This is an advanced introduction to international politics in Asia. The subject explores the shift of global power to Asia and and provides a broad coverage of the regions relations with the great powers and international/regional institutions, including important issues like democratisation, economic globalisation and security. The course consists of three sections. The first section provides historical reviews of developments in Asia through understanding the roles played by external powers, and how the Asian powers are aligned both vertically (historically) and horizontally (across a specific historical juncture). Section two examines the issue of economic globalisation after the 1990s, particularly the rise of China and India. These seminars also cover Asia’s responses to economic globalisation by looking at particular reforms at the state level and initiatives at the regional level. The last section investigates topical interests related to Asia: democratisation, the environment, energy security and other security issues.

This subject surveys events and issues that have shaped international relations since 1648, with emphasis on the period after 1945. The subject will acquaint students with the historical roots of major contemporary issues. Events and developments covered might include the Cold War, wars in the Middle East and the rise of the Third World, along with issues such as changing ideas about human rights and growth of nongovernmental organisations. Students practise historical empathy and negotiation skills by participating in a historical simulation.

This subject provides an advanced introduction to the major theories of International Relations and their influence on international affairs. Students will be introduced to mainstream approaches like realism / neo-realism, liberal internationalism / neoliberal institutionalism, and critical and normative approaches to international theory. The subject will also explore how different theories of International Relations have shaped contemporary debates and practices in international affairs, including the role of power and morality, the role of international institutions, and practices of inclusion and exclusion.

This subject provides students with a critical understanding of the changing concepts and practices of security in a globalised and dynamic world. The subject contrasts traditional state-centric, military based, and external-oriented national security thinking and policy with non-traditional, critical, and human security approaches. The subject explores key relationships between: the state, society and security, including in 'failed states'; international intervention and security, including the 'responsibility to protect' doctrine; weapons and security, including nuclear weapons; and considers the particular insecurities of marginalised groups, such as forcibly displaced populations. The subject then explores globalised forms of insecurity including information and cyber threats, transnational terrorism and organised crime, global health pandemics, and the nexus between climate change, natural resources, and conflict.

This subject provides an advanced introduction to the history, theory, institutions and practice of international governance and law. The subject will provide students with a broad understanding of the evolution of the international system of states, the development of diplomacy, the evolution of international law (including the role of both soft & hard law), the changing form and practice of multilateralism and the emergence of non-state or hybrid forms of power and authority. Key challenges in global governance will be critically explored, including the impact of globalisation on the political autonomy of states; the future of multilateralism; the accountability, representativeness and legitimacy of international organisations and international regimes and the challenge of democratising global governance; the role of non-state actors and civil society; and the challenge of coordinating and harmonising an increasingly dense network of international organisations and regimes.

This subject provides students with a critical understanding of international political economy (IPE), exploring links between international politics and economics in historical and contemporary perspective. It provides an advanced introduction to a range of competing theoretical and methodological approaches in IPE, with an emphasis on their application to current and historical challenges to the governance and politics of the global economy. Major inter-governmental institutions such as the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the G20 are an important focus, as are a range of hybrid international regimes that involve public and private actors. Key historical and contemporary debates in the subject are explored, including divisions between developed and developing countries, the management of trade, international investment, money, and finance in the global economy.

This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12,000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment.

Please note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis subject that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed.

Refer to ASIA90012 International RelationsThesis Part 1 for details

This subject involves completion of a supervised thesis of 12 000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research. The thesis is to be submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment.

Please note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed.

Refer to HIST90034 International Relations Thesis Part 1 for details

This subject is designed to develop research skills for students planning and writing research theses in the School of Social and Political Sciences. The subject explores contemporary research strategies, differing methodological approaches to social research, the relationship of theory and research, and practical issues concerned with designing thesis topics and their realization through the research process, including the management of ethics principles and procedures. The subject gives special attention to the design of problem-driven research. It will assist students to develop skills in thesis preparation and development as well as in the framing of research projects, more generally. The subject is taught through a combination of lectures, workshops and seminars.

This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment.

Please Note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed.

Refer to POLS90054 International Relations Thesis Part 1 for details

This seminar will focus on human rights and its critics from a historical and comparative perspective. We will explore the factors that have given rise to radically different conception of rights and justice (i.e. political, economic, cultural, religious, ideological) and look at their implementation and the obstacles at the local, national, and international levels. What is the relationship and relevance of the international human rights movement to local notions of rights? What impact is this having on local gender relations and the relationships of women to their states and communities? Are human rights NGOs weakening or strengthening the nation-states in Southeast Asia. are they sites of resistance or complicity? The seminar introduces students to different conceptions of rights, and social justice, including feminist critiques of rights discourse and of 'development', ethnographic studies on the relationship between attitudes towards bodily integrity and human rights, the debates about poverty, economic development and access to adequate health care as human rights. We shall draw upon a wide range of sources from theoretical works, philosophical and anthropological critiques of rights discourse, and NGO documents. On completion of the subject students should have a broad historical, comparative and critical perspective on the debates about rights and justice in Southeast Asia.

