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GSIA Courses

Cross-Campus Electives

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GSIA Courses

List of Courses

Asia Pacific Security (INTR8022)
Australia's Global Challenges (INTR8049)
China: Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation (INTR8060)
Conflict Resolution and Peace Building (INTR8052)
Contemporary Issues in International Relations (INTR8066)
Ethics of Peace and War (INTR8053)
Ethnicity and Conflict in Asia and the Pacific (INTR8040)
Evolution of the International System 1 (INTR8046)
Evolution of the International System 2 (INTR8012)
Gender and War (INTR8054)
Gender, War, and Justice in South and Southeast Asia (INTR8064)
Global Environmental Politics (INTR8028)
Global Governance 1 (INTR8045)
Global Governance 2 (INTR8031)
Global Security 1 (INTR8032)
Global Security 2 (INTR8047)
Humanitarianism in World Politics (INTR8062)
International Political Economy 1 (INTR8013)
International Political Economy 2 (INTR8048)
International Relations Theory (INTR8011)
Politics of Islam in Southeast Asia (INTR8058)
Post-Colonial Pacific and Global Change (INTR8043)
Reading Unit (INTR8026)
Reading Unit (INTR8037)
States, Globalisation and the Movement of Peoples (INTR8050)
Thesis (INTR8038)
Thesis - part-time (INTR8039)
War and National Identity: Japan, WW2(INTR8063)
War and Peace in Asia (INTR8057)
World Politics (INTR8036)
Writing International Relations (INTR8065)

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8022

Asia Pacific Security

INTR8049

Australia's Global Challenges

INTR8064

Gender, War, and Justice in South and Southeast Asia

INTR8062

Humanitarianism in World Politics

INTR8013

International Political Economy 1

INTR8048

International Political Economy 2

INTR8011 International Relations Theory

INTR8058

Politics of Islam in Southeast Asia

INTR8043

Post-Colonial Pacific and Global Change

INTR8065

Writing International Relations

INTR8036

World Politics

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8060

China: Global Engagement & Domestic Transformation

INTR8066

Contemporary Issues in International Relations

INTR8040

Ethnicity and Conflict in Asia and the Pacific

INTR8046

Evolution of International System 1

INTR8012 Evolution of International System 2
INTR8028

Global Environmental Politics

INTR8045 Global Governance 1
INTR8031 Global Governance 2
INTR8032 Global Security 1
INTR8047 Global Security 2

INTR8050

States, Globalisation and the Movement of Peoples

INTR8063

War and National Identity: Japan, WW2

INTR8057 War and Peace in Asia
Semester 1 & 2, 2010

INTR8026

Reading Unit
INTR8037 Reading Unit

INTR8038

Thesis

INTR8039

Thesis (part-time)

Winter Session, 2010
INTR8052 Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
INTR8053 Ethics of Peace and War
INTR8054 Gender and War

 

Asia Pacific Security
Dr Andrew Phillips

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8022 6 units

This course aims to provide students with a broad overview of key Asia-Pacific security challenges, while also exposing students to core debates concerning the nature, evolution and prospects of the contemporary Asia-Pacific security order. The course begins with a consideration of competing visions of Asia-Pacific order, before then proceeding to a consideration of core security issues as they manifest themselves in the four sub-regions of the Asia-Pacific macro-region: (a) Great Power rivalry and cooperation in the Northeast Asian 'triangle of tension'; (b) counter-proliferation, counter-insurgency, and counter-terrorism challenges in South Asia; (c) Southeast Asian security challenges and regional institution-building - the evolving ASEAN 'security community'; and (d) the South Pacific 'arc of instability' and the challenges of state-building and stabilisation missions. A fundamental objective of the course is to assist students in acquiring the intellectual skills required to become more proficient analysts of regional security challenges. It is also designed to facilitate the application of major international relations theoretical approaches for better understanding and dealing with these trends.

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Australia's Global Challenges
Professor Stuart Harris

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8049 6 units

Rapid global change is taking place at two different if interacting levels: short term changes, notably the consequences of the financial crisis; and longer term changes, illustrated by the relative rise of China, India, Russia, Brazil, Europe and others leading to a diminution of US unipolarity.

