Master of International Relations
Course code: MC-IR
2 years full time / 4 years part time
1 or 1.5 years full time (or part time equivalent) with relevant prior qualifications
March, July
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) available
Access Melbourne is available
March, July
AUD $48,992 (2026 indicative first year fee)
IELTS 6.5: with no band less than 6.0
Course structure
Overview
200 point program (2 years full-time or part-time equivalent)
This is our most popular program for those who have completed undergraduate study. No experience is necessary.
- 37.5 points of Compulsory subjects
- 12.5 points of Core subjects
AND
- 25 points of Capstone subjects (Coursework option)
- 125 points of Elective subjects (Coursework option)
OR
- 37.5 points of Minor Thesis subjects (Thesis option)
- 12.5 point Compulsory subject (Thesis option)
- 100 points of Elective subjects
150 point program (1.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent)
- 50 points of Core subjects
AND
- 25 points of Capstone subjects (Coursework option)
- 75 points of Elective subjects (Coursework option)
OR
- 37.5 points of Minor Thesis subjects (Thesis option)
- 12.5 point Compulsory subject (Thesis option)
- 50 points of Elective subjects (Thesis option)
100 point program (1 year full-time or part-time equivalent)
This is for relevant honours graduates or those who have completed at least two years professional work experience in a closely related field, in addition to relevant background study. Please note the Thesis option is not offered in the 100 point program.
- 37.5 points of Core subjects
AND
- 25 points of Capstone subjects (Coursework option)
- 37.5 points of Elective subjects (Coursework option
OR
- 37.5 points of Minor Thesis subjects (Thesis option)
- 12.5 point Compulsory subject (Thesis option)
- 12.5 points of Elective subjects (Thesis option)
Explore this course
Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this degree.
200 Point plan
2 years full time / 4 years part time. All students must complete one capstone option.
Students must complete three compulsory subjects (37.5 points).
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| Asia and the World · 12.5 pts |
This is an advanced introduction to international politics in Asia. The subject explores the shift of global power to Asia and provides a broad coverage of the regions relations with the great powers and international/regional institutions, including important issues like democratisation, economic globalisation and security. The course consists of three sections. The first section provides historical reviews of developments in Asia through understanding the roles played by external powers, and how the Asian powers are aligned both vertically (historically) and horizontally (across a specific historical juncture). Section two examines the issue of economic globalisation after the 1990s, particularly the rise of China and India. These seminars also cover Asia’s responses to economic globalisation by looking at particular reforms at the state level and initiatives at the regional level. The last section investigates topical interests related to Asia: democratisation, the environment, energy security and other security issues. |
| International History · 12.5 pts |
This subject surveys historical processes and issues that have shaped international relations in the modern era, with emphasis on the period after 1914. The subject will acquaint students with the historical roots of major contemporary issues in different regions of the world, including Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Historical processes covered include the Interwar crisis, the Cold War, decolonization, and globalization along with developments such as World Wars, European integration, the emergence of international organizations, and the changing influence of regional powers such as the United States, Russia and China. Students practise historical empathy and negotiation skills by participating in historical simulations. |
| International Relations Theory · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides an advanced introduction to the major theories of International Relations and their influence on international affairs. Students will be introduced to mainstream approaches like realism / neo-realism, liberal internationalism / neoliberal institutionalism, and critical and normative approaches to international theory. The subject will also explore how different theories of International Relations have shaped contemporary debates and practices in international affairs, including the role of power and morality, the role of international institutions, and practices of inclusion and exclusion. |
Students must complete a maximum of 112.5 points of elective subjects (minor thesis option) or 137.5 points (coursework option). Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas: Arabic; Chinese; French; German; Hebrew; Indonesian; Italian; Japanese; Russian or Spanish
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| Human Rights in Southeast Asia · 12.5 pts |
This seminar will focus on human rights and its critics from a historical and comparative perspective. We will explore the factors that have given rise to radically different conception of rights and justice (i.e. political, economic, cultural, religious, ideological) and look at their implementation and the obstacles at the local, national, and international levels. What is the relationship and relevance of the international human rights movement to local notions of rights? What impact is this having on local gender relations and the relationships of women to their states and communities? Are human rights NGOs weakening or strengthening the nation-states in Southeast Asia. Are they sites of resistance or complicity? The seminar introduces students to different conceptions of rights, and social justice, including feminist critiques of rights discourse and of 'development', ethnographic studies on the relationship between attitudes towards bodily integrity and human rights, the debates about poverty, economic development and access to adequate health care as human rights. We shall draw upon a wide range of sources from theoretical works, philosophical and anthropological critiques of rights discourse, and NGO documents. On completion of the subject students should have a broad historical, comparative and critical perspective on the debates about rights and justice in Southeast Asia. This subject is usually taught two times a year. It is available either as a semester-long subject taught on the Parkville campus or as an overseas intensive subject in some years. ASIA90001 at the University of Indonesia will be taught intensively on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia. The subject will consist mainly of seminars held at the Faculty, with some field visits in Jakarta. There is a pre-teaching requirement for this subject, during which time students will be required to access subject materials on the LMS, and attend a pre-departure briefing on campus. |
| Conflict and Terrorism in Southeast Asia · 12.5 pts |
Large-scale internal violent conflicts and jihadi terrorism have shaped the security landscape of Southeast Asia in recent decades. Insurgencies, political violence, inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflagrations have typically been confined to a small portion of each nation's territory, but have caused much broader impacts. Jihadi terrorism has added an extra-regional dimension to these violent conflicts, as groups active in distant war zones - such as Islamic State in Iraq and Syam (ISIS) - inspire and plan attacks in Southeast Asia. This subject will introduce students to violent conflict and jihadi terrorism in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar, and provide students with a detailed framework to analyse and understand these phenomena. Students will also become familiar with responses to contemporary violence and terrorism attempted by governments, international agencies, communities and civil society organisations in the region. As part of the subject, students will interact with authors and practitioners working on violence in the region. |
| Contemporary China · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides a broad-based overview of contemporary China, exploring key features of the country's increasingly complex and dynamic society. Topics covered include the economy, environmental challenges, political processes, cultural change, civil society, and China’s engagement with the global community. |
| Indonesia Rising? · 12.5 pts |
Indonesia’s emergence as a democratic and decentralized power and Southeast Asia’s only member of the G20 is transforming its relations with its ASEAN neighbours as well as the major regional powers. As a functioning democracy and the largest Muslim nation, Indonesia has a particular position in the global Islamic community. Moreover, a distinctive and activist foreign policy faces profound challenges from geopolitical shifts and from the vicissitudes of globalisation. These same geopolitical shifts will also transform Indonesia-Australia relations, albeit in uncertain ways. This subject will address the effects of the interaction of domestic and international factors on Indonesia’s future trajectory as a nation-state, locating Indonesia as an agent within historical and contemporary global dynamics. To augment the regular classroom sessions, Indonesian and Australian experts and practitioners will also provide guest presentations. |
| Terror, Law and War · 12.5 pts |
This subject considers and compares responses to ‘terrorism’ in selected global contexts. Of particular interest are legal responses, instigations of war, and the aftermath of war, practices of rendition, arbitrary detention and torture, together with the emergence of nationalist counter-terror narratives. Many of these responses have been argued to contravene due process and the presumption of innocence and to contribute to civil and global unrest, creating new categories of what it means to be criminal. In examining these concerns, the subject also considers the emergence of far-right extremist violence as a terrorist /counter terror response. The subject draws upon the conceptual and analytical tools of criminological and socio-legal examination including analysis of the political, social and legal construction of terror and terrorism, and of ‘terrorist’ actors. It also undertakes a close examination of the inspiration for counter-terrorism initiatives, conflicting arguments about their necessity and the (side) effects they have generated. |
| Post-conflict Justice · 12.5 pts |
Genocide, mass harm and state crime demand a response. And yet, what can and does justice look like in the wake of state crime? What legal and non-legal processes should be put in place, at both the global and the local levels? This subject examines the rationale, operation and impact of legal, political and social initiatives designed to address these harms – from the establishment of international courts, national truth commissions and local justice processes which pursue goals such as accountability, truth and reconciliation, to grass-roots and civil society responses. It considers dominant definitions of genocide and state crime and their social, cultural, historical and political dynamics. It explores who is responsible and what might redress look like in light of this. It asks what forms of harm and suffering are addressed and which experiences and forms of injustice remain hidden from view. This subject critically examines attempts to understand and respond to mass harm in a global and a local context. This subject will be taught intensively overseas on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia by Australian and Indonesian academics. |
| Conflict, Security and Development · 12.5 pts |
The aim of this subject is to provide a grounding in analytical approaches to the political economy of conflict, security and development. To achieve this aim, we draw on the notion of the 'continuum of violence’ to show how differing forms of violence are connected in complex ways throughout the various processes of development. The subject examines the foundational theories of conflict and violence, including gender perspectives, debates about the origins of human violence, and the role of violence in historical change. Against this background, we explore a range of competing theories and claims in development theory to trace ways assumptions have influenced ideas regarding the causes and dynamics of conflict . Further, the subject looks critically at contemporary efforts to address insecurity and conflict through conflict mediation, ‘state building’, and post conflict stabilization/reconstruction. We also examine empirical trends in relation to conflict, and the varied responses, to areas that include insecurity/violent conflict; the difficulties of data collection; and the importance of categorization and boundaries to matters of conflict and development. |
| Climate Change Politics and Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject introduces and analyses critical concepts and terms central to debates over climate change, including risk and uncertainty, adaptation and mitigation, burden sharing, and problems and issues relating to regimes, strategies and policy instruments for addressing global warming. The subject considers the rise of climate change as a policy problem. It reviews and analyses the history of climate change policy as it has evolved nationally and internationally. It examines the interactions between national and regional climate policy, including in Australia, the United States, the European Union and China. It analyses debates and concerns that have led to the evolution of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and more recent arrangements. Students will consider a range of policy instruments, including carbon taxes and emissions trading, and technologies that have been proposed or deployed to address this issue. This subject enables students to understand the evolution of a critical global environmental issue. It offers insights into technical, political, ethical and ecological issues that have framed climate change policy, and enables students to think critically about and participate in developing policy in this domain. |
| Environmental Politics and Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject engages with critical concepts and issues related to environmental politics and policy. Special attention is paid to the political dimensions of policy development and implementation, with reference to national and international domains. Students will be introduced to relevant theories, cases, and tools for policy makers and environmental activists. Students will consider a variety of case studies including climate change, ozone depletion, water management, land conflict, forest preservation, waste and 'sustainability planning'. Case studies will be drawn from Australia, Southeast Asia, and other global contexts. The subject is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Students will gain a practical understanding of issues confronting policymakers and other political actors in relation to a range of environment problems and solutions. |
| The Politics of Food · 12.5 pts |
Formerly FOOD90026 This subject examines the politics of the global food system, and will focus on the policies, structures, power relations and political debates surrounding the production, distribution and consumption of food. The impacts of food production and consumption on food security, health, the environment, animal welfare, and the livelihoods of producers, will be critically explored. Key theoretical frameworks and concepts for understanding the dominant paradigms and dynamics of the food system will be discussed and evaluated. Integrated policies and strategies for creating more sustainable and equitable food systems, and alternative paradigms and practices of production, distribution and consumption, will also be critically examined. This subject will primarily draw on theories and methodologies from the sociology and politics of food and agriculture, food policy, and the political economy and political ecology of food. The topics and debates covered include:
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| History, Memory and Violence in Asia · 12.5 pts |
The history wars between Japan and China over Japan's war time roles periodically cause diplomatic fall outs between these two countries. Within the borders of Indonesia and Cambodia memories of violence are equally contested. Drawing on theoretical reflections on history and memory, on memory and identity politics, memory and the body, memory and gender students in this subject will learn to critically analyse memories or representations of violence in a range of Asian contexts. We will also engage with and reflect on a variety of media of memory such as narratives or testimony, museums, monuments, commemorative ceremonies, Internet sites, art and photographs. We will also reflect on the ethics and problems associated with researching and writing about memories and violence and related issues of truth and justice. The subject will include a number of case studies such as Japanese historical revisionism, the related memory wars in China over Japanese representations of the Nanjing Massacre and in Korea over the so called 'Comfort Women'. Further case studies might include memories of decolonisation wars, commemoration of the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, representations of the 1965 anti-communist killings in Indonesia, representations of the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, representations of the Cultural Revolution in China and representations of the Vietnam War in Vietnam. |
| Russia and the World · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores the history of Russia’s relations with the rest of the world, from Peter the Great’s attempt to open a ‘window onto the West’ through to President Vladimir Putin’s bid to mount a Russian challenge to the liberal hegemonic global order today. Students will gain an understanding of the complex and dramatic history of Russia’s relationship with its neighbours and with ‘the West’, and of the ongoing process of defining Russia’s identity and place in the region and the world. Topics to be investigated include:
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| Rising China in the Globalised World · 12.5 pts |
This subject looks at the impact of a rising China in the globalised world. It examines contemporary China's relations with various powers, regions and global institutions, particularly in the context of its phenomenal rise in the last four decades. The subject also explores key issues related to China's rise: state-society relations, economic development, participation in regional and global institutions, disputes and conflict resolution etc. |
| Politics of the Modern Middle East · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the intricate relationship between Islam and politics in the Middle East from the late 19th century to the present. The subject investigates Muslims’ various conceptualisations of religion and politics in the region, exploring how Islam has shaped reactions to colonisation and neoimperialism, state formation, governance, political movements, and conflicts in the region. Key areas of focus include the role of Islam in nationalist and liberation movements, the rise and transformations of political Islam, debates around shariʿa, and the intersections between religion and authoritarianism. Additionally, the subject will touch on Australia’s role and attitude to politics in the region. Importantly, this subject challenges the dominant narratives that often view Middle Eastern politics through an Orientalist or Islamophobic lens—perspectives that reduce the region’s complexities to monolithic or stereotypical depictions. Instead, this subject is grounded in multidisciplinary frameworks, drawing on history, political science, religious studies, sociology, and international relations to provide a nuanced and critical understanding of the Middle East. Students will engage with diverse methodologies and theoretical approaches that highlight the region’s diversity and the varied ways in which Islam intersects with social and political structures. The subject aims to foster a deeper and more critical appreciation of how Middle Eastern states and societies navigate the challenges of modernity, identity, and globalisation, with particular attention to the ways Islamic ideologies and institutions contribute to and are influenced by these dynamics. The subject ultimately seeks to equip students with the analytical tools needed to critically assess and contribute to contemporary debates on Middle Eastern politics. |
| Islam and Politics: Interfaith Relations · 12.5 pts |
What is the intersection of Islam, politics and interfaith relations? This is a common theme in explorations of Islam and its role in the modern world. This subject explores how different Muslim communities and states, both in the past and present, have developed concepts, rules and understandings to engage with people of other faiths, and created societies that had a high degree of tolerance, if not acceptance, of the religious ‘Other’. It achieves this with a focus on the study of primary texts of Islam, agreements and charters as well as specific laws relevant to the regulation of inter-religious matters. The subject surveys several historical periods and Muslim communities from the time of early Islam to the present day, with a particular focus on the Middle East. It considers how Muslim states responded to other religious traditions and communities in the past—during the early days of Islam and in the classical period—before exploring how Muslim-majority states engage with religious minorities today, including the rights and freedoms of religious minorities and contested notions of citizenship. It also considers religious diversity within Muslim communities and how different trends in Islamic thought respond to that. |