This is an advanced introduction to international politics in Asia. The subject explores the shift of global power to Asia and and provides a broad coverage of the regions relations with the great powers and international/regional institutions, including important issues like democratisation, economic globalisation and security. The course consists of three sections. The first section provides historical reviews of developments in Asia through understanding the roles played by external powers, and how the Asian powers are aligned both vertically (historically) and horizontally (across a specific historical juncture). Section two examines the issue of economic globalisation after the 1990s, particularly the rise of China and India. These seminars also cover Asia’s responses to economic globalisation by looking at particular reforms at the state level and initiatives at the regional level. The last section investigates topical interests related to Asia: democratisation, the environment, energy security and other security issues.

Large-scale internal violent conflicts and jihadi terrorism have been a feature of the security landscape in Southeast Asia in recent decades. These conflicts have spanned insurgencies, political violence, inter-ethnic and inter-religious and inter-religious conflagrations, with the forms of violence including civil wars, mass killings, riots and protracted low-level disturbances. Typically affecting only a small portion of each nation's territory, these conflicts have nevertheless impacted these countries' security more broadly. Jihadi terrorism has also added an extra-regional dimension to these conflicts, through their intersection with conflicts outside Southeast Asia, notably at present including the Syrian conflict and groups such as Islamic State in Iraq and Syam (ISIS). With a focus on Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar, this course will introduce students to the core theoretical approaches employed in the study of violent conflict and terrorism, to enable case study and comparative analysis. The course will also cover responses to contemporary violence and terrorism attempted by governments, international agencies, communities and civil society organisations. Students will become familiar with the strengths and drawbacks of each approach, consider the importance of context to the effectiveness of various interventions, and throughout will question how success is defined and measured.

This subject provides a broad-based overview of contemporary China, exploring key features of the country's increasingly complex and dynamic society. Topics covered include the economy, environmental challenges, political processes, cultural change, civil society, and China’s engagement with the global community.

Indonesia’s emergence as a democratic and decentralized power and Southeast Asia’s only member of the G20 is transforming its relations with its ASEAN neighbours as well as the major regional powers. As a functioning democracy and the largest Muslim nation, Indonesia has a particular position in the global Islamic community. Moreover, a distinctive and activist foreign policy faces profound challenges from geopolitical shifts and from the vicissitudes of globalisation. These same geopolitical shifts will also transform Indonesia-Australia relations, albeit in uncertain ways. This subject will address the effects of the interaction of domestic and international factors on Indonesia’s future trajectory as a nation-state, locating Indonesia as an agent within historical and contemporary global dynamics. To augment the regular classroom sessions, Indonesian and Australian experts and practitioners will also provide guest presentations.

Please Note:

The subject is taught two times per year. It is available either as a semester-long subject taught on the Parkville campus or as an overseas intensive subject.

The overseas offering will be taught intensively on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia. The subject will consist mainly of seminars held at the Faculty, with some field visits in Jakarta. Please note that there is a pre-teaching requirement, during which time students will be required to access subject materials on the LMS, and attend a pre-departure briefing on-campus.

International migration is one of the major challenges of the twenty-first century, with the task of formulating workable approaches to migration remaining a challenge for the community and government. This subject provides students with an advanced introduction to migration and people movement and surveys some of the major dimensions of migration flows, the effects of migration on sending and receiving countries, political and regulatory responses, and case studies relevant to understanding key issues today. Linking historic and contemporary migrations, this subject explores the contexts from which migrations emerge, the cross-cultural flows they produce, as well as posing fundamental questions about people movement. Case studies include colonial migration, labour migration, agricultural migration and nomadism, slavery and people trafficking, asylum seekers and refugees, and the challenges of climate change and displacement. Students will emerge from this subject with an understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing a world of people on the move.

Genocide, State Crime and the Law examines the differing roles played by law and legal process in the wake of genocide and other forms of state crime. It examines the limitations and potentials of law in addressing mass harm, in particular analysing the role and function of law in societal reconstruction and reconciliation. Case studies analysed include Rwanda, South Africa, East Timor, the former Yugoslavia, the Holocaust, Australia and Cambodia.

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.

This subject considers and compares the response to terrorism around the world. Of particular interest will be legal responses, instigations of war, and the implementation of practices of rendition, arbitrary detention and torture. These practices have been argued to contravene due process and the presumption of innocence, and contribute to civil and global unrest, sometimes inspiring criminal action and creating new categories of what it means to be criminal. The subject draws upon the conceptual and analytical tools of criminological and socio-legal examination including analysis of the political, social and legal construction of terror and terrorism. The inspiration for anti-terrorism initiatives and conflicting arguments about their necessity will be examined together with the (side) effects they have created.

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.

This subject engages with critical and contemporary issues in the field of Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies. Focusing on a special topic of key criminological and socio-legal interest, this subject will enable students to broaden and deepen their understanding of contemporary areas of criminological and socio-legal research, policy and practice. This will be achieved through intensive one-off courses offered by local and international visitors with specialist expertise in the particular issues.

