Contents

General Information MA Overview Aims of the Course Career Destination Information Course Structure and Content Course Modules Elective Modules Work Placement Assessment Funding SPIRE Staff and Research Interests Application Information

General Information

Faculty and School:
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy (SPIRE)

Awards:
MA, PGDip, PGCert

Contact:
Kathryn Ainsworth

Position:
Postgraduate Co-Ordinator

Address:
SPIRE, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG
Tel: 01782 733347
Fax: 01782 733592
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.keele.ac.uk/spire/aboutspire

Dialogue Society (course partner) contact:
Dr Cem Erbil
Position:
Academic Director, the Dialogue Society
Address:
402 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PZ
Tel: 02076190361
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.dialoguesociety.org

This course is available for full-time and part-time study.

Course Fees UK/EU 2010/11 (2011/2012 fees are yet to be published)
Full-time - £3,440
Part-time - £1,850

Course Fees International 2010/11 (2011/2012 fees are yet to be published)
Full-time - £9,500
Part-time - N/A

Course start date:
October 2011

MA Overview

Introduction

The School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy (SPIRE) has an outstanding international reputation, evidenced by a 5A rating in the last Research Assessment Exercise, and a maximum score of 24 in the Quality Assurance Agency review of teaching. SPIRE contains some of the most prominent figures in the field, and provides a vibrant environment within which to pursue postgraduate study.

The MA in Dialogue Studies is designed for graduates who wish to examine and understand theories of dialogue and their applications in peacebuilding and in developing intercultural understanding and social cohesion. While definitions of "dialogue" will be explored in the course of the year, it might be loosely defined here as "a range of activities, including but not confined to discussion, through which people of different social, cultural and religious groups deliberately come together for meaningful and constructive interaction." The MA course explores the theory and practice of dialogue through a unique combination of taught subjects, research, skills-based training and a London-based internship.

The course fills a gap in postgraduate education provision by not only exploring the use of dialogue in conflict and post-conflict situations but also examining its use in combating discrimination, ghettoisation and extremism in countries such as the UK. The main core module accordingly both introduces dialogue for peacebuilding and explores the UK context for dialogue, drawing on the fields of sociology and history as well as politics.

The degree has a practical outlook and will equip students with knowledge, understanding and skills to effectively engage in and lead dialogue to advance intercultural interaction and understanding and social cohesion. It includes a work placement during which students will gain professional experience with the Dialogue Society. Practical elements will be supported by rigorous, reflective examination of the approaches of governmental and nongovernmental agencies to dialogue, social cohesion and reconciliation. The course's broad scope and interdisciplinary nature will encourage students to bring broad perspectives to bear on any specific local issues with which they engage professionally.

Students will be able to pursue their particular interests within the degree's broad remit through a wide choice of elective taught modules and through their dissertation. It will accordingly be possible for each student to choose whether to devote more attention to domestic or to international contexts for dialogue and whether to focus on its applications in peacebuilding or in the promotion of social cohesion.

The course consists of:

• Core module 1: Approaches in Dialogue
• Core module 2: Power, Knowledge and the World
• 2 elective taught modules
• A work placement at the Dialogue Society, with practical experience, further training and visits exploring multicultural London
• A 15,000 word dissertation

Who is it for?

• Students wishing to explore the theory and practice of intercultural dialogue in the UK context, and in conflict situations abroad
• Professionals and aspiring academics interested in core social issues such as intercultural dialogue, community relations and citizenship
• Activists and dialogue practitioners looking to develop their understanding of relevant social theory while enhancing essential dialogue skills

The MA offers:

