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Political ordering
This free course, Political ordering, asks questions about what states are and how they are involved in the processes of governing and ordering social life. Building from an awareness of just how much of everyday life involves the state, the course questions whether states have this authority to govern. It also asks about situations in which ...
Free course
10 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
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Understanding devolution in Wales
This free course charts the transformation of the Welsh devolution settlement in the 20 years following the referendum on devolution in 1997. You will consider how an Assembly with minimal public support and limited law-making powers became a Parliament with the power to set taxes. You will explore some of the biggest challenges facing ...
Free course
12 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
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Nationalism, self-determination and secession
What makes a 'nation' and what makes peoples strive for nationhood? This free course, Nationalism, self-determination and secession, will provide you with an introduction to studying political ideas by looking at how people who see themselves as nations challenge the existing order to assert their right to a state of their own.
Free course
8 hours
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Social psychology and politics
Why are social psychologists interested in politics, and how can they help us understand things like social movements, protest and activism? This free course, Social psychology and politics, moves away from a state-centric study of politics and, using insights from social psychology, explores the role of identity, personality and culture for ...
Free course
8 hours
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Seeing institutions in different ways
To help you to understand the complexity of institutional development, this free course, Seeing institutions in different ways, will present institutions in three key ways: as rules and norms, as meanings and values and as big players. The rules govern social life and the norms establish how people should behave, while institutional development ...
Free course
12 hours
Level: 3 Advanced
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Who are Europeans?
What is Europe and what defines a European? This free course, Who are Europeans?, looks at the development of identities within Europe and the European Union. You will assess the mechanisms through which a new identity commitment is being formed and the limitations of and oppositions to this process. Can a genuine European identity ever be ...
Free course
8 hours
Level: 2 Intermediate
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What is Europe?
The European Union (EU), formed out of the ashes of the Second World War, continues to expand in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite the EU's growing size and significance, the question 'What is Europe?' still resonates through the continent. This free course looks at a range of different views on the question, contrasting ...
Free course
10 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
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Rising China and Africa's development: oil
China has emerged as a global economic superpower over the past few decades. This has sparked intense academic and popular debate about the long-term implications of its continued growth. The expansion of China into African countries in pursuit of natural resources has incited particular controversy – does it spell increased cooperation between...
Free course
15 hours
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Who counts as a refugee?
The words 'refugee' and 'asylum seeker' have a wide variety of connotations in Britain, many of them negative. This free course, Who counts as a refugee?, explores how changing social policy and terminology help to shape, and are shaped by, the experiences of people seeking asylum in the UK.
Free course
10 hours
Level: 3 Advanced
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Art and the Mexican Revolution
In this free course, Art and the Mexican Revolution, you will explore one of Diego Rivera’s key murals which was commissioned by the Mexican government in the period after the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920. These monumental public artworks, designed to win over the Mexican peasantry and working-class to the new post-revolutionary state, ...
Free course
7 hours
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Understanding economic inequality
This free course, Understanding economic inequality, explores the causes of economic inequality in modern times and its consequences for success for the economy. The course will encourage you to reflect on your personal experiences of inequality before looking at how the issue is approached in economics. You will study some of the different...
Free course
6 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
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Economics explains discrimination in the labour market
Discrimination in the labour market exists in many forms: the 'glass ceiling', ageism, racism, and so on. This free course, Economics explains discrimination in the labour market, will help you look at this problem from a new perspective: through economics. You will learn how economists have tried to understand what drives this distortion of the...
Free course
8 hours
Level: 3 Advanced
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Exploring economics: the secret life of t-shirts
This free course, Exploring economics: the secret life of t-shirts, aims to describe what goes into making and selling t-shirts. Which resources, which markets, who is involved, the income people get, the income and value they create are all discussed. You will explore these questions at different stages of the production of a t-shirt, and ...
Free course
6 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
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China and the USA: cooperation or conflict?
This free course explores the relationship between China and the United States and analyses whether China’s rapid rise will lead to greater cooperation or conflict with the US. The answer to this question will have profound implications for both countries and the wider international system. The course introduces some of the contemporary issues ...
Free course
15 hours
Level: 3 Advanced
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Rights and justice in international relations
Can the concept of human rights be applied across borders or are rights culturally specific? Is it realistic, or even desirable, to aim at an international system based on universal principles of justice? This free course, Rights and justice in international relations, takes a critical view of the assumption that 'rights are a good thing' and ...
Free course
13 hours
Level: 3 Advanced
This resource is part of the University Ready hub.
Find more resources like this on the hub homepage.
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University Ready hub
A collection of resources from all of Wales' universities to help you get started with higher education.
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