We will look at four broad areas of global challenge and Australia's responses:

  • globalisation, including how it has been affected by the financial crisis (is there a new normal?) and how does this affect the role of Australian governments and relations with other countries, particularly in Asia.
  • global order changes, including a more constrained US dominance; the continuing war on terror and terrorism; the rise of Islam and of religion more generally on global politics and their implications for Australia; multilateralism, Australlia’s relations with the UN and other multilateral institutions; and alliance relations with the US.
  • global demographic and economic changes, including the shifts in material structures among the US, Russia, Asia, and the Rest; the geopolitics of energy and other resource issues; the likely expansion of nuclear energy and proliferation questions; and global climate change.
  • The rise of Asia, including its bilateral and multilateral political, security and economic links; the growing importance of China and India; Australia's responses as a country between China (and Asia) and the West; and Asian regional institutions.

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China: Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation
Dr Katherine Morton

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8060 6 units

The re-emergence of China as a major power has raised important questions relating to its role in international politics and the likely consequences for world order. This course will critically assess China's evolving engagement with the outside world by looking at the close relationship between China's internal transitions, domestic institutions and social challenges on one side and its international policies and diplomacy on the other. It will consider new developments in Chinese foreign policy as well as key political, economic, and social changes taking place at the domestic level. Particular attention will be given to six main issues: (1) the interplay between traditional and new forms of Chinese diplomacy; (2) energy and resource security; (3) human rights and environmental responsibility; (4) Chinese institutions and political reform; (5) economic reform and world trade; and (6) Chinese societies and local-global linkages. By moving beyond the traditional international-domestic divide, the course aims to provide students with a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the complexity of China's global engagement.

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Conflict Resolution and Peace Building
Dr Hege Barker

Winter Session, 2010. Only offered in Oslo, Norway, and runs from 23 August to 10 December, 2010

INTR8052
12 units

This course introduces students to the main approaches to the study and practice of conflict resolution and peace building. The first part addresses fundamental questions about the causes of armed conflict, and the nature of inter- and intra-state conflict. The second part discusses the dynamics of armed conflict: why conflicts continue, and escalate. In the third part, students will learn about methods of conflict resolution - from grassroots activism to high-politics diplomacy - and of peace building - by means ranging from institutional design to the use of truth commissions. The theoretical issues will be explored through case studies. The line-up of lecturers for this coordinated course includes several PRIO researchers, as well as prominent visiting lecturers from diplomacy, politics, and the military.

This course is only available to students in the Peace and Conflict Studies specialisation and is offered in Oslo, Norway, in conjunction with the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO).

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Contemporary Issues in International Relations
To Be Confirmed

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8066 6 units
12 units

This course will be offered after Education Committee approval.

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Ethics of Peace and War
Dr Henrik Syse

Winter Session, 2010. Only offered in Norway, Oslo, and runs from 23 August to 10 December, 2010.

INTR8053
6 units

The last hundred years have seen brutal wars, murderous totalitarian regimes, genocide, and nuclear weapons. But we have also witnessed - to a certain extent because of the facts just mentioned - an unprecedented development of international law, a resurgence of interest in international ethics and the ethics of war, humanitarian initiatives on a large scale, and the founding of international organisations such as the United Nations, designed to foster peace and international cooperation. The ethical appraisal of war has a long history in Western political thought, and encompasses several different approaches, including the traditions known as realism, pacifism, and just war. Examining the most representative writings on the ethics of war, by a range of authors (Plato, Augustine, Aquinas, Vitoria, Rousseau, Kant, Walzer, and others) in these different traditions, and with application to contemporary issues (terrorism, humanitarian intervention, preventive war, etc.) is the principal aim of this course.

This course is only available to students in the Peace and Conflict Studies specialisation and is offered in Oslo, Norway, in conjunction with the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO).

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Ethnicity and Conflict in Asia and the Pacific
Dr Edward Aspinall

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8040 6 units

This course will look at the nature of ethnic identity, the ways in which ethnically-based conflicts have emerged within states, the internationalisation of ethnic conflict, and the search for means of managing ethnic tensions and resolving conflicts when management strategies fail. It will draw on case studies from Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India, and the Pacific.

Evolution of International System 1 INTR8046
6 units
Evolution of International System 2 INTR8012
12 units

Dr Jacinta O'Hagan

Semester 2, 2010

   

This course examines the evolution of the contemporary international system through exploring how relationships of power have evolved and changed as the modern international system emerged from a series of regional systems. It uses the concept of empire to explore the changing nature of order, power and of power relationships. This allows us to view international relations as a thick set of social, political, cultural and military relations, offering a range of perspectives that are often obscured by focusing simply on the international system as simply one of sovereign states. The course explores the relationship between empire and the evolution of concepts such as region, sovereignty and hegemony. It further examines the relationship between empire and conflict, focusing in particular on the twentieth century. The course also considers the putative disappearance and resurgence of empire in this period, allowing us to reflect in conclusion on the utility of the concept in the contemporary world politics.

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Gender and War
Dr Anita Schjølset

Winter Session, 2010. Only offered in Norway, Oslo, and runs from 23 August to 10 December, 2010.

INTR8054 6 units

This course raises the question of what role the relationship between the genders plays for understanding violent conflict - and presents a range of scholarly approaches that contribute towards an answer. Relating to the causes of conflict, the course discusses issues of violence and masculinity, gender and militarism, and women's role in political decision making. Addressing the nature and dynamics of war, the lecturers introduce students to studies of women combatants, women's role in terrorism, and violence against and exploitation of women in war. Finally, the course explores whether there are consistent gender differences in the practice of conflict resolution and peace building.

This course is only available to students in the Peace and Conflict Studies specialisation and is offered in Oslo, Norway, in conjunction with the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO).

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Gender, War, and Justice in South and Southeast Asia
Dr Tyrell Haberkorn

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8064 6 units

This course will consider how gender affects experiences of war and the subsequent mechanisms of redress and reparation which follow it. The course begins with an examination of gendered forms of violence, and the particular kinds of violence, including rape and sexual slavery, experienced by women during war. Through close readings about nation, gender, and the regions of South and Southeast Asia, the course will also question the units of analysis which inform our understanding of gender and war. The remainder of the course will focus on in-depth case studies, including Partition in India and Pakistan, women and counterinsurgency in Southeast Asia, women and girls living under the Khmer Rouge, women surviving war and building peace in Sri Lanka, and the roles of ethnic women's groups in building peace in Burma.

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Global Environmental Politics
Dr Lorraine Elliott

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8028 6 units

This course examines how transboundary and global environmental issues have been addressed in world politics, drawing on key concepts in the discipline of International Relations. The course begins with an overview of the ways in which issues of environmental change have become ‘globalised’ through an introduction to the timelines of diplomatic negotiations and multilateral environmental agreements. The course then explores four key themes and issues in the global politics of the environment: governance and institutions; civil society and private authority; global political economy; environmental security. Each ‘theme’ involves (i) an overview session to introduce students to the major debates and issues and (ii) a case study that will provide students with an opportunity for more focused investigation that contributes to their knowledge of the practice of global environmental politics and also demonstrates the application of key themes and concepts.

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Global Governance 1
Global Governance 2
Dr Andrew Phillips

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8045
INTR8031
6 units
12 units

This course introduces students to the structures, practices, and norms of global governance. The course begins with a consideration of core theoretical concepts, including governance, globalisation, power, authority, and legitimacy, before then briefly contextualising the evolving trend towards global governance within the larger history of the modern state system. We then consider debates on global governance as they pertain to the following broad areas: (a) global governance and the regulation of organised violence; (b) global economic governance; and (c) global governance and the evolving human rights agenda. The course concludes with some reflections on the long-term trajectory and future prospects of the global governance project.

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Global Security 1
Global Security 2
Dr Paul Keal

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8032
INTR8047

6 units
12 units

This course investigates the concept of security and the nature of security studies in relation to world politics. It has the aim of familiarising students with contemporary debates about global security and the forces in world politics which either threaten or contribute to global security. It begins by considering the contested meanings given to ‘security’ and how these figure in thinking about how the globe is best secured. It is then organised into three sections. The first considers the current predominance of the United States in shaping world order, how this might change with a return to great power rivalry, and the continuing presence of nuclear weapons. The second section investigates some currently perceived threats to international security including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Islamist terrorism, the implications of the war in Iraq for global security, and the impact of climate change coupled with the scarcity of vital resources. Section three turns to discussion of some of the challenges to achieving human security. Included in this is humanitarian intervention linked to the Responsibility to Protect, the Security Council and the example of Darfur. Following this is an examination of the nexus between security and development drawing on the case of Afghanistan, and finally the particular issue of child soldiers. The course closes by discussing assessments of the outlook for global security in the twenty-first century and suggestions about how it might be sustained and improved.

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Humanitarianism in World Politics
Dr Jacinta O'Hagan

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8062
6 units

Humanitarianism is a prominent powerful, though often vexed issue in world politics today. Debate on the role of humanitarianism in world politics often vacillates between belief in its capacity to transform the international system and frustration and disillusionment with its perceived failure to do so. In examining the role of humanitarianism in world politics, this course seeks to disaggregate these debates, revealing key themes, trends and questions in the evolution of the concepts and practices of humanitarianism. Central amongst these are the themes of assistance and protection that are often viewed as at the very heart of humanitarianism, along with advocacy and ternoinage.