• A cutting-edge combination of taught academic subjects, research, skills-based training and internship
• A postgraduate course designed and delivered in partnership by Keele University's internationally renowned School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy, and the Dialogue Society, a dynamic London-based dialogue charity
• A broad range of elective modules allowing students to pursue their own particular academic interests
• A head start in professional experience through an internship at the Dialogue Society in the heart of multicultural London
• Cultivation of an unusually wide range of valuable transferable skills, comprising academic, professional and personal skills
• Bursaries available to overseas students through the Dialogue Society in addition to those bursaries offered by SPIRE to selected postgraduates
• Quality research training and support

http://www.keele.ac.uk/spire/aboutspire
http://www.dialoguesociety.org/

Aims of the Course

The course aims to provide students with the conceptual and analytical skills and the factual knowledge to develop a critical understanding of theoretical and practical approaches to dialogue, peace-building and community cohesion. This understanding will be supported by understanding of key contexts for dialogue, in the UK and in selected conflict situations. The course also aims to equip students with practical skills to engage in and lead intercultural dialogue, chiefly through the professional experience and training provided through the Dialogue Society placement. Further, the course will prepare students for research and support them in producing a dissertation on their chosen topic.

Career Destination Information

The Dialogue Studies Masters is aimed at people who wish to pursue careers in a whole range of sectors. It is relevant to those wishing to gain employment in the civil or government service at the sub-national, national or global level, or to those looking to work with sub-national, national or international NGOs. The course will also be a good preparation for further postgraduate study and is ideally suited to those interested in pursuing study of the theory and practice of dialogue at PhD level and beyond.

In addition, students will graduate with a range of transferable skills beneficial in any number of contexts. These skills will include at least: cultural sensitivity; empathy; teamwork and leadership skills; project management skills; research skills; public speaking skills; ability to lead and chair discussions; mediation; negotiation; critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Course Structure and Content

The MA can be taken either as a one-year full-time or a two-year part-time programme.

The course consists of:

• 2 core modules (60 credits)
• 2 elective taught modules (30 credits)
• A work placement (30 credits)
• A 15,000 word dissertation (60credits).

Students must earn 180 credits in total. Classes are generally smaller than on undergraduate courses, enabling detailed and focused discussion and debate. The dissertation allows students to pursue research on a topic that is of particular interest to them.

Students unable to commit to the full MA course including the dissertation may take a Postgraduate Diploma or the Postgraduate Certificate in Dialogue Studies. For further information see course information on the Keele University website (www.keele.ac.uk)

Course Modules

All students will complete two core taught modules as follows:

1. Approaches to Dialogue (30 credits)
   This module will:
   1. Explore the UK context for dialogue, and government and non-government approaches to building a flourishing and harmonious diversity.
      • This part of the module will explore relevant elements of the make-up and characteristics of UK society. Drawing on sociology it will explore the cultural landscape of the UK, especially in its diverse cities.
      • Drawing on the field of public policy studies it will also examine UK social policies, notably exploring Labour's "multiculturalism" and the new coalition's perspectives on social cohesion.
      • In addition, students will be invited to research, discuss and evaluate the approaches of selected NGOs and community groups to intercultural relations and dialogue.
   2. Explore the application of dialogue in contexts of violent conflict and in post-conflict situations.
      This part of the module will give a selective overview of techniques used by government agencies, civil society groups and INGOs in conflict resolution and reconciliation work. It will be focused on the examination of a small number of key case studies, allowing students to critically evaluate techniques in individual contexts. They will be encouraged to reflect broadly on the place of dialogue in situations in which armed conflict is a present reality, situations in which it is a living memory and situations in which it is neither.
   
   
2. Power, Knowledge and the World (30 credits)
This module aims to provide a foundation in the philosophy of the social sciences and an examination of the core assumptions that underpin different approaches to knowledge generation. It also aims to provide an understanding of the politics and international relations of knowledge generation and circulation. In other words, it examines how social scientists have approached the questions of what to study, how to study, and the ways in which these issues are bound up with historical and current power structures in the world.

The module will prepare students to engage critically and reflectively with the content of the MA course and to undertake the research involved in writing their dissertation.

Elective Modules

Students will be able to pursue their own interests related to theories, practices and contexts for dialogue in choosing from an eclectic range of elective modules.

Elective modules will be chosen from a wide range of SPIRE modules. It may also be possible for students to take modules in Politics, Diplomatic Studies, Management, Sociology, Cultural Studies, Public Policy and History. The precise list of available modules may vary from year to year.