AUGUST 2019 Topic: Police, Policing and Security

Professor Ian Loader, The University of Oxford

Effective, accountable and legitimate police institutions are a key ingredient of citizen security and good government. Yet the public police are not the only providers of policing. Security today is the responsibility of a range of policing bodies – in the private sector and across civil society. Nor are policing institutions confined within the borders of single nation-states. This subject examines key institutions, processes and challenges involved in creating effective and legitimate policing. It addresses core questions concerning the role of the police, use and control of police powers, police relations with other security providers, governance and oversight mechanisms, citizen engagement, and evidence-based policing. It also enables students to engage in finding better ways of addressing some of today's most urgent policing problems, such as the regulation of cyber-crime. Through a combination of lectures, seminars and practical exercises, students will be introduced to the dynamics and complexities of contemporary policing and be equipped with the conceptual and analytic tools for understanding and contributing to the reform of security governance.

Genocide, mass harm and state crime demand a response. And yet, what can and does justice look like in the wake of state crime? What legal and non-legal processes should be put in place, at both the global and the local levels? This subject examines the rationale, operation and impact of legal, political and social initiatives designed to address these harms – from the establishment of international courts, national truth commissions and local justice processes which pursue goals such as accountability, truth and reconciliation, to grass-roots and civil society responses. It considers dominant definitions of genocide and state crime and their social, cultural, historical and political dynamics. It explores who is responsible and what might redress look like in light of this. It asks what forms of harm and suffering are addressed and which experiences and forms of injustice remain hidden from view. This subject critically examines attempts to understand and respond to mass harm in a global and a local context.

This subject will be taught intensively overseas on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia by Australian and Indonesian academics.

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.

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. 

This subject focuses on the role of government and international governmental or quasi-governmental organisations in world trade and investment with special reference to Asia. The rules and operations of WTO and the OECD; regional trade organisations such as ASEAN, North American Free Trade Area, European Union, APEC and other economic zones. Topics include the impact of government on multinational firms, joint venture and strategic alliances. The material is introduced at a theoretical and analytical level, supported with practical examples and case study material.

The course introduces students to the economic principles and framework used by economists to consider issues of public policy. The importance of rigorous analysis in problem solving is emphasised. The policy areas likely to be covered will be taken from public finance, industry policy, competition policy, micro-economic reform, taxation and income distribution, as well as health, education and infrastructure provision. The emphasis is on current issues and so the actual policies covered may vary in response to current events.

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.

This subject provides an introduction to critical concepts and issues related to environmental policy development and implementation, with specific reference to national and international policy domains. Students are introduced to relevant concepts, theoretical issues and practical tools for policy makers. They consider case studies relating to climate change, ozone depletion, water, land degradation, forest preservation, waste and 'sustainability planning'. These case studies include Australian, developing country and international dimensions and considerations. The subject is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Students will gain a practical understanding of issues confronting policymakers for a range of environment problems and solutions available to them.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This subject introduces students to the fundamentals of finance, financial securities and financial markets. Topics include: key financial concepts such as the time-value-of-money, risk, return, present value, diversification, arbitrage, leverage and voting control; key financial securities such as stocks, bonds, mortgages and other loans; key financial markets such as the stock, interest rate and foreign exchange markets; and key participants in financial markets such as investors, funds, companies, banks, intermediaries, governments and regulators.

This subject is designed for students who seek an understanding of financial concepts and markets, but who do not intend to pursue any further studies in finance.

Formerly FOOD90026

This subject examines the politics of the global food system, and will focus on the policies, structures, power relations and political debates surrounding the production, distribution and consumption of food. The impacts of food production and consumption on food security, health, the environment, animal welfare, and the livelihoods of producers, will be critically explored. Key theoretical frameworks and concepts for understanding the dominant paradigms and dynamics of the food system will be discussed and evaluated. Integrated policies and strategies for creating more sustainable and equitable food systems, and alternative paradigms and practices of production, distribution and consumption, will also be critically examined. This subject will primarily draw on theories and methodologies from the sociology and politics of food and agriculture, food policy, and the political economy and political ecology of food.

The topics and debates covered include:

• Food policy and governance at the global, national and local levels
• Food security, food sovereignty and the Global Food Crisis
• Global trading relations, free trade and fair trade
• Environmental impacts and sustainable forms of food production and consumption
• Animal production, factory farms and animal welfare
• Supermarkets and alternative retailing and distribution networks
• Agricultural paradigms and technologies: chemical-industrial agriculture, genetically modified foods, organic agriculture and agroecology
• Corporate concentration within and across sectors of the food system
• Competition for food and land: animal feed, biofuels and land-grabbing
• Food processing, food marketing, dietary advice and health
• Local and urban food production and planning
• Alternative paradigms and networks of food production, distribution and consumption

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.

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.

This subject will explain and conceptualise the nature of Asian management and business practices from economic, cultural and institutional perspectives. The emphasis of the subject is on the application of contextual knowledge about international business theory as tailored to the Asia Pacific, to analyse and make decisions faced by companies operating or expanding in the Asia Pacific region. Students will be required to apply the knowledge and skills learnt to solve various business issues in Asian business environment.

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.

As the society with the world’s oldest tradition of state-sponsored examinations and some of the most radical government-initiated educational reforms in the modern world, China is a particularly significant site for the analysis of relationships between education and political power. This subject analyses the complexities of the relationship between the state and the education system in China, looking at such issues as how political ideas are disseminated through the education system, contradictions between the training of educational elites and the provision of mass education, student political activism, and the changing relationships between teachers, students and government officials. It also looks at the impact of Chinese educational institutions on the global world, including the phenomenon of overseas study in the modern era.

