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What will I study?
Overview
200 point program (2 years full-time)
This is our most popular program for those who have completed undergraduate study. No experience is necessary.
- 100 points of Compulsory subjects
- 25 points of Capstone subjects
- 75 points of Elective subjects
150 point program (1.5 years full-time)
This is for graduates who have completed a Bachelor of Arts degree, or equivalent.
- 87.5 points of Compulsory subjects
- 25 points of Capstone subjects
- 37.5 points of Elective subjects
100 point program (1 year full-time)
This is for graduates who have completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree, or equivalent.
- 87.5 points of Compulsory subjects
- 12.5 points of Capstone subjects
Capstone requirement
Please note: All students are required to complete the Capstone Requirement for the program. Written permission from the program and subject coordinator must be provided to undertake any electives that are not listed as part of the program, including language subjects, to a maximum of 12.5 points in total across the duration of the program.
For more detailed information please see the Executive Master of Arts Handbook entry
Explore this course
Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this degree.
- 12.5 pts
Great books teach us how to describe experience, how to evaluate it, and how to imagine its liberating transformation. They deepen our engagement with critical traditions of thought that extend back through time and, by doing this, they enable us to better understand and address key issues facing the world today. Emboldened and impelled by the voices of great thinkers and writers, we gather crucial lessons on leadership, empathy, moral capacity, critical thinking, cultural complexity, social difference, creativity and innovation and arguably the very meaning of being human. Given what we can do in the world today, great books also help us to think about what we should do. This subject provides a critical introduction to ten great works on the basis that answers to the challenges of our era won’t simply come from technical skills, managerial capacity or datasets alone, but from a developed knowledge of the powerful ideas that underpin literature, history and philosophy.
- 12.5 pts
Budgeting & Financial Management, like most areas of work, requires an understanding of a specific vocabulary, an ability to overcome anxiety and fears, and the discipline to consistently apply foundation principles. This subject is designed to provide students with the ability apply the foundation principles of financial management and budgeting in the context of a variety of organisations. Specifically, the program will examine the language of financial management and budgeting, how foundation principles of financial management and budgeting can be used to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of organisations and the natural tensions that arise between financial management and the non-financial goals of organisations. The subject makes extensive use of practical and case based learning. Students are required to complete a work-related assignment.
- 12.5 pts
While we often speak of ‘born leaders’, leadership is also an art and a practice that can be learned. This subject is designed to help students to develop their leadership skills through the study of well-known leaders, theories of leadership and assessment of and reflection on their own leadership actions. The subject will critically examine concepts and definitions of leadership and how they have changed over time; leadership within and outside formal roles and organisational settings; the exercise of leadership, power, and authority; and the role of values and ethics in leadership. Study, discussion and analysis of leadership theory will be complemented by experiential activities, case studies of real leaders, guest speakers, and opportunities for group discussion and critical self-reflection.
- 12.5 pts
This subject is designed to provide students with the ability to apply the foundation principles of project management in a variety of contexts. The program will examine the language of project management, and how foundation principles of project management can be used to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of organisations. This subject will equip students with the skills and background information to successfully complete an internship with an external organisation or a group project.
Using different Project Management methodologies including PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments), students will learn:
- how to develop a project, a business plan, and timelines;
- how to manage stakeholders and risks; and how to communicate project results.
Finally, students will develop a career plan and a CV that profiles the knowledge, skills and insights that have been acquired during the course of their university study, and in particular, during their EMA degree.
- 12.5 pts
This subject introduces students to the fundamentals of successful communication in professional contexts. It focuses on both oral and written communications and canvases a range of contemporary communications skills and practices, using case study and simulation-based approaches to build practical skills and theoretical understandings. Areas covered include business speaking and presentation, strategic organisational communication, the basics of strategic public communications as practiced in the advertising and public relations industries, and cross-cultural communication. Students also gain an understanding of the changes impacting the contemporary organisational communications environment, such as media convergence, and the challenges posed to organisational communications by the emergence of digital media. Students completing this subject will have acquired a strong understanding of contemporary professional communications practices, and practical tools for effective communication, with a particular emphasis on leadership.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the ‘secret life of organisations’ using a range of disciplinary approaches to the different functions and structures of corporate, government and non-government organisations Students will examine the history of organisations and the nature of work people do within them. They will also consider how distinct types of organisations have reacted and adapted to what the sociologist Richard Sennett has called the ‘new capitalism’—the growth of non-traditional organisational structures, and a broader shift to a knowledge-based service economy. At the same time students will grapple with the practicalities of how to work in such organisations, by considering the strategies managers use to pursue organisational goals, and how such organisations are best negotiated by workers to exert influence and show leadership within them. Students will develop an understanding of the history and structure of the sociological ‘field’ of modern organisations, and a practical grasp of how best to make their way in the world of work.
- 12.5 pts
This subject focuses on critical and creative thinking and how we can best develop and harness good ideas. The critical thinking component explores critical reasoning, causal reasoning and decision theory. The creative thinking component explores how we understand the relationship between critical and creative thinking, acknowledging that ideas about creative thinking are often ‘fuzzy’. Exercises and assessments in the first half of the subject will provide a framework for exploring how critical thinking works with creativity; the creative workshops in the second half will be geared to assessment and how we put knowledge into practice.
- 12.5 pts
Moral decision-making is a practical skill which we exercise many times a day, confidently and accurately. Sometimes, however, we face situations of moral complexity or novelty, where it is not obvious what we should do. In this subject, we look at the ways in which moral theory can assist us to think about such situations, particularly as they arise in our working and organisational life. We begin by examining the nature of moral reasoning, and then see how it can be applied to a number of ethical issues which we are likely to encounter in our professional lives. These issues may include, autonomy and paternalism, role morality and its relationship with personal morality, whistle-blowing, free speech in the workplace, personal and professional relationships, corruption and bribery, conflicts of interest, and privacy and confidentiality. We focus on the factors that help or hinder ethical action in organizational settings, including both structural elements (such as role clarity, avoidance of perverse incentives, accountability mechanisms) and personal traits (such as cognitive biases and moral (dis)engagement). Case studies will provide a focus for reflective work: students will be encouraged to develop case studies from their own experience, and pursue their own interests.
- 25 pts
The Group Project is a group research project, undertaken for an external organisation, with the aim of investigating and proposing a solution to a real problem or challenge for the organisation. The Group Project provides an opportunity for students to work in teams, to apply and extend their knowledge acquired in the EMA coursework modules, and to further their experiential learning in a specific professional context. Integral to this learning experience are team work, understanding the needs of the organisation and engaging with the organisation to define the problem to be solved, the scope of the project, and the nature of the final product. Students in the Group Project will be supervised by the Subject Coordinator in collaboration with a Designated Supervisor at the external host organisation. The student teams will have the opportunity to be co-located with the external organisation, to extend their professional networks, and to acquire appropriate professional work experience. Students will deliver the results of their project to the organisation in both written format and in a formal presentation. Students will also have the opportunity to reflect on their experience.
