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Politics & Society Courses

Dig deeper into the issues making the news - from new technology and social media to the energy crisis, inequality and the threat of new conflicts - with our online political science and international relations courses.
Understand the geopolitical issues shaping our world, with our online political science and international relations courses.

Browse by topic or start date, to find the right course for you.

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Explore 22 courses

European University Institute (EUI)

Culture in the Digital Age

How has the cultural sector been affected by technology? Has tech created new opportunities? Get answers with this course.

3 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
European University Institute (EUI)

Interfaith Dialogue for Combating Extremism among Young People

Explore the role of interfaith education in preventing forms of violent extremism and building resilient communities.

3 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
St George's, University of London

Global Health Governance: Addressing Globalization and Health Inequities

Explore global health governance and the challenges facing healthcare workers and policymakers.

3 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
University of Bergen

Global Health, Conflict and Violence

Understand the role of medical peace work, and consider the role of healthcare workers in times of conflict and violence.

3 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Grenoble Ecole de Management

Global Studies: Risks and Threats in International Relations

Explore global issues and discover how cultural divides and security threats impact foreign affairs and global policies. | Passer en revue les enjeux mondiaux, évaluer l’impact des clivages culturels et des menaces sécuritaires sur la politique étrangère et internationale.

4 weeks
6 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
European University Institute (EUI)

Governing Religion: European Challenges and Asian Approaches

Explore the relationship between religions and governments and learn how religions have come to be governed across the world.

3 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Humanists UK

Humanist Lives

What does it mean to lead a humanist life? Find out by meeting humanists from around the world and hearing their stories.

6 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
UEA (University of East Anglia)

What is International Development?

Explore the key ideas, concepts and debates around the study of international development, using Nairobi in Kenya as a case study.

5 weeks
2 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
University of Exeter

Tipping Points: Climate Change and Society

Discover how rapid changes to natural systems may make Earth look very different in the future.

2 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Nankai University

China’s Role in Global Tourism Development

Understand the recent history of tourism in China and explore global tourism trends including medical tourism and smart tourism.

5 weeks
4 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
University of Exeter

Testing Times in the Classroom: Challenges of 21st Century Education

Explore debates surrounding education in the 21st century - how has education changed and what are the concerns for the future?

4 weeks
4 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
European University Institute (EUI)

Cultural Diplomacy

Get an introduction to cultural diplomacy, learning what it means, how it works, and its importance in today's polarised world.

3 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
University of Padova

Human Rights and International Criminal Law: An Introduction

Explore the connection between human rights law and international criminal law and reflect on their similarities and differences.

4 weeks
6 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Grenoble Ecole de Management

Global Studies: The Future of Globalization

Understand why some governments try to retrieve their sovereignty and leave global institutions. | Comprendre pourquoi certains gouvernements tentent de retrouver leur pleine souveraineté en quittant des institutions globales.

2 weeks
6 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
British Council

Ideas for a Better World: Leading Change Through Policymaking

Learn about policymaking and leadership from experts and inspirational leaders, and create your own policy action plan.

4 weeks
2 hrs per week
Free digital upgrade
University of Leeds

Introduction to Intercultural Studies: The Branding of Culture

Learn how products move across borders and how branding problematically draws on narratives of culture and place.

2 weeks
5 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
UCL (University College London)

Global Prosperity Beyond GDP

How can we think beyond GDP and build a prosperous economy that works better for people and the planet? Find out with this course.

4 weeks
2 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
European University Institute (EUI)

Why Do People Migrate? Theories

Explore theories about migration in greater depth and learn how migration is a constant phenomenon throughout human history.

3 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
UCL (University College London)

Making Babies in the 21st Century

Explore new reproductive technologies and discover the opportunities they provide and the profound social challenges they pose.

6 weeks
2 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
The Open University

Why Religion Matters: Religious Literacy, Culture and Diversity

Discover why religion is important for understanding and engaging with global challenges.

4 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Humanists UK

Introducing Humanism: Non-religious Approaches to Life

Learn about humanism - a non-religious, ethical worldview shared by millions across the world.

6 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Yad Vashem

Antisemitism: From Its Origins to the Present

Join 50 leading scholars in exploring antisemitism, from its roots to its contemporary forms.

6 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited

Explore the world's biggest issues with online politics and international relations courses

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Satisfy your interest in the issues affecting the economy, environment, and the world around us with online short courses, in-depth programs, microcredentials or full postgraduate degrees. Start learning for free on desktop, tablet, or mobile.

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Meet the people who love FutureLearn

I enjoyed everything. I am always against gender discrimination. As a teacher, I always fight for women's rights. I educate my female students to stand free in their own foot. I like to study the experiences of women from other countries and about women rights. I heard a little about the suffragettes but in this course, I learned very much about them and other brave women, about their fight. Thank you for this course.

Konul
Learner on Beyond the Ballot: Women’s Rights and Suffrage from 1866 to Today

As previously, FutureLearn excel themselves with this great little course on social media. It is accessible, lucid and interesting. The course leaders walk you through the steps in a fluid fashion, checking for understanding before moving on to the next stage. There is a helpful use of multi-media resources, and quiz tests to enhance the learning experience. Highly recommended!

Steff
Learner on Why We Post: the Anthropology of Social Media