The International Politics of Protection

Module code: PL7521

Protection is central to the theory and practice of politics. It relates to social contract theory, the consolidation of the modern state, cosmopolitan theory, human rights and state-building. Amongst all these political theories and events, protection remains a central concept.

This module sets out to examine the scope and limits of protection in contemporary international politics, asking about the agents, relationships and norms that help protect individual persons and groups from a range of ‘threats’ and other sources of harm.

The module also offers you an insight into the substantial and increasingly prominent international concern of statelessness. In doing so the module examines the theory and practice of nationality and discrimination, and their implications for protection of vulnerable individuals and groups.