| US Foreign Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the formation and conduct of US foreign policy. It explores the actors, ideas, interests and institutions that shape US foreign policy, including the role of the President, the Executive branch, Congress, interest groups, lobbies, and political culture, including debates about American exceptionalism. It also examines competing theories of US foreign policy making and explores a range of case studies in the areas of security, interventionism, and democracy promotion. |
| Trade Policy Politics & Governance · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the politics and governance of international trade. It explores the domestic and international dimensions of trade policy-making and the growing complexity of the "trade agenda" in national and international politics. It examines theories of trade and protection and theories of trade policy-making. It examines the evolution of the multilateral trade system since World War Two and the contemporary and future challenges that confront the system. The subject examines some of the perennial problems in the governance of the global trade system, as well as new issues and concerns, such as trade and the environment, trade and development, and agenda-setting and decision-making in the WTO. Finally, the subject explores the emergence of regional trade blocs and "free trade agreements" and their consequences for the multilateral trade system. |
| Politics and Business in post-Mao China · 12.5 pts |
Over the past two decades, the role of the Chinese state in the country's economic development has changed considerably. The state planning agencies no longer decide what and how much should the country's enterprises produce. Many of the old and inefficient state-owned enterprises have been transformed into market-driven businesses. Some of these companies (still state-controlled) have become global players in sectors such as oil and gas. The so-called non-state companies also occupy an important place in the country's economy. Ideology is no longer an important factor in decision-making and capitalists are welcome to join the communist party. This course will examine the relationship between the growing power of business and the political process in China. We"ll look at how the emergent class of professional managers and entrepreneurs attempts to convert its economic status into political advantage. A number of theoretical frameworks will be used to explore this relationship, including neo-traditionalism/clientelism, democratisation (civil society) and state corporatism. Students will also be encouraged to compare China's experience with that of other transitional societies. |
| International Organisations · 12.5 pts |
This subject is about the role of international organisations in global politics and governance. States have established these formal institutions to better cooperate in addressing global economic, environmental, and security problems, but there is considerable debate in international relations scholarship about their efficacy. In this subject, we will critically assess the world’s foremost international organisations, notably the United Nations and its many specialised agencies, international financial institutions including the World Bank and World Trade Organization, and regional organisations, such as the European Union and NATO. We will ask: to what extent do these organisations only reflect the interests of powerful member states? To what extent can they address global inequality and empower marginalised peoples? Do they enable or constrain efforts toward a more sustainable world? These questions and others will lead us to a better understanding of the factors that shape these organisations, the ways in which they operate, and the impact they have in global politics. |
| International Security · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides students with a critical understanding of the changing concepts and practices of security in a globalised and dynamic world. The subject contrasts traditional state-centric, military based, and external-oriented national security thinking and policy with non-traditional, critical, and human security approaches. The subject explores key relationships between: the state, society and security, including in 'failed states'; international intervention and security, including the 'responsibility to protect' doctrine; weapons and security, including nuclear weapons; and considers the particular insecurities of marginalised groups, such as forcibly displaced populations. The subject then explores globalised forms of insecurity including information and cyber threats, transnational terrorism and organised crime, global health pandemics, and the nexus between climate change, natural resources, and conflict. |
| International Governance and Law · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides an advanced introduction to the history, theory, institutions and practice of international governance and law. The subject will provide students with a broad understanding of the evolution of the international system of states, the development of diplomacy, the evolution of international law (including the role of both soft & hard law), the changing form and practice of multilateralism and the emergence of non-state or hybrid forms of power and authority. Key challenges in global governance will be critically explored, including the impact of globalisation on the political autonomy of states; the future of multilateralism; the accountability, representativeness and legitimacy of international organisations and international regimes and the challenge of democratising global governance; the role of non-state actors and civil society; and the challenge of coordinating and harmonising an increasingly dense network of international organisations and regimes. |
| Global Political Economy · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides students with a critical understanding of international political economy (IPE), exploring links between international politics and economics in historical and contemporary perspective. It provides an advanced introduction to a range of competing theoretical and methodological approaches in IPE, with an emphasis on their application to current and historical challenges to the governance and politics of the global economy. Major inter-governmental institutions such as the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the G20 are an important focus, as are a range of hybrid international regimes that involve public and private actors. Key historical and contemporary debates in the subject are explored, including divisions between developed and developing countries, the management of trade, international investment, money, and finance in the global economy. |
| Nuclear Weapons and Disarmament · 12.5 pts |
This course will examine the origins of the drive for nuclear weapons, the history of the nuclear nonproliferation regime, and incentives and disincentives for nuclear proliferation, nonproliferation and disarmament. Students will analyse current nuclear weapons states, “threshold” states, and states that purposefully chose to forgo nuclear weapons development – as well as the importance of non-state actors who seek to influence these states. The course will also explore the contemporary disarmament debate to shed light on the major obstacles to nuclear disarmament and possible paths around them. Finally, students will evaluate future trends in nuclear politics, from increasing polarization in the nuclear global governance to the growing awareness of devastating humanitarian consequences of possible nuclear use. |
| Great Power Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the nature and importance of ‘great powers’ in international relations. While such powers are generally thought to play a central role, significant questions surround their nature and impact on world affairs. What are the sources of their power? How has their nature and influence changed over the past two centuries, as the world of empires transformed into a world of sovereign states? Do great powers have special responsibilities in international relations, and how important is the fulfillment of such responsibilities for peace and cooperation? The subject has two organising themes: how different conceptions of power inform different ideas about the nature and significance of great powers; and how the ethics of great power politics has been debated over time. Exploring these themes, the subject examines debates about the changing nature of great powers, and addresses their contribution to war and peace, the construction and reconstruction of global hierarchies (of civilisation, race, and regime type), and the development of institutions of global governance. It concludes by considering two recent critiques: that existing debates about great powers are Eurocentric, and that the emphasis on great powers obscures the transformative impact of ‘weak’ actors on world politics. |
| Human Rights · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the theory and practice of international human rights. It explores the historical origin of the idea of human rights culminating in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and critically examines the development of human rights regimes and practice at the international and regional levels. Key issues examined include the philosophical and political debates about the foundations and practice of human rights; the relationship between international human rights law and international and domestic politics; human rights advocacy and the role of NGOs; international responses to human rights abuses, including the role of international courts and tribunals; and the challenge of human rights promotion and enforcement, especially in politically and practically difficult contexts. |
| Latin America in the World · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and professionally oriented understanding of Latin America, as viewed from the perspective of international relations. It gives students an overview of the salient features of Latin American history and culture combined with a practical, expert-delivered summary of current problems and opportunities in the region. In addition to the core lectures, guest presentations by senior Australian and Latin American diplomats and officials examine the region’s responses to globalisation and engagement with international institutions. Emphasis is placed on evolving relationships between Latin American countries, the United States, and Australia through case studies of national development, economic growth, and cultural exchange. |
| Governing Money and Finance · 12.5 pts |
Governing Money and Finance is an elective subject available to students enrolled in the Master of International Relations and other masters degree students in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The subject provides an advanced introduction to the comparative and global politics of monetary and financial governance. It will introduce students to international monetary relations over the last century, including central issues of the causes and consequences of cycles of crisis and stabilization; international monetary and financial governance; the regulation of private markets and nonstate actors; and how these relate to power, international cooperation and conflict. Major issues include the use of national and international reserve assets, the domestic and international politics of exchange rate adjustment, the operations and regulation of banks and other institutions in international money and capital markets, market and institutional constraints upon national policy choices, and the politics of monetary and financial crises. The role of international institutions including the IMF, the Basel Committee, the Financial Stability Board, the G7, G20 and regional mechanisms in Europe and Asia will be covered. The subject will employ concepts and theories in political economy and international relations to address these empirical issues. As a political economy subject, the emphasis is upon the evolving political and institutional context in which monetary and financial markets operate and not upon the technical aspects of their operation or upon economic theory. However, some basic concepts and theories in economics will be used to explore the political aspects of monetary and financial governance. Prior knowledge of finance and economics is not required. |
| Diplomacy: Theory and Practice · 12.5 pts |
Diplomacy: Theory and Practice is an elective subject that will introduce students to theoretical and conceptual analyses of diplomacy, and investigates how these understandings shape diplomatic practice, and vice versa. We will examine how, if at all, diplomacy is currently changing within the context of new forms of global governance. Diplomacy is one of the core institutions of international society. The practice of diplomacy mediates relations between distinct political communities in the context of an anarchical international system. This course will thereby ask students to consider the following questions: what are the practices that comprise diplomacy? Are these practices historically variable, or do they represent an essence of relations between states? How do the different sites of diplomacy affect how diplomatic practice is conducted? With these central questions in mind, students will examine the interrelationship between spatio-temporal forms of diplomacy and distinctive aspects of diplomacy practice, from the sharp-end of coercive diplomacy and the organization of warfare to cultural exchanges and study programmes. Specific diplomatic practices covered will include public diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, track-two and track-three negotiations, cultural diplomacy, and classic bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. |
| Ethics and International Relations · 12.5 pts |
This subject will explore a number of real-world ethical problems in international politics, and analyse the ethical responsibilities of citizens, states, and non-state actors in responding to these problems. These problems focus on ethical dilemmas concerning welfare, justice, and political legitimacy in relation to: political violence; world poverty and economic inequality; international governance; global gender inequalities; migration and refugee protection; environment; regulation of Multinational Corporations and NGOs; and international responses to human rights violations by states and Corporations. This subject will further familiarise students with a range of theories – in particular, ‘consequentialist’ and ‘deontological’ ethical theories, and normative political theories of ‘justice’, ‘legitimacy’, and ‘human rights’ – and help students to develop skills in applying these theories as tools for critical analysis of real-world ethical problems, and for prescribing ethical international institutions, policies, and political actions. |
| Terrorism and Insurgency · 12.5 pts |
The study of political violence by non-state actors has assumed a renewed importance because of the growing threat of terrorism in Australia and because of Australian participation in armed groups overseas. This subject provides an overview of why and how these actors use violence and the threat of violence to attain political goals. We follow the continuum from terror attacks by lone wolves and small groups to full civil wars waged by rebel insurgencies and the logic behind the steps in between, including the use of suicide attacks, gendering political violence, transnational mobilization of foreign fighters, media strategies, mercenary vs idealistic motivations for fighters, and approaches to counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. |
| Technology and Power in World Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject will study the role of technology in world politics as a site of political struggle and contestation. It will examine traditional theoretical approaches to understanding technology in International Relations and will introduce students to the range of cutting-edge new theoretical perspectives in the field which stress the inherently political nature of technological objects and infrastructures. It will outline how these theoretical approaches can be used to analysis a diverse range of technopolitical issue across the international system, including the Revolution in Military Affairs, Cybersecurity and Internet governance, the politics of shipping containers and transnational production, and emerging debates around geoengineering and climate change, among other topics. |
| Asia-Pacific: Zone of Conflict or Peace? · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines important issues in international relations in the Asia Pacific, drawing on theory and evidence about domestic and international politics. The topics for study normally include the China-US-Japan triangle, the Taiwan and Korean conflicts, the international context of conflicts relating to Indonesia and the Southwest Pacific, and Australian engagement in the Asia-Pacific. |
| Sex and Power in Global Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores the influence of gender in (and on) international relations. In particular, this subject examines how gender is implicated in the construction of international relations, how this affects the behaviour of actors in international affairs, their positions vis-à-vis one another, and what this means for security, for the economy, and for global governance. Through an exploration of topics such as war and armed conflict, terrorism, development, the state and nationalism, globalization, foreign policy, and global institutions, this subject introduces students to connections between sex/gender relations and politics in the international arena. This subject is taught intensively over two weeks in February. |
| Indigenous Social & Political Movements · 12.5 pts |
Taking a global perspective, this subject explores contemporary relationships between Indigenous people and settler societies from a legal, political and social perspectives. In a comparative perspective, it examines the dynamics of these relations in terms of global, national and regional political orders, exploring the impact and management of the dispossession of Indigenous people. It explores Indigenous social and political movements for land rights and self-determination, as well movements of resurgence and reconciliation. This subject is also concerned with the methodological and ethical complexities of conduction research on Indigenous issues both within settler societies and globally. |
| Security and Development in South Asia · 12.5 pts |
This subject involves a study of an approved topic in global public policy and international relations. Details of the program being offered will be available from the School. Students who complete this subject successfully should have demonstrated a specialist understanding of the topic, contributed effectively to the work of the seminar, shown a capacity for an advanced level of analysis and familiarised themselves with the latest directions of research into that particular topic. This subject will be offered in conjunction with the University of Delhi and will be taught as an intensive in Australia and/or overseas. |
| Cyberpolitics in International Relations · 12.5 pts |
This subject will introduce students to the politics of cyberspace in International Relations, asking whether cyberspace is, or is not, challenging established patterns and norms of international politics. It will introduce students to the diverse issue areas covered by cyber and digital politics, including cyberwar and cyberespionage, cybersecurity, digital authoritarianism, the politics of digital human rights, the relationship between cyberspace and sovereignty, and a range of other dimensions of cyber in IR. Combining their theoretical and empirical learning, students will gain a stronger grasp on some of the core dynamics shaping contemporary world order. |
| Global Issues in Indigenous Governance · 12.5 pts |
This subject enables students to compare the policy developments involved in politically, legally and constitutionally recognising Indigenous rights and sovereignty in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, with a particular focus on the negotiation of treaties. Starting with a focus on the Victorian experience, students will identify the most pertinent issues that should be considered by the Victorian Government in negotiating a treaty or treaties with Aboriginal peoples. Comparative cases will include the Treaty of Waitangi in Aotearoa/New Zealand and the modern treaty process in Canada, specifically in the province of British Columbia. Students will consider how these treaty processes have hindered and/or facilitated effective policy development and Indigenous governance. With the assistance of public policy academics and practitioners, participants will construct their own case study of citizen-state relationships focusing on debates around rights, sovereignty, decolonisation, self-determination, access to services and economic development and propose some key recommendations for future reforms. |
| International Migration · 12.5 pts |
This subject will examine the impact of international migration on the states, societies, and individuals. Its first segment will address the questions such as why people move and how societies change because of immigration and emigration. The second segment will examine policies concerning multiculturalism and social cohesion. By reviewing various policy examples and case studies, this subject aims to help students understand the realities of international migration and its policy challenges. The third segment will analyze the global governance of international migration, including the roles of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and international laws. This subject is offered by Asia Institute, and will use many case studies of Asian countries, while covering the experiences of Australia, the US, Canada, and some major immigration countries in Europe as reference points as well. |
English as a second language
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of the following subjects as part of the elective subject requirement (students should check the subject pre-requisites).
