Shaping the discipline
The impact of QAA benchmark statements on politics and international relations
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12869799 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alasdair Blair (0000-0002-3938-8976, corresponding author), John Craig (0000-0002-5350-0602), Rose Gann (0000-0003-0393-3204), Victoria Honeyman (0000-0003-2084-1395) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 670-687 |
| Publication date | 2025-04-10 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | European Political Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1680-4333 • E-ISSN: 1682-0983 |
| Publisher | Palgrave Macmillan (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1057/s41304-025-00525-9 |
| OpenAlex | W4409332548 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 14 |
The question ‘What is Politics and International Relations?’ often goes unasked, potentially leading to varied interpretations across universities. The review of the Quality Assurance Agency’s (QAA) Subject Benchmark Statement for Politics and International Relations in early 2022 provided a key moment to define the discipline. For over three decades, benchmark statements have been crucial in the UK higher education, guiding learning assurance and disciplinary self-definition. Despite their significance, the development process and impact of these benchmarks at a disciplinary level are underexplored. This article explores the history, development and influence of benchmark statements on Politics and International Relations, illustrating how they balance commonalities and differences across the UK institutions. It addresses concerns about the potential restrictiveness of these benchmarks and emphasises their voluntary nature. Through insights from four members of the Subject Benchmark Statement advisory group, the article aims to provide a thorough understanding of how benchmark statements shape and reflect the evolving landscape of the teaching of Politics and International Relations
Benchmark (surveying · Comparative politics · Economics · Geography · Global politics · International political economy · International relations · International studies · Multi-level governance · Political economy · Political philosophy · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Social science · Sociology · Law · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Political Science Research and Education · Public Administration
Everything for Sale? The Marketisation of UK Higher Education
Jean Blondel and the Development of European Political Science
The emergence of politics as a taught discipline at universities in the United Kingdom
The State” of International Studies
What Defines a Discipline and How We Teach and Study It? The Changing Scope and Role of the Subject Benchmark Statement for Politics and International Relations (IR) and Its Implications For the Teaching and Study of Politics and IR in Higher Education
Developing student character through disciplinary curricula
Concept Misformation in Comparative Politics
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |