University of Sussex

This module evaluates global political questions emanating from the Coronavirus pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the response to climate change. These crises paradigmatically shift the political agenda; alter the reception to dominant political ideologies; modify the behavior of political actors; challenge political governance; and oppose the credibility of abstract theoretical concepts. Additionally, the response to crisis events provides the greatest challenge to the resilience of the global political system. Students explore these questions from the perspective of Political Science and Political Theory, understand the implications of the Politics of Crisis, and attempt to articulate viable responses to these problems.

For businesses operating in the UK or the EU, three factors are important: environmental, social, and governance, commonly referred to as ESG. This course addresses the benefits and risks of technologic progress as possible solution for greener friendly solutions for infrastructure. The course discusses the use of social entrepreneurship, and the implementation of technology solutions as part of different generation of new smart infrastructures in the context of UN agenda for sustainability.

The course introduces seminal examples, key texts of game theory and relevant critical theory. Students consider the creative aspects of writing for games including: narrative and storyboards, world building, shooting/scripts, characters and avatars, players, virtuality and corporeality, queer feminist game play, play addiction, and algorithms and chance.

This course introduces the concept of climate justice through the world-leading sustainability research being done at the University of Sussex. Climate justice brings a focus on social equity and historical responsibility to understandings of climate change. It recognizes that climate change exacerbates existing inequalities and has a disproportionately high impact on those who are least responsible for causing the problem. In this course, explore questions of extractivism, climate responsibility, finance and funding, ecosystem uncertainty and activism through a series of lectures, case studies, seminars and workshops. Learn about the colonial roots of contemporary environmental justice conflicts and the range of responses proposed to the climate crisis, while working in groups to discuss, design and propose alternatives. The course is both solutions-focused and interactive, students have the chance to work in groups throughout as you reflect collectively on how they would address particular challenges. Teaching is conducted both inside and outside of the classroom, with workshops taking place in the landscape of the Brighton & Lewes Downs Biosphere Reserve and South Downs National Park. Assessments encourage students to engage proactively in practical examples of climate justice and develop their public communication skills.  Students work on a short group-produced presentation, podcast or video to explore a debate or an example of local activism, and the final assessment will be a blog designed to enhance public understanding of climate justice. 

This course develops fundamental laboratory skills: thin layer chromatography; reflux; distillation; vacuum filtration; determination of melting point; recrystallisation; solvent extraction; rotary evaporation; Soxhlet extraction. Lectures give a core understanding in three main chemical themes: nomenclature, isomerism, and reaction mechanisms. Students participate in workshops focused on lecture content and general academic skills, additionally participating in a collaborative group poster presentation, refining important employability skills.

This course looks to advance students' knowledge and use of the English language in diverse contexts and in developing their appreciation and understanding of aspects of British culture. The course consists of language workshops which focus on intercultural communication skills, as well as English language tuition and seminars on aspects of British culture including UK politics, British business, and trade. Other areas covered include AI applications in British business, as well as practical workshops where students work on supervised self-study activities, designed to boost language learning and/or cultural awareness. For the British culture component of the course, each week is themed: London and the world stage; British history; and British arts and culture. There are weekly trips related to the theme of the week.