| Accordion | |
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| Professional Speaking Communication · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed for graduate students who would like to improve their spoken English skills for professional contexts. It is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language. Students who complete this subject will become familiar with Australian English pronunciation, will develop confidence and self-awareness, and will improve the clarity and fluency of their speech for use in professional communication. The content covers various aspects of pronunciation, such as individual sounds, sound combinations, syllables and word stress, rhythm, sentence stress, connected speech processes and intonation. Students will also improve their listening-discrimination skills, develop an understanding of the basic processes involved in speech production and gain practical knowledge about the communicative nature of sentence stress and intonation, especially as they apply to workplace settings. |
| Advanced Self-Editing · 12.5 pts |
The subject aims to improve students’ ability to edit their written texts in order to produce grammatically accurate and stylistically appropriate texts for professional purposes. The subject begins with a review of the most frequent errors in the writing of students who speak English as a Second Language, including errors in morphology, syntax, cohesion, and punctuation, and then considers the impact that such errors may have on meaning. In the second half of the subject, students engage in linguistic analysis of a range of work-related texts (e.g., email communication, job application letters). The aim of this analysis is to identify the most salient grammatical and stylistic features that contribute to the clarity of the texts. Throughout the subject students will engage in identifying areas of concern in their writing (annotation), self and peer editing exercises, keeping logs of their progress, and using available online grammar resources. |
| Professional Literacies · 12.5 pts |
This subject aims to develop effective written communication skills for use in professional workplace contexts. It is designed for graduate students, who are speakers of English as an additional language. Given the wide range of professional workplaces and modes of writing found within these, this subject aims to help students reflect on the different contexts and interactions that are at stake in professional reading and writing. It will do this by teaching students techniques of text analysis to assist them in identifying the conventions of a variety of genres encountered in the workplace. Students will also develop skills in structuring and writing texts that respond appropriately and flexibly to a range of communicative purposes and audiences. Particular attention will be paid to workplace modes of writing (including promotional and hortatory text types), and to the processes of collaborative professional writing. |
| Intercultural Professional Communication · 12.5 pts |
This subject enhances students’ ability to communicate effectively and strategically in English-speaking professional settings in Australia and internationally. Students will acquire research-based discourse analytic tools to understand workplace cultures and norms of interaction, and develop practical skills in advanced spoken and email-based workplace interaction. Topics include opening and closing conversations, engaging in small talk, raising sensitive issues with peers and superior, making and responding to requests, complaints, and refusals from a position of strength and weakness, structuring short ad hoc speeches, participating in job interviews, and understanding cultural norms of humour, sarcasm and non-literal language use. There will be an emphasis throughout on intercultural differences and awareness raising of how cultural norms impact interaction. Note: This subject is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language. It is not suitable for native speakers of English. |
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| Accordion | |
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| International Relations Internship · 25 pts |
In this subject students will be placed in an organisation which either analyses or formulates and implements policy in relation to international affairs. The range of organisations relevant to the internship is broad: international organisations, government departments, non-government organisations (including church-based aid agencies), academic and analytical think tanks. Interns will work under the supervision and guidance of a senior manager within these organisations. Students will be provided with advice by the Subject Coordinator on potential organisations to contact, but will also be required to use their own networks; their choice will then need to be ratified by the Subject Coordinator. Students will carry out research or analytical exercises of relevance to the organisation’s international affairs-related work. Students will also observe the structure, culture and policy environment of the organisation and develop advanced analytical, research and report-writing skills; as well as negotiating and interpersonal skills. Students completing this course should expect to acquire significant insight into the complexities of international relations and associated policy making and management activities. During the internship an academic supervisor will advise them. If primary research is carried out during the internship, ethics approval is the responsibility of the host organisation. |
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| Accordion | |
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| International Policymaking in Practice · 25 pts |
In this subject, students work in teams to transfer their knowledge of global politics gained in the Master's degree to practical, real world problems in international relations. Using the research and critical thinking skills they have developed, students will identify pressing political issues, analyse their key drivers, and develop a research, policy, or campaign project to address them. Students will, in turn, develop a deeper understanding of political interests and identities in global politics, with emphasis on the fundamental role of power . Students will gain experience in project design and teamwork and will develop professional writing and oral presentation skills relevant to communicating project goals and outcomes to different stakeholders. Where possible, relevant stakeholders will be invited to discuss project outcomes with students. |
This capstone stream gives students an opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to write a research thesis. Students must have completed 37.5 points of compulsory and/or core subjects within the program, with an average of H1(80%). To be eligible to enrol in the thesis, students must complete a 300 word thesis proposal for approval by the course coordinator prior to the semester of enrolment in the thesis. Students must enrol in the thesis that is administered by the school in which their supervisor is housed, e.g. HIST90034/HIST90035 if the supervisor is based in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, POLS90054/POLS90055 if the supervisor is in the School of Social and Political Sciences and ASIA90012/ASIA90013 is the supervisor is in the Asia Institute. Students enrolling in the thesis must also complete POLS90066 Writing a Social Science Minor Thesis. The thesis must be completed over two consecutive semesters (part 1 and 2).
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| Writing a Social Science Minor Thesis · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed to develop research skills for students planning and writing minor social science research theses. Students will explore contemporary research strategies, differing methodological approaches to social research, the relationship of theory and research, and practical issues concerned with designing thesis topics and their realisation through the research process, including the management of ethics principles and procedures. Special attention will be given to the design of problem-driven research. Through a combination of live seminars and interactive online modules, students will not only develop skills in thesis preparation and development but also learn how to frame research projects in the social sciences, more generally. |
English as a second language
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of the following subjects as part of the elective subject requirement (students should check the subject pre-requisites).
| Accordion | |
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| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12,000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis subject that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
Refer to ASIA90012 International Relations Thesis Part 1 for details |
| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves completion of a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research. The thesis is to be submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
Refer to HIST90034 International Relations Thesis Part 1 for details. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please Note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please Note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
150 point program
1.5 years full time / 3 years part time. All students must complete one capstone option.
Students must complete three compulsory subjects (37.5 points).
| Accordion | |
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| Asia and the World · 12.5 pts |
This is an advanced introduction to international politics in Asia. The subject explores the shift of global power to Asia and provides a broad coverage of the regions relations with the great powers and international/regional institutions, including important issues like democratisation, economic globalisation and security. The course consists of three sections. The first section provides historical reviews of developments in Asia through understanding the roles played by external powers, and how the Asian powers are aligned both vertically (historically) and horizontally (across a specific historical juncture). Section two examines the issue of economic globalisation after the 1990s, particularly the rise of China and India. These seminars also cover Asia’s responses to economic globalisation by looking at particular reforms at the state level and initiatives at the regional level. The last section investigates topical interests related to Asia: democratisation, the environment, energy security and other security issues. |
English as a second language
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of the following subjects as part of the elective subject requirement (students should check the subject pre-requisites).
| Accordion | |
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| International History · 12.5 pts |
This subject surveys historical processes and issues that have shaped international relations in the modern era, with emphasis on the period after 1914. The subject will acquaint students with the historical roots of major contemporary issues in different regions of the world, including Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Historical processes covered include the Interwar crisis, the Cold War, decolonization, and globalization along with developments such as World Wars, European integration, the emergence of international organizations, and the changing influence of regional powers such as the United States, Russia and China. Students practise historical empathy and negotiation skills by participating in historical simulations. |
| International Relations Theory · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides an advanced introduction to the major theories of International Relations and their influence on international affairs. Students will be introduced to mainstream approaches like realism / neo-realism, liberal internationalism / neoliberal institutionalism, and critical and normative approaches to international theory. The subject will also explore how different theories of International Relations have shaped contemporary debates and practices in international affairs, including the role of power and morality, the role of international institutions, and practices of inclusion and exclusion. |
Students must complete a maximum of 25 points of elective subjects (minor thesis option) or 50 points (coursework option). Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas: Arabic; Chinese; French; German; Hebrew; Indonesian; Italian; Japanese; Russian or Spanish.