The course first examines the historical evolution and global diffusion of humanitarian concepts and practices. In this we encounter ideas such as the humanitarian imperative and humanitarian space, as well as discuss the genesis of movements that have been central to the globalisation of humanitarian practices, such as the ICRC.

In the second section of the course we look in detail at the concepts and practices of international humanitarian assistance, considering in particular some of the dilemmas and paradoxes of assistance.

In the third section of the course we explore the concepts and practices of humanitarian intervention. We critically examine the evolving relationship between humanitarian intervention and the concept of sovereignty; and the emergence of the idea of a 'responsibility to protect' and the extent to which this can and is being implemented.

Finally we examine the extent to which conceptions of humanitarian obligations have come to underpin state building projects states that have been identified as 'failed' or 'failing'.

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International Political Economy 1
International Political Economy 2

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8013
INTR8048
6 units
12 units

This is an introductory course to the subject area of international political economy. It is not a course on economics and students are not expected to have any background in the study of economics although some economic concepts will be employed and discussed. The focus of this unit is on the politics of (international) economic activity and phenomena. The unit aims to introduce students to the subject area of international political economy and to develop their research and analytical skills in the study thereof. It is intended for students who have had no previous background in the subject. The unit will include a review of the principal theoretical approaches to the study of international political economy as well as examine the major issue areas in the post-war global economy: trade, international finance, foreign direct investment, international debt, globalization and regionalization. By the end of the unit, students should have an understanding of the main issues dominating the international/global political economy as well as the ability to engage critically with them.

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International Relations Theory
Professor Chris Reus-Smit

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8011
12 units

This course surveys the principal theoretical perspectives on international relations and explores their relevance to understanding contemporary issues and developments in world politics. It considers why we should theorise about international relations, asks what international relations is as an academic pursuit, reviews the various meanings of theory, and introduces the major theoretical questions and perspectives that have occupied students of international affairs. In surveying the major theories of international relations, it assumes that all theories have an explanatory dimension-explaining how the world works-and a normative dimension-prescribing how it ought to work. Instead of ignoring these aspects, the course focuses on how they are expressed in the major traditions of thought, such as realism, liberalism, Marxism, and constructivism. In the process, attention is given to issues such as the causes and ethics of war, the contribution of international institutions to peace, the relationship between global inequality and conflict, and the normative foundations of international relations.

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Politics of Islam in Southeast Asia
Dr Greg Fealy

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8058 6 units

Islam is a major factor in Southeast Asian affairs, though academically neglected. Muslims are the largest religious community in Southeast Asia, comprising about 45% of the region’s population, and Islam is critical to understanding political, security and cultural developments. This course will survey the diverse Muslim societies in the region and examine the complex historical, cultural and doctrinal ties between them. It will consider the role of ‘external’ forces in shaping Muslim life in Southeast Asia as well as look at those elements which make regional Islam distinctive from other parts of the Muslim world. We will give particular attention to a number of issues: (1) the role of Islam in various regional insurgencies, such as those in Aceh, southern Thailand, western Burma and the southern Philippines; (2) the interplay between Islam, nationalism and democracy; (3) the political consequences of Islamization in Indonesia and Malaysia; (4) the dynamics of radicalism and terrorism, particularly with regard to international versus local characteristics; (5) the impact of globalization and accompanying indigenization of religiosity; and (6) Islam’s influence on regional diplomacy. In discussing these issues, we will critically assess the literature on the politics of Southeast Asian Islam and the cultural and theoretical assumptions which underlie it.

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Post-Colonial Pacific and Global Change
Mr Greg Fry

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8043 6 units

This course explores the experience of the post-colonial states and societies of the Pacific with global political, strategic, cultural and economic processes. It examines the impact of such processes on the fragmentation and integration of political community, on development and poverty, cultural identity, conflict and governance, human security and sovereignty. It is particularly concerned with how global norms and ideas such as democracy, human rights, gender equity, sovereignty, statism and neo-liberal economics interact with the values and organisation of local societies. It situates the Pacific experience in a larger debate about the impact of 'globalisation' on developing states, and about the international system as viewed from non-western regions.

