Teaching Politics and International Relations

ALASDAIR BLAIR Professor of Politics and International Relations and National Teaching Fellow, Department of Historical and Social Studies, De Montfort University, UK JACQUI BRIGGS Principle Lecturer in Politics at the University of Lincoln, UK and Associate Editor of European Political ScienceJOHN CRAIG National Teaching Fellow and Assistant Dean, School of Social Sciences and Law, Teesside University, UK STEVEN CURTIS Senior Lecturer in International Relations at London Metropolitan University, UK and a National Teaching Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.CATHY GORMLEY-HEENAN Director of the Institute for Research in Social Sciences (IRiSS) and Senior Lecturer, School of Criminology, Politics & Social Policy, University of Ulster, UK LISA HARRISON Head of Department History, Philosophy and Politics, University of the West of England, UK JON HERBERT Lecturer in American Studies, University of Keele, UK JENNIFER LEES-MARSHMENT Senior Lecturer in Political Studies, Department of Political Studies, University of Auckland, AustraliaCRISTINA LESTON-BANDEIRA Senior Lecturer in Legislative Studies, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Hull, UK SIMON LIGHTFOOT Senior Lecturer in European Politics, School of Politics and International studies, University of Leeds, UK SAMANTHA MCGINTY Research Assistant on a NTFS project looking at assessment and feedback, De Montfort University, UK LEE MARSDEN Senior Lecturer in International Relations, Political, Social and International Studies, University of East Anglia, UK DAVE MIDDLETON Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Studies, Open University, UK KNUT RODER Professor for Politics and Political Economy, Department of Business and Social Sciences, Saint Louis University - Madrid Campus, SpainCARMEL ROULSTON Senior Lecturer in Politics, School of Criminology, Politics & Social Policy, University of Ulster, UK CHRISTINA ROWLEY Lecturer in American Studies at Swansea University, UK HEATHER SAVIGNY Senior Lecturer in Politics, Political, Social and International Studies, University of East Anglia, UK LAURA J. SHEPHERD Senior Lecturer in International Relations, School of Social Sciences and International Studies, University of New South Wales, UK STEVE SPENCER Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Faculty of Development and SocietySheffield Hallam University, UK STEPHEN THORNTON Lecturer in Comparative Politics, School of European Studies, Cardiff University, UK MATTHEW WYMAN Senior Teaching Fellow, Politics, International Relations & Philosophy, Keele University, UK PENNY WELCH Learning and Teaching Co-ordinator, School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications, University of Wolverhampton, UK

'This is a excellent, timely and comprehensive series of reflections on key issues in teaching politics and international relations. The chapters examine questions raised by teaching controversial issues such as race, international terrorism, theory, as well as the matter of political bias, use of new technologies and assessment practices. The book considers pedagogical issues in a theoretical and practical way, particularly helpful in the current political climate. It represents an excellent synthesis of a generic 'teaching skills' handbook with the specificities of teaching politics and IR. Given the increasing significance of teaching and learning across the HE sector, the new university fees regime, growing awareness of the employability agenda and of 'student satisfaction' surveys, this book constitutes a practical manual for reflecting on our teaching and learning methods and, even more importantly, provides a series of gentle, practical and helpful nudges - focused on specific issues of common concern in political science and IR. Professional self-interest demands that political science and IR colleagues think about the issues raised in this unique book.' - Inderjeet Parmar, Professor and Chair of British International Studies Association 'This volume, focused on teaching and learning issues in the discipline area of Politics and IR, is greatly to be welcomed. As the editors point out, books on this subject are remarkably few and this at a time when the changing fees regime means that all Politics Departments will have to pay increased attention to teaching issues. Readers will find here the whole array of topics from what is distinctive about the teaching of Politics and IR, to the management of lectures and small group teaching, and the timely question of the particular challenges of teaching topics like 'race' and 'terrorism'. The authors draw on considerable background experience, and indeed include more than one winner of the Political Studies Association's Bernard Crick award for teaching. In sum, this book will be extremely helpful not only for those just setting out on their teaching careers but for all political studies teachers with an inclination to reflect upon their teaching approach and to keep up with relevant developments.' - Vicky Randall, Emeritus Professor and President of the Political Studies Association, UK 'This book quickly captured my attention. Graduate students and junior faculty, as well as senior faculty will benefit from reading the thoughtfully crafted chapters in this volume. Gormley-Heenan and Lightfoot, do an excellent job bringing together well-known scholars to address perennial as well as new debates regarding the teaching of politics. The authors not only situate the issues historically leading up to the current state of the field, but also include suggestions with direct classroom applicability. I found this book quite thought provoking. It encouraged me to critically reassess my own teaching practices.' - Carolyn M. Shaw, Wichita State University, USA

• Introduction; S.Lightfoot & C.Gormley-Heenan Teaching and Learning in Politics: Thinking about Teaching Politics Revisited; P.Welch What (If Anything) is Different about Teaching and Learning in Politics?; J.Craig Can Politics Be Benchmarked?; L.Harrison Enhancing Politics Teaching Through Active Learning; C.Leston-Bandeira Teaching Politics to Small Groups; J.Briggs How Relevant Are Other Ways To Learn?; S.Curtis Issues and Controversies Associated With the Use of New Technologies; S.Thornton Developing Assessment Practices in Politics; A.Blair & S.McGinty The Importance of Being Theoretical: Analysing Contemporary Politics; L.Marsden & H.Savigny Teaching Politics and Political Bias; C.Gormley-Heenan Contemporary Politics: Using the 'F' Word and Teaching Gender in International Relations; C.Rowley & L. J.Shepherd Teaching the 'Contested Concepts': International Terrorism Taught To Undergraduate Students in a Multi-Cultural Environment; K. Roder Teaching Race and Ethnicity: Towards an Engaged, Anti-Racist Pedagogy; S.Spencer Developing Research Literacy in Students; S.Lightfoot Supervising a Doctoral Dissertation in Politics; C.Roulston The Loneliness of the Long Distance Student: Supervising Students You Rarely See; D.Middleton From Politics Past to Politics Future: Addressing the Employability Agenda Through a Professional Politics Curriculum; M.Wyman, J. Lees-Marshment & J.Herbert