PO2WAP: War and Peace Since 1800

Module code: PO2WAP

Module provider: Politics; School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Geoff Sloan, email: G.R.Sloan@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 16 September 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

WAP is designed to explore the theory and practice of war and peace in a historical context. There is a focus on strategic history, this is history that has been influenced, and shaped, by the threat or use of force. This course has a focus on both force and the social and political context which gives meaning to that force.WAP will explain that war is not only about warfare –the military conduct of war –also war can be understood as political, social ,and cultural behaviour.  

This course aims to evaluate the high and low points of human conflict over a 200 year period. Historical evidence will be used to analyse strategic ideas.WAP has both integrity as a stand –alone experience for undergraduates, and is designed as a foundation for those who wish to pursue further the war, peace and international relations theme in their degree. 

Finally, WAP is a complement to the Part 2 module, Contemporary Strategy.         

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Explain how war has evolved from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the end of the Cold War. 
2. Evaluate the different approaches to peace that have been attempted over a span of two hundred years. 
3. Appraise how the changing phenomena of war and warfare  develops an ability to interpret international relations.    

Module content

1. Carl von Clausewitz and the Theory of War. 
2. From Limited War to National War: The French Revolution and the Napoleonic Way of War. 
3. The Industrial Revolution and the Wars of the Nineteenth Century. 
4. The Great War and the invention of Modern Warfare, 1914-18. (2 Lectures) 
5. The Twenty Year Armistice and the Mechanization of Warfare,1918-40. 
6. World War II; Total War in Europe,1939-45.(part 1) 
7. World War II: Total War in Europe ,1939-45. (part 2) 
8. World War II: Global War and the War Against Japan (part 1) 
9.  World War II: Global War and the War Against Japan (part 2) 
10. The Nuclear Revolution and the Cold War. 
11. Irregular Warfare: Guerrillas and Terrorists. 
12. The Challenge of Peace: Making Peace Out of War ;Force ,Order and Justice. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The backbone of this course will be 12 lectures delivered over the course of the semester. Each lecture will be backed up with a seminar. These seminars will use a variety of teaching methods. This will range from student presentations, the use of pertinent primary source documents, and the use of guest speakers (former serving officers in HM forces) to address specific topics of the course.

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Discussion of the content given by the guest speaker presentation.  

Reassessment

Additional costs