Course coordinator
Dr Juliette Gout
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- 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 International Relations, and will equip students with the conceptual tools and knowledge for analysing and engaging with global change and international challenges. Students will better understand the changing nature of modern international relations. Topics covered include the 'traditional agenda' of war and peace, state sovereignty, nationalism, insecurity and war, nuclear weapons, international law, and the just war tradition; and the 'new agenda' of global governance and globalisation, non-state actors, terrorism, human rights and humanitarian intervention.
International relations is one of the most complex and intellectually exciting domains of human social interaction. The study of international relations has traditionally focused on interactions between sovereign states, with an emphasis on why states go to war and the conditions favouring interstate cooperation. Issues on the ‘traditional agenda’ remain crucially important. However, as the world has become politically, economically, socially and ecologically more interdependent, scholars have devoted more attention to a ‘new agenda’, which includes questions previously excluded from the study of international relations, either because they were deemed unimportant or irrelevant, or because they hadn’t emerged as political realities. This course is designed to introduce students to the concepts and issues associated with each agenda, and to provide conceptual tools for students to understand better the changing nature of modern international relations.
This course begins by introducing students to the major theoretical perspectives in international relations, providing students with a strong background to allow them to analyze world affairs successfully. The course then considers a range of important historical events, contemporary actors, and challenges in the international system, including the sources of insecurity and war, terrorism, globalization and the international political economy, international institutions such as the UN, NATO, the EU, ASEAN, international law, and human rights.ﾠ
Course requirements
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
GT112
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Juliette Gout
Tutor
Dr Juliette Gout
Miss Anais Hull
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Please Note: Tutorials start in Teaching Week 2.
There are 12ﾠ lectures and 9 tutorials for this course, spread over the 13 weeks of semester.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to equip students with the conceptual tools designed to better understand the changing nature of modern international relations. The course provides students with conceptual tools with which to engage in the study of international politics and with which to analyse and make sense of current events and associated developments. Upon completing POLS1201, students shouldﾠdemonstrate the type of understanding and knowledge necessary to complete more advanced International Relations (IR) courses. In other words, POLS1201 is an essential gateway course towards further IR studies.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Show a solid grounding in the major theoretical perspectives in the field of international relations, including critical ones. Students will be encouraged to see these approaches as competing interpretive frameworks, each beginning with different assumptions about human nature and about the social and political world, and each yielding different conclusions about the nature and dynamics of international relations.
LO2.
Identify and understand the main actors, structures and processes of international relations.
LO3.
Demonstrate and communicate an understanding of important historical and contemporary issues in the field of international relations.
LO4.
Demonstrate acquired conceptual and analytical capacities, along with an ability to apply these skills to understand concrete social, political and historical processes in international relations.
LO5.
Develop intellectual tools and skills that will make you more competitive in your future professional activities in a variety of fields and positions.
LO6.
Understand, and comply with, the norms of scholarly writing and academic conduct.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial/ Problem Set | Tutorial Participation and Pre-Tutorial Work | 15% |
29/07/2024 - 18/10/2024
Tutorials throughout semester Pre-tutorial work to be submitted before each tutorial. |
| Essay/ Critique | Minor essay (1000 words) | 20% |
19/08/2024 1:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Major essay (1500 words) | 35% |
30/09/2024 1:00 pm |
| Examination |
Central Exam
|
30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
Assessment details
Tutorial Participation and Pre-Tutorial Work
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Tutorial/ Problem Set
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
29/07/2024 - 18/10/2024
Tutorials throughout semester
Pre-tutorial work to be submitted before each tutorial.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
Active participation means being prepared (this means having also submitted your pre-tutorial work), engaging intelligently and contributing ideas and information in class.
Simply turning up is NOT participation; if you attend all tutorials but never contribute, you will get zero for this component of assessment.
You will not get your tutorial participation mark if you have not submitted your pre-tutorial work for the week. This is because participation requires preparation - you will need to have engaged with, and reflected upon, the readings in order to participate fully.
If you participate in all the tutorials but submit no pre-tutorial work, you will get 0% for this piece of assessment.
If you submit all the pre-tutorial work but participate in no tutorials you will get 0% for this piece of assessment.
Important: Students who have approved 'Student Access Plan (Disability)' in place may be granted alternative assessment.
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
Prior to each tutorial you must write a 200 word response to one or more of the week's tutorial questions, to be submitted before each tutorial. You will not receive feedback on this response unless it completely misses the point, but it will demonstrate to your tutor that you have prepared for the tutorial by engaging with the set readings for that week. You can find the tutorial questions for each week in the Course Blackboard page. Submit in Blackboard by navigating to the Assesssment tab, finding the 'pre-tutorial work' folder and seeing the instructions on how to submit a Journal entry.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Minor essay (1000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
19/08/2024 1:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
MINOR ESSAY
Word length: 1,000 words
Make sure you consult the School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide for further and more detailed information about writing style, referencing, plagiarism and presentation.
