (full title of the
degree for which you are registered) of the University of London", followed by the date.
3. Table of Contents: this should list the contents of the dissertation by chapters or sections where
appropriate, and the page number for each, together with the page number for the notes,
bibliography, and any maps, figures and tables.
4. Abstract: this should provide a brief statement, of not more than two hundred words, of the main
themes or findings of the dissertation.
5. Acknowledgements: students may wish to acknowledge any help that they have received in the
preparation of their dissertation.
6. Main Text: each main heading (sections, references, bibliography) should start on a new page;
sections within main headings may continue on the same page.
7. References: footnotes should be numbered consecutively and the references to which they refer
should be placed in order after the main text, and before the bibliography.
8. Bibliography: the bibliography should list all works used in the preparation of the dissertation, including
all those noted in the references; further guidance on the bibliography is given below.
27
Bibliography and References
Preparation of the Bibliography is an important part of the dissertation; it should be presented in the
following form:
1. Documentary sources: official documents and reports, by origin in alphabetical order;
2. Books and Articles: these should be listed by author in alphabetical order, in the form given below;
3. Newspapers and Periodicals: these should be listed in alphabetical order, with their place of
publication;
4. Interviews: people interviewed, where appropriate, should be listed in alphabetical order, with a brief
description of their standing.
References in the footnotes and bibliography should be presented in the following form:
1. Books: author, title of book, (place and date of publication); e.g.: R.H. Jackson, Quasi-states:
Sovereignty, International Relations and the Third World (Cambridge, 1990). If you prefer you can use
underlining instead of italics.
2. Articles in journals: author, 'title of article', title of journal, volume and number, year, pages; e.g. R.W.
Cox, 'Multilateralism and world order', Review of International Studies, Vol. 18, No. 2, 1992, pp. 55-72.
3. Chapters in edited books: author, 'title of chapter', in editor, title of book, (place and year of
publication); e.g. J. Herbst, 'The United States and Africa: Issues for the Future', in J.W. Harbeson
and D. Rothchild, eds., Africa in World Politics (Boulder, 1991).
4. Documents: conform to the same pattern as far as possible (with appropriate variations); e.g.
Correspondence respecting the Earl of Elgin's special missions to China and Japan, 1857 to 1859,
Parliamentary Papers 1859, vol. xxxiii.
Where quoting documents directly, give a description of document as well as identifying source; e.g.
Clarendon to Elgin, 20 April 1857, Parliamentary. Papers 1859, vol. xxxiii.
Where quoting documents at second hand, make this clear; e.g. Miller, quoted in Jackson, Quasistates, p. 170.
5. These conventions may be adapted for other forms of publication; the essential requirement is that the
principal title (title of book or periodical) should be underlined or italicised, while subtitles should be in
inverted commas; dates and places should be included.
Abbreviations are a convenience to the writer, which should not inconvenience the reader (by being
made cryptic or unintelligible).
1. Where you devise your own, make them self-evident (i.e. not requiring a separate key or explanation);
however some journals have standard abbreviations; e.g. B.S.O.A.S.
2. ibid. This refers only to the immediately preceding note; it cites the same work (hence cannot be used
if the previous note cited several); but you can vary the volume/page reference, e.g. ibid., p. 241
(where a different page was cited previously).
3. op.cit. This refers to a previously cited work by the same author and cannot be used where more than
one work by that author has already been cited.
Some writers, especially in social sciences such as anthropology and economics but increasingly in other
areas, use the author-date system, sometimes called the Harvard system. Here, references to secondary
sources are made by author, date, and page number if necessary, and are placed in brackets in the main
body of the text. The full reference can then easily be found in the bibliography at the back. For example:
The political causes of economic stagnation are more controversial (Joshi and Little, 1987, pp. 371-8). An
alternative way of setting out the reference is (Joshi and Little 1987: 371-8). If you use this system, then
the bibliography must obviously be laid out in a way that makes it easy to identify each entry:
Joshi, Vijay and Little, I.M.D. 1987. 'Indian Macroeconomics Policies'. Economic and Political Weekly,
15, pp. 313-6
Where an author has published more than one item in a year, then it is usual to distinguish by lower case
letters, 1987a, 1987b, etc.
COURSEWORK SUBMISSION AND DEADLINES
All students are required to submit all elements of assessment to pass a course, and are required to
submit all coursework as a pre-condition of exam entry. The Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching)
28
may, at the request of the Head of Department, withdraw permission to take exams or terminate degree
registration if you persistently fail to submit coursework without good cause.
Deadlines for course-work essays are set prior to the commencement of the academic year by the course
teacher or (where more than one teacher is involved in a course) the course convenor. The final deadline
will not be later than the School's final deadline and will generally be earlier. Students will be informed of
these deadlines at the beginning of the course - these can be confirmed on BLE or from the Faculty
Office.
Coursework will either be manually submitted to your Faculty Office or online via Blackboard as
confirmed by the Course Convenor. TFurther details of requirements will be made available closer to the
time. Should this service not be available for your course(s) the following describes our manual
submission procedures.
Two copies of every assessed essay must be submitted by students to the Faculty Office before 4.00 p.m.
on the due date. Students must see that the date of their essay submission is recorded on their receipt.