This subject focuses on the contemporary political landscape of the Middle East and Central Asia. It explores the interplay of international relations and domestic politics, especially in the wake of the war on terror and the Arab Uprisings. It traces the challenge of Islamism with reference to the Arab-Israeli conflict and implications of Iran’s growing assertiveness in the Persian Gulf and Central Asia. Of particular interest is popular perceptions of the United States in the region, as well as the disconnect between the people and the political elite.

What sort of a phenomenon is political Islam, or Islamism? How is it manifest and what political or intellectual forces have contributed to its growth? This subject places political Islam within the context of an increasingly globalised world, and considers the role of Islamism within Muslim-majority societies and in Muslim communities living in Western countries.

Political Islam is seen by some as a backlash against the economic, political and cultural dominance of the West, and as a response to Western conceptions of modernity. 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 and nationalism. It will explore both electoral Islamism and Islamic fundamentalism, and will provide students with a detailed framework for understanding the role of Islamism in the contemporary Islamic world.

The subject considers the conceptualization of human rights in classical and contemporary Islam in theory and practice. The methodology is interdisciplinary in nature combining aspects of historical, religious, philosophical, international and legal studies.

The subject will consider the implications of conceptualizing human rights under sharia (Islamic law and norms) and Western and/ or international conceptualization of human rights.

Main themes covered are: the relationship of the sharia with modern international law and human rights law; the relationship of sharia with several of the controversial subjects within human rights law; and the possibility of reform and greater compatibility of sharia with human rights values.

A number of specific substantive issues, most notably freedom of religion and the rights of women will be studied in depth to illustrate the complexity of the contemporary debate on human rights and Islam.

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.

Firms face complex problems of governance and increasing scrutiny. The course will explain the function and features of corporate governance and key corporate governance theories. It will analyse the roles of board members and why good corporate governance practices are important for businesses. In particular, the course will discuss the implications of board membership composition for firms; why independent directors on boards are crucial; how committees are structured; the distinctive function of a CEO and Chairman, among others. It will also highlight corporate governance in an era of 'social responsibility'.

This subject explores contemporary relationships between Indigenous Peoples and settler societies from sociological, legal, political and social policy perspectives. In a comparative perspective it examines the dynamics of these relationships in terms of national, regional and global political orders, with a particular emphasis on evolving international mechanisms for intervention and reform. It explores the impacts and management of dispossession, Indigenous movements for land rights and self-determination and general movements for reconciliation. The subject is concerned also with the methodological and ethical complexities of conducting research on Indigenous issues both within settler societies and globally.

This subject examines contemporary issues in governing, the challenges this creates for policy actors, and how they are addressed. It draws on the expertise of prominent academic and practitioner visitors to the Melbourne School of Government and reflects the core research areas of the Melbourne School of Government. Students will have the opportunity to explore these issues through various topics areas. 

How can governments across the Indo-Pacific region cooperate to address mutual challenges? This subject examines how a regional governance framework helps us to formulate and implement responses to regional problems, such as transnational crime, environmental degradation, and response to natural disasters. We explore diverse approaches to public policy and administration from across the region, and the tensions which sometimes arise among them. For example, we consider how to strike a balance between rules-based governance (relying on international law, norms and rules) and relations-based governance (e.g. the ‘ASEAN Way’). We will hear from guest speakers in the public, university and not-for-profit sectors and consider how governments coordinate and implement policy responses to major regional challenges. This subject will be useful to students who work on issues relating to the Indo-Pacific region or those who are generally interested in how to address regional issues which, by their very nature, cannot be confined to a single country.

Topics:

• Key concepts and debates: What is regional governance, and what does it mean to consider a regional governance framework in addressing regional challenges? What are the key regional challenges faced by Australia and its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific region today? What can we learn from exploring diverse approaches to public policy and administration from across the region?
• Key actors and institutions: We will examine the roles of actors including governments at federal, state, and local levels across the region; bilateral and multilateral agreements among countries, including at the sub-state level; regional governmental organisations and forums; transnational corporations, banking and finance groups; and transnational nongovernmental organisations engaged in humanitarian efforts.
• Key issues and case studies: Case studies may include statelessness and movement of people; environmental initiatives; disaster relief; approaches to transnational crime; and regional economic integration and crisis. Students are encouraged to focus in assessment on case studies of interest and relevance to them.

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.

This subject will introduce you to the challenging philosophical issues raised by climate change. We will cover some of the following questions: is climate change a Tragedy of the Commons? Do our individual GHG emissions do harm? If they do not, do we have any reason to restrain our emissions? What is the non-identity problem, and how seriously should we take it? Does climate change have differential impacts on women and people of colour, and if so, what implications does that have for climate responsibilities? How should the burden of reducing global emissions be shared among states? What is the precautionary principle, and what does it tell us to do about climate change? What is the relative importance of action against climate change compared against other morally important goals? What (if anything) is wrong with geoengineering? What psychological obstacles get in the way of individual action on climate change? In this subject you'll learn both how to defend and criticize arguments relating to climate ethics and environmental activism, and how to articulate what actions might be required of individuals, companies, and states to mitigate climate change.

Please note: this is a research seminar, not a lectured course. We'll read two papers a week and discuss them together, structured around brief student summaries & criticisms.

