Course coordinator
Dr Molly Murphy
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This course provides the foundation for future study in public policy and in political science, which will give students the key skills for employability in the public sector and non-government organisations. It provides an introductory study of Australian system of government focusing on key political institutions such as parliament, cabinet, federalism, the constitution, High Court, parties, and the public service. POLS1101 explains how the Australian political system works, highlighting both the formal structures and informal practices characteristic of Australian politics. POLS1101 develops the research, writing and analytical skills required for further study in political science and related courses.
POLS1101 is anﾠintroductory lecture and tutorial course which examines the ideas, interests and institutions that shapeﾠAustralia’s political system. POLS1101 examines Australia's political history, political institutions, parties, and elections, as well as the art of government. We will discuss the evolution of Australia's political system and practices, and explore major contemporary political and policy issues, such as disillusionment with the major parties and the rise of minor parties,ﾠindependents and populists; the changing role of the media in the social media age; the proposal for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, and its relationship to broader struggles for political rights; and 'Blame games' between state and federal governments over key policy issues, such as in health care, education and housing.
Course requirements
Assumed background
No prior study of politics or government is required.
An interest in politics and government will help students, as will keeping abreast of political developments by reading the newspaper, listening to podcasts etc.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
POLS7100
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Professor Alexander Bellamy
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
In addition to the lecture programme described here, POLS1101 offers a 9-week tutorial program, starting in Week 2.Tutorials provide an opportunity to consolidate and develop your understanding of themes and ideas introduced in theﾠlectures (and in the associated readings).ﾠStudents sign themselves up for tutorials by completing a list of preferences for tutorial days/times.ﾠ
Aims and outcomes
The aim of POLS1101 is to explain how the Australian political system works and to assist students toﾠdevelop the research, writing and analytical skills needed for further studies in political science and similar disciplines.
A graduate of Political Science understands the complexity of democratic systems in terms of the ideas, institutions, and policies that define them. They are capable of synthesizing diverse types of evidence and assessing it independently of their own beliefs and interests, communicating their judgements persuasively in written and oral forms. These skills are essential to policy and political leadership that addresses the challenges facing the world’s democracies.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Clearly describe the impact of key political institutions, ideas and interests that shape Australian government and politics.
LO2.
Analyse and evaluate Australia’s system of government through comparative analysis with other democratic political systems.
LO3.
Investigate major political and policy issues in contemporary Australia and develop persuasive explanations for change based on appropriate evidence.
LO4.
Master the genre of the policy memo.
LO5.
Use election data to analyze election outcomes.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution, Quiz |
Class preparation and participation
|
30% |
Tutorial quizzes will be completed during each tutorial. Participation is marked over the course of the nine tutorials. |
| Presentation | Recorded presentation | 20% |
17/04/2025 4:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Policy memo | 20% |
23/05/2025 4:00 pm |
| Examination |
Exam
|
30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Class preparation and participation
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Quiz
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
Tutorial quizzes will be completed during each tutorial. Participation is marked over the course of the nine tutorials.
Task description
PART A: Class Preparation: Tutorial Quizzes (24%)
Eight of the tutorials will begin with a simple quiz in which students will be asked ten questions requiring short answers about the two required readings for the week. The questions will focus exclusively on the content of the required readings. Students will be given 10 minutes at the start of the tutorial to complete the quiz by pen and paper. Each quiz will be worth a total of 3 marks, awarded accordingly:
0 correct answers: 0 marks
1-3 correct answers: 1 mark
4-6 correct answers: 2 marks
7-10 correct answers: 3 marks
PART B: Tutorial Participation (6%)
Participation in tutorials is important for developing your analytical, persuasive, and social skills. Participation enables students to strengthen core skills by practising with others, to test ideas, and to see how different perspectives relate to and enhance one another. There are many different ways of participating effectively, including by leading group work, contributing to group work, posing as well as answering questions, and being a positive presence in the classroom. Your tutor will evaluate your participation through the semester on the following scale. If you cannot attend a tutorial, let your tutor know so this can be accounted for:
6 marks: positive and effective contribution to all/nearly all tutorials
5 marks: positive and/or effective contribution to all/nearly all tutorials
4 marks: positive and/or effective contribution to most tutorials
3 marks: positive and/or effective contribution to at least half of the tutorials
2 marks: some positive and/or effective contributions
1 mark: some positive or effective contribution
Your scores from PART A and PART B will be confirmed to prove a single mark for class preparation and participation.
Note: If you are not able to attend your tutorial for a valid reason (including illness), you may contact your tutor to complete a short piece of work by a date agreed with your tutor to register your participation. For each missed week, record a 4min oral reflection on the required readings for that week and send to your tutor. In particular, you should outline one key challenge for Australian politics and/or society that emerges from the topic discussed in the reading: why is this a challenge and what might be done to solve or mitigate it?