Students who submit their essays on time are entitled to receive one copy of each essay back with
comments and a provisional mark within at most three weeks in term time. One copy will be retained by
the Faculty Office (together with a copy of the general comments returned to the student) so that it is
available at the time of the examination
Late submission of coursework
Coursework which is submitted after the prescribed coursework deadline (but not after the School
deadline, see below) will be marked but the mark awarded will be reduced by the relevant Sub-Board of
Examiners by 2 percentage points for each working day that the work is late. This reduction of marks will
not apply if the relevant Sub-Board of Examiners determines that there is good cause for the late
submission. Certification will be required if the claim for good cause rests on medical grounds or other
circumstances for which certification can appropriately be provided.
The School deadline for the submission of any coursework is 4.00 pm on the Friday immediately before
the beginning of the May/June examination period of the academic year in which the course is taken. No
marks will be awarded for any coursework submitted after this deadline.
If you are unable to meet a course deadline and wish to request that the Examination Sub-Board waive or
reduce the penalty, the procedure is as follows:
1. Go to the Faculty Office (room 251) as soon as you think you might have a problem meeting the
deadline.
2. Collect and complete a Late Submission Request form.
3. You may contact relevant members of staff to support your claim - e.g., a student counsellor or
tutor.
4. Attach any supporting evidence (e.g. medical notes or letters from a tutor) to the form. All
information provided will be handled sensitively and confidentially.
5. Submit the form (with supporting documentation) to the Faculty Office as soon as possible and no
later than the School deadline.
All applications will be considered by the July meeting of the Examinations Board to determine appropriate
deductions. The Board will determine what is acceptable evidence and ‘good cause’ in consultation with
Registry and the Associate Dean where necessary.
Please note that ONLY the Sub-Board of Examiners have the authority to remit the 2% per day penalty
for late submission. Individual members of staff or tutors have no powers to grant extensions or to waive
the penalty. All requests should be made through the procedure described above. No marks will be
awarded for coursework submitted after the school deadline unless the Sub-Board of Examiners
determines that there is good cause.
If you have any questions about these procedures, please ask at the Faculty Office.
Resubmission of failed coursework
MSc students who fail a course overall have the opportunity to redeem their failure only in the element(s)
they have failed, that is, individual elements of coursework and/or examinations. For the above students,
passing ANY course following a resubmission will result in the minimum pass mark of 50% (PG) being
recorded.
29
Details of which courses these regulations apply to are specified in the course descriptions in this
handbook. Full regulations governing the above are included in the Postgraduate taught handbooks
2010/11.
ATTENDANCE
In order to benefit fully from their courses students are expected to attend all relevant and/or required
classes. This includes, as appropriate to the course, lectures, tutorials, seminars, language classes, and
practical sessions. Students are also expected to submit fully and promptly all required coursework.
Course convenors and tutors will report unauthorized non-attendance to the Faculty Office who
issue formal warning letters. After two formal warning letters regarding lack of attendance
students may be excluded from the relevant exam(s). Where a student is unable to attend lectures
or classes, s/he should inform his/her lecturer or tutor as well as his/her personal tutor. Medical
evidence may be required if absence is prolonged.
PLAGIARISM
Students are reminded that all work submitted as part of the requirement for any assessment of the
School of Oriental and African Studies must be expressed in their own words and incorporate their own
ideas and judgements. Plagiarism - that is, the presentation of another person's thoughts or words as
though they were the student’s own – must be avoided. Direct quotations from the published or
unpublished work of others must always be clearly identified as such by being placed inside quotation
marks, and a full reference to their source must be provided in proper form. A series of short quotations
from several different sources, if not clearly identified as such, constitutes plagiarism just as much as does
a single unacknowledged long quotation from a single source. Equally if students summarise another
persons' ideas and judgements, they must refer to that person in their text as the source of the ideas and
judgements, and include the work referred to in their bibliography. Failure to observe these rules may
result in an allegation of cheating. Students should therefore consult their tutor or supervisor if they are in
any doubt about what is permissible.
Where students draw on their own previous written work, whether submitted as coursework for their
current degree, or for a previous degree or qualification, this must be clearly stated. Coursework essays
submitted for one course may not be used for another course without acknowledgement and prior
approval.
Plagiarism is an examination and/or assessment offence, and is dealt with under the School’s Regulations
for proceedings in respect of assessment and examination offences.
In submitting any work, whether on paper or electronically, students declare that the work is all their own,
that they have properly acknowledged and cited all materials used from the published or unpublished
works of others, and that the work has not previously been submitted for any other course. They also
agree, in submitting the work, that the School may take steps to authenticate the material submitted,
including (but not limited to) submitting the work to a plagiarism checking service and copying the work to
another member or members of staff.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Applications for leave of absence must be made to the Academic Registrar on the appropriate form.
The power to grant leave of absence rests with the Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching), or the
equivalent to this, in each Faculty. Leave of absence is not normally granted between the first and second
years of a degree programme.
Requests for leave of absence are referred by the Registry to the Departmental Tutor concerned, and
simultaneously to the Associate Dean, to whom Departmental Tutors make recommendations.
Requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis, but leave of absence is normally not granted except
where there are compelling reasons. These reasons might include certificated illness, pregnancy, or other
personal, family, or financial circumstances which, in the judgment of the Associate Dean, would make
30
completion of the degree less likely if leave of absence were not granted. Leave of absence may also be
granted if, in the view of the Associate Dean, there is a compelling academic reason for this.
An opportunity for a student to visit or work in another part of the world will not normally constitute grounds
for leave of absence to be granted. Students should make prompt completion of their SOAS degree their
first priority.
