Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Contemporary Foreign Policy and the Asia Pacific

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

HUSO2328

City Campus

Undergraduate

365H Global, Urban and Social Studies

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2017,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 2 2021,
Sem 2 2022,
Sem 2 2023

Course Coordinator: Assoc Prof Aiden Warren

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3758

Course Coordinator Email: aiden.warren@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 37.05.26

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course introduces students to contemporary foreign and security policies and the key domestic and regional debates that define them. It focuses on Australia's interests in its fundamental area of geostrategic emphasis, the Asia-Pacific.,  

Using theoretical approaches from both international relations and global security, the course aims to develop your critical understanding of contemporary foreign policy, Australia's international interests and the ways in which those interests are pursued.   

You will explore the actions and interests of key regional powers (US, China, Japan, India and Indonesia) and regions (Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia and assess how these impact Australia’s interests. 

The non-traditional and transnational dimensions of security will also be surveyed, including terrorism, transnational crime, human security, environmental challenges, emerging technologies, and great power politics and tensions in the region. 

You will explore the process of foreign policy through key institutions and processes, and actors and examine the most important foreign policy events in recent times as well as strategies, trade-offs and key policy debates that define the foreign policy process in the Indo-Pacific context. 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

In this course, you will develop the following Program Learning Outcomes:  

PLO1. Contribute to global justice and equity with empathy, critical thinking and resilience.  

PLO4. Address challenges to international security, society and development in ways that are holistic, ethical and respectful of diverse knowledge systems.  

PLO6: Reflect on and effectively express your global, linguistic and cross-cultural capabilities for professional and career progress. 

RMIT Cap for Mapping: 1, 3, 6 


Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 

  1. Outline and evaluate the core theoretical concepts and practices associated with foreign policy.  
  2. Identify and analyse the key institutions and processes that define the foreign policy process.  
  3. Synthesise and apply information and ideas from a range of foreign policy sources to analyse key foreign policy debates and processes. 
  4. Analyse Australia’s security in its primary area of geostrategic interest, the Asia Pacific. 


Overview of Learning Activities

Learning in this course takes place through twelve weekly lectorials. The incorporated lectures will introduce each topic, contextualise the set reading material, and highlight the political and security relevance of each issue by drawing on recent information from a variety of sources. The ‘tutorial’ component, which are stand alone and set apart from the lecture, provide an opportunity for added discussion of issues raised by the lecture and set readings, as well as an opportunity to discuss the assessments for this course. 


Overview of Learning Resources

You will be given access to a wide range of resources through a Course Reader or core textbook and will be able to access a wide range of online learning tools and content for your course from via Canvas, and RMIT Library resources. These resources will include book chapters, journal articles, media articles, lecture notes, bibliographies for supplementary reading, video, and links to external websites. You will have the opportunity to contribute collectively to class resources by sharing your own research findings and sources with your peers.   

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the Canvas student portal. 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.  

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester by your teachers and peers in class and/or online discussions, and through individual and/or group feedback on practical exercises.   
  
Assessment Tasks 

Assessment Task 1 – Tutorial participation (15%)   
CLO1, CLO2 
   
Assessment Task 2:  Research Essay  – 1,500-1,900 words (45%)   
CLO1, CLO2    
   
Assessment Task 3: Policy Briefing Papers  – 1750 words  (40%) CLO3, CLO 4  

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.   

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.    

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.