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Reading Unit
Reading Unit

Semester 1 and 2, 2010

INTR8026
INTR8037
6 units
12 units

 

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States, Globalisation and the Movement of Peoples
Dr Heather Rae

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8050 6 units

This course explores the apparent contradiction between the global flows of capital, goods and culture and the assertion by states that they maintain the right to control the flow of peoples across their borders. We begin with a study of the bases of sovereignty claims made by modern, territorially-based states and the way in which this model of legitimate political authority was globalised during the course of the twentieth century. We then turn to an investigation of the way in which such sovereignty claims work to legitimate particular forms of authority, both domestically and internationally; the relationship between such claims and the politics of identity and, in turn, the construction of the boundaries of states as both moral and physical boundaries. We will then consider the contradictions in the system through investigation of a number of issue areas in which we focus on the vulnerabilities inherent in movement within a system predicated on state authority. These include forced displacement resulting in the creation of refugees and internal displaced persons; labour migration, including the feminisation of such migration; people smuggling and trafficking; and the securitisation of migration, particularly in Western states.

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Thesis
Dr Heather Rae

Semester 1 and 2, 2010

INTR8038 24 units

One semester of full-time study.

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Thesis (part-time)
Dr Heather Rae

Semester 1 and 2, 2010

INTR8039 12 units

Thesis completed over two seminars of half-time study.

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War and National Identity: Japan, WW2
To Be Confirmed
Professor Rikki Kirsten

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8063 6 units

This course will be available after Education Committee approval.

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War and Peace in Asia
Dr Peter Van Ness

Semester 2, 2010

INTR8057 6 units

This graduate seminar is an invitation to participate in a joint exploration of the roots of war and the opportunities for peace in East Asia. We study three cases of war and three cases of peace building. Part of the material for the course comes from a continuing collaborative research project on "Historical Reconciliation and Security Cooperation in NE Asia" which has already convened two international workshops with participants from China, Japan, Russia, Korea, and the United States.

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World Politics
Dr Heather Rae

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8036 12 units

This course introduces students to a selection of the major theoretical approaches to international relations as well as some of the key issues in contemporary world politics. The aims are to foster familiarity with international relations as an academic discipline, build students' knowledge of debates within the field and to foster an understanding of how the assumptions we make, and the intellectual positions we take, inform our understanding of particular issues. After surveying some of the major approaches to the study of IR in the second section of the course we go on to investigate the development of the modern system of states via consideration of the concept of sovereignty and the relationship between this and the idea of the nation and of the right to national self-determination. In the final section of the course we consider some major issues in contemporary world politics. These include the role of human rights norms in the international system, the future of the sovereign state and conceptions of community in an era of globalisation and, finally, consideration of the implications of American power for contemporary world order.

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Writing International Relations
Mr Greg Fry

Semester 1, 2010

INTR8065 6 units
12 units

The Writing International Relations course is an introduction to graduate writing skills focused on the discipline of International Relations. It seeks to develop such skills as how to read for argument, how to construct an argument, forms of reasoning and evidence, structuring an essay, how to conduct advanced research, and critical thinking. It does so through a careful analysis of selected International Relations texts and debates, and through the interactive development of graduated written assignments.

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Cross-Campus Electives

GSIA Students may take one 6-unit course from another department as an elective course. If you are interested in a course other than those listed below, please contact the Program Administrator.

Please note that you will not be able to enrol yourself in these units over ISIS. Instead, you must contact the administrator of the school/department/centre responsible for the course, and he/she will enrol you in the unit, or provide you with a permission code that will allow you to enrol on ISIS. Contact details for the departmental administrators are listed below each unit.

List of Current Approved Cross-Campus Electives

Semester 1 ANTH8009 Development in Practice
Semester 1 ANTH8038 Introduction to Gender and Development
Semester 1 ASIA8020 Asia-Pacific Core Studies A
Semester 1 ASIA8028 Issues in Asia-Pacific Studies A

Semester 1

MEAS8111

Islam, the West and International Terrorism

Semester 1

POGO8095

Development Policy and Practice

Semester 1 STST8021 Intelligence and Security

 

Autumn Session STST8013 China's Defence and Strategic Challenges
Autumn Session EURO8003 The European Union: Regional Integration in Comparative Perspective

Semester 2 ANTH8007 Key Concepts in the Anthropology of Development
Semester 2 ASIA8021 Asia-Pacific Core Studies B
Semester 2 ASIA8028 Issues in Asia-Pacific Studies A

Semester 2

MEAS8100

Oil, Religion, Politics and Conflict in the Middle East

Semester 2

MEAS8115

Islam in World Politics

Semester 2

MEAS8116

Islam and Democracy

Semester 2

POGO8004

Poverty Reduction

Semester 2 STST8004 Australian Strategic and Defence Policy

 