SPIRE modules:

• Approaches to European Integration: History and Practice.
• Right-wing Extremist/Populist Parties.
• Political Parties: Origins and Organisation.
• Nations and Nationalism in the Balkans.
• An International History of the Changing World.
• Perspectives in International Relations.
• Public Policy Analysis.
• Dimensions of Environmental Politics.
• Environment and Development in the Global South.
• Environment Diplomacy.
• Diplomatic Theory and Practice.
• Diplomatic Law.
• The Theory of Global Security.
• The Politics of Global Security.
• Terrorist Groups and Terror Regimes.
• The Changing World (adapted from BA Politics)
• British Government and Politics (adapted from BA Politics).

Modules from other Schools that might be of interest:

• Management School skills modules through which students may pursue valuable professional development to enhance their future career
  • Leading People (15 credits, PG Cert Leadership and Management);
  • People, Processes and Operations (15 credits, PG Cert Leadership and Management)
• Sociology modules, through which students may deepen their understanding of the UK context for dialogue
  • City Cultures (30 credits, MA Urban Futures and Sustainable Communities, School of Sociology and Criminology);
  • Urban Governance and Policy Making (30 credits, MA Urban Futures and Sustainable Communities, School of Sociology and Criminology);
• Global Media and Culture modules, giving students the opportunity to develop understanding of two key factors shaping British and international contexts for dialogue: globalisation and the legacy of colonialism
  • Colonialism and Post colonialism: Fiction, Film and Theory (30 credits, MA Global Media and Culture, Humanities);
  • Globalisation, Culture, Society (30 credits, MA Global Media and Culture, Humanities)
• Public Policy modules allowing students to expand their understanding of a key element of UK society which may significantly influence intercultural and interreligious relations and social cohesion
  • Economy and Public Policy: Explaining and Making Public Policy (30 credits, MA Public Policy, School of Public Policy and Professional Practice);
  • Policy Implementation and Governance: Policy in Action (30 credits, MA Public Policy, School of Public Policy and Professional Practice).
• History modules
  • Modern History (adapted from BA History, School of Humanities);
  • Imperialism (20 credits, adapted from BA History, School of Humanities);
  • Right-Wing Movements (20 credits, adapted from BA History, School of Humanities)

Students may also choose to study a modern foreign language (other than English).

Work Placement

10-week placement at the Dialogue Society during the Spring semester (30 credits). Students' activities will include:

• Supporting ongoing Dialogue Society projects. For example, students may be involved in running community events such as community dinners, and they may be engaged with the planning, organising and evaluation of seminars.
• Attending weekly sessions at the Dialogue Society's Dialogue School. This will enable students to further explore and discuss different approaches to dialogue as well as providing training in a number of key skills for organised dialogue.
• Networking at external events
• Exploring the cultural, religious and political landscape of multicultural London through visits to stakeholders, other dialogue NGOs and places of worship
• Producing a reflective placement diary.

Assessment

• Examination of taught modules will be by written coursework and assessment of tutorial performance only (no written examinations)
• The work placement will be assessed on:
  • attendance
  • performance and management of assigned tasks
  • the student's written plans and records
  • the student's placement diary
• Students demonstrating an outstanding level of work will receive their degree with distinction.

Funding

SPIRE offers a limited number of bursaries to postgraduate students. Details are available on SPIRE's website.
The Dialogue Society offers a limited number of bursaries for the Dialogue Studies MA postgraduate degree. The bursary only covers the difference between overseas and home fee rate. Effectively therefore, successful students will only pay University fee at home fee rate. To apply for a Dialogue Society bursary, students must first receive an offer from Keele University for this degree.