- 25 pts
Students enrolled in this subject will complete a four-week (full-time equivalent) internship with an external organisation. Students will be supervised by the Subject Coordinator in collaboration with a designated party at the host organisation. Students will work across a range of tasks relevant to the organisation’s objectives, and will develop and complete a specific project in discussion with the host organisation and the Subject Coordinator. The Internship experience will enable students to extend and apply the knowledge acquired through the EMA, will provide students with a valuable professional experience, and will extend their professional networks. The internship will facilitate the application of knowledge acquired through coursework to a professional workplace.
- 25 pts
This subject involves a supervised research report or thesis of 10,000 words (excluding supplementary text such as footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, abstract etc). The project will embody the results of the student’s own research and it is expected that the research topic will relate to a discipline or study area relevant to the EMA and/or to career development. It is strongly advised that students contact the EMA Course Coordinator in the semester prior to enrolment in this subject so that appropriate supervision and expectations can be discussed.
- 12.5 pts
The information in this section applies to both MGMT90235 EMA Special Project (Year Long) Part 1 and MGMT90236 EMA Special Project (Year Long) Part 2. This subject involves a supervised research report or thesis of 10,000 words (excluding supplementary text such as footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, abstract etc) which must be completed over two consecutive semesters. The project will embody the results of the student’s own research and it is expected that the research topic will relate to a discipline or study area relevant to the EMA and/or to career development. It is strongly advised that students contact the EMA Course Coordinator in the semester prior to enrolment in this subject so that appropriate supervision and expectations can be discussed.
- 12.5 pts
Refer to MGMT90235 EMA Special Project (Year Long) Part 1 for details.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the exhibition of contemporary art in international survey exhibitions since the 1960s, delineating the methods that curators and directors have tested in response to the needs of art museums, bureaucracies, artists and publics across a range of geographic settings. The subject will examine a sequence of exhibitions from Australia and overseas, including early, national pavilion-based Venice Biennales, the director-driven 1970s Documentas, the 1980s global circuit of Biennales (including Sydney's), the newer Asian biennales (including Brisbane's Asia-Pacific triennials), the commercial art fairs (Frieze and the New York Armory Show). The subject considers these exhibitions' impact on contemporary art, as well as the roles of sponsorship, philanthropy and exhibition directors.
- 12.5 pts
This subject introduces students to theoretical perspectives on arts and cultural policy and explains how various historical, political, and cultural contexts shape cultural policies in different nation states. The subject provides a broad overview of multiple aspects of cultural policies including regulating public arts, preserving national cultural heritage, contributing to sustainable economic, environmental, and urban development, as well as protecting cultural diversity on local and global levels. The subject explains how different political and cultural actors are involved in complex processes of creating, communicating, restructuring, or resisting cultural policies and how they affect local economies, reframe social and cultural composition of communities, as well as contribute to place branding.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines audience development and retention in arts and cultural activities through a variety of professional techniques including programming and content analysis, analysis of existing and lapsed audiences, and methods for researching arts audiences. Lectures and seminars will address a range of themes underpinning audience research and development. These include research into attitudes to the arts, economic and social trends that impact attendance at arts events, and the relationships that audiences establish with artworks and performances.
- 12.5 pts
Cultural festivals, carnivals and special events are a prominent feature of arts and cultural activities at the local, national and international level. Through a series of international and local case studies, this subject will examine the economic and artistic origins of and rationales for these events in the context of a range of theoretical framings. Students will be asked to consider a variety of professional and critical approaches to evaluating these events, including programming and content analysis, audiences, creative labour, place-making strategies and the role of artistic directors. The influence of ritual, invented traditions and the carnivalesque in contemporary festival practices, along with the historical and political underpinning of festivals, will also be explored in order to appreciate the diverse range of interests that are served by such events and the social and political contexts within which they take place.
- 12.5 pts
Throughout the world many people are disillusioned with politics. Some are cynical. People who are disillusioned still hold to the standards that make them disillusioned with the conduct of politicians. People who are cynical no longer believe in those standards. In between, there are people who smile ironically or even scoff when others speak dignity of politics. They believe the phrase is an oxymoron.
The subject will explain why it is important to distinguish morality from ethics and why we should think of morality, law and politics as distinctive forms of ethical value, interdependent with one another, but sometimes necessarily in conflict. It will explore reasons for believing that politics is a vocation to which a morally serious person can give himself or herself with passion and integrity.
- 12.5 pts
Human Rights on the Screen will allow students to investigate the unique ways that visual cultures present and intervene in human rights issues of concern to local and global communities. It will also explore the relationship between human rights and animal ethics. This subject will offer students real world opportunities to become involved with Human Rights arts and film festivals and to create their own moving image projects (eg. a short film, a virtual community, a promotional campaign, a blog or website) and to curate and organise projects for not for profit organisations in response to current real world situations.
This subject offers students opportunities to create visual media and research projects within a real world context. Human Rights on the Screen will be open to all students within the Cultural Management masters programs.
- 12.5 pts
This subject focuses on the idea that since the 1970s there has been a rise in punitiveness and a change in the character and purposes of involuntary detention in western countries. The subject asks students to identify and understand the different domains in which punitive tendencies might be found, including in areas such as immigration that traditionally have lain outside criminology’s interests. It will introduce students to key debates within contemporary criminology concerning the extent, substance and reasons for changes in punitiveness and the changing face of detention practices. The subject will explore through a series of case studies the experiences of groups upon whom the weight of such measures of have fallen – particularly, women, indigenous minorities and ‘illegal’ migrants. It will also consider some of the key penal mechanisms – such as parole release – that have become part of an increasingly fractious politics of punishment and detention. On completion of the subject students should have an understanding of both the data and explanatory and theoretical arguments concerning what has been seen as a major defining feature of most western nations' recent history: the inexorable rise of punitive attitudes and spread of new forms of involuntary detention.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the relation between Indigenous peoples, justice and the law, through the lens of sovereignty. It reflects critically on the concept of sovereignty, its powerful propensity to transcend its social origins, and its fortress status in law. Through first examining European law’s relation to Indigenous peoples from 1492, the course explores correlations between Europe’s economic expansion and the development of sovereignty, property, and race as key notions that underpin both individual nation-states and the international order they constitute. In bringing this analysis to bear on contemporary aspirations for structural justice, the course then considers the possibilities and limitations of current legal concepts and mechanisms – in both local and global domains – such as prevailing notions of sovereignty, native title, human rights, crimes against humanity, and transitional justice. Finally, the course presents examples of innovative contemporary interventions in support of structural justice in settler states, promoting new ways to think about their complex pasts and presents, and possible future directions.