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| Human Rights in Southeast Asia · 12.5 pts |
This seminar will focus on human rights and its critics from a historical and comparative perspective. We will explore the factors that have given rise to radically different conception of rights and justice (i.e. political, economic, cultural, religious, ideological) and look at their implementation and the obstacles at the local, national, and international levels. What is the relationship and relevance of the international human rights movement to local notions of rights? What impact is this having on local gender relations and the relationships of women to their states and communities? Are human rights NGOs weakening or strengthening the nation-states in Southeast Asia. Are they sites of resistance or complicity? The seminar introduces students to different conceptions of rights, and social justice, including feminist critiques of rights discourse and of 'development', ethnographic studies on the relationship between attitudes towards bodily integrity and human rights, the debates about poverty, economic development and access to adequate health care as human rights. We shall draw upon a wide range of sources from theoretical works, philosophical and anthropological critiques of rights discourse, and NGO documents. On completion of the subject students should have a broad historical, comparative and critical perspective on the debates about rights and justice in Southeast Asia. This subject is usually taught two times a year. It is available either as a semester-long subject taught on the Parkville campus or as an overseas intensive subject in some years. ASIA90001 at the University of Indonesia will be taught intensively on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia. The subject will consist mainly of seminars held at the Faculty, with some field visits in Jakarta. There is a pre-teaching requirement for this subject, during which time students will be required to access subject materials on the LMS, and attend a pre-departure briefing on campus. |
English as a second language
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of the following subjects as part of the elective subject requirement (students should check the subject pre-requisites).
| Accordion | |
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| Conflict and Terrorism in Southeast Asia · 12.5 pts |
Large-scale internal violent conflicts and jihadi terrorism have shaped the security landscape of Southeast Asia in recent decades. Insurgencies, political violence, inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflagrations have typically been confined to a small portion of each nation's territory, but have caused much broader impacts. Jihadi terrorism has added an extra-regional dimension to these violent conflicts, as groups active in distant war zones - such as Islamic State in Iraq and Syam (ISIS)
This subject will introduce students to violent conflict and jihadi terrorism in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar, and provide students with a detailed framework to analyse and understand these phenomena. Students will also become familiar with responses to contemporary violence and terrorism attempted by governments, international agencies, communities and civil society organisations in the region. As part of the subject, students will interact with authors and practitioners working on violence in the region. |
| Contemporary China · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides a broad-based overview of contemporary China, exploring key features of the country's increasingly complex and dynamic society. Topics covered include the economy, environmental challenges, political processes, cultural change, civil society, and China’s engagement with the global community. |
| Indonesia Rising? · 12.5 pts |
Indonesia’s emergence as a democratic and decentralized power and Southeast Asia’s only member of the G20 is transforming its relations with its ASEAN neighbours as well as the major regional powers. As a functioning democracy and the largest Muslim nation, Indonesia has a particular position in the global Islamic community. Moreover, a distinctive and activist foreign policy faces profound challenges from geopolitical shifts and from the vicissitudes of globalisation. These same geopolitical shifts will also transform Indonesia-Australia relations, albeit in uncertain ways. This subject will address the effects of the interaction of domestic and international factors on Indonesia’s future trajectory as a nation-state, locating Indonesia as an agent within historical and contemporary global dynamics. To augment the regular classroom sessions, Indonesian and Australian experts and practitioners will also provide guest presentations. |
| Terror, Law and War · 12.5 pts |
This subject considers and compares responses to ‘terrorism’ in selected global contexts. Of particular interest are legal responses, instigations of war, and the aftermath of war, practices of rendition, arbitrary detention and torture, together with the emergence of nationalist counter-terror narratives. Many of these responses have been argued to contravene due process and the presumption of innocence and to contribute to civil and global unrest, creating new categories of what it means to be criminal. In examining these concerns, the subject also considers the emergence of far-right extremist violence as a terrorist /counter terror response. The subject draws upon the conceptual and analytical tools of criminological and socio-legal examination including analysis of the political, social and legal construction of terror and terrorism, and of ‘terrorist’ actors. It also undertakes a close examination of the inspiration for counter-terrorism initiatives, conflicting arguments about their necessity and the (side) effects they have generated. |
| Post-conflict Justice · 12.5 pts |
Genocide, mass harm and state crime demand a response. And yet, what can and does justice look like in the wake of state crime? What legal and non-legal processes should be put in place, at both the global and the local levels? This subject examines the rationale, operation and impact of legal, political and social initiatives designed to address these harms – from the establishment of international courts, national truth commissions and local justice processes which pursue goals such as accountability, truth and reconciliation, to grass-roots and civil society responses. It considers dominant definitions of genocide and state crime and their social, cultural, historical and political dynamics. It explores who is responsible and what might redress look like in light of this. It asks what forms of harm and suffering are addressed and which experiences and forms of injustice remain hidden from view. This subject critically examines attempts to understand and respond to mass harm in a global and a local context. This subject will be taught intensively overseas on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia by Australian and Indonesian academics. |
| Conflict, Security and Development · 12.5 pts |
The aim of this subject is to provide a grounding in analytical approaches to the political economy of conflict, security and development. To achieve this aim, we draw on the notion of the 'continuum of violence’ to show how differing forms of violence are connected in complex ways throughout the various processes of development. The subject examines the foundational theories of conflict and violence, including gender perspectives, debates about the origins of human violence, and the role of violence in historical change. Against this background, we explore a range of competing theories and claims in development theory to trace ways assumptions have influenced ideas regarding the causes and dynamics of conflict . Further, the subject looks critically at contemporary efforts to address insecurity and conflict through conflict mediation, ‘state building’, and post conflict stabilization/reconstruction. We also examine empirical trends in relation to conflict, and the varied responses, to areas that include insecurity/violent conflict; the difficulties of data collection; and the importance of categorization and boundaries to matters of conflict and development. |
| Climate Change Politics and Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject introduces and analyses critical concepts and terms central to debates over climate change, including risk and uncertainty, adaptation and mitigation, burden sharing, and problems and issues relating to regimes, strategies and policy instruments for addressing global warming. The subject considers the rise of climate change as a policy problem. It reviews and analyses the history of climate change policy as it has evolved nationally and internationally. It examines the interactions between national and regional climate policy, including in Australia, the United States, the European Union and China. It analyses debates and concerns that have led to the evolution of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and more recent arrangements. Students will consider a range of policy instruments, including carbon taxes and emissions trading, and technologies that have been proposed or deployed to address this issue. This subject enables students to understand the evolution of a critical global environmental issue. It offers insights into technical, political, ethical and ecological issues that have framed climate change policy, and enables students to think critically about and participate in developing policy in this domain. |
| Environmental Politics and Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject engages with critical concepts and issues related to environmental politics and policy. Special attention is paid to the political dimensions of policy development and implementation, with reference to national and international domains. Students will be introduced to relevant theories, cases, and tools for policy makers and environmental activists. Students will consider a variety of case studies including climate change, ozone depletion, water management, land conflict, forest preservation, waste and 'sustainability planning'. Case studies will be drawn from Australia, Southeast Asia, and other global contexts. The subject is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Students will gain a practical understanding of issues confronting policymakers and other political actors in relation to a range of environment problems and solutions. |
| The Politics of Food · 12.5 pts |
Formerly FOOD90026 This subject examines the politics of the global food system, and will focus on the policies, structures, power relations and political debates surrounding the production, distribution and consumption of food. The impacts of food production and consumption on food security, health, the environment, animal welfare, and the livelihoods of producers, will be critically explored. Key theoretical frameworks and concepts for understanding the dominant paradigms and dynamics of the food system will be discussed and evaluated. Integrated policies and strategies for creating more sustainable and equitable food systems, and alternative paradigms and practices of production, distribution and consumption, will also be critically examined. This subject will primarily draw on theories and methodologies from the sociology and politics of food and agriculture, food policy, and the political economy and political ecology of food. The topics and debates covered include:
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| History, Memory and Violence in Asia · 12.5 pts |
The history wars between Japan and China over Japan's war time roles periodically cause diplomatic fall outs between these two countries. Within the borders of Indonesia and Cambodia memories of violence are equally contested. Drawing on theoretical reflections on history and memory, on memory and identity politics, memory and the body, memory and gender students in this subject will learn to critically analyse memories or representations of violence in a range of Asian contexts. We will also engage with and reflect on a variety of media of memory such as narratives or testimony, museums, monuments, commemorative ceremonies, Internet sites, art and photographs. We will also reflect on the ethics and problems associated with researching and writing about memories and violence and related issues of truth and justice. The subject will include a number of case studies such as Japanese historical revisionism, the related memory wars in China over Japanese representations of the Nanjing Massacre and in Korea over the so called 'Comfort Women'. Further case studies might include memories of decolonisation wars, commemoration of the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, representations of the 1965 anti-communist killings in Indonesia, representations of the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, representations of the Cultural Revolution in China and representations of the Vietnam War in Vietnam. |
| Russia and the World · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores the history of Russia’s relations with the rest of the world, from Peter the Great’s attempt to open a ‘window onto the West’ through to President Vladimir Putin’s bid to mount a Russian challenge to the liberal hegemonic global order today. Students will gain an understanding of the complex and dramatic history of Russia’s relationship with its neighbours and with ‘the West’, and of the ongoing process of defining Russia’s identity and place in the region and the world. Topics to be investigated include:
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| Rising China in the Globalised World · 12.5 pts |
This subject looks at the impact of a rising China in the globalised world. It examines contemporary China's relations with various powers, regions and global institutions, particularly in the context of its phenomenal rise in the last four decades. The subject also explores key issues related to China's rise: state-society relations, economic development, participation in regional and global institutions, disputes and conflict resolution etc. |
| Politics of the Modern Middle East · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the intricate relationship between Islam and politics in the Middle East from the late 19th century to the present. The subject investigates Muslims’ various conceptualisations of religion and politics in the region, exploring how Islam has shaped reactions to colonisation and neoimperialism, state formation, governance, political movements, and conflicts in the region. Key areas of focus include the role of Islam in nationalist and liberation movements, the rise and transformations of political Islam, debates around shariʿa, and the intersections between religion and authoritarianism. Additionally, the subject will touch on Australia’s role and attitude to politics in the region. Importantly, this subject challenges the dominant narratives that often view Middle Eastern politics through an Orientalist or Islamophobic lens—perspectives that reduce the region’s complexities to monolithic or stereotypical depictions. Instead, this subject is grounded in multidisciplinary frameworks, drawing on history, political science, religious studies, sociology, and international relations to provide a nuanced and critical understanding of the Middle East. Students will engage with diverse methodologies and theoretical approaches that highlight the region’s diversity and the varied ways in which Islam intersects with social and political structures. The subject aims to foster a deeper and more critical appreciation of how Middle Eastern states and societies navigate the challenges of modernity, identity, and globalisation, with particular attention to the ways Islamic ideologies and institutions contribute to and are influenced by these dynamics. The subject ultimately seeks to equip students with the analytical tools needed to critically assess and contribute to contemporary debates on Middle Eastern politics. |
| Islam and Politics: Interfaith Relations · 12.5 pts |
What is the intersection of Islam, politics and interfaith relations? This is a common theme in explorations of Islam and its role in the modern world. This subject explores how different Muslim communities and states, both in the past and present, have developed concepts, rules and understandings to engage with people of other faiths, and created societies that had a high degree of tolerance, if not acceptance, of the religious ‘Other’. It achieves this with a focus on the study of primary texts of Islam, agreements and charters as well as specific laws relevant to the regulation of inter-religious matters. The subject surveys several historical periods and Muslim communities from the time of early Islam to the present day, with a particular focus on the Middle East. It considers how Muslim states responded to other religious traditions and communities in the past—during the early days of Islam and in the classical period—before exploring how Muslim-majority states engage with religious minorities today, including the rights and freedoms of religious minorities and contested notions of citizenship. It also considers religious diversity within Muslim communities and how different trends in Islamic thought respond to that. |
| US Foreign Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the formation and conduct of US foreign policy. It explores the actors, ideas, interests and institutions that shape US foreign policy, including the role of the President, the Executive branch, Congress, interest groups, lobbies, and political culture, including debates about American exceptionalism. It also examines competing theories of US foreign policy making and explores a range of case studies in the areas of security, interventionism, and democracy promotion. |
| Trade Policy Politics & Governance · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the politics and governance of international trade. It explores the domestic and international dimensions of trade policy-making and the growing complexity of the "trade agenda" in national and international politics. It examines theories of trade and protection and theories of trade policy-making. It examines the evolution of the multilateral trade system since World War Two and the contemporary and future challenges that confront the system. The subject examines some of the perennial problems in the governance of the global trade system, as well as new issues and concerns, such as trade and the environment, trade and development, and agenda-setting and decision-making in the WTO. Finally, the subject explores the emergence of regional trade blocs and "free trade agreements" and their consequences for the multilateral trade system. |
| Politics and Business in post-Mao China · 12.5 pts |
Over the past two decades, the role of the Chinese state in the country's economic development has changed considerably. The state planning agencies no longer decide what and how much should the country's enterprises produce. Many of the old and inefficient state-owned enterprises have been transformed into market-driven businesses. Some of these companies (still state-controlled) have become global players in sectors such as oil and gas. The so-called non-state companies also occupy an important place in the country's economy. Ideology is no longer an important factor in decision-making and capitalists are welcome to join the communist party. This course will examine the relationship between the growing power of business and the political process in China. We"ll look at how the emergent class of professional managers and entrepreneurs attempts to convert its economic status into political advantage. A number of theoretical frameworks will be used to explore this relationship, including neo-traditionalism/clientelism, democratisation (civil society) and state corporatism. Students will also be encouraged to compare China's experience with that of other transitional societies. |
| International Organisations · 12.5 pts |
This subject is about the role of international organisations in global politics and governance. States have established these formal institutions to better cooperate in addressing global economic, environmental, and security problems, but there is considerable debate in international relations scholarship about their efficacy. In this subject, we will critically assess the world’s foremost international organisations, notably the United Nations and its many specialised agencies, international financial institutions including the World Bank and World Trade Organization, and regional organisations, such as the European Union and NATO. We will ask: to what extent do these organisations only reflect the interests of powerful member states? To what extent can they address global inequality and empower marginalised peoples? Do they enable or constrain efforts toward a more sustainable world? These questions and others will lead us to a better understanding of the factors that shape these organisations, the ways in which they operate, and the impact they have in global politics. |
| International Security · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides students with a critical understanding of the changing concepts and practices of security in a globalised and dynamic world. The subject contrasts traditional state-centric, military based, and external-oriented national security thinking and policy with non-traditional, critical, and human security approaches. The subject explores key relationships between: the state, society and security, including in 'failed states'; international intervention and security, including the 'responsibility to protect' doctrine; weapons and security, including nuclear weapons; and considers the particular insecurities of marginalised groups, such as forcibly displaced populations. The subject then explores globalised forms of insecurity including information and cyber threats, transnational terrorism and organised crime, global health pandemics, and the nexus between climate change, natural resources, and conflict. |
| International Governance and Law · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides an advanced introduction to the history, theory, institutions and practice of international governance and law. The subject will provide students with a broad understanding of the evolution of the international system of states, the development of diplomacy, the evolution of international law (including the role of both soft & hard law), the changing form and practice of multilateralism and the emergence of non-state or hybrid forms of power and authority. Key challenges in global governance will be critically explored, including the impact of globalisation on the political autonomy of states; the future of multilateralism; the accountability, representativeness and legitimacy of international organisations and international regimes and the challenge of democratising global governance; the role of non-state actors and civil society; and the challenge of coordinating and harmonising an increasingly dense network of international organisations and regimes. |