If a student is a member of two Faculties, then the agreement of both Associate Deans (Learning and
Teaching) must be obtained. If agreement is not possible, then the matter should be referred to the ProDirector, who will make the final decision.
TIMETABLE
Students should check the up-to-date timetable by referring to www.soas.ac.uk/timetable. Although a
printed version of the timetable is displayed outside the Faculty Offices, it is essential that students consult
the latest web version of the timetable on a regular basis to check for changes. When registering for
courses, if you find that your course lectures clash, you will need to choose a different course option or
enquire with the course convenor about whether a change of time is possible.
Individual student timetables will be available online once you have completed course registration and are
signed-up for tutorial groups.
BLACKBOARD
This is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which is used by some course convenors for making reading
lists and other course information available on-line. Contact your Course Convenor to ask if they are
using BLE for your courses – or logon to www.ble.ac.uk. For further information about BLE, contact
blackboard@soas.ac.uk.
Once you have registered for your courses, you will be given automatic access to the relevant courses on
BLE. During the busy registration period, there will be an inevitable short delay whilst your course
registrations are verified and the data entered onto the student records system, but Faculty Office staff will
do their best to minimise this delay as much as possible. There is no alternative route to getting access to
BLE - so you are encouraged to register for your courses promptly to ensure access to BLE before
teaching starts.
31
SECTION E – HELP & ADVICE
HELP AND ADVICE
There are many different sources of help and advice available to students: it is essential that you make
use of the support systems if you need to do so. Small, easily solved problems grow rapidly into big,
difficult ones if nothing is done about them. Such difficulties are particularly common in the first year.
For academic queries:
For example on course content and organisation, essay writing, preparing for exams, appropriate
reading etc. Advice on these issues is available from:
 Faculty Handbooks - Copies of these are given to all students at the start of each
academic year
 Individual academics: academic staff publish ‘office hours’ on their doors showing regular
times when they are available for consultation. At other times you may be able to make
an appointment by e-mail.
 Course Convenors – for queries relating to a particular course
 PG Tutors / PG Programme Convenors – for queries relating to your overall programme
of study.
 Personal Tutors
 Academic Development Directorate: learner support is offered in the form of workshops,
one-to-one sessions and help-yourself electronic resources. The ADD cover a wide range
of skills, including essay and dissertation writing, presentation skills, time-management,
listening to lectures, reading and note-taking skills. Contact Heidi Ward (Coordinator for
Learner Support) on hw21@soas.ac.uk or 0207 898 4553
 Library: the Library provides training in information skills and electronic resources
throughout the year. Contact Beth Clark (Head of Electronic Services) on
bc3@soas.ac.uk for more details.
For administrative queries:
For example on permitted course combinations, exam arrangements and other information related
to School regulations and Programme requirements. Advice on these issues is available from:
 School PG Handbooks: copies of the appropriate regulatory handbooks are issued by
Registry staff at School Enrolment. Additional copies can be obtained from the Faculty
Office or Registry.
 Departmental and Faculty Handbooks (available from the faculty office)
 PG Tutors / PG Programme Convenors (see above)
 Personal Tutors
 Head of Department
 Faculty Offices: the Law and Social Sciences Faculty Office is located in room 251 of the
Russell Square campus. Opening hours are normally 10.00–16.00 during term time these will vary during vacation and examination periods. The office staff can also be
contacted by email lawandsocialsciences@soas.ac.uk or by telephone 020 7898 4402
 Registry: the Registry Office is located on the first floor of the Vernon Square campus.
They can also be contacted by email registrar@soas.ac.uk or by telephone 020 7074
5105.
For personal queries:
For matters related to housing, welfare, disability, illness, etc advice is available from
 Faculty Offices (see above)
 PG Tutors / UG Programme Convenors (see above)
 Personal Tutors
 ADD (see below)
 Student Support Services at Vernon Square (e.g. disability officer, welfare officer,
counselling services etc.,see contact section for details of these)
 Student’s Union
 Registry (see above)
32
Academic Development Directorate
The Academic Development Directorate is based in the main campus in Russell Square and brings
together staff from across the School to provide a central focus for the support and development of
learning and teaching at SOAS. Working with departments, Faculty Offices, Student Services, Student
Recruitment, the Student’s Union, IFCELS and Staff Development, the ADD is involved with a wide variety
of projects including Blackboard (see below) to help support staff and students. You should browse the
ADD webpage to get an idea of the range of the support available and issues covered by the ADD. The
ADD is based in RG01 opposite the main staircase on the ground floor of the College Buildings.
33
SECTION F – DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT
Fiona Adamson BA (Stanford) MA PhD (Columbia)
(Head of Department)
Dr. Fiona Adamson is Senior Lecturer in International Politics, with interests in international
relations, international security, transnational and non-state actors, migration and diaspora
politics, and globalisation and governance. Her publications have appeared in a number of edited
book volumes and in journals such as International Security, European Journal of International
Relations, Political Science Quarterly, International Studies Review and Cambridge Review of
International Affairs. She is a co-editor of the book series Security and Governance (Routledge)
and member of the editorial board for the journal Ethnopolitics. In addition, she co-chairs the
London Migration Research Group (LMRG) and is co-convenor of the Security Issues standing
group for the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR).