- 12.5 pts
Crime is an issue of great social, individual and cultural concern. This subject investigates some of the ways in which crime is represented, talked about, and interpreted in popular culture and the media. The subject focuses on two issues: first, the skills and techniques required to interpret representations of crime (such as those in newspapers, film, literature, art, and television); and second, the significance and implications of images of crime in popular culture and the media. The subject includes an emphasis on interpretive and analytical skills, covering film and television analysis, aspects of narrative criticism, and techniques of news media analysis. The subject engages with a broad range of case studies of crime as it is represented in popular culture and the media, including street art and graffiti, controversial artwork, drug use, sexual assault, terrorism, the Holocaust, homicide and family violence.
- 12.5 pts
While organised crime has existed for centuries, it is only recently that the international community has begun to take it seriously as a transnational ‘soft’ (i.e. non-military) security issue. For example, the most frequently cited convention against transnational organised crime – that of the UN – dates only from 2000. Similarly, while drug and weapons trafficking has long been a concern of states and IOs (International Organisations), the focus on human trafficking essentially dates from the late-1990s. Human trafficking is now seen as the fastest growing form of trafficking and, along with cybercrime, the preferred form of criminal activity for an increasing number of criminal gangs and organisations. This subject will explore both the phenomena of transnational organised crime (TOC) and human trafficking, and the discourses surrounding them. The coverage will be international, but with an emphasis on Europe and South-east Asia. The subject will focus on trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation, but will also consider other forms of human trafficking.
- 12.5 pts
How do we adapt to new cultural settings and function effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity? How do we orient ourselves to knowledge that accounts for cultural complexity? This subject addresses these questions by examining cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence is concerned not only with producing social and institutional sustainability but the frameworks and practices which enable people to thrive in, belong to and enhance the communities in which they live and work. This subject will examine: management approaches to cultural intelligence, cultural complexity theory, everyday multiculturalism and cultural diversity planning, across a range of sites and case studies including the multi-ethnic workplace, the cross-cultural marketplace, social contract learning, cultural statistics, creative industries, social media and open source intelligence. Introducing the cultural dimensions of organisational strategy, governance and competency, students will learn how cultural intelligence can potentially mitigate cultural complexity.
- 12.5 pts
Over the course of the last thirty years, an 'associational revolution' has swept the world, as more and more civil society organizations have taken over tasks formerly assigned to states, formed cross-border advocacy campaigns to hold both states and corporations accountable for labor, environmental, and human rights violations, and formulated alternative development policies that run counter to the paradigms espoused by the World Bank and other multilateral lending organizations. While some argue that this associational revolution promises more participatory, expedient, and decentralized forms of transnational governance, others contend that it reflects little more than the ongoing privatization of the public sphere at the hands of transnational capital. In this course, we evaluate these and alternative perspectives by exploring transformations in the structure of the global political-economy over the past thirty years; looking closely at the roles played by a variety of NGOs and CBOs as part of more multi-layered regimes of 'global governance'; analyzing the shifts in state structures that have made these regimes possible; and teasing apart the ongoing tensions between various factions of what some have called, an emerging 'global civil society'. Case studies will be drawn from Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.
- 12.5 pts
This subject introduces students to important debates on the role of formal and informal politics in development in Africa. The subject explores the contested processes of socio-economic and political-institutional change across a variety of contexts in sub-Saharan Africa, together with the underlying dynamics of identity formation and allegiance, state formation, power divides and conflict. The subject encourages students to think critically about the normative implications of different approaches to the politics of development, and the empirical challenges of working in what are, in development, highly politically charged environments. This subject examines key themes in the study of Sub-Saharan African development, focusing on the political aspects of development, and applying theoretical and conceptual work in the field to the study of a range of particular development challenges facing the region. The course aims to provide students who have little prior study of Sub-Saharan Africa or African development with a foundation that can be used in further study. As such, the subject is selective in its choice of both general scholarly themes and empirical material.
Note: This subject is taught within the Masters in Development Studies, however students from other disciplines in the social sciences are welcome.
- 12.5 pts
This subject introduces and analyses critical concepts and terms central to debates over climate change, including risk and uncertainty, adaptation and mitigation, burden sharing, and problems and issues relating to regimes, strategies and policy instruments for addressing global warming. The subject considers the rise of climate change as a policy problem. It reviews and analyses the history of climate change policy as it has evolved nationally and internationally. It examines the interactions between national and regional climate policy, including in Australia, the United States, the European Union and China. It analyses debates and concerns that have led to the evolution of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and more recent arrangements. Students will consider a range of policy instruments, including carbon taxes and emissions trading, and technologies that have been proposed or deployed to address this issue. This subject enables students to understand the evolution of a critical global environmental issue. It offers insights into technical, political, ethical and ecological issues that have framed climate change policy, particularly since 1992, and enables students to think critically about and participate in developing policy in this domain.
- 12.5 pts
This subject is designed for graduate students who would like to improve their spoken English skills for professional contexts. It is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language.
Students who complete this subject will become familiar with Australian English pronunciation, will develop confidence and self-awareness, and will improve the clarity and fluency of their speech for use in professional communication. The content covers various aspects of pronunciation, such as individual sounds, sound combinations, syllables and word stress, rhythm, sentence stress, connected speech processes and intonation. Students will also improve their listening-discrimination skills, develop an understanding of the basic processes involved in speech production and gain practical knowledge about the communicative nature of sentence stress and intonation, especially as they apply to workplace settings.
- 12.5 pts
The subject aims to improve students’ ability to edit their written texts in order to produce grammatically accurate and stylistically appropriate texts for professional purposes. The subject begins with a review of the most frequent errors in the writing of students who speak English as a Second Language, including errors in morphology, syntax, cohesion, and punctuation, and then considers the impact that such errors may have on meaning. In the second half of the subject, students engage in linguistic analysis of a range of work-place texts (e.g. short reports, media releases). The aim of this analysis is to identify the most salient grammatical and stylistic features that contribute to the clarity of the texts. Throughout the subject students will engage in identifying areas of concern in their writing (annotation), self and peer editing exercises, keeping logs of their progress, and using available online grammar resources.
- 12.5 pts
This subject aims to develop effective written communication skills for use in professional workplace contexts. It is designed for graduate students, who are speakers of English as an additional language. Given the wide range of professional workplaces and modes of writing found within these, this subject aims to help students reflect on the different contexts and interactions that are at stake in professional reading and writing. It will do this by teaching students techniques of text analysis to assist them in identifying the conventions of a variety of genres encountered in the workplace. Students will also develop skills in structuring and writing texts that respond appropriately and flexibly to a range of communicative purposes and audiences. Particular attention will be paid to workplace modes of writing (including promotional and hortatory text types), and to the processes of collaborative professional writing.