| Global Political Economy · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides students with a critical understanding of international political economy (IPE), exploring links between international politics and economics in historical and contemporary perspective. It provides an advanced introduction to a range of competing theoretical and methodological approaches in IPE, with an emphasis on their application to current and historical challenges to the governance and politics of the global economy. Major inter-governmental institutions such as the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the G20 are an important focus, as are a range of hybrid international regimes that involve public and private actors. Key historical and contemporary debates in the subject are explored, including divisions between developed and developing countries, the management of trade, international investment, money, and finance in the global economy. |
| Nuclear Weapons and Disarmament · 12.5 pts |
This course will examine the origins of the drive for nuclear weapons, the history of the nuclear nonproliferation regime, and incentives and disincentives for nuclear proliferation, nonproliferation and disarmament. Students will analyse current nuclear weapons states, “threshold” states, and states that purposefully chose to forgo nuclear weapons development – as well as the importance of non-state actors who seek to influence these states. The course will also explore the contemporary disarmament debate to shed light on the major obstacles to nuclear disarmament and possible paths around them. Finally, students will evaluate future trends in nuclear politics, from increasing polarization in the nuclear global governance to the growing awareness of devastating humanitarian consequences of possible nuclear use. |
| Great Power Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the nature and importance of ‘great powers’ in international relations. While such powers are generally thought to play a central role, significant questions surround their nature and impact on world affairs. What are the sources of their power? How has their nature and influence changed over the past two centuries, as the world of empires transformed into a world of sovereign states? Do great powers have special responsibilities in international relations, and how important is the fulfillment of such responsibilities for peace and cooperation? The subject has two organising themes: how different conceptions of power inform different ideas about the nature and significance of great powers; and how the ethics of great power politics has been debated over time. Exploring these themes, the subject examines debates about the changing nature of great powers, and addresses their contribution to war and peace, the construction and reconstruction of global hierarchies (of civilisation, race, and regime type), and the development of institutions of global governance. It concludes by considering two recent critiques: that existing debates about great powers are Eurocentric, and that the emphasis on great powers obscures the transformative impact of ‘weak’ actors on world politics. |
| Human Rights · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the theory and practice of international human rights. It explores the historical origin of the idea of human rights culminating in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and critically examines the development of human rights regimes and practice at the international and regional levels. Key issues examined include the philosophical and political debates about the foundations and practice of human rights; the relationship between international human rights law and international and domestic politics; human rights advocacy and the role of NGOs; international responses to human rights abuses, including the role of international courts and tribunals; and the challenge of human rights promotion and enforcement, especially in politically and practically difficult contexts. |
| Latin America in the World · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and professionally oriented understanding of Latin America, as viewed from the perspective of international relations. It gives students an overview of the salient features of Latin American history and culture combined with a practical, expert-delivered summary of current problems and opportunities in the region. In addition to the core lectures, guest presentations by senior Australian and Latin American diplomats and officials examine the region’s responses to globalisation and engagement with international institutions. Emphasis is placed on evolving relationships between Latin American countries, the United States, and Australia through case studies of national development, economic growth, and cultural exchange. |
| Governing Money and Finance · 12.5 pts |
Governing Money and Finance is an elective subject available to students enrolled in the Master of International Relations and other masters degree students in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The subject provides an advanced introduction to the comparative and global politics of monetary and financial governance. It will introduce students to international monetary relations over the last century, including central issues of the causes and consequences of cycles of crisis and stabilization; international monetary and financial governance; the regulation of private markets and nonstate actors; and how these relate to power, international cooperation and conflict. Major issues include the use of national and international reserve assets, the domestic and international politics of exchange rate adjustment, the operations and regulation of banks and other institutions in international money and capital markets, market and institutional constraints upon national policy choices, and the politics of monetary and financial crises. The role of international institutions including the IMF, the Basel Committee, the Financial Stability Board, the G7, G20 and regional mechanisms in Europe and Asia will be covered. The subject will employ concepts and theories in political economy and international relations to address these empirical issues. As a political economy subject, the emphasis is upon the evolving political and institutional context in which monetary and financial markets operate and not upon the technical aspects of their operation or upon economic theory. However, some basic concepts and theories in economics will be used to explore the political aspects of monetary and financial governance. Prior knowledge of finance and economics is not required. |
| Diplomacy: Theory and Practice · 12.5 pts |
Diplomacy: Theory and Practice is an elective subject that will introduce students to theoretical and conceptual analyses of diplomacy, and investigates how these understandings shape diplomatic practice, and vice versa. We will examine how, if at all, diplomacy is currently changing within the context of new forms of global governance. Diplomacy is one of the core institutions of international society. The practice of diplomacy mediates relations between distinct political communities in the context of an anarchical international system. This course will thereby ask students to consider the following questions: what are the practices that comprise diplomacy? Are these practices historically variable, or do they represent an essence of relations between states? How do the different sites of diplomacy affect how diplomatic practice is conducted? With these central questions in mind, students will examine the interrelationship between spatio-temporal forms of diplomacy and distinctive aspects of diplomacy practice, from the sharp-end of coercive diplomacy and the organization of warfare to cultural exchanges and study programmes. Specific diplomatic practices covered will include public diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, track-two and track-three negotiations, cultural diplomacy, and classic bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. |
| Ethics and International Relations · 12.5 pts |
This subject will explore a number of real-world ethical problems in international politics, and analyse the ethical responsibilities of citizens, states, and non-state actors in responding to these problems. These problems focus on ethical dilemmas concerning welfare, justice, and political legitimacy in relation to: political violence; world poverty and economic inequality; international governance; global gender inequalities; migration and refugee protection; environment; regulation of Multinational Corporations and NGOs; and international responses to human rights violations by states and Corporations. This subject will further familiarise students with a range of theories – in particular, ‘consequentialist’ and ‘deontological’ ethical theories, and normative political theories of ‘justice’, ‘legitimacy’, and ‘human rights’ – and help students to develop skills in applying these theories as tools for critical analysis of real-world ethical problems, and for prescribing ethical international institutions, policies, and political actions. |
| Terrorism and Insurgency · 12.5 pts |
The study of political violence by non-state actors has assumed a renewed importance because of the growing threat of terrorism in Australia and because of Australian participation in armed groups overseas. This subject provides an overview of why and how these actors use violence and the threat of violence to attain political goals. We follow the continuum from terror attacks by lone wolves and small groups to full civil wars waged by rebel insurgencies and the logic behind the steps in between, including the use of suicide attacks, gendering political violence, transnational mobilization of foreign fighters, media strategies, mercenary vs idealistic motivations for fighters, and approaches to counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. |
| Technology and Power in World Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject will study the role of technology in world politics as a site of political struggle and contestation. It will examine traditional theoretical approaches to understanding technology in International Relations and will introduce students to the range of cutting-edge new theoretical perspectives in the field which stress the inherently political nature of technological objects and infrastructures. It will outline how these theoretical approaches can be used to analysis a diverse range of technopolitical issue across the international system, including the Revolution in Military Affairs, Cybersecurity and Internet governance, the politics of shipping containers and transnational production, and emerging debates around geoengineering and climate change, among other topics. |
| Asia-Pacific: Zone of Conflict or Peace? · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines important issues in international relations in the Asia Pacific, drawing on theory and evidence about domestic and international politics. The topics for study normally include the China-US-Japan triangle, the Taiwan and Korean conflicts, the international context of conflicts relating to Indonesia and the Southwest Pacific, and Australian engagement in the Asia-Pacific. |
| Sex and Power in Global Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores the influence of gender in (and on) international relations. In particular, this subject examines how gender is implicated in the construction of international relations, how this affects the behaviour of actors in international affairs, their positions vis-à-vis one another, and what this means for security, for the economy, and for global governance. Through an exploration of topics such as war and armed conflict, terrorism, development, the state and nationalism, globalization, foreign policy, and global institutions, this subject introduces students to connections between sex/gender relations and politics in the international arena. This subject is taught intensively over two weeks in February. |
| Indigenous Social & Political Movements · 12.5 pts |
Taking a global perspective, this subject explores contemporary relationships between Indigenous people and settler societies from a legal, political and social perspectives. In a comparative perspective, it examines the dynamics of these relations in terms of global, national and regional political orders, exploring the impact and management of the dispossession of Indigenous people. It explores Indigenous social and political movements for land rights and self-determination, as well movements of resurgence and reconciliation. This subject is also concerned with the methodological and ethical complexities of conduction research on Indigenous issues both within settler societies and globally. |
| Security and Development in South Asia · 12.5 pts |
This subject involves a study of an approved topic in global public policy and international relations. Details of the program being offered will be available from the School. Students who complete this subject successfully should have demonstrated a specialist understanding of the topic, contributed effectively to the work of the seminar, shown a capacity for an advanced level of analysis and familiarised themselves with the latest directions of research into that particular topic. This subject will be offered in conjunction with the University of Delhi and will be taught as an intensive in Australia and/or overseas. |
| Cyberpolitics in International Relations · 12.5 pts |
This subject will introduce students to the politics of cyberspace in International Relations, asking whether cyberspace is, or is not, challenging established patterns and norms of international politics. It will introduce students to the diverse issue areas covered by cyber and digital politics, including cyberwar and cyberespionage, cybersecurity, digital authoritarianism, the politics of digital human rights, the relationship between cyberspace and sovereignty, and a range of other dimensions of cyber in IR. Combining their theoretical and empirical learning, students will gain a stronger grasp on some of the core dynamics shaping contemporary world order. |
| Global Issues in Indigenous Governance · 12.5 pts |
This subject enables students to compare the policy developments involved in politically, legally and constitutionally recognising Indigenous rights and sovereignty in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, with a particular focus on the negotiation of treaties. Starting with a focus on the Victorian experience, students will identify the most pertinent issues that should be considered by the Victorian Government in negotiating a treaty or treaties with Aboriginal peoples. Comparative cases will include the Treaty of Waitangi in Aotearoa/New Zealand and the modern treaty process in Canada, specifically in the province of British Columbia. Students will consider how these treaty processes have hindered and/or facilitated effective policy development and Indigenous governance. With the assistance of public policy academics and practitioners, participants will construct their own case study of citizen-state relationships focusing on debates around rights, sovereignty, decolonisation, self-determination, access to services and economic development and propose some key recommendations for future reforms. |
| International Migration · 12.5 pts |
This subject will examine the impact of international migration on the states, societies, and individuals. Its first segment will address the questions such as why people move and how societies change because of immigration and emigration. The second segment will examine policies concerning multiculturalism and social cohesion. By reviewing various policy examples and case studies, this subject aims to help students understand the realities of international migration and its policy challenges. The third segment will analyze the global governance of international migration, including the roles of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and international laws. This subject is offered by Asia Institute, and will use many case studies of Asian countries, while covering the experiences of Australia, the US, Canada, and some major immigration countries in Europe as reference points as well. |
| Professional Speaking Communication · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed for graduate students who would like to improve their spoken English skills for professional contexts. It is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language. Students who complete this subject will become familiar with Australian English pronunciation, will develop confidence and self-awareness, and will improve the clarity and fluency of their speech for use in professional communication. The content covers various aspects of pronunciation, such as individual sounds, sound combinations, syllables and word stress, rhythm, sentence stress, connected speech processes and intonation. Students will also improve their listening-discrimination skills, develop an understanding of the basic processes involved in speech production and gain practical knowledge about the communicative nature of sentence stress and intonation, especially as they apply to workplace settings. |
| Advanced Self-Editing · 12.5 pts |
The subject aims to improve students’ ability to edit their written texts in order to produce grammatically accurate and stylistically appropriate texts for professional purposes. The subject begins with a review of the most frequent errors in the writing of students who speak English as a Second Language, including errors in morphology, syntax, cohesion, and punctuation, and then considers the impact that such errors may have on meaning. In the second half of the subject, students engage in linguistic analysis of a range of work-related texts (e.g., email communication, job application letters). The aim of this analysis is to identify the most salient grammatical and stylistic features that contribute to the clarity of the texts. Throughout the subject students will engage in identifying areas of concern in their writing (annotation), self and peer editing exercises, keeping logs of their progress, and using available online grammar resources. |
| Professional Literacies · 12.5 pts |
This subject aims to develop effective written communication skills for use in professional workplace contexts. It is designed for graduate students, who are speakers of English as an additional language. Given the wide range of professional workplaces and modes of writing found within these, this subject aims to help students reflect on the different contexts and interactions that are at stake in professional reading and writing. It will do this by teaching students techniques of text analysis to assist them in identifying the conventions of a variety of genres encountered in the workplace. Students will also develop skills in structuring and writing texts that respond appropriately and flexibly to a range of communicative purposes and audiences. Particular attention will be paid to workplace modes of writing (including promotional and hortatory text types), and to the processes of collaborative professional writing. |
| Intercultural Professional Communication · 12.5 pts |
This subject enhances students’ ability to communicate effectively and strategically in English-speaking professional settings in Australia and internationally. Students will acquire research-based discourse analytic tools to understand workplace cultures and norms of interaction, and develop practical skills in advanced spoken and email-based workplace interaction. Topics include opening and closing conversations, engaging in small talk, raising sensitive issues with peers and superior, making and responding to requests, complaints, and refusals from a position of strength and weakness, structuring short ad hoc speeches, participating in job interviews, and understanding cultural norms of humour, sarcasm and non-literal language use. There will be an emphasis throughout on intercultural differences and awareness raising of how cultural norms impact interaction. Note: This subject is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language. It is not suitable for native speakers of English. |
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| International Relations Internship · 25 pts |
In this subject students will be placed in an organisation which either analyses or formulates and implements policy in relation to international affairs. The range of organisations relevant to the internship is broad: international organisations, government departments, non-government organisations (including church-based aid agencies), academic and analytical think tanks. Interns will work under the supervision and guidance of a senior manager within these organisations. Students will be provided with advice by the Subject Coordinator on potential organisations to contact, but will also be required to use their own networks; their choice will then need to be ratified by the Subject Coordinator. Students will carry out research or analytical exercises of relevance to the organisation’s international affairs-related work. Students will also observe the structure, culture and policy environment of the organisation and develop advanced analytical, research and report-writing skills; as well as negotiating and interpersonal skills. Students completing this course should expect to acquire significant insight into the complexities of international relations and associated policy making and management activities. During the internship an academic supervisor will advise them. If primary research is carried out during the internship, ethics approval is the responsibility of the host organisation. |
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| International Policymaking in Practice · 25 pts |
In this subject, students work in teams to transfer their knowledge of global politics gained in the Master's degree to practical, real world problems in international relations. Using the research and critical thinking skills they have developed, students will identify pressing political issues, analyse their key drivers, and develop a research, policy, or campaign project to address them. Students will, in turn, develop a deeper understanding of political interests and identities in global politics, with emphasis on the fundamental role of power . Students will gain experience in project design and teamwork and will develop professional writing and oral presentation skills relevant to communicating project goals and outcomes to different stakeholders. Where possible, relevant stakeholders will be invited to discuss project outcomes with students. |
This capstone stream gives students an opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to write a research thesis. Students must have completed 37.5 points of compulsory and/or core subjects within the program, with an average of H1(80%). To be eligible to enrol in the thesis, students must complete a 300 word thesis proposal for approval by the course coordinator prior to the semester of enrolment in the thesis. Students must enrol in the thesis that is administered by the school in which their supervisor is housed, e.g. HIST90034/HIST90035 if the supervisor is based in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, POLS90054/POLS90055 if the supervisor is in the School of Social and Political Sciences and ASIA90012/ASIA90013 is the supervisor is in the Asia Institute. Students enrolling in the thesis must also complete POLS90066 Writing a Social Science Minor Thesis. The thesis must be completed over two consecutive semesters (part 1 and 2).
