GY204      Half Unit
Political Geography

This information is for the 2024/25 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Murray Low

Availability

This course is available on the BA in Geography, BSc in Economic History and Geography, BSc in Environment and Development, BSc in Environment and Sustainable Development, BSc in Environment and Sustainable Development with Economics, BSc in Environmental Policy with Economics and BSc in Geography with Economics. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

Pre-requisites

GY100 would be advantageous.

Course content

An introduction to political geography. Topics covered include power and states, nationalism, collective mobilisation and social movements, elections, and democratisation.

Teaching

15 hours of lectures, 10 hours of classes and 5 hours of help sessions in the AT.

Formative coursework

Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the AT.

Indicative reading

  • Peter Taylor and Colin Flint (2018) Political Geography. Routledge.
  • Joe Painter and Alex Jeffrey (2009) Political Geography: an introduction to space and power. Sage.
  • Benedict Anderson (2016) Imagined Communities: reflections on the origins and spread of nationalism. Verso.
  • Sidney Tarrow (2011) Power in Movement: social movements and contentious politics. Cambridge University Press.
  • Ruth Collier (1999) Paths toward Democracy: the working class and elites in Western Europe and South America. Cambridge University Press.

Assessment

Take-home assessment (100%) in the WT.

7-day take-home assessment

Key facts

Department: Geography and Environment

Total students 2023/24: 32

Average class size 2023/24: 11

Capped 2023/24: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Communication