Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL2129: Gender, War and Militarism from a Feminist Perspective

This module descriptor refers to the 2023/4 academic year.

Overview

NQF Level	5
Credits	15	ECTS Value	7.5
Term(s) and duration	This module will run during term 2 (11 weeks)
Academic staff	Dr Sergio Catignani (Convenor)
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
Available via distance learning	No

This module employs feminist critiques of International Relations to introduce gender as a concept for examining war and military practices. Gender is employed both as a subject of study and as an analytical lens; and this twin approach allows us to raise different - and, possibly, more extensive - queries about the nature and the practices of war and war preparations. Please note that this module is not about military strategy or military history, but rather about developing knowledge and understanding that challenges and disrupts from a critical feminist perspective the logics of war, militarism and militarisation that permeate societies and international affairs in general.

As such, this module focuses on the gendered power relationships that embody and perpetuate violence and conflict at the local and global level. More crucially, the module challenges the function of war and the military in producing and preserving a range of military masculinities and femininities that are utilised to legitimise war, militarism and militarisation.

There are no pre-requisites for the module. It is suitable for both specialist and non-specialist students and recommended for those studying Politics/International Relations, as well as those on interdisciplinary pathways who have a particular interest in developing strong theoretical capabilities to critique political issues from a feminist perspective.

Module created	03/02/2023	Last revised	03/02/2023