Unit Leader : Phil Marfleet
Credit Weighting : 20
Level: 3
Teaching Format : 2 hours lectures and 1 Seminars per week plus tutorials
Pre-requisite : Level 2 TWS or other Social Science
Aim
To provide students with an understanding of the international context
within which political, social and cultural relations in the Third World are
shaped. To enable students to analyse relations among Third World states
and non-state organisations and movements, and to evaluate their impact in
the global environment.
After completing the course students should:
(i) be familiar with key concepts in international relations theory as
expressed in the Third World.
(ii) have an understanding of the international framework imposed by
colonialism and by modern structures of economic and political domination.
(iii) understand how the interaction of nationalist movements and nation-
states among the countries of the South has affected structures in the
Third World today.
(iv) understand the character of superpower intervention in the Third
World and the current pattern of North-South relations.
(v) understand the nature of inter-governmental organisations and of
major non-state movements across the Third World.
(vi) think analytically about the international issues expressed by major
conflicts in the Third World.
Content:
(i) Introduction to international relations, problems of Eurocentrism and
relevance to Third World Studies. Key concepts in international relations:
actors in international politics, realism and neo-liberalism; the citizen, the
state and foreign policy; conflict and co-operation; international institutions;
social and cultural factors.
(ii) The legacy of colonialism: structures of economic domination, ties of
empire, the nation state.
(iii) Third World nationalism: new nations and national elites; pan-Islam,
pan-Arabism and pan-Africanism; early conflicts within nationalism - Latin
America, South Asia. Regional alliances - the Arab League, the Non-Aligned
Movement, the Organisation of African Unity, SADCC. Trade blocs, pressure
groups and cartels - Ecowas, the Andean Pact, Opec, Oapec.
(iv) Relations between North and South: interaction with the United
Nations, Gatt, the European Union; ties with the superpowers - the
Organisation for American States, the Baghdad Pact, Cento, Asean, Comecon.
Transnational corporations and the impact of capital movements.
(v) Superpower intervention in the Third World: case studies from among -
Cuba, Vietnam, Chile, Southern Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Gulf.
(vi) Modern conflicts between Third World states: case studies from among
- Vietnam and Cambodia, Pakistan and India, the Arab "Cold War", Ethiopia
and Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda, Iran and Iraq. Conflict resolution among
Third World states: Lebanon, Liberia.
(vii) Non-state movements and cultural exchange: liberation theology,
Islamic activism, indigenism, the women's movement, the human rights
movement, environmentalism - their impact on international and regional
relations. Relations with aid agencies and NGOs.
(viii) International relations after the Cold War. New alliances in the Third
World.
Assessment
(i) Structure: Coursework 60% - one 2,500-3,000-word essay (40%); one
assessed seminar paper (20%). Exam - 40%.
(ii) Criteria: the seminar paper aims to stimulate debate and to encourage
participation. Essays should enable students to explore specific issues and
to think analytically. The exam will assesses students' understanding of key
issues from the whole range of material covered in the course.
Indicative texts:
* Smith, M. (1992) Perspectives on World Politics
& Little, R.
Gill, S. & Law, D. (1990) The Global Political Economy
Shaw, M. (1994) Global Society and International Relations
Macfarlane, S. N. (1989) Superpower Rivalry and Third World
Nationalism
Halliday, F. (1984) The Making of the Second Cold War
Ayoob, N. (ed) (1980) Conflict and Intervention in the Third
World
Calvert, P. (1986) The Foreign Policy of New States
* - book for purchase