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Tutorial quizzes will be completed in class by pen and paper. Paper will be provided by the tutor.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Recorded presentation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
17/04/2025 4:00 pm
Task description
Record a video presentation (with slides) of no more than 5 minutes in length. Your presentation should answer the question "Why did the Australian Labor Party Win the 2022 Federal Election?" using only the 2022 Australian Election Study that you will be provided with as your source.
You will need to analyze evidence presented in the study in order to explain the outcome of the 2022 Federal Election. More details on the specific format and requirements of the presentation will be provided on the Blackboard at the beginning of semester.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Record, save, and upload this recording using EchoVideo.
For more information on how to use EchoVideo, see:
- Video Assignments (Original) - eLearning - University of Queensland
- Submit a video assignment with EchoVideo (Original) - eLearning - University of Queensland
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Policy memo
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
23/05/2025 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03, L04
Task description
Write a policy memo to specified political actor addressing an important contemporary issue. A list of challenges and audiences will be made available at the start of semester.
Your policy memo must:
- Be no longer than 1500 words in length.
- Be structured like a policy memo, with an executive summary and key recommendations, and central points emphasised.
- Utilise an evidence-based approach to policy advice.
- Have a proper structure, with paragraphs that deal with one topic each, linking and signposting sentences where necessary, and findings that flow logically from the evidence and analysis presented
- Present information in a clear and concise fashion.
- Demonstrate understanding of potential risks, problems, and counter-perspectives.
- Use a range of relevant information in your essay including academic sources (any combination of academic journal articles, chapters from edited scholarly books and scholarly books), public sources such as newspaper articles, government reports, papers from think tanks, and other non-academic sources.
- Be fully referenced and include a reference list.
All policy memos submitted are to be the original and individual work of the student submitting them. The assignment must be submitted electronically through Turnitin in Word form (not PDF). Penalties will apply for late submissions (10% per day) and excessive variation from the set word limit - more than 10% variation from the word limit will result in a penalty of 10% (2 marks). Please consult the School Essay guide for additional guidance on referencing systems. Please list the question chosen for the essay in the title of your submission.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Exam
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
Task description
The final piece of assessment for this course will be a central exam conducted in the central exam period. Students will have 2 hours to complete the exam. Students will be required to answer two questions in essay form. Students will be required to complete one question from Part A of the exam questions and the other from Part B. The topics covered in Part A correspond approximately with the lectures in the first half of the course (weeks 2-7), while the topics covered in Part B correspond with the lectures in the second half of the course (weeks 8-13).
Each of the two questions will be worth 15 marks. The maximum score for the assessment will be 30 marks.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student does not address the question, shows no evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student addresses the question poorly and shows very little evidence of reading. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student makes an effort to establish a single major argument for the essay and employs some research which is correlated with the argument. Makes a visible effort to achieve adequate grammar, spelling and punctuation. Evidence of attempting to achieve a recognisable narrative flow appears throughout the assignment. The student addresses the question and shows evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand. However, falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student makes a reasonable effort to provide evidence to support a visible argument and employs an adequate research base to support the argument. Achieves a reasonable, if not completely coherent standard of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A recognisable narrative flow is sustained throughout the essay. The student answers the question and shows evidence of adequate research and a degree of understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student provides suitable evidence to support an argument and employs a comprehensive research base that directly relates to the topic, though it may not completely support the argument. Achieves decent levels of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The student answers the question in a direct, well supported fashion and shows evidence of some wide reading and a reasonable understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates a very good grasp of the chosen topic and provides a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student employs a reasonably extensive and well-organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and achieves a high level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The student answers the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employs wide research and shows a sound understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic and succeeds in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student employs an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and achieves impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The student answers the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employs significant research and shows a deep understanding of the issues at hand. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be awarded on the following basis:
1. Fail 1 - 19%
2. Fail 20 - 44%
3. Fail 45 – 49%
4. Pass 50 - 64 %
5. Credit 65 - 74 %
6. Distinction 75 - 84 %
7. High Distinction 85 - 100 %
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Word Count and Word Limit Penalty
Unless otherwise indicated, in the case of written submissions with a specified word count, you are given a +10% leeway on the upper word limit. If your written submission is over this leeway limit, it will attract a 10 percentage point penalty. For example, if your essay is 1,800ﾠwords, you may write up to 1,980ﾠbefore attracting a word count penalty. If your essay exceeds the upper word limit, it will attract a 10% word count penalty. Therefore, if your essay is worth 35ﾠmarks, you will lose 3.5ﾠmarks from your allotted grade. Unless specified, penalties only apply to exceeding the word length, not for failure to write a sufficient amount.