- 12.5 pts
This subject enhances students’ ability to communicate effectively and strategically in English-speaking professional settings in Australia and internationally. Students will acquire research-based discourse analytic tools to understand workplace cultures and norms of interaction, and develop practical skills in advanced spoken and email-based workplace interaction. Topics include opening and closing conversations, engaging in small talk, raising sensitive issues with peers and superior, making and responding to requests, complaints, and refusals from a position of strength and weakness, structuring short ad hoc speeches, participating in job interviews, and understanding cultural norms of humour, sarcasm and non-literal language use. There will be an emphasis throughout on intercultural differences and awareness raising of how cultural norms impact interaction.
Note: This subject is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language. It is not suitable for native speakers of English.
- 12.5 pts
The history wars between Japan and China over Japan's war time roles periodically cause diplomatic fall outs between these two countries. Within the borders of Indonesia and Cambodia memories of violence are equally contested. Drawing on theoretical reflections on history and memory, on memory and identity politics, memory and the body, memory and gender students in this subject will learn to critically analyse memories or representations of violence in a range of Asian contexts. We will also engage with and reflect on a variety of media of memory such as narratives or testimony, museums, monuments, commemorative ceremonies, Internet sites, art and photographs. We will also reflect on the ethics and problems associated with researching and writing about memories and violence and related issues of truth and justice. The subject will include a number of case studies such as Japanese historical revisionism, the related memory wars in China over Japanese representations of the Nanjing Massacre and in Korea over the so called 'Comfort Women'. Further case studies might include memories of decolonisation wars, commemoration of the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, representations of the 1965 anti-communist killings in Indonesia, representations of the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, representations of the the Cultural Revolution in China and representations of the Vietnam War in Vietnam.
- 12.5 pts
The basic meaning of the word Jihad is 'effort', one to achieve a positive goal. The effort can be personal and spiritual, to achieve piety and moral integrity, or collective and physical participation in warfare to protect or advance a moral and Islamic society. This subject studies the second of those manifestations, but with a vital awareness of the importance of the first. It explores the religious political and social context of warfare in the Middle East and North Africa between the local population and various European and 'western' enemies, and in particular the ways in which wars were conducted. Using primary sources, it will examine concepts of honour and sacrifice, warfare and the notion of 'just' war. It will begin with a background in the early Islamic period, but concentrating on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in order to examine concepts of pre-colonial resistance, wars of liberation and the clash of civilisations that is proposed to explain present-day conflict. Students will be asked to place the primary sources in a contemporary theoretical perspective and so develop an understanding of the ways in which warfare between Muslims and Europeans has changed during the colonial and postcolonial periods.
- 12.5 pts
Questions of trust, effective communication, and judging credibility, are integral to the assessment of knowledge claims both within science and in the context of public debate. Questions about trust and legitimate communication consequently arise every day in a range of professional contexts, for example in scientific research and the dissemination of scientific knowledge, in journalism and media, public relations, and in police, accounting and development work, etc. But what makes one trustworthy? How do we pick out who the experts are? This course will interest students in a wide range of careers.
Questions to be covered:
Trust
- What is trust? What makes one trustworthy?
- Is there a decline in trust, in the media, in politicians, or in scientists for example?
- Do we need to trust our sources of information, and do they need to trust us?
- How do we manage conflicts that arise in relationships of trust?
Communication
- What indicators do people rely on when communicating with others?
- How do communication patterns vary from context to context, such as face-to-face, in broader media, and in ethically and politically contested public spaces?
- What makes someone a credible source of information?
- What role does the conveyance of quality information play in contested social debates, and what role should it play?
- Are public debates about communicating information or voicing substantive differences?
Expertise
- What makes someone an expert?
- What role do ‘experts’ play in public debate?
- Should we defer to experts?
- What if even the experts disagree?
- Can lay people contribute expertise?
- 12.5 pts
From genetic modification to climate change, science seems to be embroiled in an ever-growing number of public controversies. Some of these controversies are international in scope. Others have unfolded in the distinctive environment of Australia’s public policy and research apparatus, sometimes with lessons for the international stage. Drawing on case studies, this subject observes and analyses the interactions of science, public discourse, and national and international policy formation. The subject will examine questions such as: What policy positions are taken and by which agencies? What are the dynamics of the interactions between them? What are the roles and limits of science and scientific evidence in such controversies? How may such controversies be resolved? Examples of areas of controversy that may be considered are: Genetics and Food Production (e.g. Mad-Cow Disease); Genetics and Biomedicine (e.g. Racial Profiling, Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis); Alternatives to Western Medicine; Approaches to Greenhouse Gas Reduction; Nano Technologies; Energy Production; Water Policy; Digital Privacy and Surveillance; Freedom of Information and Expression in the Online World; Transhumanism; Geo-Engineering (e.g. Fracking); Climategate.
- 12.5 pts
This subject explores key issues facing managers of international businesses. These include the need to develop skills in cross-cultural communication, negotiation, conflict resolution and global teamwork within the firm and with other parties in host countries. This subject further explores how managers respond positively to the challenges of using a multi-cultural workforce, including expatriates, global teams and operating a business in a number of culturally-distinct environments.
- 12.5 pts
This subject looks at the impact of a rising China in the globalised world. It examines contemporary China's relations with various powers, regions and global institutions, particularly in the context of its phenomenal rise in the last four decades. The subject also explores key issues related to China's rise: state-society relations, economic development, participation in regional and global institutions, disputes and conflict resolution etc.
- 12.5 pts
Contemporary Middle East explores the modern political landscape of the Middle East, with a special focus on academic freedom in the region. It takes a country by country approach to build a holistic understanding of the historical, political, religious, cultural and regional forces that have shaped 20th and 21st century Middle Eastern political culture. Contemporary Middle East also explores the key role external players, including the United States, Russia and the United Nations have played in the modern politics of the region.
This unit also offers students innovative assessment tasks. First, students can utilize their understanding of regional politics to respond to a hypothetical political development in the form of a crisis briefing document. Second, students can engage with the issue of academic freedom in the Middle East through a focused day exploring a case-study, culminating in a short position paper detailing the case-study and its context for a UN audience. This component of the program has been developed with the NY-based NGO, Scholars at Risk (SAR).
- 12.5 pts
What is the intersection of religion and politics? This is a common theme in explorations of Islam and its role in the modern world. This subject explores how different states and organizations have reconciled religious and political objectives. It achieves this with a focus on the study of primary sources, such as constitutions, manifestos and charters to understand how states and organizations understand themselves.
This unit surveys a number of key organisations and states in the Middle East, drawing on case studies to explore fundamental questions such as the relationship between Islam and concepts such as democracy, resistance and nationalism. This unit will then offer an exploration of Australian policy responses to different states and organizations, with a view to contextualizing Australian approaches to our region and beyond.
- 12.5 pts
This dynamic and interdisciplinary subject adopts an industry and policy-orientated approach to analysing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states that will be of considerable benefit to students keen to internationalise their learning. ‘Understanding the Gulf States’ combines the academic expertise of Asia Institute scholars with the practical experience of partners in industry and government to explore the historical, political, economic and cultural climate of the Arab Gulf states. This subject tracks the GCC’s institutional history and provides an up-to-date analysis of key developments in member states. Drawing on the practical knowledge and experience of external specialists from fields including diplomacy, trade, business and politics, this innovative subject examines issues such as human rights, Islamic banking, the role of Iran, Australian trade and diplomatic relations and resource security in this vital region.
