Last Friday was a tough one. Having tried out almost all the Honours courses I had to choose which four to do. There were six I would have been happy to do, but the best combination for me was:
Politics of International Migration - looking at an under-researched area of politics, formerly considered 'low politics' and outside the remit of serious, realist IR. But increasingly important. Why do people migrate? How much control do states have? Who sets and benefits from immigration policy? So moving beyond economic cost/benefit equations of migration to bring in political considerations as well.
Politics of Market Creation in Europe - one of the International Political Economy (IPE) -based classes at Vic (there are several offered). Looking at major theories of the relationship between politics (including but not limited to states) and economics (including but not limited to markets) and using examples from Europe to illustrate. Trying to unpack 'Globalisation' a little too.
Global Civil Society - looking at all the stuff that happens 'outside' states and inter-governmental organisations. So NGOs and social movements, and their effects on development at local, national, regional, global levels. From the discussion in class today, definitions aren't that simple though. Also looking at what 'Globalisation' might mean and what people do about it.
Political Sociology - reading and discussing the 'big ideas', the big frameworks of political systems and political change. Starting on Friday with Fukuyama and Huntington, proceeding from there to look at electoral systems, political choice etc.
Hard-core? Yes, more so than what I started at Canterbury. I'm very happy with the choice and combination. Plenty of intertwining, but minimal over-lapping (I won't be reading the same authors twice!)
And now just a bit over thirty weeks and 40,000 words separate me from an Honours degree.
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With thanks to Andy for the pasted content from an email I sent him last week
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