Trump, Brexit, and Global Politics

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The goal of this module is to understand and/or explain the major political shifts that have taken place in both the US and UK and their wider implications (if any) for global politics. The module will interrogate arguments surrounding the success of both Donald J. Trump and the Brexit campaign which revolve around class and opportunity, economic inequality, race and migration, identity politics, an urban-rural divide, anti-cosmopolitanism, populism and anti-establishment politics. Through a Problem Based Learning approach the module will assess if this is part of a wider challenge to the broad liberal democratic 'order' and globalisation, or are perhaps unique to the Anglo-Saxon world. The module will then go on to assess the implications of these two particular phenomena for global politics. This will include critical analysis (always working in student teams) of the implications for multilateralism, international trade, a multi-polar world order, the pursuit of universal human rights and international security.