Students should note:
• The Author-date in-text referencing system will count toward the word length;
• References in the Footnote referencing system will not count toward the word length. If you are using footnotes, any content included in footnotes beyond the specific text reference will count towards the word length.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Please remember to visit the POLS1101 Blackboard site regularly and to check your UQ student email account for notices and updates.
Essay Guide
The School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide can be downloaded from the School’s Student Support webpage.
The Guide sets out guidelines you should follow in preparing written assignments.
Essay Writing Assistance
The School of Political Science and International Studies schedules regular “drop-in” sessions designed to provide one-on-one advice and assistance in essay planning and writing.
There is no need to make an appointment and you are encouraged to bring your essay with you.
The day and time of these sessions will be finalized at the beginning of each semester and published on the Student Support webpage.
Student Services
Student services offer a variety of short courses during the semester which will help you improve your study, research and writing skills and thus your academic performance in this course.
Library Resources
UQ Library offers training in software, assignment writing, research skills, and publishing and research management.
The University’s library holdings for Political Science and International Studies are primarily located in the Central Library.
There is a help desk in the Library. Students are also welcome to contact the BEL/HASS Librarians for assistance.
Email: librarians@library.uq.edu.au
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 1: Introduction To begin, we examine some of the foundational concepts in political science (such as power, the state and democracy), review the course and assessment, and analyse claims that we face a crisis of trust in Australian politics. |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 2: Early Australian Polotics We begin the course with a brief political history of Australia in three parts. In the first part, this week we encounter Australia's political origins from two different vantage points. The first considers the complex (and continuing) socio-political orders developed by Indigenous peoples over tens of thousand of years, with distinctive understandings of country, law and language. The second focuses on the nation state that emerged out of white settlement. Here we discuss: terra nullius and white Australia, debates over economic protectionism, relations between the early colonies and the eventual approval of a national Constitution. We review the first federal governments, from Barton to Chifley, and the debate over whether there was such a thing as the 'Australian settlement'. |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 1: Introduction and Early Australian politics This week's tutorial is all about introductions and familiarising ourselves with what is to come this semester. Tutorial groups will get to know each other, we will review the course and address any questions, discuss the assessment and in particular the tutorial quizzes, and then discuss early Australian politics. |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 3: Australian Politics: Menzies to Howard In this, the second of three lectures surveying Australia's political history, we examine the period from the post-war Menzies government to the rise of John Howard. This lecture examines Menzies and Liberal Australia, the Gough Whitlam revolution, and 'Dismissal' and Malcolm Fraser in government, and how the Hawke-Keating governments remade Australia's political landscape. |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 2: Australia's Political History This tutorial begins with Tutorial Quiz 1 (10 minutes). We will then go on to review and discuss Australia's political history up to the 1990s, looking at politics before colonization, Federation, Australian politics after WW2 and the Menzies era, Whitlam and the dismissal, and the Hawke-Keating years. Tutorial groups can decide which aspects of this history they want to focus on. |
|
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 4: Australian Politics: Howard to Albanese Lecture 4 brings Australia's political story to the present and the Federal Election that will occur during this course. It begins with the Howard era and the notion of the 'battlers', examines the 'Kevin 07' phenomenon, then the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government. The lecture then turns to the Liberal government of Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison before examining the 2022 election, Albanese and the rise of the Teals. It concludes by situating Australian politics today within longer term contexts and examining the 2025 federal election. |
Lecture |
Tutorial 3: Contemporary Australian Politics This tutorial begins with Tutorial Quiz 2 (10 minutes). It then turns to address questions in contemporary Australian politics such as understanding the essentials of Howard’s Australi, Explaining Kevin 07, The art of minority government in the second Gillard government, Liberals in power, and the 2022 and 2025 elections. |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Lecture 5: Australia's Political System This week we move into the second part of the course, where we look at the institutions, actors, and practices that comprise Australian politics. We begin by examining the system itself, revisiting the debate about the ‘Australian Settlement’ before exploring the constitution and constitutional reform, the separation of powers, Australian federalism, the role of the state and local government, and contemporary challenges. We will ask whether the system is best defined as a 'Washminster system' or whether it is something more uniquely Australian. |
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
Lecture 6: Political Parties Political parties are central to the functioning of Australian democracy. But what are parties? Where do they come from and what functions do they fulfil? Are parties still relevant? What is the role and function of a faction? This lecture begins by exploring what parties are for and the roles they play in democracy, before offering historical overviews of Australia's major parties - the Liberals, Nationals, Australian Labor Party, and Greens - and then looking at minor parties past and present. It concludes by examining Australia’s changing relationship with its political parties. |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 4: Political Parties This tutorial begins with Tutorial Quiz 3 (10 mins). In this tutorial we will explore What are parties for and how they operate? In doing so, we will highlight the role of factions and coalitions within parties and the coordinating functions the fulfil in democracies. The main question we will address is are we / why are we losing faith in the major parties? |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