An electronic copy of the assignment needs to be submitted through Turnitin (via Blackboard).
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.
If there are circumstances beyond your control that prevent you from submitting an assessment item by the due date, you can apply for an Extension, but you must do so before the due date.
Acceptable reasons for an extension are available here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-extension?p=1#1
You must Apply For An Extension via my.UQ before the assessment due date. If you apply for an extension after the assessment due date, you must provide evidence of the reasons for the late request and explain what prevented you from applying before the due date. An application for an extension submitted after the assessment due date will be forwarded to the decision maker listed in the Formal administrative grievances/appeals section of the Student Grievance Resolution Procedure for consideration.
You can Apply For An Extension via my.UQ for assessments such as essays, assignments, case studies, and take-home assignments. Extensions aren't possible for every piece of assessment.
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.
Major essay (1500 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 35%
- Due date
30/09/2024 1:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
MAJOR ESSAY
Word length: 1,500 words
Make sure you consult the School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide for further and more detailed information about writing style, referencing, plagiarism and presentation.
An electronic copy of the assignment needs to be submitted through Turnitin (via Blackboard).
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.
If there are extenuating circumstances that will prevent you from submitting your essay on time, you need to apply for an extension before the due date. For more information on what constitutes acceptable grounds for seeking an extension, see here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-extension?p=1#1
You can Apply For An Extension via my.UQ for assessments such as essays, assignments, case studies, and take-home assignments. Extensions aren't possible for every piece of assessment.
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.
Central Exam
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
The final exam for the course is a centrally timetabled Exam. This is a Closed Book Examination - no materials are permitted.
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 | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Some engagement with the assessment tasks; however no demonstrated evidence of understanding of the concepts in the field of study |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Deficiencies in understanding the fundamental concepts of the field of study Inability to identify data, cases, problems and their solutions, and implications Presents inappropriate or unsupported arguments Inability to apply knowledge and skills Communicates information or ideas in ways that are frequently incomplete, confusing, and not appropriate to the conventions of the discipline |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Superficial understanding of the fundamental concepts of the field of study Attempts to identify data, cases, problems and their solutions, and implications Presents undeveloped arguments Emerging ability to apply knowledge and skills Communicates information or ideas with limited clarity and inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Adequate knowledge of fundamental concepts of the field of study Identifies data, cases, problems and their solutions, and implications Develops routine arguments or decisions Acceptable application of knowledge and skills Uses some of the conventions of the discipline to communicate appropriately |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Good knowledge of fundamental concepts of the field of study Considered evaluation of data, cases, problems and their solutions, and implications Develops or adapts convincing arguments and provides coherent justification Effective application of knowledge and skills Uses the conventions of the discipline to communicate at an effective level |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Substantial knowledge of fundamental concepts of the field of study Critical evaluation of data, cases, problems and their solutions, and implications Perceptive insights in identifying, generating and synthesising competing arguments or perspectives Extensive application of knowledge and skills Uses the conventions of the discipline to communicate at a professional level |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Mastery of content Expert and critical evaluation of data, cases, problems and their solutions, and implications Significant and sophisticated insights in identifying, generating and synthesising competing arguments or perspectives Original, novel and/or creative application of knowledge and skills Exploits the conventions of the discipline to communicate at an expert level |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be awarded on the following basis:
1.ﾠFailﾠ 1 - 19%
2. Failﾠ 20 - 44%
3. Failﾠ 45 - 49%
4. Passﾠ 50 - 64 %
5. Creditﾠ 65 - 74 %
6. Distinctionﾠ 75 - 84 %
7. High Distinctionﾠ 85 - 100 %
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
During tutorials, some time will be devoted to various facets of academic writing in preparation for your various written submissions. You are encouraged, therefore, to translate into a question any challenge that you encounter in your own research, planning, thinking, writing and submitting. If you encounter such a challenge, it is likely that others also will encounter the same, and discussing it openly will benefit the whole cohort.
Word Count and Word Limit Penalty
Students are expected to write to the word limit set by the Course Coordinator. Essays are given a +10% leeway on the word count. If an essay is over this leeway limit, it will attract a 10 percentage point penalty.
Students should note:
•The Author-date in-text referencing system will count toward the word limit;
•The Footnote referencing system will not count toward the word limit.