This subject examines the formation and conduct of US foreign policy.It explores the actors, ideas, interests and institutions that shape US foreign policy, including the role of the President, the Executive branch, Congress, interest groups, lobbies, and political culture, including debates about American exceptionalism. It also examines competing theories of US foreign policy making and explores a range of case studies in the areas of security, interventionism, and democracy promotion.

In this subject students will be placed in an organisation which either analyses or formulates and implements policy in relation to international affairs. The range of organisations relevant to the internship is broad: international organisations, government departments, non-government organisations (including church-based aid agencies), academic and analytical think tanks. Interns will work under the supervision and guidance of a senior manager within these organisations. Students will be provided with advice by the Subject Coordinator on potential organisations to contact, but will also be required to use their own networks; their choice will then need to be ratified by the Subject Coordinator. Students will carry out research or analytical exercises of relevance to the organisation’s international affairs-related work. Students will also observe the structure, culture and policy environment of the organisation and develop advanced analytical, research and report-writing skills; as well as negotiating and interpersonal skills. Students completing this course should expect to acquire significant insight into the complexities of international relations and associated policy making and management activities. During the internship an academic supervisor will advise them.

If primary research is carried out during the internship, ethics approval is the responsibility of the host organisation.

This subject focuses on current debates on the European Union (EU) as an International Actor in foreign policy, diplomacy and trade. It introduces students to conceptual and analytical debates and public discourses on the EU's political development and external role. It examines the context of its current crisis. It scrutinizes divergent conceptions of the EU and its international role and 'actorness'. It examines globalisation's place in narratives of European Union development.The challenges of leadership and coherence in EU foreign policy are examined. It is expected that the value of interdisciplinary analysis will be illustrated. The EU's engagement with the US; MIddle East; the Asia Pascific and Austalia is examined.

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.

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.

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.

This subject focuses on contemporary debates in EU-East Asia relations, introducing students to concepts of regional integration and providing them with an understanding of inter-regionalism. It examines the EU's political agenda in developing a close relationship with East Asia, with a particular emphasis on the evolution of dialogue and engagement over the last decade. This subject will further address the important and topical question of the European Union as a model for Asian regionalism. The roles of regional bodies and cooperative forums such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN +3, the Asia Europe Meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum are studied in some detail, and their interactions with the EU scrutinised. The role of the US pivot and its influence on EU-Asia relations is investigated.

This subject provides students with a critical understanding of the changing concepts and practices of security in a globalised and dynamic world. The subject contrasts traditional state-centric, military based, and external-oriented national security thinking and policy with non-traditional, critical, and human security approaches. The subject explores key relationships between: the state, society and security, including in 'failed states'; international intervention and security, including the 'responsibility to protect' doctrine; weapons and security, including nuclear weapons; and considers the particular insecurities of marginalised groups, such as forcibly displaced populations. The subject then explores globalised forms of insecurity including information and cyber threats, transnational terrorism and organised crime, global health pandemics, and the nexus between climate change, natural resources, and conflict.

This subject provides an advanced introduction to the history, theory, institutions and practice of international governance and law. The subject will provide students with a broad understanding of the evolution of the international system of states, the development of diplomacy, the evolution of international law (including the role of both soft & hard law), the changing form and practice of multilateralism and the emergence of non-state or hybrid forms of power and authority. Key challenges in global governance will be critically explored, including the impact of globalisation on the political autonomy of states; the future of multilateralism; the accountability, representativeness and legitimacy of international organisations and international regimes and the challenge of democratising global governance; the role of non-state actors and civil society; and the challenge of coordinating and harmonising an increasingly dense network of international organisations and regimes.

The principal aim of this subject is to provide an awareness and advanced critique of the major post-war (WWII) theories, approaches and methodologies in the sub-discipline of political science known as 'comparative politics'. Methods of comparing very different kinds of political unit are considered. The term unit is broadly understood, to include, for instance, political systems, political ideologies and political cultures.

This subject provides students with a critical understanding of international political economy (IPE), exploring links between international politics and economics in historical and contemporary perspective. It provides an advanced introduction to a range of competing theoretical and methodological approaches in IPE, with an emphasis on their application to current and historical challenges to the governance and politics of the global economy. Major inter-governmental institutions such as the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the G20 are an important focus, as are a range of hybrid international regimes that involve public and private actors. Key historical and contemporary debates in the subject are explored, including divisions between developed and developing countries, the management of trade, international investment, money, and finance in the global economy.

This subject provides an advanced introduction and critical review of the development and spread of nuclear weapons, the challenges they present, and approaches to their control and to disarmament. This will include a critical examination of strategies for the use of nuclear weapons, measures to reduce their numbers, proliferation and risk of use (including an examination of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty), and whether complete nuclear disarmament is possible and how it might be achieved.

A feature of this subject is that most of the lectures will be delivered by visiting experts, which in 2014 included Professor Gareth Evans, Professor Peter Hayes, Professor Michael Hamel-Green, Colonel Roger Cavazos and Assoc. Prof. Tilman Ruff.

This subject examines contemporary issues in contemporary international relations and the policy issues they raise. It draws on the expertise of prominent foreign academic and practitioner visitors to the School of Social and Political Sciences and reflects one or more of the School's core research areas and policy concerns.

