Introduction

The module Introduction to States and Societies is designed to help students to develop the understanding and knowledge of key concepts and ideas related to states, societies and their interactions in an increasingly globalised world. The aim is to introduce students to issues of State legitimacy, the State as a community, the Territorial State; Power and Democracy; Identity, Civil Society and the Public Sphere; Citizenship and its Limits; Nationalism and Imagined Communities; The Armed State; Globalisation and Risk; Migration; Neoliberalism; Social Movements and Social Change; Rethinking State and Society in a Global World. This module will run throughout the semester (14 weeks).

Module summary content and aims

The module aims to:

• introduce students to concepts related to states and societies

• make students aware of the current topics related to states and societies that are important to understand the world

• develop students’ group working and group learning skills

• explain the shifts in concepts related to states and societies produced by globalisation

• raise awareness of the need to rethink these concepts in light of a changing global reality

Learning outcomes to be assessed

At the end of the module, you will be able to:

1. Understand contemporary global transformations in relation to states and societies in an increasingly globalised world.

2. Explain concepts related to states and societies, including concepts such as community, identity, civil society, citizenship, or nationalism

3. Describe the shifts in these concepts related to states and societies, and the need to rethink these concepts in relation to globalisation, migration, neoliberalism, the media or social movements.

4. Find an answer to a question, and present ideas and arguments answering this question related to states and societies.

Assessment and feedback

Summative assessment grid

Assessments 1–5:

In-class Exercises 1–5 (Quiz) (10% each)

Assessment 1: In-Class Exercise 1: Quiz (10%)

Weighting: 10% of the final mark

Date and method of submission: week 3 via NEO LMS

Word count or equivalent: 30 minutes

Assessment 2: In-Class Exercise 2: Quiz (10%)

Weighting: 10% of the final mark

Date and method of submission: week 5 via NEO LMS

Word count or equivalent: 30 minutes

Assessment 3: In-Class Exercise 3: Quiz (10%)

Weighting: 10% of the final mark

Date and method of submission: week 7 via NEO LMS

Word count or equivalent: 30 minutes

Assessment 4: In-Class Exercise 4: Quiz (10%)

Weighting: 10% of the final mark

Date and method of submission: week 9 via NEO LMS

Word count or equivalent: 30 minutes

Assessment 5: In-Class Exercise 5: Quiz (10%)

Weighting: 10% of the final mark

Date and method of submission: week 11 via NEO LMS

Word count or equivalent: 30 minutes

Assessment criteria for Assessments 1, 2 and 3 (LO1, LO2, LO3 and LO4 will be assessed)

This assessment will be marked according to the following criteria:

• Knowledge & Understanding

The student is able to accurately recount a wide range of factual information, with many indications of greater breadth and depth of knowledge. The student demonstrates knowledge of the different of the principles, terms and concepts covered throughout the module.

What this means: This means that a good in-class will demonstrates good engagement with the ideas relevant to the topic selected and good absorption of knowledge available in a range of valid research resources.

• Cognitive Skills

The student is able to select appropriate answers from a range provided by the module leader. The student demonstrates an ability to apply learning in a quiz situation. Furthermore, the student is able to demonstrate knowledge through the use of examples, and evidence. Moreover, the student is able to demonstrate knowledge in a coherent and appropriate structure and organization where the main points are developed logically and where the relevance of the material to the theme is made clear.

What this means: This means that you will demonstrate an ability to collect information about the topic you write about, some of which will be new and unfamiliar to you, while condensing this information clearly.

Assessment 6: Op-Ed 2000 Words, 50% of mark, Due Week 14

Students will write an op-ed (opinion-editorial) of the kind that appears in major newspapers like the Financial Times, the Guardian, and Bloomberg. The aim of op-eds is to convince the public of your argument on an issue in world politics/ business/general affairs. Students have to write an individual paper for this module. The paper should have a length of 1500 words (+/-10%). The paper should show evidence of independent research and reading. A minimum of 5-10 relevant academic references should be used and correctly referenced in the paper, and sources used should go beyond the reading provided in this Module Study Guide. Sources should be correctly cited in consistency with Harvard referencing style.

Assessment criteria for Assessment 6 (LO1, LO2, LO3 and LO4 will be assessed)

This assessment will be marked according to the following criteria:

• Knowledge and understanding (50%): The student has a comprehensive knowledge of the political ideas, personalities and/or concepts covered throughout the module. The student demonstrate in-depth engagement and breadth of coverage when discussing these topics. Moreover, the student is able to demonstrate knowledge in a coherent and appropriate structure and organization where the main points are developed logically and where the relevance of the material to the theme is made clear.

What this means: This means that a op-ed entry will demonstrates good engagement with the ideas relevant to the topic selected and good absorption of knowledge available in a range of valid research resources. It will be logically presented in such as way as to convince the reader (the markers) that it is a good effort at being a real world op-ed.

• Cognitive Skills (30%): The student is able to demonstrate knowledge through the use of examples, quotations and evidence. The student will demonstrate an ability to select relevant information and to make insightful abstractions from a clearly outline selection criteria. The student will demonstrate an ability to cope and digest unfamiliar information.

What this means: This means that you will demonstrate an ability to collect information about the topic you write about, some of which will be new and unfamiliar to you, while condensing this information into clear and insightful points that can convince the reader of your op-ed (the markers).

• Practical and Professional Skills (10%): The student is able to write the op-ed entry with evident independence of work and intellect as well as measure writing ability that provides a concise output while retaining information and presentation ability.

What this means: This means that your op-ed will be written in short, to the point, way that shows an ability to explain complex ideas in a clear way; as would be expected of your in professional work.

• Transferrable Key Skills (10%): The student is able to communicate ideas fluently in written form and using an appropriate style of writing. This written presentation element requires students to be able to present an assignment that is correct in terms of spelling, grammar, and paragraphing. The student is also able to consistently reference in accordance to Harvard style, including in-text referencing and full list of references. Moreover, the style of the entry is written in a convincing manner, demonstrating understanding of the professional standards used in the real-world.

What this means: This means your entry will be written in such a way as to look like a newspaper op-ed entry.

For guidance on online submission of assignments, including how to submit and how to access online feedback, please refer to the MIUC LMS student guideline.

Learning materials

Core textbook(s):

• Amenta, E.; Nash, K. and Scott, A. (2012) The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology, Wiley-Blackwell.

• Janozki, T. et. al. eds.(2005), The Handbook of Political Sociology: States, Civil Societies and Globalization.

IT, audio-visual or learning technology resources

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/

• IR Theory Knowledge Base, http://www.irtheory.com/know.htm

Other recommended reading:

• Beck, Ulrich. 2002. ‘The Terrorist Threat: World Risk Society Revisited’, Theory, Culture &

• Society, 19 (4): 39-55.

• Calhoun, Craig. 1993. ‘Nationalism and Ethnicity’, Annual Review of Sociology, 19: 211-239.

• Castells, Manuel. 2007. ‘Communication, Power and Counter-power in the Network Society’, International Journal of Communication, 1: 238-266.

• Castles, Stephen. 2003. ‘Towards a Sociology of Forced Migration and Social Transformation’, Sociology, 37 (1): 13-34.

• Harvey, David. 2007. ‘Neoliberalism as Creative Destruction’, The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 610: 22-44.

• Tilly, C. (1985) ‘War Making and State Making as Organised Crime’, pp. 169-186

See the module study guide here: /files/107987/Intro_to_States_and_Societies_-_2023_-_MSG.pdf