Semester 1, 2010 Courses

Development in Practice
Dr Patrick Kilby
ANTH8009 6 units

This course course deals with the practicalities of working in development. It will critically examine the key institutional actors that implement development projects: NGOs, bilateral, and multilateral donors. Within this broader institutional environment the course will critically examine the institutional processes and priorities, the role of advocacy, the ethics of development practice, how development workers operate in the field, and how development projects are conceived and managed. To enrol, contact Patrick Kilby
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Introduction to Gender and Development
Dr Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt
ANTH8038 6 units

This course introduces the key elements of the scholarly debates and analytical tools of Gender and Development, including the theories around gender and empowerment, and contemporary approaches to gender equity and mainstreaming. This is done through a balance of thought-provoking regional and sectoral case studies from different cultural contexts including South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and indigenous societies; as well as in key themes such as empowerment, water, and mining. The approach is critical, bottom-up, and inclusive. A key question that will be addressed through the course is that despite the sophistication of scholarly understanding of gender and inequality, why it is still difficult to fully address gender issues in development projects and programs. To enrol, contact Patrick Kilby
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Asia-Pacific Core Studies A
Dr Tomoko Akami
ASIA8020 6 units

These issues based Core Studies courses form the compulsory disciplinary core to the Master of Asia-Pacific Studies. The core courses will be thematic and methodological in character and will provide the essential disciplinary focus for students progressing to language and elective options centred on the cultural, social, historical and language context in analysing current issues. Students will benefit from research-led teaching, drawing on the skills and experience of lecturers and researchers from the Asia-Pacific graduate studies field across the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific in the Faculty of Asian Studies, the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, the Crawford School of Economics and Government, and other relevant areas in the University. It will be important for students to be cognisant of original language sources supporting their studies.

The study of Asia is known to be challenging. Australians who study their own society already have a wide general knowledge of their subject, which is often not the case when they study Asia and the Pacific. Similarly, someone who grew up in one Asian country may lack general knowledge of other Asian or Pacific countries, given the great diversity of the region. An aim of the core coursework is to provide contextual knowledge and background. However, general knowledge by itself is not enough. It is also necessary to have a good understanding of different methodologies that are useful in the study of Asia and the Pacific. Fortunately, the ANU's unique concentration of Asia-Pacific specialists working on an extremely wide geographic area from very varied disciplinary perspectives enables the Faculty to equip students to meet the varied challenges the future will bring. The Core Coursework does this by examining four themes - Religion, Nationalism, Popular Culture, and History - through a number of Asia and Pacific case studies. Some of the case studies will be relevant to one particular Asian or Pacific country or region (such as the forest fires, the fall of Suharto, Fijian coups, the Tiananmen massacre); others will be relevant to Asia or the Pacific more generally (such as economic booms and crises); and still others will be relevant not just to Asia but to the world (epidemics such as SARS, globalised media, the drug trade and so on). To enrol, contact Kim Grant.
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Issues in Asia-Pacific Studies A ASIA8028 6 units

This is a shell course complementing the suite of flexible single issue elective courses grouped around the compulsory core coursework responding to issues of the moment. Coursework is conceived as a research based elective. It is flexible in nature and will feature a small group based seminar format. The course is designed to accommodate additional topics that may become necessary or emerge as a result of regional dynamics during the course of each academic year. To enrol, contact Kim Grant.
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Islam, the West and International Terrorism
Professor Amin Saikal
MEAS8111 6 units

This course examines the changing relations between the ‘domain of Islam’ and ‘the West’, more specifically the United States, against the backdrop of the events of September 11, 2001, and its aftermath. It does so in both historical and contemporary terms. Its inquiry focuses more specifically on three main issues: the nature of Islam and its relations with the West in history, the rise of the United States to globalism since World War II and its role in the Muslim domain, and the problems with US and Muslim approaches in dealing with the phenomenon of international terrorism. To enrol, contact Kerry Pert.
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Development Policy and Practice
Mr Scott MacWilliam
POGO8095 6 units

The modern idea of development assumes that the process by which this form of change occurs is spontaneous as well as intended. The course examines late twentieth and early twenty first century efforts to make development happen. These efforts include reconstruction after major and minor military conflicts, decolonisation and national independence, industrialisation and state building, structural adjustment programs, globalisation, democratisation and poverty reduction. The course examines successes and failures from a wide range of attempts to develop countries and peoples, emphasising commonalities as well as important differences.

