POLS310 - Australia in the World

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

POLS101 Introduction to Australian Politics ORPOLS104 Introduction to International Relations

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit examines the history and politics of Australia's foreign relations, in order to enable students to better understand Australia's place in the world. Beginning in the eighteenth century, with an exploration of the links between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and traders from South East Asia, this unit traces the history of Australia's external relations down through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to the present day. At the same time, it explores how Australia's evolving international outlook, key global and regional events, and the influence of theories of international relations, have shaped the direction of Australian foreign policy. The aim of this unit is to develop students' understanding of the historical and political developments that have influenced Australia's place in the world and which continue to inform Australia's foreign relations today.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

Describe the nature and significance of Australia’s foreign relations and the political and historical contexts in which they operate (GA5)

Critically discuss diverse political perspectives on Australian foreign policy formation, particularly with respect to marginalised, disadvantaged, and vulnerable peoples and communities (GA2)

Demonstrate the capacity to gather, analyse and advocate ethical solutions to foreign policy problems through evidence-based argument and evaluation of secondary and primary sources (GA4, GA7, GA9)

Apply concepts, theories, trends and methods used in foreign policy making to the analysis of interests, ideas, institutions and political behaviour (GA6, GA10)

Graduate attributes

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include: 

• Traditional and critical concepts of foreign policy 
• Indigenous Australians’ relations with the outside world prior to 1788 
• The Australian Commonwealth and the British Empire’s foreign policy 
• World War I 
• World War II 
• Traditions of thought in Australian foreign policy 
• Making Australian foreign policy 
• ANZUS and the Cold War 
• The Vietnam War and the changing approaches to defence and security 
• The Gulf War and the War on Terror 
• Australia and the United Nations 
• Australian trade policies and the world economy 
• Australia’s foreign aid 
• Australia and the Indo-Pacific 
• Australia and the South Pacific 
• Contemporary challenges: climate change, refugee migration, cyber security, trade liberalisation and terrorism.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit embraces active learning (including collaborative learning). It takes the form of a face-to-face class containing activities through which students will gain a deep understanding of the history and politics of Australia’s foreign relations. Key learning activities will include reading, writing, group discussion, primary source analysis, debate, and problem-solving. 

This 10-credit point unit has been for 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. The learning and teaching and assessment strategies include a range of approaches to support your learning such as lectures, tutorials, reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video etc.

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment program for this unit is designed to enable students to demonstrate the development of their skills and knowledge regarding the history and politics of Australia’s foreign relations, throughout the course of the semester. Assessments have been developed to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. 

 Student-led learning task

Students are required to plan and then deliver a substantive presentation to teach the class about the complexity of foreign policy choices. Students will be required to describe the nature and significance of Australia’s foreign relations and the political and historical contexts in which they operate. 

 The First Written Task 

Students are required to research and write an essay addressing the development of foreign policy in Australia. Students will be required to critically discuss diverse political perspectives on Australian policy formation, particularly with respect to marginalised, disadvantaged, and vulnerable peoples and communities. 

 Major Written Task 

This task requires students to research and write a substantive essay demonstrating their understanding of at least one major Australian foreign policy issue. Students will be required to gather, analyse and advocate ethical solutions to foreign policy problems through evidence-based argument and evaluation of secondary and primary sources and to apply concepts, theories, trends and methods used in foreign policy making to the analysis of interests, ideas, institutions and political behaviour in a way that informs students’ own practices of engaged citizenship. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Altman, D., Camilleri, J., Eckersley, R., and Hoffstaedter, G. (Eds.) (2012). Why Human Security Matters: Rethinking Australian Foreign Policy. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin.  

Baldino, D., Carr, A. and Langlois, A.J. (Eds.). (2014). Australian Foreign Policy: Controversies and Debates. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 

Bashford, A., and Macintyre, S. (Eds.) (2013). The Cambridge History of Australia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

Bridge, C., and Attard, B. (Eds.) (2000). Between Empire and Nation: Australia’s External Relations from Federation to the Second World War. Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing. 

Burke, A. (2008). Fear of Security: Australia’s Invasion Anxiety. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. 

Cotton, J. and Ravenhill, J. (Eds.) (2011). Middle Power Dreaming: Australia in the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Firth, S. (2011). Australian in International Politics: An Introduction to Australian Foreign Policy. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin. 

Griffiths, M., Heazle, M. and Conley, T. (Eds.). (2009). Foreign Policy Challenges in the Twenty-First Century. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. 

Gyngell, A. and Wesley, M. (2nd Ed.), (2007). Making Australian Foreign Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

McDougall, D. (2009). Australian Foreign Relations: Entering the Twenty-First Century. Sydney: Pearson.  

Ungerer, C. (Ed.). (2007). Australian Foreign Policy in the Age of Terror. Sydney: UNSW Press. 

Wesley, M. (2011). There Goes the Neighbourhood: Australia and the Rise of Asia. Sydney: New South Books.