- 12.5 pts
Philosophical Foundations of Law is an interdisciplinary subject, run by Law School faculty members, faculty members from the School of History and Philosophical Studies, and prominent members of the judiciary. The aim of this subject is twofold – first, to develop in students a high-level understanding of how legal rules embody, and reflect, important philosophical and moral notions which are themselves examinable; and, second, to develop in students a sophisticated approach to thinking about legal questions which employs philosophical rigour.
The subject will be structured around a series of seminars run by guests who are experts in the area on which they are speaking. Guests will include academics, legal practitioners, and members of the judiciary. Some seminars will involve two presenters, one an academic and the other a judge/practitioner. These combinations are designed to demonstrate the close relationship, and conceptual overlap, between the disciplines of law and philosophy. Subject coordinators will ensure thematic continuity throughout the subject by drawing out common threads which emerge from individual presentations and class discussions.
Particular topics to be covered will vary from year to year, but may include the following:
- The ethics of humanitarian action: the laws of war and aid;
- the role of moral concepts in the regulation of commercial activity;
- the attribution of criminal responsibility, and the relevance of intention, motive, voluntariness and consequences;
- the purpose and justification of criminal punishment, and the meaning and relevance of remorse;
- law and political philosophy - Mabo as a case study;
- individual autonomy and the duty of others to take reasonable care; and
- how far do human rights notions account for our conception of justice?
Throughout the course of the subject, students will be encouraged to:
- Identify, and engage with, philosophical concepts (such as autonomy, causation and good conscience) which underpin areas of substantive law;
- identify, and engage with, the frameworks of ethical and political theory within which substantive law has developed;
- identify, and engage with, the ethical and political choices which inform the development and application of substantive law; and
- develop habits of analytical rigour, logical analysis and linguistic precision, in both exposition and argument.
- 12.5 pts
The spread of English through colonialism, its transformation in decolonisation, and its further expansion are examined in this course. We will analyse the changes in patterns and use of English in different sociopolitical settings, the historical factors that have led to these changes, and the effects of language contact in multilingual settings. The emergence of indigenised forms of English has important consequences for the teaching and testing of English language in international and local settings, and for English lexicography. Issues such as variation, codification, norm creation and the politics of international English will be addressed.
- 12.5 pts
One outcome of the globalisation of the Australian job market is the increasing need for transcultural communication skills in both the private and public sectors. Transcultural communication typically entails interaction in which one or more of the communicators use a second or third language. Successful transcultural communication requires not only a shared language but also strong intercultural awareness and skills. These include verbal skills such as how and when to use speech and silence as well as non-verbal skills knowing how and when gaze, gesture and body posture may differ across cultures. This subject will provide students with the tools to achieve successful transcultural encounters in professional settings. The delivery of the subject will include lectures with audio-visual materials, discussion sessions to deepen the students' understanding of theories of transcultural communication and their practical implications, and assignments that require an application of presented theories to the analysis of transcultural communication. Sponsored by the School of Languages and Linguistics and the Faculty of Arts' Asia Institute, this subject will focus on transcultural communication at the intersection of cultural, linguistic, ethnic, and religious boundaries. The subject will be taught by sociolinguistic and transcultural communication experts whose expertise ranges from multicultural and Aboriginal Australia, to Asia, the Middle East, Northern and Southern Europe, and the South Pacific.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the transformations of urban life and social belonging by focusing on the related impact of human mobility and new media and communication technologies. It will critically engage with the dominant sociological models for explaining global movement and the emergence of global, mobile media, and will test their relationship to theories of the nation state, diasporic cultures and new urban formations. In particular it will examine the formation of new hybrid identities, cosmopolitan organizations, transnational modes of agency and social interaction. This subject will address the complex cultural transformation of public space and the public sphere in contemporary society. It will situate this discussion in relation to underlying fears towards outsiders and ambivalence towards the impact of new technologies and mobility in general. On completion of this subject, students will be familiar with alternative perspectives for understanding the relation between global flows and local affiliations, and for understanding the emergence of new social spaces and practices in the diasporic cultures of contemporary cities.
- 12.5 pts
This subject offers an advanced critical examination of the impact of digital technology on contemporary media industries and cultural practices. We will examine the way the internet and new modes of collaborative production in the Web 2.0 environment are driving the transformation of all media sectors, including cinema, music, video, gaming and television. Through case studies in these sectors and close analysis of contemporary internet practices, students will engage with key debates about digital culture, including the transformation of audiences, the emergence of new media platforms, the role of peer to peer networks and social media and the changing nature of power in the digital era.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the strategies used by political actors to communicate with a focus on political, public and government communication in the mature liberal democracies of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Topics covered include theories of political communication and how news media cover politics, ‘spin’ and PR methods used by politicians to manage the media, political advertising, political oratory, government communication and broadcast political interviews.
- 12.5 pts
This subject addresses the challenges of representing and speaking on behalf of others in the context of communication programs dedicated to social justice and social inclusion. Civil society organisations, public policy initiatives, non-governmental organisations and advocacy groups face challenges different to those of both the news industries and the commercial sector. They must respond to news values, and they need to promote, but they are also devoted to telling often unpalatable truths in hostile or apathetic environments. At the same time, they have ethical obligations to their causes which make demands on their communications strategies in many respects more challenging than those of commerce and the public sector. This subject studies case histories of a variety of campaigns from the non-profit civil society sector, and addresses the different ways in which campaigns may be said to succeed or fail, for example economically, ethically, or in terms of effecting desired and undesired social change.
- 12.5 pts
One of the main challenges for today's managers is effectively communicating vision and inspiring employees to achieve that vision within team-based work structures. This subject deals with this challenge by examining the interaction of leadership and team processes. A focus will be on critically evaluating the role of leaders in organisations with high involvement work practices (for example, employee involvement and empowerment) and the role of human resource practices in identifying and developing organisational leaders. Topics considered will include: contemporary theories of leadership; the role of managers as organisational leaders; human resources and leadership challenges of the team-based organisational structure; managing team dynamics; the effectiveness of shared leadership; human resource strategies for developing organisational leaders; and the impact of high involvement work practices on leading and managing teams.
- 12.5 pts
Students in this subject examine the key policies and practices of HR, including the attraction and retention of employees, developing, evaluating and rewarding performance. We evaluate the impact of HR policies and practices from the perspective of workplace stakeholders, including employees, unions, management and organisations.
- 12.5 pts
Businesses are collections of individuals who are organised and cooperate to solve problems. Thus, all business activity has its roots in psychological processes such as individual and group cognition and emotion, personality, and social influence. In this subject we explore the psychological foundations of management practice by focusing on how managerial problems (e.g., high levels of absenteeism; poor collaboration among team members; etc.) can be understood and addressed using different psychological principles.