To enrol, contact Maurette MacLeod
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Intelligence and Security
Dr Andrew Davies

STST8021 6 units

This course will provide a thorough understanding of the contribution that intelligence can make to national and international security. Its main aim is to provide students with a sound understanding of the way in which intelligence is collected and analysed, and how it contributes to national decision-making. To that end the course will examine the structure and oversight of intelligence agencies in the Australian context, identify and analyse cases of intelligence success and intelligence failure, examine both the historical and contemporary use of intelligence (eg in the Cold War and in dealing with international terrorism) and the relationship between science, psychology and intelligence. To enrol, contact the GSSD Administrator.
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Autumn Session, 2010

 

The European Union: Regional Integration in Comparative Perspective [Autumn Session]
Professor Simon Bronitt and Mr Adam Berryman
EURO8003 6 units

This Master's level course addresses issues relating to the challenges and implication of European integration. Since the end of the Second World War, the sub-continent of Europe has experienced sustained and expanding degrees of supranational integration in the fields of law, economics and politics. Some analysts see in this process a model for regional integration the world over; others argue that the EU is unique and that this pattern of integration cannot - and should not - be repeated elsewhere. This course will critically examine European integration from historical, applied and theoretical perspectives. By examining case-studies in the fields of law and regulation, human rights, trade and the environment, common policing and security policy and immigration, students will gain interdisciplinary insights to the process of regional integration and equip them to make comparative analysis, engaging with questions such as:

* Can the European model of integration help us predict the possibility of and paths towards integration in other parts of the world, such as Asia?
* What are the external implications of European regionalism?
* Is regional integration effective and desirable?
* How integrated, by comparison, are federal entities such as Australia?

This course will appeal to students of international relations, European politics, comparative law, sociology and public policy. It will be taught in an intensive format over five days (with a break for the weekend) on April 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24. The program is comprised of lectures, seminars, and structured discussion groups and will offer students exposure to a range of leading researchers, policy practitioners and diplomats. In addition students will work in syndicates and be required to participate in a group presentation on the final day of the course.
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China's Defence and Strategic Challenges [Autumn Session]
Dr Ron Huisken
STST8013 6 units

China's re-emergence as a significant economic and political actor is a geopolitical development of the first order.  It has been a century since the international system has had to accommodate a wholly new major power, particularly a power that has the potential to rival even the weight of the US.  This course seeks to equip students to assess the trajectory of China's current rise to prominence and its probable implications, particularly for stability in East Asia and for the wider modalities of global governance.  The course will cover China's political, economic and military policies and capabilities, as well the development of China's relations with other key actors. To enrol, contact the GSSD Administrator.

 

Semester 2, 2010 Courses

Key Concepts in Anthropology of Development
Dr Patrick Kilby and
Prof. Francesca Merlan
ANTH8007 6 units

This course will focus on certain important and current concepts in development policy and practice, and explore their background in the social sciences. We will examine the rise of discourses of development, including ideas of modernization, development and underdevelopment, and the North-South (or First-Third World) divide; relationships between people in local communities and the state; concepts of civil society and community; participation and empowerment; the rise of the framework of `social capital'; gender; poverty and basic needs; justice and human rights; the place of notions of indigeneity; and views of sustainability and appropriate technology in development. In examining some of the background to development concepts in the social sciences, we explore the relationships and tensions between their uses there and in forms of development, trying to identify pitfalls and positives.

To enrol, contact Patrick Kilby
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Asia-Pacific Core Studies B
Professor Kent Anderson
ASIA8021 6 units

The study of Asia is known to be challenging. Australians who study their own society already have a wide general knowledge of their subject, which is often not the case when they study Asia and the Pacific. Similarly, someone who grew up in one Asian country may lack general knowledge of other Asian or Pacific countries, given the great diversity of the region. An aim of the core coursework is to provide contextual knowledge and background. However, general knowledge by itself is not enough. It is also necessary to have a good understanding of different methodologies that are useful in the study of Asia and the Pacific. Fortunately, the ANU's unique concentration of Asia-Pacific specialists working on an extremely wide geographic area from very varied disciplinary perspectives enables the Faculty to equip students to meet the varied challenges the future will bring. The Core Coursework does this by examining four themes - Religion, Nationalism, Popular Culture, and History - through a number of Asia and Pacific case studies. Some of the case studies will be relevant to one particular Asian or Pacific country or region (such as the forest fires, the fall of Suharto, Fijian coups, the Tiananmen massacre); others will be relevant to Asia or the Pacific more generally (such as economic booms and crises); and still others will be relevant not just to Asia but to the world (epidemics such as SARS, globalised media, the drug trade and so on) To enrol, contact kim.grant.
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Issues in Asia-Pacific Studies A ASIA8028 6 units