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| Writing a Social Science Minor Thesis · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed to develop research skills for students planning and writing minor social science research theses. Students will explore contemporary research strategies, differing methodological approaches to social research, the relationship of theory and research, and practical issues concerned with designing thesis topics and their realisation through the research process, including the management of ethics principles and procedures. Special attention will be given to the design of problem-driven research. Through a combination of live seminars and interactive online modules, students will not only develop skills in thesis preparation and development but also learn how to frame research projects in the social sciences, more generally. |
English as a second language
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of the following subjects as part of the elective subject requirement (students should check the subject pre-requisites).
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| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12,000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis subject that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
Refer to ASIA90012 International Relations Thesis Part 1 for details |
| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves completion of a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research. The thesis is to be submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
Refer to HIST90034 International Relations Thesis Part 1 for details. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please Note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please Note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| Sex and Power in Global Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores the influence of gender in (and on) international relations. In particular, this subject examines how gender is implicated in the construction of international relations, how this affects the behaviour of actors in international affairs, their positions vis-à-vis one another, and what this means for security, for the economy, and for global governance. Through an exploration of topics such as war and armed conflict, terrorism, development, the state and nationalism, globalization, foreign policy, and global institutions, this subject introduces students to connections between sex/gender relations and politics in the international arena. This subject is taught intensively over two weeks in February. |
100 point program
1 year full time / 2 years part time. All students must complete one capstone option.
Students must complete a 12.5 point compulsory subject.
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| International Relations Theory · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides an advanced introduction to the major theories of International Relations and their influence on international affairs. Students will be introduced to mainstream approaches like realism / neo-realism, liberal internationalism / neoliberal institutionalism, and critical and normative approaches to international theory. The subject will also explore how different theories of International Relations have shaped contemporary debates and practices in international affairs, including the role of power and morality, the role of international institutions, and practices of inclusion and exclusion. |
Students must complete a maximum of 25 points of elective subjects (minor thesis option) or 50 points (coursework option). Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas: Arabic; Chinese; French; German; Hebrew; Indonesian; Italian; Japanese; Russian or Spanish.
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| Human Rights in Southeast Asia · 12.5 pts |
This seminar will focus on human rights and its critics from a historical and comparative perspective. We will explore the factors that have given rise to radically different conception of rights and justice (i.e. political, economic, cultural, religious, ideological) and look at their implementation and the obstacles at the local, national, and international levels. What is the relationship and relevance of the international human rights movement to local notions of rights? What impact is this having on local gender relations and the relationships of women to their states and communities? Are human rights NGOs weakening or strengthening the nation-states in Southeast Asia. Are they sites of resistance or complicity? The seminar introduces students to different conceptions of rights, and social justice, including feminist critiques of rights discourse and of 'development', ethnographic studies on the relationship between attitudes towards bodily integrity and human rights, the debates about poverty, economic development and access to adequate health care as human rights. We shall draw upon a wide range of sources from theoretical works, philosophical and anthropological critiques of rights discourse, and NGO documents. On completion of the subject students should have a broad historical, comparative and critical perspective on the debates about rights and justice in Southeast Asia. This subject is usually taught two times a year. It is available either as a semester-long subject taught on the Parkville campus or as an overseas intensive subject in some years. ASIA90001 at the University of Indonesia will be taught intensively on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia. The subject will consist mainly of seminars held at the Faculty, with some field visits in Jakarta. There is a pre-teaching requirement for this subject, during which time students will be required to access subject materials on the LMS, and attend a pre-departure briefing on campus. |
English as a second language
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of the following subjects as part of the elective subject requirement (students should check the subject pre-requisites).
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| Asia and the World · 12.5 pts |
This is an advanced introduction to international politics in Asia. The subject explores the shift of global power to Asia and provides a broad coverage of the regions relations with the great powers and international/regional institutions, including important issues like democratisation, economic globalisation and security. The course consists of three sections. The first section provides historical reviews of developments in Asia through understanding the roles played by external powers, and how the Asian powers are aligned both vertically (historically) and horizontally (across a specific historical juncture). Section two examines the issue of economic globalisation after the 1990s, particularly the rise of China and India. These seminars also cover Asia’s responses to economic globalisation by looking at particular reforms at the state level and initiatives at the regional level. The last section investigates topical interests related to Asia: democratisation, the environment, energy security and other security issues. |
| Conflict and Terrorism in Southeast Asia · 12.5 pts |
Large-scale internal violent conflicts and jihadi terrorism have shaped the security landscape of Southeast Asia in recent decades. Insurgencies, political violence, inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflagrations have typically been confined to a small portion of each nation's territory, but have caused much broader impacts. Jihadi terrorism has added an extra-regional dimension to these violent conflicts, as groups active in distant war zones - such as Islamic State in Iraq and Syam (ISIS)
This subject will introduce students to violent conflict and jihadi terrorism in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar, and provide students with a detailed framework to analyse and understand these phenomena. Students will also become familiar with responses to contemporary violence and terrorism attempted by governments, international agencies, communities and civil society organisations in the region. As part of the subject, students will interact with authors and practitioners working on violence in the region. |
| Contemporary China · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides a broad-based overview of contemporary China, exploring key features of the country's increasingly complex and dynamic society. Topics covered include the economy, environmental challenges, political processes, cultural change, civil society, and China’s engagement with the global community. |
| Indonesia Rising? · 12.5 pts |
Indonesia’s emergence as a democratic and decentralized power and Southeast Asia’s only member of the G20 is transforming its relations with its ASEAN neighbours as well as the major regional powers. As a functioning democracy and the largest Muslim nation, Indonesia has a particular position in the global Islamic community. Moreover, a distinctive and activist foreign policy faces profound challenges from geopolitical shifts and from the vicissitudes of globalisation. These same geopolitical shifts will also transform Indonesia-Australia relations, albeit in uncertain ways. This subject will address the effects of the interaction of domestic and international factors on Indonesia’s future trajectory as a nation-state, locating Indonesia as an agent within historical and contemporary global dynamics. To augment the regular classroom sessions, Indonesian and Australian experts and practitioners will also provide guest presentations. |
| Terror, Law and War · 12.5 pts |
This subject considers and compares responses to ‘terrorism’ in selected global contexts. Of particular interest are legal responses, instigations of war, and the aftermath of war, practices of rendition, arbitrary detention and torture, together with the emergence of nationalist counter-terror narratives. Many of these responses have been argued to contravene due process and the presumption of innocence and to contribute to civil and global unrest, creating new categories of what it means to be criminal. In examining these concerns, the subject also considers the emergence of far-right extremist violence as a terrorist /counter terror response. The subject draws upon the conceptual and analytical tools of criminological and socio-legal examination including analysis of the political, social and legal construction of terror and terrorism, and of ‘terrorist’ actors. It also undertakes a close examination of the inspiration for counter-terrorism initiatives, conflicting arguments about their necessity and the (side) effects they have generated. |
| Post-conflict Justice · 12.5 pts |
Genocide, mass harm and state crime demand a response. And yet, what can and does justice look like in the wake of state crime? What legal and non-legal processes should be put in place, at both the global and the local levels? This subject examines the rationale, operation and impact of legal, political and social initiatives designed to address these harms – from the establishment of international courts, national truth commissions and local justice processes which pursue goals such as accountability, truth and reconciliation, to grass-roots and civil society responses. It considers dominant definitions of genocide and state crime and their social, cultural, historical and political dynamics. It explores who is responsible and what might redress look like in light of this. It asks what forms of harm and suffering are addressed and which experiences and forms of injustice remain hidden from view. This subject critically examines attempts to understand and respond to mass harm in a global and a local context. This subject will be taught intensively overseas on location at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia by Australian and Indonesian academics. |
| Conflict, Security and Development · 12.5 pts |
The aim of this subject is to provide a grounding in analytical approaches to the political economy of conflict, security and development. To achieve this aim, we draw on the notion of the 'continuum of violence’ to show how differing forms of violence are connected in complex ways throughout the various processes of development. The subject examines the foundational theories of conflict and violence, including gender perspectives, debates about the origins of human violence, and the role of violence in historical change. Against this background, we explore a range of competing theories and claims in development theory to trace ways assumptions have influenced ideas regarding the causes and dynamics of conflict . Further, the subject looks critically at contemporary efforts to address insecurity and conflict through conflict mediation, ‘state building’, and post conflict stabilization/reconstruction. We also examine empirical trends in relation to conflict, and the varied responses, to areas that include insecurity/violent conflict; the difficulties of data collection; and the importance of categorization and boundaries to matters of conflict and development. |
| Climate Change Politics and Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject introduces and analyses critical concepts and terms central to debates over climate change, including risk and uncertainty, adaptation and mitigation, burden sharing, and problems and issues relating to regimes, strategies and policy instruments for addressing global warming. The subject considers the rise of climate change as a policy problem. It reviews and analyses the history of climate change policy as it has evolved nationally and internationally. It examines the interactions between national and regional climate policy, including in Australia, the United States, the European Union and China. It analyses debates and concerns that have led to the evolution of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol, and more recent arrangements. Students will consider a range of policy instruments, including carbon taxes and emissions trading, and technologies that have been proposed or deployed to address this issue. This subject enables students to understand the evolution of a critical global environmental issue. It offers insights into technical, political, ethical and ecological issues that have framed climate change policy, and enables students to think critically about and participate in developing policy in this domain. |
| Environmental Politics and Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject engages with critical concepts and issues related to environmental politics and policy. Special attention is paid to the political dimensions of policy development and implementation, with reference to national and international domains. Students will be introduced to relevant theories, cases, and tools for policy makers and environmental activists. Students will consider a variety of case studies including climate change, ozone depletion, water management, land conflict, forest preservation, waste and 'sustainability planning'. Case studies will be drawn from Australia, Southeast Asia, and other global contexts. The subject is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Students will gain a practical understanding of issues confronting policymakers and other political actors in relation to a range of environment problems and solutions. |
| The Politics of Food · 12.5 pts |
Formerly FOOD90026 This subject examines the politics of the global food system, and will focus on the policies, structures, power relations and political debates surrounding the production, distribution and consumption of food. The impacts of food production and consumption on food security, health, the environment, animal welfare, and the livelihoods of producers, will be critically explored. Key theoretical frameworks and concepts for understanding the dominant paradigms and dynamics of the food system will be discussed and evaluated. Integrated policies and strategies for creating more sustainable and equitable food systems, and alternative paradigms and practices of production, distribution and consumption, will also be critically examined. This subject will primarily draw on theories and methodologies from the sociology and politics of food and agriculture, food policy, and the political economy and political ecology of food. The topics and debates covered include:
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| International History · 12.5 pts |
This subject surveys historical processes and issues that have shaped international relations in the modern era, with emphasis on the period after 1914. The subject will acquaint students with the historical roots of major contemporary issues in different regions of the world, including Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Historical processes covered include the Interwar crisis, the Cold War, decolonization, and globalization along with developments such as World Wars, European integration, the emergence of international organizations, and the changing influence of regional powers such as the United States, Russia and China. Students practise historical empathy and negotiation skills by participating in historical simulations. |
| History, Memory and Violence in Asia · 12.5 pts |
The history wars between Japan and China over Japan's war time roles periodically cause diplomatic fall outs between these two countries. Within the borders of Indonesia and Cambodia memories of violence are equally contested. Drawing on theoretical reflections on history and memory, on memory and identity politics, memory and the body, memory and gender students in this subject will learn to critically analyse memories or representations of violence in a range of Asian contexts. We will also engage with and reflect on a variety of media of memory such as narratives or testimony, museums, monuments, commemorative ceremonies, Internet sites, art and photographs. We will also reflect on the ethics and problems associated with researching and writing about memories and violence and related issues of truth and justice. The subject will include a number of case studies such as Japanese historical revisionism, the related memory wars in China over Japanese representations of the Nanjing Massacre and in Korea over the so called 'Comfort Women'. Further case studies might include memories of decolonisation wars, commemoration of the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, representations of the 1965 anti-communist killings in Indonesia, representations of the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, representations of the Cultural Revolution in China and representations of the Vietnam War in Vietnam. |