Arshin Adib-Moghaddam (BA MA Hamburg; PhD Cambridge)
(On Leave Terms 1 and 3)
Dr. Arshin Adib-Moghaddam is the author of The International Politics of the Persian Gulf: A
Cultural Genealogy (Routledge, 2006), Iran in World Politics: The Question of the Islamic Republic
(Hurst/ Columbia University Press, 2007/2008) and A Metahistory of the Clash of Civilisations
(forthcoming, 2009). He is a frequent commentator for national and international news channels
and newspapers. He writes about Iran, western Asia, and other subjects for The Daily Star
(Beirut), bitterlemons-international (Jerusalem), The Guardian (London) and contributes a monthly
column to the safe-democracy foundation in Madrid which is also available in Spanish and
circulated throughout Latin America. Educated at the Universities of Hamburg, American
(Washington DC) and Cambridge, Adib-Moghaddam convenes the MSc course in the
‘International Politics of the Middle East’ and a postgraduate seminar on ‘Islamic Political
Ideologies’.
Rochana Bajpai (BA, Maharaja Sayajirao University; MA, Jawaharlal Nehru University;
MPhil and DPhil, Oxford)
Dr. Bajpai's research interests are in political theory, particularly multiculturalism; political
ideologies, particularly approaches; and Indian politics, with specific reference to the politics of
caste, religion and democracy in India. Her publications appear in several edited books and in
journals such as Modern Asian Studies, Journal of Political Ideologies, Economic and Political
Weekly and Seminar. She is currently completing a book Debating Difference: Group Rights and
Democracy in India (forthcoming Oxford University Press, 2009), and starting a new project
comparing discourses of affirmative action in India and Malaysia.
She convenes the
undergraduate core course in political theory ‘Introduction to Political Study’ and the postgraduate
course ‘Government and Politics of Modern South Asia’.
Felix Berenskoetter (M.A., Rutgers; PhD, London School of Economics)
Dr. Berenskoetter’s research interests encompass International Relations Theory, concepts of
identity and power, politics of space and time, Cold War history, critical security studies, special
relationships, international institutions, European foreign and security policy and transatlantic
relations. He has published in a number of journals and is a former editor of Millennium and coeditor of Power in World Politics (2007). He is currently working on a book project about
international friendship and estrangement and is also doing research on policing beyond the state.
Stephen Chan (BA, MA, Auckland; MA, London; PhD, Kent)
MSc Convenor for Asia Politics, African Politics, State Society & Development
Stephen Chan is Professor of International Relations with special interests in Southern Africa and
in the multicultural composition of ethics. His most recent book is The End of Certainty (Zed
Press, 2009). He is also the co-author of The Zen of International Relations (Palgrave, 2001), and
the author of Robert Mugabe: A Life of Power and Violence (University of Michigan Press, 2002),
Out of Evil (University of Michigan Press, 2004), and Grasping Africa (I.B. Tauris, 2006).
34
Phil Clark (BInst Flinders, PhD Oxford)
Phil Clark is Lecturer in Comparative and International Politics, with reference to Africa. His
research addresses the history and politics of the African Great Lakes, focusing on causes of and
responses to genocide and other forms of mass conflict. His work also explores the theory and
practice of transitional justice, with particular emphasis on community-based approaches to
accountability and reconciliation and the law and politics of the International Criminal Court.
Bhavna Davé (BA, MA Bombay; MA and PhD, Syracuse, New York)
(On leave Term 2 2010/11)
Dr. Davé has conducted extensive research and field work in Central Asia, mainly in Kazakhstan
and Kyrgyzstan. She teaches a postgraduate course ‘Politics and Society in Central Asia’ and
undergraduate courses ‘Nationalism and Ethnicity’ (available to final year Politics students only)
and ‘Comparative Political Sociology of Asia and Africa’. Her research interests are in issues of
democratization, elections and political transition; language, ethnicity and migration in the postSoviet countries. She is the author of the book Kazakhstan: Ethnicity, Language and Power
(London: Routledge, 2007). Her publications include articles in Nations and Nationalism, PostSoviet Affairs and Problems of Post-Communism.
Dafydd J. Fell (BA Leeds; PhD London SOAS)
Dafydd Fell is the Senior Lecturer in Taiwan Studies at the Centre for Financial and Management
Studies and Department of Political Studies of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS),
University of London. He is also the Deputy Director of the SOAS Centre of Taiwan Studies and is
the coordinator for the European Association of Taiwan Studies. He has published numerous
articles on political parties and electioneering in Taiwan. His first book was Party Politics in Taiwan
(Routledge, 2005), which analyzed party change in the first fifteen years of multi-party
competition. In 2006 he co-edited What has Changed? Taiwan’s KMT and DPP Eras in
Comparative Perspective (Harrassowitz), a volume examining the impact of the first change in
ruling parties in Taiwan. In 2008 he edited a four volume reference collection of articles titled
Politics of Modern Taiwan (Routledge). He is also the book series editor for the new Routledge
Research on Taiwan Series.
Stephen Heder (BA, MA Cornell; PhD London)
(On leave Terms 2 & 3 2010/11)
Dr. Heder is a specialist on the politics of South East Asia, on which he has worked in various
professional capacities since 1973, academic and non-academic. His research interests include
nationalism, racism and genocide, democratisation and civil society, human rights, criminal justice,
state and other political violence, cultural politics and the politics of international organisations in
Asia and Africa. Among his recent publications are Cambodian Communism and the Vietnamese
Model: Imitation and Independence, 1930-1975 (2003); Seven Candidates for Prosecution:
Accountability for Crimes of the Khmer Rouge (2004); “Cambodia: Beginning or Death of Reform”
(2005); “Reassessing the Role of Senior Leaders and Local Officials in Democratic Kampuchea
Crimes” (2005), “Political Theatre in the 2003 Cambodian Elections” (2007), and “Politics,
Diplomacy, and Accountability in Cambodia” (2008). His most recent non-academic endeavour
was working as an investigator for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal.
