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Challenges in Australian Foreign Policy (POLS90059)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2020
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
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This subject explores important contemporary challenges facing Australian foreign policy makers. Topics will include: the influence of settler-colonial origins on contemporary foreign policy/conflict over Australian identity and the “moral backwardness of international society”; the principal Australian foreign policy currents; the risks, constraints, and opportunities of the current phase of the Australia-United States alliance; the consequences for Australia of China’s re-emergence as a major Asia Pacific power; the role of Australia in global norm formation; regional security; Australia’s “liminality” in the Asia Pacific; relations with global and regional multilateral organisations; and the salience of theoretical debates (constructivism, realism, feminism, etc.) for Australian foreign policy formation.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should:
- Gain thorough knowledge of major aspects of contemporary Australian foreign policy;
- Strengthen analytical capacity about the complexities of the global and regional environment of Australian foreign policy;
- Increase understanding of choices and constraints in foreign policy;
- Review requirements and possibilities of new directions in Australian foreign policy.
Generic skills
- A strong capacity for contemporary historical analysis of international relations.
- Highly developed analytical capacity capacity for national and international political and strategic review.
- Advanced scholarly capacity to to identify crucial factors influencing issues, analyse them logically and develop persuasive arguments about them.
- Advanced capacity to write analytical policy papers papers and policy briefings.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Politics and International Studies at undergraduate level.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Essay one
| Week 4 | 20% |
Essay two
| Mid semester | 40% |
Essay three
| During the examination period | 40% |
Hurdle requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject and regular class participation is expected. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
Not available in 2020
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022