| Russia and the World · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores the history of Russia’s relations with the rest of the world, from Peter the Great’s attempt to open a ‘window onto the West’ through to President Vladimir Putin’s bid to mount a Russian challenge to the liberal hegemonic global order today. Students will gain an understanding of the complex and dramatic history of Russia’s relationship with its neighbours and with ‘the West’, and of the ongoing process of defining Russia’s identity and place in the region and the world. Topics to be investigated include:
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| Rising China in the Globalised World · 12.5 pts |
This subject looks at the impact of a rising China in the globalised world. It examines contemporary China's relations with various powers, regions and global institutions, particularly in the context of its phenomenal rise in the last four decades. The subject also explores key issues related to China's rise: state-society relations, economic development, participation in regional and global institutions, disputes and conflict resolution etc. |
| Politics of the Modern Middle East · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the intricate relationship between Islam and politics in the Middle East from the late 19th century to the present. The subject investigates Muslims’ various conceptualisations of religion and politics in the region, exploring how Islam has shaped reactions to colonisation and neoimperialism, state formation, governance, political movements, and conflicts in the region. Key areas of focus include the role of Islam in nationalist and liberation movements, the rise and transformations of political Islam, debates around shariʿa, and the intersections between religion and authoritarianism. Additionally, the subject will touch on Australia’s role and attitude to politics in the region. Importantly, this subject challenges the dominant narratives that often view Middle Eastern politics through an Orientalist or Islamophobic lens—perspectives that reduce the region’s complexities to monolithic or stereotypical depictions. Instead, this subject is grounded in multidisciplinary frameworks, drawing on history, political science, religious studies, sociology, and international relations to provide a nuanced and critical understanding of the Middle East. Students will engage with diverse methodologies and theoretical approaches that highlight the region’s diversity and the varied ways in which Islam intersects with social and political structures. The subject aims to foster a deeper and more critical appreciation of how Middle Eastern states and societies navigate the challenges of modernity, identity, and globalisation, with particular attention to the ways Islamic ideologies and institutions contribute to and are influenced by these dynamics. The subject ultimately seeks to equip students with the analytical tools needed to critically assess and contribute to contemporary debates on Middle Eastern politics. |
| Islam and Politics: Interfaith Relations · 12.5 pts |
What is the intersection of Islam, politics and interfaith relations? This is a common theme in explorations of Islam and its role in the modern world. This subject explores how different Muslim communities and states, both in the past and present, have developed concepts, rules and understandings to engage with people of other faiths, and created societies that had a high degree of tolerance, if not acceptance, of the religious ‘Other’. It achieves this with a focus on the study of primary texts of Islam, agreements and charters as well as specific laws relevant to the regulation of inter-religious matters. The subject surveys several historical periods and Muslim communities from the time of early Islam to the present day, with a particular focus on the Middle East. It considers how Muslim states responded to other religious traditions and communities in the past—during the early days of Islam and in the classical period—before exploring how Muslim-majority states engage with religious minorities today, including the rights and freedoms of religious minorities and contested notions of citizenship. It also considers religious diversity within Muslim communities and how different trends in Islamic thought respond to that. |
| US Foreign Policy · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the formation and conduct of US foreign policy. It explores the actors, ideas, interests and institutions that shape US foreign policy, including the role of the President, the Executive branch, Congress, interest groups, lobbies, and political culture, including debates about American exceptionalism. It also examines competing theories of US foreign policy making and explores a range of case studies in the areas of security, interventionism, and democracy promotion. |
| Trade Policy Politics & Governance · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the politics and governance of international trade. It explores the domestic and international dimensions of trade policy-making and the growing complexity of the "trade agenda" in national and international politics. It examines theories of trade and protection and theories of trade policy-making. It examines the evolution of the multilateral trade system since World War Two and the contemporary and future challenges that confront the system. The subject examines some of the perennial problems in the governance of the global trade system, as well as new issues and concerns, such as trade and the environment, trade and development, and agenda-setting and decision-making in the WTO. Finally, the subject explores the emergence of regional trade blocs and "free trade agreements" and their consequences for the multilateral trade system. |
| Politics and Business in post-Mao China · 12.5 pts |
Over the past two decades, the role of the Chinese state in the country's economic development has changed considerably. The state planning agencies no longer decide what and how much should the country's enterprises produce. Many of the old and inefficient state-owned enterprises have been transformed into market-driven businesses. Some of these companies (still state-controlled) have become global players in sectors such as oil and gas. The so-called non-state companies also occupy an important place in the country's economy. Ideology is no longer an important factor in decision-making and capitalists are welcome to join the communist party. This course will examine the relationship between the growing power of business and the political process in China. We"ll look at how the emergent class of professional managers and entrepreneurs attempts to convert its economic status into political advantage. A number of theoretical frameworks will be used to explore this relationship, including neo-traditionalism/clientelism, democratisation (civil society) and state corporatism. Students will also be encouraged to compare China's experience with that of other transitional societies. |
| International Organisations · 12.5 pts |
This subject is about the role of international organisations in global politics and governance. States have established these formal institutions to better cooperate in addressing global economic, environmental, and security problems, but there is considerable debate in international relations scholarship about their efficacy. In this subject, we will critically assess the world’s foremost international organisations, notably the United Nations and its many specialised agencies, international financial institutions including the World Bank and World Trade Organization, and regional organisations, such as the European Union and NATO. We will ask: to what extent do these organisations only reflect the interests of powerful member states? To what extent can they address global inequality and empower marginalised peoples? Do they enable or constrain efforts toward a more sustainable world? These questions and others will lead us to a better understanding of the factors that shape these organisations, the ways in which they operate, and the impact they have in global politics. |
| International Security · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides students with a critical understanding of the changing concepts and practices of security in a globalised and dynamic world. The subject contrasts traditional state-centric, military based, and external-oriented national security thinking and policy with non-traditional, critical, and human security approaches. The subject explores key relationships between: the state, society and security, including in 'failed states'; international intervention and security, including the 'responsibility to protect' doctrine; weapons and security, including nuclear weapons; and considers the particular insecurities of marginalised groups, such as forcibly displaced populations. The subject then explores globalised forms of insecurity including information and cyber threats, transnational terrorism and organised crime, global health pandemics, and the nexus between climate change, natural resources, and conflict. |
| International Governance and Law · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides an advanced introduction to the history, theory, institutions and practice of international governance and law. The subject will provide students with a broad understanding of the evolution of the international system of states, the development of diplomacy, the evolution of international law (including the role of both soft & hard law), the changing form and practice of multilateralism and the emergence of non-state or hybrid forms of power and authority. Key challenges in global governance will be critically explored, including the impact of globalisation on the political autonomy of states; the future of multilateralism; the accountability, representativeness and legitimacy of international organisations and international regimes and the challenge of democratising global governance; the role of non-state actors and civil society; and the challenge of coordinating and harmonising an increasingly dense network of international organisations and regimes. |
| Global Political Economy · 12.5 pts |
This subject provides students with a critical understanding of international political economy (IPE), exploring links between international politics and economics in historical and contemporary perspective. It provides an advanced introduction to a range of competing theoretical and methodological approaches in IPE, with an emphasis on their application to current and historical challenges to the governance and politics of the global economy. Major inter-governmental institutions such as the World Trade Organisation, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the G20 are an important focus, as are a range of hybrid international regimes that involve public and private actors. Key historical and contemporary debates in the subject are explored, including divisions between developed and developing countries, the management of trade, international investment, money, and finance in the global economy. |
| Nuclear Weapons and Disarmament · 12.5 pts |
This course will examine the origins of the drive for nuclear weapons, the history of the nuclear nonproliferation regime, and incentives and disincentives for nuclear proliferation, nonproliferation and disarmament. Students will analyse current nuclear weapons states, “threshold” states, and states that purposefully chose to forgo nuclear weapons development – as well as the importance of non-state actors who seek to influence these states. The course will also explore the contemporary disarmament debate to shed light on the major obstacles to nuclear disarmament and possible paths around them. Finally, students will evaluate future trends in nuclear politics, from increasing polarization in the nuclear global governance to the growing awareness of devastating humanitarian consequences of possible nuclear use. |
| Great Power Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the nature and importance of ‘great powers’ in international relations. While such powers are generally thought to play a central role, significant questions surround their nature and impact on world affairs. What are the sources of their power? How has their nature and influence changed over the past two centuries, as the world of empires transformed into a world of sovereign states? Do great powers have special responsibilities in international relations, and how important is the fulfillment of such responsibilities for peace and cooperation? The subject has two organising themes: how different conceptions of power inform different ideas about the nature and significance of great powers; and how the ethics of great power politics has been debated over time. Exploring these themes, the subject examines debates about the changing nature of great powers, and addresses their contribution to war and peace, the construction and reconstruction of global hierarchies (of civilisation, race, and regime type), and the development of institutions of global governance. It concludes by considering two recent critiques: that existing debates about great powers are Eurocentric, and that the emphasis on great powers obscures the transformative impact of ‘weak’ actors on world politics. |
| Human Rights · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines the theory and practice of international human rights. It explores the historical origin of the idea of human rights culminating in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and critically examines the development of human rights regimes and practice at the international and regional levels. Key issues examined include the philosophical and political debates about the foundations and practice of human rights; the relationship between international human rights law and international and domestic politics; human rights advocacy and the role of NGOs; international responses to human rights abuses, including the role of international courts and tribunals; and the challenge of human rights promotion and enforcement, especially in politically and practically difficult contexts. |
| Latin America in the World · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, multidisciplinary and professionally oriented understanding of Latin America, as viewed from the perspective of international relations. It gives students an overview of the salient features of Latin American history and culture combined with a practical, expert-delivered summary of current problems and opportunities in the region. In addition to the core lectures, guest presentations by senior Australian and Latin American diplomats and officials examine the region’s responses to globalisation and engagement with international institutions. Emphasis is placed on evolving relationships between Latin American countries, the United States, and Australia through case studies of national development, economic growth, and cultural exchange. |
| Governing Money and Finance · 12.5 pts |
Governing Money and Finance is an elective subject available to students enrolled in the Master of International Relations and other masters degree students in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The subject provides an advanced introduction to the comparative and global politics of monetary and financial governance. It will introduce students to international monetary relations over the last century, including central issues of the causes and consequences of cycles of crisis and stabilization; international monetary and financial governance; the regulation of private markets and nonstate actors; and how these relate to power, international cooperation and conflict. Major issues include the use of national and international reserve assets, the domestic and international politics of exchange rate adjustment, the operations and regulation of banks and other institutions in international money and capital markets, market and institutional constraints upon national policy choices, and the politics of monetary and financial crises. The role of international institutions including the IMF, the Basel Committee, the Financial Stability Board, the G7, G20 and regional mechanisms in Europe and Asia will be covered. The subject will employ concepts and theories in political economy and international relations to address these empirical issues. As a political economy subject, the emphasis is upon the evolving political and institutional context in which monetary and financial markets operate and not upon the technical aspects of their operation or upon economic theory. However, some basic concepts and theories in economics will be used to explore the political aspects of monetary and financial governance. Prior knowledge of finance and economics is not required. |
| Diplomacy: Theory and Practice · 12.5 pts |
Diplomacy: Theory and Practice is an elective subject that will introduce students to theoretical and conceptual analyses of diplomacy, and investigates how these understandings shape diplomatic practice, and vice versa. We will examine how, if at all, diplomacy is currently changing within the context of new forms of global governance. Diplomacy is one of the core institutions of international society. The practice of diplomacy mediates relations between distinct political communities in the context of an anarchical international system. This course will thereby ask students to consider the following questions: what are the practices that comprise diplomacy? Are these practices historically variable, or do they represent an essence of relations between states? How do the different sites of diplomacy affect how diplomatic practice is conducted? With these central questions in mind, students will examine the interrelationship between spatio-temporal forms of diplomacy and distinctive aspects of diplomacy practice, from the sharp-end of coercive diplomacy and the organization of warfare to cultural exchanges and study programmes. Specific diplomatic practices covered will include public diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, track-two and track-three negotiations, cultural diplomacy, and classic bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. |