April 2019: Reconciling America with the World: Globalization, U.S. Sovereignty, and Multilateral Cooperation

Stewart Patrick, US Council on Foreign Relations

This seminar examines America’s ambivalent and selective attitude toward multilateral cooperation, with a particular focus on the defensiveness of the United States toward perceived incursions on its national sovereignty. While such instincts are longstanding, they have surfaced with a vengeance in the “America First” administration of Donald J. Trump. This seminar will expose students to the historical, ideological, geopolitical, and institutional roots of U.S. discomfort with international treaties, organizations, and commitments; trace how the U.S. rise to global leadership after World War II tempered these instincts; and explore the role of contemporary globalization in bringing these anxieties and misgivings to the fore today. Students will examine how U.S. conceptions of national sovereignty have evolved since the founding of the republic, including how these conceptions informed the debate over the League of Nations and the subsequent U.S. decision to sponsor the United Nations and Bretton Woods institutions. In separate sessions, students will analyze how conceptions of sovereignty have shaped U.S. debates about international law; collective security and arms control; multilateral trade; immigration and border security; and international organizations like the UN. The course will assess the consequences of “sovereigntist” U.S. instincts for the United States and global governance, and explore whether less formal means of collective action might help bridge the gap between America and the world.

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.

This subject examines the politics of peace and war between the ‘great powers’ of the contemporary world. It begins with the realist claim that war is basic to international relations and the attendant argument that peace is merely the period of preparation between two wars. This claim is then examined and critically evaluated through a range of literatures – historical and theoretical – and in-depth case studies of great power politics and rivalry from World War One to today.

The analysis will be informed by a consideration of the nature of the international system – why and when it incentivises conflict – and the internal character of the great powers themselves so as to understand better when and why they choose to fight. Does the quest for security by great powers render other states less secure? Can international law obviate the recurrence of war? Why, despite the evolution of complex international governance mechanisms, do liberal democracies still rely on military force to realise their objectives? Can hegemony be transferred from one state or group of states to another peacefully? Does the nature of autocracy in states such as China and Russia make war with non-autocratic states inevitable? Will rising powers – like China, Brazil and India – become more or less pacific? These questions and many others form our substantial focus.

This subject focuses on definitions, types and theories of corruption, and on its political, social and economic effects in various parts of the world, particularly since the 1980s. The subject encourages students to problematise the concept of corruption in terms of its varied meanings, and to distinguish it from concepts such as organised crime, shadow economy, and political sleaze. One major issue considered is the extent to which corruption can delegitimise political systems. The subject will explore cultural diversity in interpretations of corruption, and the extent to which different cultural and systemic factors appear to exacerbate or reduce corruption. There will be a particular focus on the possible connections between corruption and neo-liberalism. On completion, students should have a sophisticated understanding of corruption in the contemporary world, what causes it, how it is measured, and how it is combated. Students should also be able to provide an advanced cost-benefit analysis of corruption in political, economic and social terms.

This subject examines the theory and practice of international human rights. It explores the historical origin of the idea of human rights culminating in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and critically examines the development of human rights regimes and practice at the international and regional levels. Key issues examined include the philosophical and political debates about the foundations and practice of human rights, including whether human rights have outgrown their western origins; the relationship between international human rights law and international and domestic politics; human rights advocacy and the role of NGOs; international responses to human rights abuses; and the challenge of human rights enforcement, including the role of international courts and tribunals. These issues will be explored through a range of case studies, such as the rights of refugees, protection against people trafficking, protection against torture, gender discrimination and the rights of ethnic minorities.

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.

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.

This subject examines regionalism in a comparative perspective, focusing in particular on Europe and the Asia Pacific. It examines regional governance in terms of institutions, practices, values, norms and governance outputs. The role of leadership is scrutinised. The value of comparative approaches is critically examined. The subject explores theories of regionalism and comparative regionalism studies. It critically assesses The European Union’s experience of regional integration and the ideas that it constitutes a template of reference point for other regions and for regionalism studies.

The role of sovereignty, consensus identity and security are examined in the case of Asia regionalisms. The differing emphases accorded to institutions, supranationalism, intergovernmentalism and law are examined comparatively.

The debates regarding what and who constitute drivers are presented in a thematic and comprehensive manner. They examine historical contexts; intellectual initiators; crisis; external threats; institutions; multilateralism; common problems; ideas and narratives all as drivers, or on occasion, as inhibitors of regionalism and integration in Asia and Europe as well as aspects of South America and Africa. This subject examines alternative views on what drives regionalism, such as multilateral forums such as the UN or the experiences and promotion of other regions – so here exogenous factors, including other regions or multilateralism or crisis or threat perception are crucial elements in this subject. Leadership and core states are also critically examined. Material, ideational and normative factors are all examined and assessed comparatively.

This subject focuses on Southeast Asian regionalism, with a particular focus on ASEAN. It will explore the dynamics of regionalism, asking questions such as: Why do states create regional organisations? How do those organisations shape the interaction of various actors (states, non-state actors, and actors outside the region)? How does ASEAN’s style of regionalism – ‘thinly’ institutionalised and emphasising informal norms rather than formal rules – challenge the European Union (EU) ‘model’? To what extent does ASEAN facilitate effective regional governance in the face of challenges such as economic crises, natural disasters, interstate and intrastate conflict, terrorism and food security? The ‘ASEAN Way’ may be a practical way of keeping a diverse group of states engaged in a regular forum, but to what extent does it need to evolve in order for ASEAN to avoid being dismissed as a ‘talk shop’? Does the ASEAN Community herald a new era for the Association?

