Course coordinator
Dr DB Subedi
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 4
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This course aims to provide students with foundational knowledge and skills relevant to the study of politics across the areas of Governance and Public Policy, Peace and Conflict Studies and International Relations. Before one can write well in politics, one must be able to read well. Thus, the course begins with consideration of the importance of critically reading texts in order to recognize both argument and underlying assumptions. Doing so requires acknowledgment of the open-ended or essentially contested nature of many of the concepts that are used in political discourse and analysis. Such recognition equips us to be informed readers and therefore more skilful analysts and writers in our chosen field. Through close reading of texts, interactive class exercises and a number of written assignments students will have the opportunity to build their analytical and writing skills in this field.
This course introduces students to key ideas, concepts and theories that are central to thinking and writing about politics. It is designed to enable students to learn to identify the assumptions, not always explicitly stated, from which scholars begin so that we can reach a much better understanding of their arguments and we are much better placed to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the arguments. In doing so, the course begins by examining the meanings of politics and the ideas and ideologies central to them. We then examine key concepts such as power, legitimacy, democracy, decolonisation, nationalism, state and globalisation and how they shape and structure political discourses, action and behaviour. With a focus on institutions, norms and governance, we also explore and analyse the means through which political life is both constructed and played out, whether this is at the level of gender politics within societies, the institution of territorial sovereignty which has increasingly legitimated political authority, or global governance and multilateralism, without which the current global system would not exist as it does. We also join in conversation with scholars who are working within the broad subfields of politics: Public Policy and Governance, Peace and Conflict Studies and IR. This will allow students to gain a strong sense of the way in which scholars working in each of these fields understand 'politics' and how their own research and writing fits into each of these.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr DB Subedi
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
This course comprises 11 seminars starting in Week 1, and one essay writing workshop in Week 4.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide students with foundational knowledge and skills relevant to the study of politics across the areas of Governance and Public Policy, Peace and Conflict Studies, and International Relations. It also aims to buildﾠstudents' analytical and writing skills through close reading of texts, interactive class exercises and a number of written assignments.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate a broad understanding of the field of politics, including the essentially contested nature of many fundamental concepts.
LO2.
Demonstrate an understanding of norms and institutions and the role they play in political life
LO3.
Demonstrate the capacity to identify and analyse competing arguments
LO4.
Demonstrate the capacity to write clearly and effectively
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution | Course participation | 20% |
22/07/2024 - 14/10/2024
Further details will be published in Blackboard. |
| Essay/ Critique | Critical Analysis (1500 words) | 25% |
2/09/2024 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Essay Plan (1200 words) | 15% |
2/10/2024 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Research Essay (3000 words) | 40% |
4/11/2024 4:00 pm |
Assessment details
Course participation
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
22/07/2024 - 14/10/2024
Further details will be published in Blackboard.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
This assessment has two parts.
Part One: Seminar participation: (12%) – week 1-12
Students will receive one (1) mark for the participation in each weekly seminar. The mark will be based on the quality of your participation and engagement (not just the attendance). The aim here is to encourage student to actively engage with the seminar topic by sharing new ideas and examples, asking questions, and contributing to classroom discussions.
Part Two: Reading diaries (8%): due in week 2 and 5.
Students will choose one reading from the required reading list for week 2 and 5 and in no more than 300 words, you must submit its overview by Friday 4:00 pm of the week.
You will need to:
- Give an overview of the piece: what does it cover and how?
- Identify the argument that is being made, where there is one.
- Where possible give your own brief evaluation of the piece: strengths, weaknesses; did it help you understand the topic or not?
- What, if anything, did you learn from it?
Each submission is worth 4%. Extremely short diary (less than 150 words) will receive 0 mark.
- Reading diary 1 is due at 4:00 pm on Friday, 2 August 2024.
- Reading diary 2 is due at 4:00 pm on Friday, 23 August 2024.
You should submit the reading diaries via Turnitin link on the Blackboard site.
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
Submission:
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.
Prior approval is needed for an extension. Please contact the course coordinator directly.
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.
Critical Analysis (1500 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
2/09/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03, L04
Task description
In no more than 1500 words including references, this assessment item requires students to critically analyse a concept in politics. The assignment assesses your knowledge of and critical engagement with the concept. It should follow a conventional format, and include an introduction, analysis of the concept and key arguments and counterarguments, and conclusion. It must be organised into paragraphs, and appropriately referenced.
The assessment question and further instructions will be available on the Blackboard site in Week 2.
