Global Philosophies & Worldviews and International Relations

GLOBAL PHILOSOPHIES & WORLDVIEWS

*This course is open for 2026 entry only

Liverpool is a gateway to the world. This city is home to the oldest Chinatown in Europe, its links with West Africa and the Americas were forged in the dark days of the transatlantic slave trade, and over one-and-a-half million Irish people passed through its port during the ‘Great Hunger’ of the 1845-52 Potato Famine. Each of the communities that have passed through this city brought with them their own ways of understanding the world their worldviews.

Liverpool, of course, is like nowhere else on the planet; it has its unique accent, a biting sense of humour, and an amazing cultural life. And each community that passes through the city leaves something of itself behind, adding to the cultural mix that makes Liverpool a truly global city. That makes Liverpool the perfect place to study how people today deal with all those different ideas and conflicting opinions that pop into the apps on our phones and computers. The roots of Liverpool Hope lie in the work pioneers such as Catholic Archbishop Worlock and Anglican Bishop Sheppard to bring about community reconciliation in the city. So, Liverpool Hope is the perfect place to ask how people today find their way through our media-saturated world. Here How do people coexist with others whose worldview is radically different to their own? What makes for a global citizen? What can we learn from people who are very different from ourselves? What can the story and the people of this city teach us?

This Major gives you a chance to delve into these questions. You will explore what can be learned from the ‘wisdom’ of different traditions in our pluralist contemporary world - chiefly by asking how other people have worked through questions like these. This will take you on a journey across the world. You will study in depth how the philosophical and religious traditions of Asia have tackled these questions. You will also look at the ways that Western philosophers and Jewish, Muslim and Christian theologians have explored them. Along the way you will look at how people form - and reform their worldview. You will ask such questions as does scientism lead to a reduction in human capacity for engaging with reality?  Is the Western secularisation model fundamentally colonialist?

The course gives its students the chance to step back from the noise of our digital world, and develop the professional skill of being able to engage closely with ideas and worldviews that are often misunderstood or underrepresented in society. So, people who take this course will be well-grounded for the kinds of careers that involve understanding, advocacy and working with different communities – for example journalism, the law, policing, politics, education, human resource management.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

International Relations is a part of Political Science. It looks at the global system and its effects on politics. Students learn about nation-states, cooperation, conflict, the causes of war, and the rules that keep order and peace. This International Relations course combines history, sociology, anthropology, media, law, and economics.

Our academic team includes internationally recognised experts. They publish in top peer-reviewed journals and with prestigious academic presses. Their research looks at state behavior and foreign policies. They study the UK, US, EU, and Latin America. They also explore conflict resolution, international law, and regional integration. This course tackles urgent global issues.

Students receive strong career support and practical experience. With help from civil servants and diplomats, they represent the University in model CoP and NATO negotiations. These events, organised by the British International Studies Association in London, help develop diplomatic skills and expand networks.

The "Practitioners in Politics and International Relations" series teams up with the Careers Office and Student Futures. It brings in leaders, like Members of Parliament and the Mayor of Liverpool, to help students explore political careers. Our team supports student engagement with the ‘Civil Service Masterclass.’ This programme, run by ‘Unique and Special Projects,’ is backed by the Department of Education, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Metro Mayor.