This is a shell course complementing the suite of flexible single issue elective courses grouped around the compulsory core coursework responding to issues of the moment. It is conceived as an individual, research based elective designed to accommodate additional topics that may become necessary or emerge as a result of regional dynamics during the course of each academic year. To enrol, contact kim.grant.
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Oil, Religion, Politics and Conflict in the Middle East
Professor Amin Saikal
MEAS8100 6 units

This course examines the evolution of state and society in the contemporary Middle East against the backdrop of the dynamics of relationships between oil, Islam, foreign intervention, domestic strife and intra-state conflict. The course is thematic in its approach and selective in its use of major events to illustrate its coverage. It emphasises the theme of change, continuity and conflict in the political, social and economic transformation of the region. To enrol, contact Kerry Pert.
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Islam and Democracy (not offered 2010)
Professor James Piscatori
MEAS8116 6 units

This course examines in detail the debates over the democratisation of Muslim societies. It begins by an examination of modern Islamic thought and considers diverse views of the state, authority, pluralism, and citizenship. It assesses the importance of political culture and structural factors to the emergence of democracy. In doing so, it critically examines essentialist and exceptionalist assumptions about Middle Eastern and Muslim societies, the role of elections, the position of Islamist movements, the constraints on democratic consolidation, and the possibilities of ‘exporting' democracy. While the course is organised thematically, examples are drawn from a number of specific cases and democratic theory is invoked in order to relate the specificity of Muslim societies to broader debates.
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Islam in World Politics
Professor James Piscatori
MEAS8115 6 units

This course covers the international politics of the Muslim world, with a special emphasis on theMiddle East since 1945. Classical and modern Islamic thought on war and peace serves as the backdrop to a consideration of a number of themes. These include the compatibility of Islam and nationalism, the significance of Islamic transnationalism, the role of the pan-Islamic ideal, the impact of radical networks, and the effects of globalisation. Attempts are made to relate modern historical trends to larger concerns and theories of international relations.
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Islamic Radicalism (not offered 2010)
Dr Kirill Nouzhanov
MEAS8102 6 units

The growing political strength, self-awareness and solidarity of Muslim communities across the world have been evident since the early 1970s. In the wake of the Cold War, Muslim politics has caused particular concern in the West, where the notion of ‘Islamic Radicalism’ has been increasingly used to create an image of the threatening cultural ‘Other’. This course is aimed at a better understanding of Islam, Islamic movements, Islamic revivalism or Islamism in a variety of settings. Specifically, it is a course about how to think about Islamic radicalism as a conglomeration of context-specific policies, projects, ideals, institutions, and movements that have their origin in Muslim societies’ response to “modernity”. It is designed to introduce students to major theoretical perspectives on Islamism, and its practical manifestations in individual countries (not confined to the Arab World), as well as in the regional and global arena. To enrol, contact Kerry Pert.
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Poverty Reduction
Mr Scott MacWilliam
POGO8004 6 units

Since the early 1990s, there has been an increasing global emphasis upon poverty and the search for means to reduce a condition which affects up to twenty per cent of the total global population. The drive to reduce poverty has become a major international as well as national policy objective. Rapid urbanization and industrialisation in many formerly agricultural countries has given poverty reduction greater importance for unemployment and disorder pose political risks for authorities. Food shortages, high prices and riots have added to concerns that poverty is becoming more deeply entrenched in some of the poorest countries.

POGO8004 is intended to give students an understanding of:

  • the historical character of poverty, including its changing forms, and explanations regarding poverty's persistence;
  • debates about the measurement of poverty, including the most appropriate measures; and
  • the changing methods adopted for poverty alleviation and reduction.
To enrol, contact Maurette MacLeod
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Australian Strategic and Defence Policy
Professor Hugh White
STST8004 6 units

This course is about strategic and defence policy - it focuses on how Australia develops and uses its armed forces. Australia spends $22 billion each year - 2% of GDP - building armed forces and conducting military operations. This course explores how that money is spent, and why. It explores the key questions that underpin the kinds of forces we choose to build. What role does armed force play in Australia's security? What kinds of operations do our armed forces do to be able to play those roles? Which capabilities can do those operations most cost-effectively? The course addresses these questions by developing clear connections between Australia's strategic objectives, our capability options and our financial recourses. Along the way we explore current defence debates and controversies, examine the impacts of different views of the nature of security and the international system on those debates, and look at the big questions for the future. To enrol, contact the GSSD Administrator.
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