PL2250:04
Australia and World Politics
Townsville, Cairns
HECS Band 1
Semester 1 and 2. Flexible delivery.
Staff: Dr D Hunt.
This subject examines Australia’s global position and role. It explores the evolution of Australian foreign, defence and trade policies and investigates the assumptions about Australia and the world which underpin those policies. The subject is structured in four modules (with accompanying readings) dealing with: theoretical concepts; historical perspectives; process, partisanship and political economy; strategic and defence perspectives.
Learning Objectives:
- familiarise students with changing conceptions of Australia’s national interests and the strategies employed in advancing them;
- foster an appreciation of the complexity of Australia’s international relations;
- critically evaluate government and academic literature on Australia’s international relations and foreign policy;
- develop appropriate research and writing skills.
Assessment by four module assignments (60%); a two-hour examination (40%).