COURSE CURRICULUM

This interdisciplinary program at Sussex combines Anthropology and International Relations, providing students with a deep understanding of global societies, politics, and cultures. In the first year, students develop foundational knowledge through core modules covering key concepts in anthropology, international relations, the modern international order, and critical perspectives on capitalism, care, and the environment. The curriculum introduces students to analytical skills and theoretical frameworks to understand historical and contemporary global challenges. In the second year, students build on this foundation with modules in contemporary international theory, international political economy, ethnographic research methods, and religion, ritual, and global transformation, alongside optional courses exploring cities, culture, development, foreign policy, neoliberalism, and visual anthropology. The final year emphasizes independent research and specialization, with students completing an anthropology thesis and a dissertation in international relations. Optional modules allow exploration of diverse topics such as decolonial movements, human rights, geopolitics, environmental politics, activism, humanitarianism, global health, political ecology, and the international arms trade. The program equips students with the skills to analyze complex global issues, engage critically with contemporary debates, and apply interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving. Graduates gain expertise suitable for careers in international development, policy, research, advocacy, diplomacy, and global governance, with the ability to understand and address interconnected social, political, and cultural challenges.