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
Submit your critical analysis via the Turnitin link in Blackboard.
Submission:
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.
Prior approval is needed 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.
Essay Plan (1200 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
2/10/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
This assessment requires students to submit a plan of their final research essay.
Essay topics will be available on the Blackboard site in the beginning of the semester.
You should select a topic from the given list and outline how you propose to address that question. The essay should be in prose (rather than point form) and it should be no longer than 1200 words in length (including references).
In your essay plan make sure to:
- Identify competing arguments in relation to the topic in the literature.
- State your argument if you have identified one (it can be a provisional argument which you may modify when writing the final essay).
- Outline how you will structure your final research essay.
- Include a list of references. You may also wish to note sources that you have not yet read but these must be clearly identified as such.
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
Submit your essay plan via the Turnitin link in Blackboard.
Submission:
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.
Prior approval is needed 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.
Research Essay (3000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
4/11/2024 4:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
This assessment requires students to write a 3000-word essay (including footnotes and references) based on their essay plan. You should elaborate on the essay aims and argument presented in the essay plan. It requires you to conduct reading and research based on the materials provided in the course and relevant literature and resources available on the topic.
In writing this essay, be sure to:
- Offer a clear answer to the question by presenting an argument and clear and convincing analysis.
- Choose appropriate scholarly materials and critically evaluate them. You will then use this as the basis for you own argument that addresses the essay question and defends your position/argument.
- Identify the reasons used to reach your conclusion and evaluate whether your conclusion follows from these reasons.
- Provide examples where relevant and appropriate.
- Cite all sources you have used in your essay using appropriate citation and referencing style (APA 7th is the recommended style).
- Follow all normal conventions regarding essay writing including plagiarism, citations, and sources.
Please consult the POLSIS Essay Guide, which is available on Blackboard, for further details including plagiarism.
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
Submit your Research essay via the Turnitin link in Blackboard.
Submission:
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.
Prior approval is needed 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.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
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 or no comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student addresses the question poorly and shows very little evidence of reading with minimal understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student does not succeed in making a coherent argument for the essay or has not addressed the essay question. Student's comprehension and use of sources is not of the required standard to pass. Grammar, spelling and punctuation, as well as referencing may be poor. The essay falls short of meeting the basic requirements for a pass. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 664 |
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 range of research 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 attempts to answer the question and shows a degree of understanding of the issues. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student provides suitable evidence to support an argument and employs a solid research base that relates to the topic, though it may not completely support the argument. Achieves a reasonable level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. Shows a good understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates a very good grasp of the topic and provides a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student employs a reasonably extensive and well-organized research base to present 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 and displays a sound understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
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-organized range of research to support any claims they make and achieves very high levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. The student answers the question in a direct and elegant fashion and shows a deep understanding of the issues at hand. |
Additional course grading information
1. Fail 0-19%
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 Length 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 1,500 words, you may write up to 1,650 before 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 40 marks, you will lose 4 marks 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.
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.
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) |
Seminar |
Introduction: What is Politics? Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm After an introduction and overview of the course, we begin our substantive study with a discussion of what politics might be. As this involves highly contested topics, it marks out the terrain for the course in which we will be exploring many debates and contested concepts. This will help build the foundations on which we will build skills in critical engagement with sources, recognition of competing arguments and, in turn, develop the skills needed to approach writing on politics in a structured and reflective way. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Seminar |
Political ideas and ideologies Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm This week we examine political ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism and how these ideas and ideologies shape our understanding of politics. We also critically engage with the critiques of these ideologies drawing on examples and experiences from both western and non-western views of politics. Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Seminar |
Power and authority Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm The concept of power and authority is often taken as a given in political analysis. However, on closer inspection, it becomes apparent that power and authority can be used in different ways to mean different things, a classic example of an essentially contested concept in politics. We examine the elitist and pluralist conceptions of power to understand actors, processes, agencies and authorities which structure power dynamics and power relations. Questions we consider in this seminar are: What are the different conceptions of power, and how useful these conceptions are or are not in understanding who holds power in a society? Should we understand power as material capacity, as the capacity of A to make B do something they would not otherwise do or in broader, and less easily traceable terms, as particular framings of social, political and other elations that structure our worlds? Or should we understand it in some other way, for example power as decision making? Whatever conclusions we may reach, it is important to understand how the concept of power is used in political analyses, whether the level of analysis may be local government, society, state, regional, international, or global. In turn this allows us to be reflective about our own use(s) of this central concept in politics. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
