International Politics

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

166-103 International Politics

166-103 Global Politics

This subject provides students with an introduction to the actors, institutions, dynamics and key debates that make up international politics. It equips students to 'go behind the news' theories of world affairs and understand the deeper structural and political changes and challenges confronting states, citizens and non-state actors in our increasingly interconnected world. Topics covered include the United Nations, the changing nature of war, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, great power rivalry and American power, human rights, humanitarian intervention, trade liberalisation and its critics, global inequality, climate change, and the refugee crisis. The topics will be used to demonstrate the relevance of competing theories of international politics, including realism, liberalism and critical theories (such as Marxism and feminism) against the background of the shift from the Cold War to the post-Cold War period.

• become acquainted with a range of important issues in international politics.
• develop analytical and critical capacities, and an ability to apply these to contemporary issues of global importance.
• achieve a basic grounding in the major conceptual frameworks in the area of international politics.

An essay of 1000 words (25%) due mid-semester, an essay of 2000 words (50%) due at the end of semester, and a take-home exam of 1000 words (25%) due during the examination period.

This subject has a minimum Hurdle Requirement of 75% Tutorial attendance. Students who fail to meet this hurdle requirement will be deemed ineligible to submit the final piece of assessment or sit the final examination. Regular participation in tutorials is required.

Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

A subject reader will be available for purchase from the University Bookshop.

John Baylis, Steve Smith and Patricia Owen (eds.), The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008).

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

• be able to research through the competent use of the library and other information sources, and be able to define areas of inquiry and methods of research in the preparation of essays.
• be able to conceptualise theoretical problems, form judgements and arguments and communicate critically, creatively and theoretically through essay writing, tutorial discussion and presentations.
• be able to communicate knowledge intelligibly and economically through essay writing and tutorial discussion.
• be able to participate in teamwork through small group discussions.
• be able to manage and organise workloads for recommended reading, the completion of essays and assignments and examination revision.