Students should refer to the School of Political Science & International Studies Essay Guide for further information. The Essay Guide can be downloaded from POLSIS Student Support page atﾠhttps://polsis.uq.edu.au/student-support.
Marking Criteria/Rubric
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
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
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Own copy required
You'll need to have your own copy of the following reading resources. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Book |
An introduction to international relations
by Devetak; Richard; George; Jim; Percy; Sarah - 2017 Edition: Third edition Publisher: Cambridge University Press ISBN: 9781316631553; 9781316855188 |
| Book |
Introduction to International Relations
Edition: 4th Publisher: Cambridge University Press ISBN: 9781009315227; 9781009315234 |
Additional learning resources information
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 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Lecture |
Introduction to International Relations This lecture introduces students to the study of international relations by firstly recounting the origins and evolution of the discipline, secondly by outlining the scope of the subject (the actors, structures and processes), and thirdly by explaining why theory is indispensable in acquiring a deep understanding of international relations. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Lecture |
Realism and Liberalism This lecture introduces students to the two dominant theoretical approaches to the study of international relations: Realism and Liberalism. The discipline s origins are steeped in Liberal idealism, but since the Second World War the discipline has been dominated by Realism. This lecture will outline the key features of each tradition of international thought. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 1: Realism and Liberalism Tutorial Questions: - What are the main characteristics of liberalism and realism? What are the main actors, structures and processes according to each perspective? According to Chiaruzzi, what has ancient thought contributed to the theory of Realism? Why do realists see international relations as essentially conflictual? What does it mean to talk about liberalism as a ‘family of ideas’? How has liberalism been used to justify war? Why do liberals believe world peace is possible and how do they seek to realise it? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Lecture |
Feminism and Postcolonialism Feminism and Postcolonialism: This lecture introduces students to critical approaches to international relations: Feminism and Postcolonialism. The lecture will examine the reception of these theories in the discipline of International Relations, and outline how Feminist and Postcolonial scholars have analysed international relations in their distinctive ways. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 2: Feminism and Postcolonialism Tutorial Questions: - What does postcolonialism have to say about international relations? Why might postcolonial scholars be suspicious of a ‘global’ IR? What does it mean to ‘provincialise Europe’? How does postcolonialism help explain the ‘war on terror’? What are some of the theories developed by feminist scholars? What unites them and what sets them apart? What are some of the insights feminist scholarship has contributed to an understanding of international relations? Is International Relations a masculine construction? What, if anything, do postcolonialism and feminism have in common? What does it mean to be 'critical'? In what ways are feminism and postcolonialism critical? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Lecture |
Sovereignty and the Nation-State This lecture will introduce students to the main actor in international relations, the nation-state. It will sketch the historical origins and evolution of the state, particularly emphasising how the concept of sovereignty and the rise of nationalism have shaped political community around territorial and national exclusiveness. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 3: Sovereignty and the Nation-State Tutorial Questions: What is the difference between a nation and a state? What is the meaning of sovereignty and what makes a state sovereign? How are sovereign states different from other forms of political organisation, such as city-states, empires, or feudal states? Is the modern sovereign state equipped to deal with contemporary problems? What is a political community? What role does nationalism play in international politics? Is nationalism a positive, unifying force, or a negative, fragmenting force? How has nationalism operated through history? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
No lecture this week (Reading Week) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
No Tutorials this week (Reading week) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Lecture |
International History in the Twentieth Century This lecture will introduce students to the Great War, the inter-war years and the Cold War by surveying the different accounts of their origins and ends. It will focus substantively on the Cold War, sometimes referred to as 'the long peace', which dominated twentieth century international relations. Although they were wartime allies, the USA and the USSR quickly became suspicious of each other after the Second World War s end -- much as they had been after the Russian Revolution of 1917. This lecture looks at how the USA and USSR viewed each other across most of the 20th century, what strategies they adopted in their superpower rivalry, and how the Cold War ended. It also considers the impact of nuclear weapons on the Cold War and international relations more generally. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 4: International History in the 20th Century Tutorial Questions: How did international relations change over the course of the twentieth century? What were the origins of the two World Wars? What made the ‘Cold’ War cold? What were its principal characteristics? How do you explain the origins and the ends of the Cold War? To what extent did nuclear weapons play a role in the Cold War? What are the legacies of the Cold War? What are the pertinent historical moments from the twentieth century which have shaped contemporary international politics? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Lecture |
Security and War This lecture will introduce students to theories of war and to conceptions of security. It will examine how war is understood and how competing theories explain its causes. It will also consider different conceptions of security. Traditional conceptions focus on national security and military responses to other states threatening behaviour. In recent times, however, states have begun to identify non-state sources of threat (from asylum-seekers to terrorists), non-military threats (environmental harm and economic insecurity), and non-military solutions to the security dilemma (cooperative and common security). Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 5: Security and War Tutorial Questions: What does it mean to speak of the morality of war? How do the laws of war help us to understand aspects of the war in Ukraine? How might the ‘just war’ tradition be reformed? What is security and why is the concept of security contested? Who or what should be made secure? What is the security dilemma? What are three concepts of security for liberals? What is the concept of human security? What are the sources of instability and insecurity for states in the world today? Who defines a threat? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Lecture |