Stephen Hopgood (BSc Bristol; DPhil Oxford)
(On leave 2010/11)
Dr. Hopgood's current research interests focus on the politics and sociology of human rights and
humanitarianism. Recent publications include: Keepers of the Flame: Understanding Amnesty
International (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2006), and 'Saying "No" to Wal-Mart? Money and
morality in professional humanitarianism.' Michael Barnett and Thomas G Weiss (eds) in
Humanitarianism in Question: Politics, Power, Ethics (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2008: 98123). He also recently published 'The Tamil Tigers, 1987 – 2002' in Diego Gambetta (ed.) Making
Sense of Suicide Missions (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005). Previous publications include:
American Foreign Environmental Policy and the Power of the State (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1998), 'Reading the small print in global civil society: The inexorable hegemony of the
liberal self', Millennium: Journal of International Studies, vol. 29, no. 1, (2000), and 'Looking
beyond the "K-word": Embedded multilateralism in American foreign environmental policy', in
Rosemary Foot, S Neil MacFarlane & Michael Mastanduno (eds). US Hegemony and International
Organizations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003).
35
Salwa Ismail (BA, American University in Cairo; MA McMaster; PhD McGill)
(On leave 2010/11)
Prof. Ismail is Professor of Comparative Politics of the Middle East. Her research and writing
focuses on Islamist politics, and urban politics and state-society relations in the Middle East. She
has published widely on modern Islamic political thought, Islamist movements and questions of
urban governance. Her publications include Rethinking Islamist Politics: Culture, the State and
Islamism (I.B. Tauris, 2003&2006), and Political Life in Cairo’s New Quarters: Encountering the
Everyday State (University of Minnesota Press, 2006).
Laleh Khalili (BSc, Texas; MPhil and PhD, Columbia)
Dr. Khalili's research interests include policing and incarceration, gender, nationalism, political and
social movements, and refugees and diasporas in the Middle East. She is the author of Heroes
and Martyrs of Palestine: The Politics of National Commemoration (2007) as well as a number of
articles on the politics of violence, commemoration, and political contention. She is also part of
the editorial collective of Feminist Review. She is currently researching sovereignty, incarceration
and extra-territoriality in colonial counterinsurgencies.
Yuka Kobayashi (LLB, Kyoto; MPhil and DPhil, Oxford)
Dr. Kobayashi is the Lecturer in Chinese Politics at the Department of Politics and International
Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). She is also a Research Associate
at the University of Oxford and serves on the advisory panel of the Foundation for Law, Justice
and Society (FLJS). Her research interests include International Politics of China, Chinese Law
and Politics, International Politics of East Asia, International Law (International Economic Law,
Environmental Law, and Human Rights Law), and Theories of Compliance and Cooperation. Her
publications include: ‘The Impact of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on China’s Trade Policy:
A Case Study of the Telecommunications Sector’ in China’s Foreign Trade Policy: The New
Constituencies Ka Zeng ed. (London: Routledge, 2007) and ‘Still the “Troubled Moderniser” –
Three Decades of Chinese Environmental Diplomacy’ in Confronting Environmental Change Eco-Politics and Foreign Policy in East and Southeast Asia Paul Harris ed. (London: UN
University Press/Earthscan, 2005). She teaches MSc courses on China and International Politics
and International Politics of East Asia. Prior to joining SOAS, she was a Junior Research Fellow at
the University of Oxford.
Tat Yan Kong (BA, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; MPhil and DPhil, Oxford)
(On leave 2010/11)
Dr. Kong is interested in comparative political economy (varieties of capitalism, socialist to market
transitions) with particular reference to East Asia. He is also interested in security issues on the
Korean Peninsula. He is the author of The Politics of Economic Reform in South Korea: A Fragile
Miracle (Routledge, 2000) and co-editor of The Korean Peninsula in Transition (St-Antony’sMacmillan, 1996). His other publications include articles in journals such as Political Studies,
British Journal of Political Science, Review of International Political Economy, New Political
Economy, Government and Opposition, and Modern Asian Studies.
Mark Laffey (BA, MA Canterbury, New Zealand; PhD Minnesota)
MSc Convenor for International Relations
(On leave Term 2 2010/11)
Dr. Laffey is Senior Lecturer in International Politics, specialising in international theory,
international security, foreign policy analysis and US foreign policy. He has co-edited two books,
Cultures of Insecurity: States, Communities and the Production of Danger (Minnesota, 1999) and
Democracy, Liberalism and War: Rethinking the Democratic Peace Debate (Lynne Rienner, 2001)
and published in such journals as International Studies Quarterly, European Journal of
International Relations, Review of International Studies, Millennium: Journal of International
Studies, as well as a number of edited volumes. His current research interests include theorising
state action and postcolonial international theory.
