Australian Foreign Policy

This subject is not offered in 2014.

Total of 120 hours

Politics and International Studies at Undergraduate level

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject provides an introduction to Australian foreign policy, exploring its domestic and global contexts. It examines Australia's most important bilateral, regional, and multilateral relations in both historical and contemporary terms. It explores key themes including Australia's national identity, interests, security and prosperity, the Australia-US alliance, Australia's engagement with international organisations such as the UN, WTO, and G20, Australia's role as a regional power in the South Pacific, and Australia's increasing engagement with Asia. The subject also investigates key foreign policy issues on the contemporary Australian agenda including global climate change negotiations, human rights, overseas aid and asylum-seekers, trade and economic globalisation, transnational terrorism and arms control. Students who complete this subject will be equipped to articulate and debate the conceptual, analytical, and normative dimensions of Australian foreign policy.

Upon successful completion of this subject, students are expected to:

• Understand important global and domestic contexts within which states formulate and execute foreign policy;
• Be able to identify historical and contemporary themes and developments unique to Australian foreign policy;
• Understand Australia's key multilateral, regional and bilateral relations and engagements;
• Be able to explain how Australian foreign policy-making has been affected by, and adapted to, the processes of globalisation;
• Be able to critically discuss a number of central issues on the contemporary Australian foreign policy agenda, and be able to explain and evaluate government responses to them.

A written essay of 2000 words (50%) due mid-semester, and a 2000 word take-home exam (50%) due in the examination period.

Hurdle Requirement: This subject has a minimum Hurdle Requirement of 75% tutorial attendance. 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.

Required subject readings will be available electronically via the subject's LMS site prior to the commencement of semester.

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.

On completion of this subject students should:

• 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 ideologically and economically through essay writing and tutorial discussion;
• be able to manage and organise workloads for recommended reading, the completion of essays and assignments and examination revision;
• be able to participate in team work through small group discussions.

Available as a Breadth subject to non-Bachelor of Arts students