This graduate subject will be taught intensively overseas on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, Indonesia, over five days.   The subject will consist mainly of seminars held at FISIPOL, with some field visits in and/or near Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Governing Money and Finance is an elective subject available to students enrolled in the Master of International Relations and other masters degree students in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The subject provides an advanced introduction to the comparative and global politics of monetary and financial governance. It will introduce students to international monetary relations over the last century, including central issues of the causes and consequences of cycles of crisis and stabilization; international monetary and financial governance; the regulation of private markets and nonstate actors; and how these relate to power, international cooperation and conflict. Major issues include the use of national and international reserve assets, the domestic and international politics of exchange rate adjustment, the operations and regulation of banks and other institutions in international money and capital markets, market and institutional constraints upon national policy choices, and the politics of monetary and financial crises. The role of international institutions including the IMF, the Basel Committee, the Financial Stability Board, the G7, G20 and regional mechanisms in Europe and Asia will be covered. The subject will employ concepts and theories in political economy and international relations to address these empirical issues. As a political economy subject, the emphasis is upon the evolving political and institutional context in which monetary and financial markets operate and not upon the technical aspects of their operation or upon economic theory. However, some basic concepts and theories in economics will be used to explore the political aspects of monetary and financial governance. Prior knowledge of finance and economics is not required.

This subject examines contemporary issues in contemporary international relations and the policy issues they raise. It draws on the expertise of prominent academic and practitioner visitors or experts in the School of Social and Political Sciences and reflects one or more of the School's core research areas and policy concerns.

Diplomacy: Theory and Practice is an elective subject that will introduce students to theoretical and conceptual analyses of diplomacy, and investigates how these understandings shape diplomatic practice, and vice versa. We will examine how, if at all, diplomacy is currently changing within the context of new forms of global governance. Diplomacy is one of the core institutions of international society. The practice of diplomacy mediates relations between distinct political communities in the context of an anarchical international system. This course will thereby ask students to consider the following questions: what are the practices that comprise diplomacy? Are these practices historically variable, or do they represent an essence of relations between states? How do the different sites of diplomacy affect how diplomatic practice is conducted? With these central questions in mind, students will examine the interrelationship between spatio-temporal forms of diplomacy and distinctive aspects of diplomacy practice, from the sharp-end of coercive diplomacy and the organization of warfare to cultural exchanges and study programmes. Specific diplomatic practices covered will include public diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, track-two and track-three negotiations, cultural diplomacy, and classic bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.

This subject will explore a number of real-world ethical problems in international politics, and analyse the ethical responsibilities of citizens, states, and non-state actors in responding to these problems. These problems focus on ethical dilemmas concerning welfare, justice, and political legitimacy in relation to: political violence; world poverty and economic inequality; international governance; global gender inequalities; migration and refugee protection; environment; regulation of Multinational Corporations and NGOs; and international responses to human rights violations by states and Corporations. This subject will further familiarise students with a range of theories – in particular, ‘consequentialist’ and ‘deontological’ ethical theories, and normative political theories of ‘justice’, ‘legitimacy’, and ‘human rights’ – and help students to develop skills in applying these theories as tools for critical analysis of real-world ethical problems, and for prescribing ethical international institutions, policies, and political actions.

Geography, population, and religion have always made Indonesia and its preceding social formations a critical part of Asia, but for some the country’s economic growth and exit from military rule lead to the emergence of the “Indonesian tiger”, “the repositioning of Asia’s third giant”, and the birth of Indonesia “as a normal country”. Yet endemic corruption, predatory power structures, dysfunctional elements in government, the repression of profound historical trauma within living memory, rising religious intolerance, and persisting elements of military autonomy press the scales in the other direction. Moreover, a distinctive and activist foreign policy faces profound challenges from geopolitical shifts and from the vicissitudes of globalisation in its economic, financial, ecological, and cultural dimensions. A key concern will be the implications of these issues for Indonesia-Australia relations. The subject will also address the effects of the interaction of internal and external elements, locating Indonesia as an agent within, as well as a consequence of, historical and contemporary global dynamics. In addition to guest lecturers from Australia and Indonesia, the subject will also feature presentations by practitioners from politics, the military, and business.

Please Note:

The subject is taught two times per year. It is available either as a semester-long subject taught on the Parkville campus or as an overseas intensive subject.

The overseas offering will be taught intensively on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia. The subject will consist mainly of seminars held at the Faculty, with some field visits in Jakarta. Please note that there is a pre-teaching requirement, during which time students will be required to access subject materials on the LMS, and attend a pre-departure briefing on-campus.

The study of political violence by non-state actors has assumed a renewed importance because of the growing threat of terrorism in Australia and because of Australian participation in armed groups overseas. This subject provides an overview of why and how these actors use violence and the threat of violence to attain political goals. We follow the continuum from terror attacks by small groups to full civil wars waged by rebel insurgencies and the logic behind the steps inbetween, including the use of suicide attacks, gendering political violence, transnational mobilization of foreign fighters, media strategies, mercenary vs idealistic motivations for fighters, and approaches to counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. We will examine the history of terrorism and insurgency globally, but will provide an emphasis on the jihadi movement of recent decades.