- 12.5 pts
The purpose of this subject is to examine the topics of Managing Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the context of large and small organisations. Innovation is ultimately the lifeblood of organisations, in that it is concerned with the capability to effectively introduce new products and services, new or substantively improved processes or other major initiatives into existing and new organisations. Topics include innovation capability, new product/process technology introduction, and innovation culture and innovation measures The subject addresses the process of innovation exploitation and exploration and the role ambidextrous organisational designs and dynamic organisational capabilities play in this process. The subject will examine the emerging importance of open innovation in the co-evolution of market and customer value and the use of crowd and expert sourcing in this process. Key elements addressed that are part of successful innovation companies are vision and strategy innovation, creativity and idea management, culture and climate, management of technology, organisational structures, intelligence and systems. Firms that have successfully and systematically created such capabilities will be used as case studies. The subject also examines the definition of an entrepreneur as an innovator who recognises and seizes opportunities; converts those opportunities into workable/marketable ideas; adds value through effort, money and skills; assumes the risk of the competitive marketplace to implement these ideas; and realises the rewards from these efforts.
- 12.5 pts
This subject will explore a broad range of issues central to management and business communication. These issues will draw on a number of different theories of management including corporate communication with stakeholders, the impact of new information and communication technologies, encouraging employee voice, and informal communication systems in organizations. The subject will evaluate and contrast different cases of management and business communication and explore the communication challenges facing businesses today.
- 12.5 pts
Social entrepreneurs are individuals who establish an enterprise with the goal of solving complex social or environmental problems, including poverty, access to health, homelessness, climate change and food waste. They have been credited with success in disrupting the traditional forms and purpose of business and charity by creating innovative social enterprises that meld the best features of business and the non-profit sector. This subject seeks to equip students with a critical understanding of the social enterprise form and support them in developing a startup social enterprise with the purpose of solving a social and/or environmental problem. Designed and delivered with input from leaders in the social enterprise sector, the subject features lectures and workshops on social enterprise design, business modelling, pitching, social finance and measurement, as well as addressing the difficulties and dark side of social enterprise. In the subject students will develop an idea for a startup social enterprise and develop a business plan which they will pitch to a Shark Tank panel of experts. Prizes will be awarded to the best ideas to help develop these solutions into successful social enterprises.
- 12.5 pts
How are successful cultural businesses built? How do we understand the business of art and culture, and what is the role of leadership and entrepreneurialism in the cultural sector? Florence has been famous as a centre of European culture, industry, trade and finance through the ages. The Florentine industrial district provides a model of development that we can draw on today to inform understandings of contemporary finance, marketing and customer service. Taught on location in Florence, this subject examines both the unique Florentine complex of cultural and commercial interests, and also other Australian and European approaches to the creation of business models in the arts and cultural sectors. Through case studies, site visits and industry comparisons, it explores how to build business models that can go from good to great.
Please see 'Eligibility and Requirements' for further information on how to apply for this subject.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the practices of public relations management. Topics include an introduction to public relations, the evolution of public relations, public relations theory, ethical issues in public relations, public relations strategies and tactics, the various stakeholders/publics that organisations interact with and the issues that they face with their major stakeholder relationships, crisis management, and also an examination of the difference between marketing public relations (MPR) and corporate public relations. Marketing public relations (MPR) is a key focus in the class.
- 12.5 pts
This subject provides an introduction to the basic concepts, principles and activities of marketing and how to manage an organisation's marketing effort. Some of the principal topics include value-based marketing, market research, selecting target markets, product and brand management, marketing communications (advertising and promotions, as well as personal selling), management of distribution channels, pricing decisions and marketing ethics. Students are also introduced to the nature of buyer behaviour, including decision-making patterns, purchase behaviours, and customer satisfaction.
- 12.5 pts
Sustainability Governance & Leadership (SGL) is one of two core subjects for the Master of Environment course, and is designed to develop the knowledge and skills you will need to succeed as a sustainability leader in a world of complex challenges and global change. This subject provides you with a strong foundation in interdisciplinary understanding of critical concepts and issues, and how they relate to policy, management, leadership, and governance in a range of contexts and across different scales and sectors. You will learn to anticipate and envision environmental change, and design and implement strategic plans to manage impacts or create positive pathways.
Exploring the broad agenda of sustainable development, SGL considers concepts and principles fundamental to the understanding of interdependent human-nature systems, including ecology and biodiversity, social justice and equity, technology, and issues of global change. SGL covers:
- Different perspectives on sustainability;
- Global and local environmental challenges, including for water, energy, food, and human communities in relation their natural and built environments;
- Vulnerability and resilience in complex social-ecological systems;
- The processes of policy design and implementation in these areas;
- The economics of sustainability, and the role of business and innovation in building a sustainable future; and
- Recurring management, governance, and leadership issues for achieving environmental sustainability.
SGL includes extensive use of scenario-based learning and simulation activities.
- 12.5 pts
This subject involves a study of an approved topic in the humanities and social sciences. Details of the program being offered will be available from the graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students who complete this subject successfully should have demonstrated a specialist understanding of the topic, contributed effectively to the work of the seminar, shown a capacity for an advanced level of analysis and familiarised themselves with the latest directions of research into that particular topic.
- 12.5 pts
Social enterprises are businesses that exist with the specific purpose of solving social and/or environmental problems through trade. These enterprises merge the best features of business and the non-profit sector to create innovative solutions that address both social and market gaps. Within these enterprises, success is thus measured in social and/or environmental terms, in addition to financial sustainability.
This multidisciplinary subject has been developed in partnership with Unbound, a Melbourne-based social enterprise leading innovative education programs on social change through entrepreneurship across the Asia-Pacific region. The subject equips students with a critical understanding of social entrepreneurship, and provides them with a practical opportunity to develop their own start-up social enterprise. Groups will be formed according to personal interest and students will work in small project teams to conceptualise, develop and pitch a viable social enterprise initiative. Students are also expected to test their idea in the marketplace in real time, for example, liaise with external organisations to receive feedback on your product/service and/or develop a minimal viable product that can be showcased.
To support the development of ideas, the subject draws from case studies, field trips and guests speakers from the Victorian start-up ecosystem that share their personal experiences and advice as successful social entrepreneurs. Students will also have the opportunity to receive direct support on their idea during a feedback salon with academics, business leaders and social enterprise practitioners.
Upon completing this subject, students will develop a critical understanding of the nature of social enterprise in contemporary society and the practical requirements for developing sustainable social enterprise projects. The subject also uniquely provides students with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world solutions in real time.
- 12.5 pts
Today, war is still a salient feature of international relations, while terrorism takes on ever more international character and scope. The subject will explore the philosophical - conceptual and moral - issues to do with violence, war, and terrorism. The central part of the subject will examine the main approaches to war: realism, consequentialism, just war theory, and pacifism. The subject will also discuss both the concept and the morality of terrorism, including state terrorism.