SPIRE Staff and Research Interests

Professor Chris Bailey - Environmental policy-making in the USA.
Dr Elisabeth Carter - Political Parties and Party Systems, Electoral Systems, Right Wing Extremism.
Professor Costas Constantinou - Global Politics and Culture, Theories of Mediation and Diplomacy, Politics and Language, History of Social and Political Thought, Cyprus.
Professor Andrew Dobson - Environmental political theory.
Dr Brian Doherty - Politics of social movements; green parties; ideologies of radical social movements.
Professor Tim Doyle - Environmental politics and social movements.
Mr Kyril Drezov - Post communist Eastern Europe. Dr David Dunn - Peace Research, Conflict Resolution and Theoretical Issues in International Relations.
Prof Bulent Gokay - Decline and Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe and post-Soviet space, Eurasian Oil Politics, Nationalism in the Balkans, Espionage and International Politics.
Dr Jon Herbert - US politics. Professor John Horton - Contemporary Political Philosophy.
Dr Robert Ladrech - Social democratic parties; European transnational party federations; French political parties.
Dr Lorna Lloyd - Diplomatic, historical, legal and political aspects of the League of Nations, the UN, the Commonwealth, the permanent Court of International Justice.
Dr Kurt Richard Luther - Radical right-wing parties; parties and consociational democracy; parties and party system in Austria.
Dr Sherilyn MacGregor - Environmental Political Theory Feminism. Dr Monica Mookherjee - Feminist and multicultural aspects of contemporary political philosophy.
Professor Glen Newey - Contemporary Political Philosophy.
Professor Rosemary O'Kane - Revolutions, coups d'état, military regimes and terror states.
Dr Jonathan Parker - US politics.
Dr Helen Parr - British foreign policy, the Cold War, Britain and Europe.
Dr Steve Quilley - Ethics of land use, wildlife habitats, risk.
Mr David Scrivener - Arctic international relations; international environmental co-operation; arms control.
Mr Naveed Sheikh - Islam, security studies, terrorism and political violence.
Professor Patrick Thornberry - Public international law and human rights.
Professor John Vogler - International Relations of the environment, the EU as a global actor; politics of the global commons; regime theory.
Professor Rob Walker - Sovereignty and subjectivity, international political theory, theories of modernity the spatiotemporal framing of political practice.

Application Information

Application date

There is no formal closing date for applications, and applications will be considered up until the beginning of the academic year in September.

Processing Applications

The university aims to process applications, and dispatch our decision on your application, within 15 working days. Please allow the time for post to reach you; the university will send offer letters by surface mail only.

Entry Requirements

Prospective students are expected to have a second class honours degree in International Relations or in social science or humanities subjects. www.keele.ac.uk/postgraduate

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, the university will usually ask you to take one of the internationally recognised English language qualifications for entry to Keele, such as IELTS, Cambridge ESOL Examinations or the TOEFL examination.

• The minimum score for entry to most courses is IELTS 6.5 (with at least 5 in each sub-test)
• TOEFL (paper test 550, computer-based 213 or Internet-based (iB) 79/80 minimum)
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
• Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)
• GCSE English Language grade C

Please note that IELTS/TOEFL tests must be no more than 2 years old at the start of the course for which you have applied.

If you decide to meet the English language requirements by attending an English course at Walsall College or at Chester language school, the university will make your offer unconditional when you have applied for a place on the relevant course. The university will send you application forms for these colleges with your offer letter, plus a booklet explaining the options that are available.

Making an Application

To complete the application form you need to give the following information:

1. Your relevant qualifications, including copies of certificates and transcripts
2. Details of any courses you are completing at the time the application is submitted - if you are currently completing an undergraduate degree or equivalent and have transcripts of your progress please submit these with your application. You can make an application before you complete your degree course and/or take your English language test - in these cases the university makes conditional offers.
3. Where appropriate, details of employment and professional experience
4. A personal statement demonstrating clearly why you are applying for the course, the nature of your interest in it, and what benefits you expect to gain
5. Your English language qualifications
6. The names of two referees (and references if available at this stage)

All applications should be submitted using the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM. If this is problematic please contact the Postgraduate Office for alternative ways to apply. You can also download a REFERENCE FORM if you wish to use one.

Pre-Arrival Information

Once you have accepted the unconditional offer of a place at Keele, or met the conditions of any offer, then you will be sent pre-arrival information by the Postgraduate Office. The university will send this out from July for students starting their course in September the same year. In addition, your School will contact you about starting your course and any preparations you need to make.

Further information

For further information please visit:
http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgapply/
http://www.keele.ac.uk/spire/ourpostgraduatecourses/mastersfaqs/FAQs%20for%20Masters.pdf

© 2011 Keele University
Address Information:
Keele University
Keele
Staffordshire ST5 5BG
Tel: +44 (0) 1782 732 000