| Ethics and International Relations · 12.5 pts |
This subject will explore a number of real-world ethical problems in international politics, and analyse the ethical responsibilities of citizens, states, and non-state actors in responding to these problems. These problems focus on ethical dilemmas concerning welfare, justice, and political legitimacy in relation to: political violence; world poverty and economic inequality; international governance; global gender inequalities; migration and refugee protection; environment; regulation of Multinational Corporations and NGOs; and international responses to human rights violations by states and Corporations. This subject will further familiarise students with a range of theories – in particular, ‘consequentialist’ and ‘deontological’ ethical theories, and normative political theories of ‘justice’, ‘legitimacy’, and ‘human rights’ – and help students to develop skills in applying these theories as tools for critical analysis of real-world ethical problems, and for prescribing ethical international institutions, policies, and political actions. |
| Terrorism and Insurgency · 12.5 pts |
The study of political violence by non-state actors has assumed a renewed importance because of the growing threat of terrorism in Australia and because of Australian participation in armed groups overseas. This subject provides an overview of why and how these actors use violence and the threat of violence to attain political goals. We follow the continuum from terror attacks by lone wolves and small groups to full civil wars waged by rebel insurgencies and the logic behind the steps in between, including the use of suicide attacks, gendering political violence, transnational mobilization of foreign fighters, media strategies, mercenary vs idealistic motivations for fighters, and approaches to counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency. |
| Technology and Power in World Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject will study the role of technology in world politics as a site of political struggle and contestation. It will examine traditional theoretical approaches to understanding technology in International Relations and will introduce students to the range of cutting-edge new theoretical perspectives in the field which stress the inherently political nature of technological objects and infrastructures. It will outline how these theoretical approaches can be used to analysis a diverse range of technopolitical issue across the international system, including the Revolution in Military Affairs, Cybersecurity and Internet governance, the politics of shipping containers and transnational production, and emerging debates around geoengineering and climate change, among other topics. |
| Asia-Pacific: Zone of Conflict or Peace? · 12.5 pts |
This subject examines important issues in international relations in the Asia Pacific, drawing on theory and evidence about domestic and international politics. The topics for study normally include the China-US-Japan triangle, the Taiwan and Korean conflicts, the international context of conflicts relating to Indonesia and the Southwest Pacific, and Australian engagement in the Asia-Pacific. |
| Sex and Power in Global Politics · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores the influence of gender in (and on) international relations. In particular, this subject examines how gender is implicated in the construction of international relations, how this affects the behaviour of actors in international affairs, their positions vis-à-vis one another, and what this means for security, for the economy, and for global governance. Through an exploration of topics such as war and armed conflict, terrorism, development, the state and nationalism, globalization, foreign policy, and global institutions, this subject introduces students to connections between sex/gender relations and politics in the international arena. This subject is taught intensively over two weeks in February. |
| Indigenous Social & Political Movements · 12.5 pts |
Taking a global perspective, this subject explores contemporary relationships between Indigenous people and settler societies from a legal, political and social perspectives. In a comparative perspective, it examines the dynamics of these relations in terms of global, national and regional political orders, exploring the impact and management of the dispossession of Indigenous people. It explores Indigenous social and political movements for land rights and self-determination, as well movements of resurgence and reconciliation. This subject is also concerned with the methodological and ethical complexities of conduction research on Indigenous issues both within settler societies and globally. |
| Security and Development in South Asia · 12.5 pts |
This subject involves a study of an approved topic in global public policy and international relations. Details of the program being offered will be available from the School. Students who complete this subject successfully should have demonstrated a specialist understanding of the topic, contributed effectively to the work of the seminar, shown a capacity for an advanced level of analysis and familiarised themselves with the latest directions of research into that particular topic. This subject will be offered in conjunction with the University of Delhi and will be taught as an intensive in Australia and/or overseas. |
| Cyberpolitics in International Relations · 12.5 pts |
This subject will introduce students to the politics of cyberspace in International Relations, asking whether cyberspace is, or is not, challenging established patterns and norms of international politics. It will introduce students to the diverse issue areas covered by cyber and digital politics, including cyberwar and cyberespionage, cybersecurity, digital authoritarianism, the politics of digital human rights, the relationship between cyberspace and sovereignty, and a range of other dimensions of cyber in IR. Combining their theoretical and empirical learning, students will gain a stronger grasp on some of the core dynamics shaping contemporary world order. |
| Global Issues in Indigenous Governance · 12.5 pts |
This subject enables students to compare the policy developments involved in politically, legally and constitutionally recognising Indigenous rights and sovereignty in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, with a particular focus on the negotiation of treaties. Starting with a focus on the Victorian experience, students will identify the most pertinent issues that should be considered by the Victorian Government in negotiating a treaty or treaties with Aboriginal peoples. Comparative cases will include the Treaty of Waitangi in Aotearoa/New Zealand and the modern treaty process in Canada, specifically in the province of British Columbia. Students will consider how these treaty processes have hindered and/or facilitated effective policy development and Indigenous governance. With the assistance of public policy academics and practitioners, participants will construct their own case study of citizen-state relationships focusing on debates around rights, sovereignty, decolonisation, self-determination, access to services and economic development and propose some key recommendations for future reforms. |
| International Migration · 12.5 pts |
This subject will examine the impact of international migration on the states, societies, and individuals. Its first segment will address the questions such as why people move and how societies change because of immigration and emigration. The second segment will examine policies concerning multiculturalism and social cohesion. By reviewing various policy examples and case studies, this subject aims to help students understand the realities of international migration and its policy challenges. The third segment will analyze the global governance of international migration, including the roles of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and international laws. This subject is offered by Asia Institute, and will use many case studies of Asian countries, while covering the experiences of Australia, the US, Canada, and some major immigration countries in Europe as reference points as well. |
| Professional Speaking Communication · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed for graduate students who would like to improve their spoken English skills for professional contexts. It is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language. Students who complete this subject will become familiar with Australian English pronunciation, will develop confidence and self-awareness, and will improve the clarity and fluency of their speech for use in professional communication. The content covers various aspects of pronunciation, such as individual sounds, sound combinations, syllables and word stress, rhythm, sentence stress, connected speech processes and intonation. Students will also improve their listening-discrimination skills, develop an understanding of the basic processes involved in speech production and gain practical knowledge about the communicative nature of sentence stress and intonation, especially as they apply to workplace settings. |
| Advanced Self-Editing · 12.5 pts |
The subject aims to improve students’ ability to edit their written texts in order to produce grammatically accurate and stylistically appropriate texts for professional purposes. The subject begins with a review of the most frequent errors in the writing of students who speak English as a Second Language, including errors in morphology, syntax, cohesion, and punctuation, and then considers the impact that such errors may have on meaning. In the second half of the subject, students engage in linguistic analysis of a range of work-related texts (e.g., email communication, job application letters). The aim of this analysis is to identify the most salient grammatical and stylistic features that contribute to the clarity of the texts. Throughout the subject students will engage in identifying areas of concern in their writing (annotation), self and peer editing exercises, keeping logs of their progress, and using available online grammar resources. |
| Professional Literacies · 12.5 pts |
This subject aims to develop effective written communication skills for use in professional workplace contexts. It is designed for graduate students, who are speakers of English as an additional language. Given the wide range of professional workplaces and modes of writing found within these, this subject aims to help students reflect on the different contexts and interactions that are at stake in professional reading and writing. It will do this by teaching students techniques of text analysis to assist them in identifying the conventions of a variety of genres encountered in the workplace. Students will also develop skills in structuring and writing texts that respond appropriately and flexibly to a range of communicative purposes and audiences. Particular attention will be paid to workplace modes of writing (including promotional and hortatory text types), and to the processes of collaborative professional writing. |
| Intercultural Professional Communication · 12.5 pts |
This subject enhances students’ ability to communicate effectively and strategically in English-speaking professional settings in Australia and internationally. Students will acquire research-based discourse analytic tools to understand workplace cultures and norms of interaction, and develop practical skills in advanced spoken and email-based workplace interaction. Topics include opening and closing conversations, engaging in small talk, raising sensitive issues with peers and superior, making and responding to requests, complaints, and refusals from a position of strength and weakness, structuring short ad hoc speeches, participating in job interviews, and understanding cultural norms of humour, sarcasm and non-literal language use. There will be an emphasis throughout on intercultural differences and awareness raising of how cultural norms impact interaction. Note: This subject is aimed at speakers of English as an additional language. It is not suitable for native speakers of English. |
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| International Relations Internship · 25 pts |
In this subject students will be placed in an organisation which either analyses or formulates and implements policy in relation to international affairs. The range of organisations relevant to the internship is broad: international organisations, government departments, non-government organisations (including church-based aid agencies), academic and analytical think tanks. Interns will work under the supervision and guidance of a senior manager within these organisations. Students will be provided with advice by the Subject Coordinator on potential organisations to contact, but will also be required to use their own networks; their choice will then need to be ratified by the Subject Coordinator. Students will carry out research or analytical exercises of relevance to the organisation’s international affairs-related work. Students will also observe the structure, culture and policy environment of the organisation and develop advanced analytical, research and report-writing skills; as well as negotiating and interpersonal skills. Students completing this course should expect to acquire significant insight into the complexities of international relations and associated policy making and management activities. During the internship an academic supervisor will advise them. If primary research is carried out during the internship, ethics approval is the responsibility of the host organisation. |
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| International Policymaking in Practice · 25 pts |
In this subject, students work in teams to transfer their knowledge of global politics gained in the Master's degree to practical, real world problems in international relations. Using the research and critical thinking skills they have developed, students will identify pressing political issues, analyse their key drivers, and develop a research, policy, or campaign project to address them. Students will, in turn, develop a deeper understanding of political interests and identities in global politics, with emphasis on the fundamental role of power . Students will gain experience in project design and teamwork and will develop professional writing and oral presentation skills relevant to communicating project goals and outcomes to different stakeholders. Where possible, relevant stakeholders will be invited to discuss project outcomes with students. |
This capstone stream gives students an opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to write a research thesis. Students must have completed 37.5 points of compulsory and/or core subjects within the program, with an average of H1(80%). To be eligible to enrol in the thesis, students must complete a 300 word thesis proposal for approval by the course coordinator prior to the semester of enrolment in the thesis. Students must enrol in the thesis that is administered by the school in which their supervisor is housed, e.g. HIST90034/HIST90035 if the supervisor is based in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, POLS90054/POLS90055 if the supervisor is in the School of Social and Political Sciences and ASIA90012/ASIA90013 is the supervisor is in the Asia Institute. Students enrolling in the thesis must also complete POLS90066 Writing a Social Science Minor Thesis. The thesis must be completed over two consecutive semesters (part 1 and 2).
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| Writing a Social Science Minor Thesis · 12.5 pts |
This subject is designed to develop research skills for students planning and writing minor social science research theses. Students will explore contemporary research strategies, differing methodological approaches to social research, the relationship of theory and research, and practical issues concerned with designing thesis topics and their realisation through the research process, including the management of ethics principles and procedures. Special attention will be given to the design of problem-driven research. Through a combination of live seminars and interactive online modules, students will not only develop skills in thesis preparation and development but also learn how to frame research projects in the social sciences, more generally. |
English as a second language
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of the following subjects as part of the elective subject requirement (students should check the subject pre-requisites).
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| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12,000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis subject that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
Refer to ASIA90012 International Relations Thesis Part 1 for details |
| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves completion of a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research. The thesis is to be submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
Refer to HIST90034 International Relations Thesis Part 1 for details. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 1 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please Note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |
| International Relations Thesis Part 2 · 18.75 pts |
This subject involves a supervised thesis of 12000 words, embodying the results of the student's own research, submitted at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Please Note: The Master of International Relations offers three thesis subjects. It is important that students enrol in the thesis that is administered by the School in which their supervisor is housed. |