- 12.5 pts
This subject is an occasion to reflect on some important recent developments in global politics: the global economic crisis, Islamist militancy, humanitarian intervention and global surveillance. Its thematic cohesion comes from the choice of a left political perspective in selecting readings. Accordingly, the main issues are understood within the broader context of the post-World War II interests of capital and state in the powerful countries – especially in North America, Western Europe and the Middle East. By the end of the subject you should have a rigorous understanding of contemporary critical thought on developments that are likely to shape the coming generation.
- 12.5 pts
It is now possible to buy or sell many things that have traditionally been kept outside of the market. Controversial examples include the sale of human organs and the renting of reproductive labour. Supporters of these markets argue that they provide a means of allocating important goods whose supply cannot be secured through altruism or other non-market methods. Critics see the spread of markets into new areas of social life as cause for concern, either because they offend against the status of certain goods, exploit vulnerable people, or lead to an objectionable proliferation of commerce. Other problems with markets seem to be emerging given the increased amount of consumer spending in pursuit of status or competitive advantage, as evidenced by markets in luxury goods and private education. This subject will evaluate these concerns with reference to various policy tools, including pricing controls, cooling-off periods, specialised taxation, a minimum wage, and the use of government monopolies.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the way in which egalitarian political philosophy offers moral guidance in a variety of policy-making contexts. After examining some philosophical treatments of the fundamental, abstract value of equality, our attention will turn to more specific ways in such philosophical theorising can influence public policy: How should a concern for equality guide policy about education, unemployment, and other important public services? Should unemployed people have their benefits cut if they refuse to take a job they don't want? Does affirmative action make society fairer, or discriminate against hard-working high achievers? Do private schools allow rich people to buy an unfair advantage for their children? General concepts to be discussed include egalitarian concerns about stigmatisation, shame, social integration, and oppression – as well as how policy might seek to address them.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the politics and governance of international trade. It explores the domestic and international dimensions of trade policy-making and the growing complexity of the "trade agenda" in national and international politics. It examines theories of trade and protection and theories of trade policy-making. It examines the evolution of the multilateral trade system since World War Two and the contemporary and future challenges that confront the system. The subject examines some of the perennial problems in the governance of the global trade system, as well as new issues and concerns, such as trade and the environment, trade and development, and agenda-setting and decision-making in the WTO. Finally, the subject explores the emergence of regional trade blocs and "free trade agreements" and their consequences for the multilateral trade system.
- 12.5 pts
Over the past two decades, the role of the Chinese state in the country"s economic development has changed considerably. The state planning agencies no longer decide what and how much should the country"s enterprises produce. Many of the old and inefficient state-owned enterprises have been transformed into market-driven businesses. Some of these companies (still state-controlled) have become global players in sectors such as oil and gas. The so-called non-state companies also occupy an important place in the country"s economy. Ideology is no longer an important factor in decision-making and capitalists are welcome to join the communist party. This course will examine the relationship between the growing power of business and the political process in China. We"ll look at how the emergent class of professional managers and entrepreneurs attempts to convert its economic status into political advantage. A number of theoretical frameworks will be used to explore this relationship, including neo-traditionalism/clientelism, democratisation (civil society) and state corporatism. Students will also be encouraged to compare China"s experience with that of other transitional societies.
- 12.5 pts
The respective roles, responsibilities and sources of power characterizing relationships between business and government play a crucial role in shaping public policy and regulation, within and between countries. Because of its productive function, business often enjoys a privileged position with government, while a major goal of policy and regulation at national and international levels is to steer and regulate business activity. Relationships between business and government vary significantly in different countries, economic sectors, and over time, and the conceptual tools for understanding them remain subject to widespread debate. This subject critically reviews contemporary policy debates and scholarly research, and draws on contrasting case examples to explore theoretical, normative and practical implications of business-government relationships. Particular attention is given to debates about government-business relationships associated with processes of public policy formation and implementation, social and environmental regulation, and delivery of public services and infrastructure. On completion of the subject, students should have a strong critical understanding of debates about the character and inter-relationship of business and government, from a comparative and international perspective.
- 12.5 pts
The subject will examine various dimensions of the conflict between national sovereignty and international interdependence which impinge on the nature and institutions of global governance. It will extend students' knowledge of the diversity of the forms of international governance, and of the purposes, activities, styles of work and governance of international institutions. The subject will explore the rationale and functioning of existing institutions, attempt a rigorous assessment of their effectiveness, of proposals for their reform, and of the gaps in institutional arrangements. Particular attention will be given to the sources of conflicts underlying their difficulties in making decisions and taking action. On completion of the subject students should be better able to discern the forces operating in global institutions, the means through which they work, and to effectively discuss alternative possible reforms.
- 12.5 pts
How is foreign policy made? Who are the key actors involved in foreign and trade policymaking? What factors and information sources do they consider? What are the frames of reference that national and international policymakers bring to bear, the obstacles they confront, and the strategies and techniques of diplomatic persuasion and negotiation they are most likely to find effective in moving issues forward? What factors determine which issues and problems get priority government attention? What determines success or failure in areas such as bilateral initiatives, treaty negotiations, external interventions, conflict prevention and resolution and engagement with multilateral organisations? How much influence do non-governmental organisations and other civil society actors have in international policymaking?
This subject is based around a series of case studies taught by the Subject Coordinator as well as a number of senior guest lecturers who are or have been international policymakers. In previous years, guest lecturers have included a former Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs who has chaired international panels and commissions, senior diplomats, officials and advisers in the sector and the head of a Diplomatic Mission to Australia. The subject has a very practical focus, and all lecturers speak from their own extensive and diverse experience. The subject focuses on Australian foreign policy and national interest; however, it is not necessary for students to have extensive prior knowledge of Australian foreign policy or politics to successfully complete the subject.
Case studies and specific issues may include:
- The evolution of economic diplomacy, including responses to new international dynamics in trade negotiations and in the G20;
- Australia's multilateral engagement, including as a member of the UN Human Rights Council (2018-20) and the UN Security Council (2013-2014);
- Refugees – international policymaking and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR);
- Bilateral relationship development and management – case studies could include the regions such as South Pacific or Latin America;
- Australia’s bilateral relationship with China – developing policy to advance interests with a great power;
- The role of Intelligence agencies in international policymaking;
- The international response to genocide and other mass atrocity crimes - the Responsibility to Protect;
- The roles of Ministerial advisers and other stakeholders in the development of trade policy and initiatives; and
- The role of news media in international policymaking.
The subject examines the roles and opportunities for influence of various actors in the sector, such as advisers and MPs, diplomats and departmental officials, and the intelligence community.