Workshop |
Essay writing Workshop Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm In this workshop, we explore different techniques, methods and approaches to building analytical knowledge and skill for writing academic papers in politics. The aim is to help students to harness their critical reading and writing skills and engage with varieties of academic pieces. More information about the workshop will be posted in Blackboard early in the semester. Learning outcomes: L03, L04 |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Seminar |
Democracy and democratic legitimacy Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm Democracy and democratic legitimacy are essentially contested concepts in politics. Despite attempts to develop a common understanding about the values and ideals that underpin the idea of democracy, they are often contested in normative and ideological grounds and debates continues as to what democracy should look like and what model of democracy suits for particular societies. We consider these debates and explore the concepts of democracy from a variety of perspective such as elitist and pluralist and western vs non-western. Using case studies and examples, we reflect on how or if democracy promotes legitimacy and if it does so, how and under what conditions and circumstances. We also examine the challenges and threats to democracy and democratic legitimacy in the world today. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Seminar |
Institutions, norms and political behaviour Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm Over the last few decades there has been increasing recognition that politics happens in institutionalized context. In this seminar we consider what it means to use norms and institutions in political analysis. We examine the rise of new institutionalism as an approach to the study of institutions and their significance in structuring politics at different levels. Questions we consider are: Are norms often attached to institutions? Are these norms and institutions gendered? How do normative and gendered understanding of institutions and politics affect the way we see political actions and behaviours? Do informal institutions matter in politics and political analysis? Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Seminar |
Sovereignty, decolonisation and indigenous rights Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm In discussions of politics the state and the nation can be taken for granted but they are, historically speaking, relatively recent developments and the territorial sovereign state should be understood as a particular institutional configuration of political authority, one that has been very successful (at least to date). In turn, the nation has a specific history that we can trace, just as we can also trace the different ways in which nation and state have come together. Until the middle of the twentieth century the sovereign state coexisted with empire: sovereignty in the centre and empire in the periphery. Thus, is it relatively recently that this ordering of political authority collapsed, with the end of formal empire. While this change brought about recognition of the rights of colonised peoples, recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples took longer. Thus, this week we apply some of the concepts we have been studying, particularly legitimacy, power, institutions and sovereignty as we consider decolonisation and the rights of indigenous peoples. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Seminar |
Nations and nationalism Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm The concept of nation and nationalism is central to the study politics at different levels: national, sub-national and international. For about last 200 years, the nation as a political community has been regarded as arguably the most appropriate unit of political rule. However, the term is often used with little precision and is frequently confused with other terms such as state, country, ethnic group or a race. Nationalism, another essentially contested concept in politics, draws its conceptual foundation from the meaning of nation; however, controversies surrounding the phenomenon of nationalism can be traced back to the contending views of what constitutes a nation. This seminar delves into the concepts, contradictions and debates of nation and nationalism in the past as well in the contemporary world. We interrogate and question the usefulness of the distinction between ‘civic nationalism’ and ‘cultural nationalism’ and discuss whether a ‘nation’ can exist as an ‘imagined community’. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Seminar |
States, globalisation and global governance Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm In this seminar we explore the concepts of state and discuss how the state as a unit of analysis in domestic and international politics engages in the contemporary system of global governance that operates in the highly globalised world. Questions we consider for the seminar are: Is the centrality of modern state in modern society being challenged? Has globalisation weakened the state, its autonomy and legitimacy or has it been a resilient institution in the face of globalisation? How does global governance operate and what are its challenges? Who should be held accountable to in the system of global governance and how? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-semester break |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Independent study week No class and reading are assigned to this week. Students are recommended to catch up with readings and explore resources that would be useful for their research essay.
Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
Seminar |
Writing Politics in Practice: Public policy and governance Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm This week we have a guest who works in the field of Governance and Public Policy. This is an informal session in which the guests will briefly give an overview of their aims and experiences in writing the pieces you have read before we open the class up to questions and discussion. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Seminar |
Writing Politics in Practice: Peace and Conflict Studies and IR Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm This week we have one guest who works in the fields of IR and Peace and Conflict Studies. As with last week, this is an informal session in which the guests will briefly give an overview of their aims and experiences in writing the pieces you have read before we open the class up to questions and discussion. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Seminar |
Reflection and conclusion Seminar time: Tuesday, 2:00 - 4:00 pm In this final seminar, we reflect on contested concepts and themes discussed in this course and revisit theoretical and practical considerations for developing critical understanding and skill in writing and analysing politics. We also discuss the future of politics, and the challenges for understanding and analysing politics objectively and without biases. Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04 |
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.