Corinna Mullin (PhD, London School of Economics)
Dr. Mullin is a Lecturer in Comparative and International Politics, with reference to the Middle
East. Her current research involves comparative international political theory, considering both
points of commonality and contrast between Islamist and Western conceptions of peace, war,
36
justice, and sovereignty. Her work also entails an examination of how Islamist international
political theory, in conjunction with various material factors, impacts on the practice of specific
movements, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Matthew J. Nelson (BA Bowdoin; PhD, Columbia)
(On leave Terms 2 & 3 2010/11)
Dr. Nelson specialises in South Asian politics, with special reference to the politics of Islam and
democracy in North India and Pakistan. He is currently completing a book about the political
economy of customary and Islamic law in colonial and postcolonial Punjab; his new project
concerns religious (Islamic) education. In addition, Dr. Nelson has served as a consultant for The
Asia Foundation, the Asian Development Bank, and DFID on issues related to institutional reform
(law, education), field research design, and local (district and village-level) politics.
Lawrence Sáez (BA, University of California-Berkeley; MALD, Fletcher School of Law and
Diplomacy; PhD, University of Chicago)
MSc Exams Officer
Dr. Lawrence Sáez is Senior Lecturer in Comparative and International Politics (excluding the
Middle East). His research is focused on the intersection between comparative and international
political economy, particularly as it pertains to the challenges of economic reform across different
industry sectors in emerging markets. He is the author of Federalism Without a Centre: The
Impact of Political Reform and Economic Liberalization on India’s Federal System (Sage, 2002)
and Banking Reform in India and China (Palgrave MacMillan, 2004). He is the co-editor (with
Katharine Adeney) of Coalition Politics and Hindu Nationalism (Routledge, 2005). Dr Sáez is the
Chair of the Standing Group on Third World Politics of the European Consortium for Political
Research (ECPR) and is the Chair of the Politics of South Asia Specialist Group of the Political
Studies Association (PSA). He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the PSA.
Julia Strauss (BA Connecticut College; MA and PhD California-Berkeley)
Dr. Strauss teaches courses on 20th and 21st century China, state and society in China, and
contributes to the postgraduate course on State and Society in Asia and Africa. Her research
interests include: the evolution of the 20th century Chinese state; the interaction between culture
and institutions; comparative public administration, politics in Taiwan, and the implementation of
environmental regulation in the PRC. She has written articles on the civil service and examination
systems in the Republican period, the role of revolutionary terror in the regime consolidation of the
1950s, a book on institution building in the Chinese state during the 1930s, and is currently
working on a manuscript that covers the interaction of the state and civil service systems
throughout the entirety of the 20th and 21st century in China and Taiwan.
Charles Tripp (BA, Oxford; MSc and PhD, London)
MSc Convenor Middle East Politics
Prof. Tripp's research interests include the nature of autocracy, state and resistance in the Middle
East and the politics of Islamic identity. He teaches the MSc courses the ‘Politics of Resistance in
the Middle East’ and ‘State and Transformation in the Middle East’ and the BA course
‘Government and Politics in the Middle East’. He is the author of: Islam and the Moral Economy:
The Challenge of Capitalism (Cambridge University Press, 2006); A History of Iraq (Cambridge
University Press, 2007) and the joint author of Iran and Iraq at War (I.B. Tauris, 1988) and of IranSaudi Arabia Relations and Regional Order (IISS, 1996); editor of Contemporary Egypt: Through
Egyptian Eyes (Routledge, 1993); and co-editor of Egypt under Mubarak (Routledge, 1989) and
The Iraqi Aggression Against Kuwait (Westview, 1996). He has published articles on the domestic
politics and foreign policies of Iraq, Egypt, Sudan and Libya, as well as on aspects of Islamic
political thought.
Leslie Vinjamuri (BA, Wesleyan University; MSc London School of Economics; MPhil, PhD
Columbia University)
(On leave Terms 2 and 3)
Dr. Vinjamuri’s current research interests include international organisation, postconflict
reconstruction and statebuilding, the politics of international criminal justice, and civil liberties and
human rights in the war on terror. Her work on the politics of transitional justice has appeared in
International Security, Survival, the Annual Review of Political Science and other journals and
edited volumes. Dr. Vinjamuri is currently completing a book manuscript, War, Justice, and
37
Accountability since 1945. She also holds a grant from the Smith Richardson Foundation to study
issues pertaining to U.S. foreign policy and transitional justice. She has served as a consultant to
the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva on the role of justice and accountability in peace
accords. Previously she worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development, and
Congressional Research Service.
Thomas Young (BSc [Soc], MA [African Studies], MA [Philosophy] and PhD, London)
Dr. Young’s areas of interest are Mozambique; Africa as an object of Western intervention; the
theoretical foundations and practices of human rights and democracy agendas as part of a
globalisation process. He is the co-author of (with Margaret Hall) Confronting Leviathan:
Mozambique since Independence, (Hurst, 1997) and editor of Readings in African Politics, (James
Currey, 2003).
Senior Teaching Fellows (PG courses)
Hannes Baumann (hb23@soas.ac.uk): 15PPOC017 State and Development in Asia and
Africa
Alex Grainger (ag54@soas.ac.uk): 15PPOC247 Government and Politics of Southeast Asia
Dr. Winnie King (wk5@soas.ac.uk): 15PPOC251 International Politics of the East Asia
Lorraine Macmillan (lm43@soas.ac.uk): 15PPOH015 Security Governance
Dr. David Taylor (dt1@soas.ac.uk): 15PPOC003 Government and Politics of Modern South Asia
Dr. Anna Zelkina (az2@soas.ac.uk): 15PPOC007 Politics and Society of Central Asia
Student Representatives, Departmental Meeting and the Staff –Student Forum
Each year student representatives are elected for the BA, MSc and PhD programmes.