- 12.5 pts
The vigorous presence of non-governmental organisations and of social movements is one of the most striking features of contemporary international politics. What is the nature of these actors? What is their significance? And how do they attempt to win their demands? This subject explores the growing significance of global campaigning. It traces the rise of international non-governmental organisations and social movements, the variety and texture of their campaigning, and the political arguments that they provoke. The course ranges across environmental, humanitarian, labour, gender, and peace campaigns, from the 19th century until the most recent past.
- 12.5 pts
This subject is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and professionally oriented understanding of Latin America, as viewed from the perspective of international relations. It gives students an overview of the salient features of Latin American history and culture combined with a practical, expert-delivered summary of current problems and opportunities in the region. In addition to the core lectures, guest presentations by senior Australian and Latin American diplomats and officials examine the region’s responses to globalisation and engagement with international institutions. Emphasis is placed on evolving relationships between Latin American countries, the United States, and Australia through case studies of national development, economic growth, and cultural exchange.
- 12.5 pts
This subject investigates the linkage between social policy and development (including economic development) within developing countries. It focuses on the roles played by states, markets and communities in the Asia-Pacific region in responding to key social policy issues such as poverty and welfare, unemployment, old age, health, disability, and the socio-economic position of women. The subject examines how different developing countries attempt to instigate social policy-related change via rational policy formation and implementation, public sector and community leadership, economic-driven change (such as micro-finance schemes), and working with international investment from firms, aid donors and NGOs. Elements of the subject will be presented in conjunction with the Universitas Indonesia and Gadjah Mada Universitas, and the November offering will be delivered on location at Gadjah Mada Universitas, Jogjakarta, Indonesia. In the November offering, teaching will focus more specifically on social policy examples from Indonesia.
- 12.5 pts
This subject is designed to develop an understanding of the links between contemporary public policy and political communication and lobbying processes, in particular how the political and media environment can be utilised to transform the public policy agendas of interest groups and NGOs into concrete political and legislative outcomes. In a world of increasingly short-term media cycles and fragmented audiences, developers of public policy can no longer rely just on the quality and integrity of their ideas and recommendations to attract and maintain broad-based support. Instead, contemporary public policy is becoming increasingly reliant on ‘campaign style’ forms of political lobbying to achieve community influence as well as traction among government decision-makers. The subject explores the theory and research behind these changes, in particular why certain interest groups and sectors are able to position themselves for public policy success compared to others. The subject gives specific attention to ways to develop and advance public policy through a prism of ‘campaign-style’ political communications and lobbying. These techniques include how to develop public policy narratives that align with the interests of policy and political decision-makers; how to use evidence-based research to build a case for change; forming third-party coalitions to build broad-based support, as well as the use of strategic media to project the benefits of public policy change. The subject’s specific focus is on public policy lobbying campaigns that have occurred or are occurring within the Australian political and public policy environment but its themes and approaches are equally applicable to other contemporary political systems.
- 12.5 pts
This introductory subject is designed to induct graduate students into the major issues and current thinking in web-based communication; to familiarize students with the major channels and platforms in use in this field; to develop an understanding of online genres, and teach essential writing and editing skills for online contexts. Students will gain practical experience in writing in a number of different styles and formats and will learn to publish their work on a digital platform.
- 12.5 pts
This subject introduces students to the history of the book and its relationship to changing reading practices. It will focus specifically on the changing technologies and aesthetics of book production, the relationships between reading and other cultural practices, the changing roles of publishers, booksellers and authors, the evolution of libraries as repositories and gatekeepers of approved knowledge, and the role of government in establishing a legislative framework to regulate the book trade.
- 12.5 pts
This subject teaches students practical skills in creating documents using the industry-standard software, Adobe Indesign through practical workshops that take the student from beginner to intermediate skill levels. It also introduces students to the concepts and practice of print production and design, and outlines the underlying principles of publishing design and page layout, the characteristics of good typesetting, the interrelationship of images, space, colour and text and the importance of design briefs. Through reference to the history of printing, this subject will extend students’ understanding of the impact of changing technologies on typography, graphic design and production processes, enabling them to develop a critical awareness of trends in the field. A brief insight to some of the specific design and publishing challenges of ePublishing is also provided.
Please note: Students should subscribe to Adobe Indesign via Adobe Creative Cloud for the duration of the subject in order to be able to complete assignments out of class time.
- 12.5 pts
This subject examines the histories, cultural contexts and current debates surrounding censorship in the visual arts. Censorship practices and protocols will be defined and investigated in relation to issues of morality, legality and the public sphere. The changing definitions and complexities of censorship will be investigated in instances of creative freedom challenging prohibition in film, performing arts, visual art and media cultures. Students will gain a theoretical understanding of the historical and emerging debates surrounding the controversial area of censorship, freedom of speech and expression. Students will also study censorship in national and international contexts with an emphasis on specific case studies. This subject will also examine how artistic practice influences wider cultural, political and legal prohibitions underlying film, the arts and media.
- 12.5 pts
This subject explores the history of Australian social policy, interweaving five themes: the rise and fall of state-regulated wages, the ways that income support was shaped by this arbitration system, the gendering and de-gendering of the welfare system and its relationship to the family, the separate and privileged position of veterans’ welfare, and the distinctive place of the faith-based welfare sector in the mixed economy of welfare. This historical survey is combined with examination of theories on the comparative analysis of welfare regimes. The subject starts from the principle that to understand where we are going involves understanding where we have come from, and that we need historical depth to comprehend contemporary transformations in the type of policy regime constructed in Australia. Through an investigation of the antecedents of “welfare reform”, industrial relations deregulation, the de-gendering of welfare, and the shift towards contracting non-government welfare agencies to administer the poor, the subject provides an opportunity to examine the present in the light of the past.
- 12.5 pts
Do we live in a Big Society; a social investment state; a socially inclusive society or a global economy? How can we make sense of policy and programs in the context of seemingly ever-changing paradigms and politics? What is the role of social policy in the face of enduring inequalities and new social risks?
Drawing on sociological and social policy frameworks and practice knowledge, this subject addresses key challenges associated with the translation of policy into practice in local and international contexts.
- 12.5 pts
This subject will introduce students to a range of organisations whose functions encompass the promotion, collection and presentation of contemporary visual culture. This is an industry-focussed subject where representatives of local and national arts organisations offer students direct insight into their role and strategic direction. Representatives will include directors and executives from various industry bodies including government agencies, state institutions, regional organisations, contemporary spaces, commercial entities and professional associations (such as Australia Council, Arts Victoria, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Museum of Victoria, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, the Melbourne International Film Festival, Village Roadshow, Sotheby’s Australia, Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces and Cinema Nova, among others). Students will study the history and development of these industry bodies as well as their social and cultural impact. They will explore such areas as governance, funding, sponsorship, philanthropy, policy formation, administration, collecting, curating, programming and audience research. Emphasis will be on the aims and goals of these bodies, the extent to which they fulfill community needs and the degree to which they promote the arts. External constraints such as censorship, government policy and community response will also be considered.