- Centre for the Study of Democracy
About me
Dr Frands Pedersen is Senior Lecturer in International Relations in Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Westminster. He has Masters degrees in Political Science (Aarhus, Denmark) and Diplomacy (Lancaster). He received his PhD (2000) for his thesis on sub-national authorities as international actors.
Dr Pedersen has led International Relations and European Union related modules at the Universities of Surrey, Central Lancashire and Westminster since 1998. In 2013, he was awarded a University of Westminster Teaching Fellowship in recognition of his contribution to innovation in learning and teaching. He has carried out extensive scholarly work on the pedagogical use of simulations and games, run projects and created shared resources to facilitate active learning (see, for example, http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Portal:Simulation_and_Gaming_Archive).
Dr Pedersen's current research revolves around city diplomacy, especially in the Nordic countries and the Baltic Sea Region, and pedagogical research on the use of simulations and games in higher education.
Teaching
Having previously taught introductory modules on international relations, and territorial politics, as well as post-graduate modules on European Integration Theory and Diplomacy, Dr Pedersen is currently leading five undergraduate modules, including:
- Globalization, Power and International Governance (year 1)
- Foreign Policy Analysis
- European Foreign Policy' (year 2)
- Diplomacy' and International Relations
- The Dissertation module (year 3)
- He also teaches on the MA International Relations Theory I module and supervises undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations
To encourage active and experiential learning Dr Pedersen organizes an annual visit to Brussels based institutions (NATO, the EU Commission, Council, and Parliament), as well as ad hoc simulations events with invited representatives from these institutions.
Grants and Awards
Dr Pedersen was awarded a University of Westminster Teaching Fellowship in 2013. He was granted funding from the Higher Education Academy (HEA) in 2011 to set up a Wikiversity site for, and run a workshop on, simulations and games for the wider politics community in the UK and beyond. Additional funding was received in 2013 from the HEA, Political Studies Association and the British International Studies Association to host their Annual Teaching and Learning Conference at Westminster 2013: http://bit.ly/1hPK2Ty
Research
Current Research
I am currently carrying out research on 'city diplomacy'.
Research groups
Security and International Relations Programme
Higher Education Research Centre
Centre for the Study of Democracy
Research Projects and Grants
C-SAP (HEA) funded project: Enhancing the Student Learning Experience: an archive of simulation and gaming materials for use in the teaching of politics and IR (2010/2011)
University of Westminster Inter-Disciplinary Learning and Teaching Project grant (2012-2013): CSEV-RBV
Comparative Study of the Educational Value of Real, Virtual, and Board Game Simulations,
Membership of professional bodies
British International Studies Association/BISA Learning and Teaching Group; Political Studies Association/Scandinavian Politics Specialist Group The Nordic International Studies Association UACES - University Association of Contemporary European Studies Fellow of the HEA - Member of the Politics Specialist Interest Group
Recent conference papers
(2014), 'Learning Enhancement through Simulations and Games - a comparative study of the benefits of role play, board game, and virtual simulations in Politics and IR teaching', paper presented at the APSA Learning and Teaching Conference, Philadelphia, US, 7-9 February.
(2(2013), 'Simulating European (Union) Foreign Policy - conceptualisation, design and evaluation', paper presented at the 'EU Simulations: Scholarly reflection and research on an innovative teaching methodology' workshop, at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany, 27-28 September.
(2013) 'Inter-Disciplinary Student-Centred Learning in Politics and International Relations through Simulations and Games', paper presented at the PSA Annual Conference, Cardiff, 25-27 March
(2012) 'Simulations and Games - a vehicle for interdisciplinary learning', presentation at the 5th Annual PSA/BISA Learning and Teaching Conference, Hull, 18-19 September.
(2012) 'Archive of Simulations and Games - for the enhancement of the learning experience', paper presented at the PSA Annual Conference, Belfast, 3-5 April,
(2012) 'Nordic Security and Andean Security - an historical institutionalist approach', paper presented at the PSA Annual Conference, Belfast, 3-5 April.
(2012) 'Collaboration or Competition in the Post-Browne/White Paper - an evaluation of the use of open educational resources', paper presented at the PSA Annual Conference, 3-5 April.
(2011) 'Nordic and Andean Security Cooperation', paper presented at Karlstad University, Sweden, 14 December.
(2011), 'Too Good to be True: the EEAS and the Nordic members of the 'awkward squad'', paper presented at the UACES Annual Conference, Cambridge University, 5-7 September.
(2011) 'Nordic Foreign Policy Cooperation - all for one and one for none', paper presented at the Political Studies Association Conference, London, 19-21 April.
Publications
For details of all my research outputs, visit my WestminsterResearch profile.