This subject is offered online, which provides students with great flexibility but also requires a greater commitment to participation. Asynchronous learning affords students to opportunity to listen to pre-recorded lectures at their convenience. Reading will be intensive, and students are required to post their reactions to discussion boards and to comment on other student postings weekly. In addition to a research paper on an approved topic due by the end of the final week of classes, students must also write a timed policy paper online in response to a provided topic.

This subject will introduce students to theoretical approaches that move beyond stale technological determinist or instrumentalist approaches – the dominant traditional take on technology within politics and international relations – to outline new work that stresses the socially constructed and inherently political nature of technological objects. It will offer students clear outlines of the main emerging theoretical approaches to the politics of technology, discussing approaches such as the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT), Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the Critical Theory of Technology, and poststructuralist engagements such as the ‘New Materialism’ in order to give students the theoretical background to approach the politics of technology in a sophisticated manner. It aims to introduce students to different approaches to technology in global politics through a survey of traditional and emerging theoretical approaches to this subject matter and, in turn, how such theoretical approaches can be used to analysis the diverse international political processes of Internet governance, the Revolution in Military Affairs, Nuclear Weapons and Weapons of Mass Destruction, Technologies of the Global Economy, and the technological politics of climate change.

As India’s influence increases in the international system, understanding its foreign policy and its engagement with the rest of the world is critical for students of international relations. This subject is designed as a comprehensive review of some of the key issues related to India’s worldview and its behaviour towards the external world. The subject will familiarise students with the origins and conduct of India’s foreign policy. Apart from taking stock of contemporary thinking and policies of the country, the major thrust of the course would be on the following areas: a.) Mapping the historical trajectory and pre-colonial roots of India’s Foreign Policy; b) Institutions and decision-making process; c.) Intellectual debates on the nation’s external relations in both the pre and post- independence era (esp. Moralism-Realism-Pragmatism); d.) Culture of Strategic Thinking in India’s relations with the outside world; e.) India’s approach towards Multilateralism (esp. Non-Proliferation, United Nations, Humanitarian Intervention, Trade and Environmental regimes)

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.

This subject examines past, present and future responses of the United States toward the rising powers of Asia. A particular focus is the US-India relationship and how it has evolved to counter Chinese power. Despite both being democracies and historical rivals of the People’s Republic, the US and India have not been natural allies. The internal and external factors explaining how and why Washington and New Delhi relate to one another and to Asia more broadly, including domestic demographics and geopolitical conflict, frame our discussions.

The subject is delivered as a 5-day intensive on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in Delhi, India. The subject is co-taught with academics from JNU’s School of International Studies with appropriate visits to diplomatic and government departments in New Delhi.

This subject provides an examination of some important issues in Asia-Pacific international politics in the light of relevant theorizing, interpretations and debates. The topics for study will normally include the China-US-Japan triangle, the Taiwan and Korean conflicts, the international context of conflicts relating to Indonesia and the Southwest Pacific, Australian engagement in the Asia-Pacific, and new and emerging issues in the Asia-Pacific.

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.

This subject explores the influence of gender in (and on) international relations. In particular, this subject examines how gender is implicated in the construction of international relations, how this affects the behaviour of actors in international affairs, their positions vis-à-vis one another,  and what this means for security, for the economy, and for global governance. Through an exploration of topics such as war and armed conflict, terrorism, development, the state and nationalism, globalization, foreign policy, and global institutions, this subject introduces students to connections between sex/gender relations and politics in the international arena.

This subject involves a study of an approved topic in global public policy and international relations. Details of the program being offered will be available from the School. 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.

This subject will be offered by selected Universitas 21 partners in conjunction with the University of Melbourne and will be taught as an intensive in Australia and/or overseas. 

This subject examines contemporary issues in policymaking and governing and how they are addressed. It draws on the expertise of prominent academic and practitioner visitors to the Melbourne School of Government and reflects the core research areas of the Melbourne School of Government. Students will have the opportunity to explore these issues through various topics areas at the global, national, and local levels, under these themes: Governance and Performance; Knowledge and Expertise in Public Policy; Security and Political Engagement; and Governing Markets.

This subject will focus on persuasion and influence. Policy makers and public managers need the ability to influence and persuade, whether it’s presenting policy advice to Ministers and Secretaries, influencing a group in a meeting or building support with stakeholders. Students will be introduced to the key concepts and tools underpinning persuasion and learn how to influence, build rapport and trust. Case study analysis and practice-based tasks will be used to develop students’ hands-on skills.

This subject will examine the impact of international migration on the states, societies, and individuals. Its first segment will address the questions such as why people move and how societies change because of immigration and emigration. The second segment will examine policies concerning multiculturalism and social cohesion. By reviewing various policy examples and case studies, this subject aims to help students understand the realities of international migration and its policy challenges. The third segment will analyze the global governance of international migration, including the roles of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and international laws. This subject is offered by Asia Institute, and will use many case studies of Asian countries, while covering the experiences of Australia, the US, Canada, and some major immigration countries in Europe as reference points as well.