Lecture 7: Elections: Inside the Democracy Sausage Week 7 focuses on elections. Everyone loves a democracy sausage or the vegan alternative but how do elections function? Australia pioneered the secret ballot (once known as the 'Australian ballot'). Why does the electoral system matter and how has Australia's evolved over the years? This week's lecture focuses on how Australia chooses its governments. We look at what democracy and representative democracy are. We examine the different electoral systems at play in federal and state elections, and the role of the The Australian Electoral Commission. We examine campaigns and opinion polls, and how the results are counted. We end by examining the art of election analysis - how do we make sense of the vote? |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 5: Elections This tutorial begins with Tutorial Quiz 4 (10 mins). This tutorial is all about elections - what are they, how do they work, how to win? During the tutorial we will compare electoral systems, study the art of campaigning, discuss how to read opinion polls, and then brings it all together to help us consider the business of analysing and predicting election results. |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
Lecture 8: Parliament This week we move from elections to government and begin by examining parliament - its role, functions, and how it operates in practice. The lecture reviews different parliamentary models before focusing in on Australia's parliamentary systems. We look at big questions about how parliament represents and we consider the core functions of parliament, bicameralism, and the committee system. We also look how laws are made in practice and run through some typical days in parliament. We end by looking at some of the challenges faced by parliament and options for and debates about parliamentary reform. |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 9: The Art of Government The second lecture in this part of the course that looks at government, in this one we examine how government operates and functions both in theory and in practice. We examine the changing role of the Prime Minister and the functions of cabinet government. We consider the place of Politics within government and then focus on questions about policy implementation - connecting with other courses on public policy. |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 6: Governing This tutorial begins with Tutorial Quiz 5 (10 mins). This tutorial is all about the politics of governing. Tutorials will cover the making of laws, how legislation must navigating parliament and the federal system. We will look at the challenges of government and the National Cabinet during COVID. We also review policy implementation and look at the role of expertise. Finally, we will discuss why policy succeeds…and fails. |
|
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 10: Indigenous Politics and Policy ·This lecture focuses on Indigenous perspectives on politics and policy and the relationship between settler and indigenous politics. We begin with a brief history of the relationship before examining political rights and land rights, Indigenous activism, Reconciliation and Closing the Gap, and finally we will examine the 2023 Constitutional referendum. |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 7: Indigenous Politics and Policy This tutorial begins with Tutorial Quiz 6 (10 mins). This tutorial focuses on Indigenous perspectives on Australian politics and the relationship between colonial and indigenous politics. Tutorials may consider case studies such as the NT Intervention and Cashless Welfare Card and focus on the question of Constitutional reform. The tutorial will also discuss future pathways for reconciliation. |
|
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 11: Gender and Sexuality This week's lecture examines gender and sexuality in Australian politics. We explore varieties of Australian feminism, the status of women in Australian politics, and women, work, and society. We also study specific issues such as reproductive rights and marriage equality before turning to contemporary debates about the politics of gender identity. |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 8: Gender and Sexuality This tutorial begins with Tutorial Quiz 7 (10 mins). In this tutorial we will explore gender and sexuality in Australian politics. We will examine whether there are distinctly Australian feminisms and questions of intersectionality in Australia. We will also evaluate the changing place of women in politics and may look at case studies on marriage equality and/or reproductive rights. |
|
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Lecture 12: The Politics of Welfare The Australian state can be characterised as a 'welfare state. 'Welfare' of one form or another consumes by far the largest proportion of public spending. In this lecture we examone why Australia is a welfare state, what sort of welfare state it is, how welfare is changing, and the future challenges. Specifically, we examine: what is the welfare state? Varieties of welfare, and a (brief) history of the Australian welfare state. We then look at inequalities in Australia, the relationship between Class and voting, and look at a case study on Robodebt. We end by looking at the various stresses of a system under strain and the future. |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 9: The Politics of Welfare This tutorial begins with Tutorial Quiz 8. In this tutorial we will look at the idea of the welfare state and compare Australian welfare to other systems. We will examine the structural challenges to the welfare state and look at how economics shape political attitudes. To close, we will look at alternative futures, including proposals for a Universal Basic Income. |
|
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Lecture |
Lecture 13: Australian Political Futures The final reviews the course and asks 'what's next in Australian politics?'. We will look at recent elections – and what do they mean? We will revisit the question of whether Australians are losing faith in politics and why? We will review the changing contours of Australian politic and finally prepare for the exam. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.