Representatives are invited to attend departmental meetings of the academic staff and to raise
matters of concern. There is also a staff-student forum for each programme. The forum is the
means by which student representatives and staff can issues relating to specific courses and
teachers, whereas the department meeting deals with more general issues. The forum meet at
least once a term. The MSc staff-student forum is made up of student representatives and MSc
Convenors and Exam Officer. You will be given more information about the election of student
representatives at the beginning of the first term.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Email
Students should check their SOAS email account regularly as important information about your degree
and/or courses will be sent from tutors and the faculty office. Details of how to forward messages
automatically to another email account (eg hotmail) are given in the Faculty Handbook and the Students
Union handbook.
Timetable
Students should check the up-to-date timetable by referring to www.soas.ac.uk/timetable. Although a
printed version of the timetable is displayed outside the Faculty Offices, it is essential that students consult
the latest web version of the timetable on a regular basis to check for changes. If you find that your core
courses clash you should complete the on-line form at www.soas.ac.uk/timetable or consult the Faculty
Office for advice.
Further information and clarification of the information in this handbook is available by writing to:
Dr. Lawrence Saez
MSc Convenor
Department of Politics and International Studies
Faculty of Law and Social Sciences
School of Oriental and African Studies
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
38
London WC1H 0XG
Telephone: 020 7898 4725
http://www.soas.ac.uk/Politics
email: ls4@soas.ac.uk
Application forms and further information about the School are available from the Registrar at the
above address and on the SOAS website http://www.soas.ac.uk. Application to undergraduate
degrees must be made through UCAS (see the School's Undergraduate Prospectus for further
details). Please note that only the Academic Registrar is able to offer places to applicants and
therefore all formal admissions requirements must be processed through his office. The Department
and its members, however, are happy to provide advice and assistance as appropriate.
39
SECTION G – GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Assessment
Each course is assessed separately using an appropriate combination of assessment methods (e.g.
essays, unseen examinations, presentations, oral examinations, practical assessments etc). The
assessment for each course within the department is detailed within the Course Information section of this
handbook – as are the summary of key regulations regarding assessment. Full details of assessment
regulations are provided in the Registry Handbooks available on-line.
Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching
The Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching is an experienced academic who supervises the structure
and development of taught courses across the School. If it is not possible for a solution to a student's
problem to be found at the departmental level, the Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching may be
contacted for advice.
Course
Each academic year, students study a combination of individual courses – full-time students to the value
of 4.0 units, part-time students usually to the value of 2.0 units (although this can vary). Course
descriptions are listed earlier in this handbook.
Exam Board
In July each year, all assessment results from that year are considered by the relevant Examination Subboard. This consists of department staff in addition to the Visiting Examiner(s). Medical notes and
requests for reinstatement of marks deducted for late submission are also considered by the Sub-Board.
Provisional marks are subsequently published to students during the summer. The Examination Subboard meets again in November to consider Dissertation marks and to make recommendations for
classifications for finalists - these are then forwarded onto the School Board of Examiners for their final
approval.
Student Support Office
The Student Support office, otherwise known as the Student Faculty Office, is responsible for many
administrative matters relating to students in the department and faculty – it should be your first port of call
for all queries relating to coursework, timetable, course registration etc.
Each of the three faculties has its own Faculty Office – so if you are taking a course in the one of the other
faculties, you will need to liaise with the other offices as appropriate. Contact details for the Arts &
Humanities and Languages & Cultures Faculty Offices are listed in the Faculty Handbook.
The Registry
The Registry deals with degree enrolment, fee payments and grant arrangements. It maintains central
records on all students and should be informed of changes in address, fee status and course units being
studied. It also arranges examinations and should be informed of any wish to withdraw from an
examination. Certificates of your registration with the School should be obtained from the Registry.
Seminars
Courses are generally taught in the form of two one-hourly lectures per week and one one-hourly tutorial
per week. A tutorial is a small class comprising approximately 10-15 students. Work prepared for the
tutorial is discussed and students are often expected to make a presentation. In the Department of
Economics, students must attend at least 50% of the tutorials of each course each term (except term 3) to
fulfill the minimum attendance requirement.
Visiting Examiners
Each Exam Board has at least one Visiting Examiner – an academic from another UK university who is
appointed to provide external approval for our academic standards. They do this by approving the exam
questions and by moderating a sample of exam scripts and coursework
40
SECTION H – CONTACT DETAILS
USEFUL CONTACTS
Faculty of Law and Social Sciences
Team Leader for Student Support
Wangari Muoria-Sal – 0207-898-4401 wm@soas.ac.uk
Faculty Officer with responsibility for Politics and International Studies
Yvonne Henry – 020 7 898 4473 yh22@soas.ac.uk
Faculty Administrator
Luke Dillon - 0207 898 4411
Associate Dean Learning and Teaching
Dr. Nigel Poole – 0207 898 4375 EMAIL: n.poole@soas.ac.uk
Associate Dean Research
Dr. Deborah Johnston – 0207 898 4494 – dj3@soas.ac.uk
Department of Politics and International Studies
Head of Department
Dr. Fiona Adamson – 0207 898 4683
Admissions Officer and Programme Convenor [programme enquiries]
MSc (Politics and International Politics)
Dr. Lawrence Saez – 0207 898 4725 ls4@soas.ac.uk
Registry (for enquiries re: admissions and applications)
Academic Registrar
David Christmas (registrar@soas.ac.uk)
Deputy Registrar
Nick Page (np1@soas.ac.uk)
Registry Enquiries
0207 898 4163
Student Services
To make appointments, contact Ambie René – 020 7074 5015 - email: ar40@soas.ac.uk
Counselling Service
Contact via Ambie René or email counsellors@soas.ac.uk
International Student and Welfare Service
Heather Phillips – 020 7074 5014 – email: welfare@soas.ac.uk
Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
Sachiko Kishi – 020 7074 5017 – email: sk110@soas.ac.uk
Faculty Student Disability Officer
Zoë Davis & Angela Axon – 020 7074 5018 - email: disabilities@soas.ac.uk
Library
Enquiries – 0207 898 4163 EMAIL: libenquiry@soas.ac.uk
SOAS Bookshop
Enquiries – 0207 898 4470 EMAIL: bookshop@soas.ac.uk
41
Academic Contact Details
Title
Surname
First name
Email
@soas.