International Law and International Society This lecture will introduce students to the idea that a rule-governed society of states exists. Although Realists downplay the role of laws and norms in international relations, Liberals and others (including the so-called English School theorists) have argued that most states, most of the time, observe international law, thus maintaining international order. This lecture will outline the historical evolution of international society and international law before reflecting on their current predicament. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 6: International Law and International Society Tutorial Questions: What is ‘international society’? Does order exist in international relations? If so, how is it produced? Why and how did the European society of states expand across the globe? Are the rules of international society Eurocentric and if so, how this come about? What role does law play in international relations? How effectively does it restrain the use of force? What are the different perspectives that liberal institutionalists and neorealists have on international law? What are some of the sources of international law? What is the relationship between international law and international society? What role did law play in the war in Iraq? What were the implications of September 11 and the war on terrorism for international society and international law? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Lecture |
Globalization and International Political Economy This lecture will introduce students to the main concepts, actors and structures that shape the international political economy. It will focus on how states and markets have interacted at the international level, and how trade and finance have been transformed, before inquiring into arguments about how globalization has transformed both states and markets through new information and communication technologies. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
No tutorials this week |
|
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid Semester Break |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Lecture |
Global Governance and Human Rights This lecture introduces students to the concept of global governance by surveying the rules, institutions and structures that are fundamental to the regulation of international affairs. This lecture will map out how the increasing fragmentation and integration of political authority has potentially eroded state control and introduced new regimes of power governing international life. It will focus on the role of organizations such as the UN, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs),and the rise of Non-State Actors (NSAs) in responding to new environmental, economic, social and political challenges and what implications this has for state sovereignty and international politics.This lecture also explains the historical development of human rights discourses, contemporary critiques of human rights, the institutions and actors responsible for upholding human rights, and the tension between state sovereignty and human rights. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 7: Global Governance and Human Rights Tutorial Questions: What are the core concepts of global governance? Why has power shifted from domestic to global authority? What effective is the UN today? What are its main challenges and limitations? How might the UN Security Council be reformed? Why has the UN security council been described as ‘paralysed’? What are human rights? What are the discourses which have contributed to conceptions of human rights? Who has responsibility for upholding human rights? What is the relationship between human rights and state sovereignty? Are human rights western? What the critiques of liberal universalism? Is force ever legitimate in order to spread human rights? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Lecture |
The Changing Character of War This lecture introduces students to the major issues and debates relevant to the study of terrorism, and to the history, nature and implications of terrorism. This lecture will also explore the concept of war as organised violence and political action, the concept of ‘new’ and ‘old’ wars, the diversity of warfare and the role of war in contemporary international relations. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 8: The Changing Character of War Tutorial Questions: Is war changing? In what ways? Has technology changed warfare and if so, to what extent? Does it make sense to distinguish between ‘old’ and ‘new’ wars? Why is war described as ‘purposeful’ and ‘organised’ violence? What is terrorism? Are there different types of terrorism? What are the sources of terrorism? What kind of threat does terrorism represent to international order? What makes the use of force legitimate in international relations? Can the protection of human rights be used to justify military intervention in sovereign states? Under what conditions is it legitimate to intervene in the domestic affairs of sovereign states? Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Lecture |
The Changing International Order This lecture will introduce students to the changing nature and character of the international order, canvassing different perspectives of how the world is organized politically and outlining the rise of the non-West. Questions will be raised about the growth of populism, nationalism and isolationism and the extent to which these attitudes and policies may threaten the existing international order and institutions of global governance. We will also discuss the rise of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa). Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 9: Changing International Order Tutorial Questions: - How is the international order changing? - What is the basis of the liberal international order? - Are regional powers challenging the current status quo? - Describe the phenomena of the BRICS. Why are they considered as a group? - What do you think is the likelihood of conflict with the rise of new powers? - How are international organizations and institutions implicated in this changing world order? - What do you think the strength or weaknesses of the liberal international order are? - How robust is the liberal international order? Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
|
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Lecture |
Overview and Revision This lecture will recap the course material and give pointers for the exam. This is also your opportunity to ask questions related to the course in preparation for the exam. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
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.