ac.uk
Tel.
7898
+
Room
Job Title
Dr
Adamson
Fiona
fa33
4683
212
Dr
AdibMoghaddam
Arshin
aa106
4747
216
Dr
Bajpai
Rochana
rb6
4750
208
Senior Lecturer in International
Relations, Head of Department
Lecturer in Comparative and
International Politics of the Middle
East (on leave Terms 1 & 3)
Lecturer in Politics
Dr
Berenskoetter
Felix
Fb12
4682
204
Lecturer in International Relations
Prof.
Chan
Stephen
sc5
4655
262
Professor of International Relations
Dr
Clark
Phil
pc44
4611
535
Lecturer in Comparative and
International Politics with reference to
Africa
Dr
Davé
Bhavna
bd4
4734
224
Dr
Fell
Dafydd
df2
4206
201
Dr
Heder
Stephen
sh32
4707
222
Dr
Hopgood
Stephen
sh18
4738
209
Prof.
Ismail
Salwa
si1
4740
204
Dr
Khalili
Laleh
lk4
4735
210
Dr
Kobayashi
Yuka
yk37
4746
4417
Senior Lecturer in Central Asian
Politics (on leave Term 2)
Senior Lecturer in Taiwan Studies
(Politics)
Lecturer in South East Asian Politics
(on leave Terms 2 & 3)
Reader in International Politics
(on leave 2010/11)
Professor in Comparative Politics of
the Middle East (on leave 2010/11)
Senior Lecturer in Middle East Politics
(on leave Term 1)
Lecturer in Chinese Politics
Dr
Kong
Tat Yan
yk2
4743
206
Dr
Laffey
Mark
ml23
4744
211
Dr
Mullin
Corinna
cm29
4740
204
Lecturer in Middle East Politics
Dr
Nelson
Matt
mn6
4742
218
Dr
Sáez
Lawrence
ls4
4725
202
Lecturer in Politics
(on leave Terms 2 & 3)
Senior Lecturer in Comparative and
International Politics
Dr
Strauss
Julia
js11
4746
207
Prof
Tripp
Charles
ct2
4748
214
Dr
Vinjamuri
Leslie
lv
4758
213
Dr
Young
Thomas
ty
4732
215
42
Reader in Comparative Politics and
Development Studies; Head of
Department (on leave 2010/11)
Senior Lecturer in International
Politics (on leave Term 2)
Senior Lecturer in Chinese Politics
(on leave Term 1)
Professor in Middle East Politics
Lecturer in International Politics
(on leave Terms 2 & 3)
Senior Lecturer in African Politics
43
SECTION I – TERM DATES & KEY DEADLINES
TERM DATES & READING WEEKS 2010-2011
TERM
Term one
Reading Week
Term two
Reading Week
Term three
STARTS
Monday 27th September 2010
ENDS
Friday 17th December 2010
8th November 2010
Monday 10th January 2011
14th February 2011
Tuesday 26th April 2011
12th November 2010
Friday 25th March 2011
18th February 2011
Friday 17th June 2011
School Deadline (final date for submission of coursework)
4pm 6th May 2011
Examinations period:
9th May – 3rd June 2011
Graduation Ceremony:
TBC
This booklet (24th edition) was compiled in June 2010. Details of courses offered may change from time
to time, although every effort was made to ensure that the information was correct at the time of
publication. However, all information is subject to change. The most up-to-date version of this handbook
can be found in the relevant department section of the SOAS website here:
http://www.soas.ac.uk/departments/index.cfm
44
J. GETTING AROUND SOAS
Teaching at SOAS takes place on different sites. These are often abbreviated as follows:
RS = Russell Square – this is the main SOAS site, also known as College Buildings.
VS = Vernon Square – the site at Penton Rise, near King’s Cross Station
B or BS = Brunei Gallery
F or FB = the Faber Building, steps away from SOAS and the Brunei Gallery
30 RS = this is an address: 30 Russell Square, the west side of Russell Square
These abbreviations are used on the online timetable, and are combined with room numbers to show you
where your class is. Hence:
E.g.
B102 means room 102, 1st floor, Brunei
B202 means room 202, 2nd floor, Brunei
VSG111 means room 111, ground floor, Vernon Square
A number on its own means it is at the main SOAS building
E.g.
500, 459, 502.
Rooms G2, G50 etc, are on the Ground floor
KLT = The Khalili Lecture Theatre is in SOAS on the lower ground floor.
45
SOAS
Faculty of Law and Social Sciences
TIMETABLE 2010/2011
09:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
46
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00