Course Information

Core Courses
INST 5001: International Politics in the Post Cold War
INST 5005: Approaches to Strategic & Unconventional Conflict

Dissertation in International Studies
INST 5500: Dissertation in International Studies F/T
INST 5501A: Dissertation in International Studies P/T Pt 1
INST 5501B: Dissertation in International Studies P/T Pt 2

This subject begins with an examination of how we are to understand the notion of power, political order, 'innate' rights and freedoms, and the place of Asian states in the post-Cold-War international system.

Approaches to Strategic & Unconventional Conflict
The World system has been redefining itself in novel ways since the end of the Cold War. Terrorist attacks on New York, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Barcelona and London, as well as the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon, have demonstrated the impact of these deadlier forms of power and fewer that can have an impact on developed and developing countries alike. no longer is national security seen as a strictly military issue, as many other non-military factors are emerging in discussions on how to protect individual states' political sovereignty. Governments find it increasingly difficult to counter the work of people-smugglers, narcotics traffickers and terrorist groups. These organisations are armed with large amounts of untraceable cash, easily accessible commercial technologies, and a new degree of ruthlessness (as demonstrated by the work of the modern terrorist). Ideology has, moreover, provided a further complication in this complex matrix: the willingness to die for a cause, a feature of modern political violence that can negate the ability of national governments to secure their international boundaries and the safety of their citizens within those borders. The diffused and globalised nature of many of these transnational threats makes their operations difficult to decisively eliminate. Even relatively weak states and smaller international actors, using conventional military means in unconventional ways, coupled with misinformation strategies that permeate modern communications, can significantly constrain the actions of larger, better-equipped military opponents. This subject sets out to examine how Strategic Cultures & Unconventional Conflict are beginning to under mine the traditional discourse on global security and the instrumentalities of international power.

Intelligence Analysis: Theory and Practice
This course is aimed at introducing students to the practical application of intelligence analysis techniques as well as providing grounding in the theory of intelligence analysis. Intelligence is moving beyond the traditional boundaries of government, as numerous private sector groups look to analysts to identify opportunities and threats in a global environment. Analysis is not a new concept, but the detailed examination of the field, particularly in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, has led to increased understanding of decision-making processes, often in confused information environments. The course combines social sciences, psychology and decision-making theories to understanding approaches to analysis. This course will provide participants opportunity to apply basic intelligence analysis theory in practical ways.

How much is Society Worth?
In 1993 Robert Putnam published Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy , a work which summarised several decades of research in Italy. What has given more than local interest to Putnam's study is his argument that the institutions of civil society are crucial to sustaining the functions of democracy and, ultimately, to the economic well-being of society. Societies with effective democracies, like those in northern Italy, in which there are dense networks of non-governmental associations (football clubs, choirs, cooperatives, etc. etc.) are ones which are characterised by high levels of trust.

What has emerged from Putnam's findings and arguments is a broader argument that there is a form of 'social capital' -'bridging social capital'-which is created by trust and association which can, to some extent be measured, and which can actually substitute for physical capital. Putnam has extended his original findings in Bowling Alone, a detailed study of the decline of social capital in the United States in the second half of the Twentieth Century. Putnam found that states high in social capital are those where children flourish, violent crime is lower, where people are more likely to be gainfully employed, and to have better health ("As a rough rule of thumb, if you belong to no groups but decide to join one, you cut your risk of dying over the next year in half" (p. 331). These findings have been extended by other researchers into areas such as development studies and epidemiology.

The focus on social capital generates, unavoidably, a critique of neo-classical economics, its methodological individualism and policy prescriptions of competitive self-interest; it is part of the re-assertion of the place and importance of community, citizenship, and shared culture.

In this seminar we will examine Putnam's work in detail, as well as those who have extended his findings in new directions, and those who are critical of the claims made for social capital.

Regionalism and Multilateralism
This course considers some of the theoretical debates with regard to Australia's relations with the Asia Pacific region. It examines concepts such as bilateralism, regionalism and multilateralism and connects them to some of the key regional institutions like APEC, ASEAN, ARF and ASEM. The subject also takes into account Australia's bilateral relationships with some of its principal partners in the Asia Pacific. Focus is placed on Japan, China and the nations of Southeast Asia, although some countries from South Asia and the South Pacific are also considered. It is designed to provide students with some of the essential conceptual and analytical tools for understanding Australia's regional context. It also provides detailed knowledge of regional economic, political and diplomatic affairs and the role Australia plays in regional affairs.

Politics and History of Contemporary Europe
This course focuses on the origins and current circumstances of modern Europe. We will spend some time looking at the recent history of key European nations. It will examine the recent social, economic and political forces that have shaped them. There will be some consideration of the effects of the industrial revolution and the two major European wars of the twentieth century, but the main focus will be on the post-World War II years. Students will consider the consequences of the division of Europe, the economic recovery of the west and the end of the cold war. Particular attention will be given to the institutions and to the nations that make up the European Union.

Students who complete this course will gain an understanding of the historical issues that have shaped Europe, of the contemporary events that are shaping the European Union and the various nations that make up the whole of Europe. They will develop skills in research and analysis that will help locate the political history of modern Europe in a broader global context.

Sex and Equality in the Liberal Democracti State
In this course we will examine the nature, implicit assumptions and limits of the liberal democratic state in relation to controversial issues about sex and equality. After exploring the nature, characteristics and moral assumptions implicit in how the liberal-democratic state operates, we will test the limits and capacities of liberal institutions to deal with such issues as: Surrogacy; Marriage and the Family; Pornography and Free Speech; Abortion; and Prostitution.

The State of the Situation
This course will explore the relationship between the State and the situation it exists in nationally and globally, via a range of political perspectives. The analysis will take the current situation as its contextual base, starting with the end of the Cold War and 9/11, to conceptualise Australia and the U.S. as different examples of particular State regimes. Both are liberal democratic capitalist societies, yet they differ in their history and place in the world, the former is a settler-colonial society and a minor power. Whereas the U.S. is seen as an Empire, with paradoxically an ingrained civil rights discourse and a powerful military history and presence. The course will dip into the theoretical tool box of liberal democratic theory, debates around consensus and hegemony (Ernest Laclau and Chantel Mouffe) Michel Foucault's governmentality and biopower, Giorgio Agamben's "state of exception", Alain Badiou's metapolitics and Susan Buck-Morss's "thinking past terror".

The course is meant to be an introduction to these ideas at an Honours level, and only assumes a basic knowledge of democratic theory and an understanding of society. There will be a reader and a series of explanatory notes to the course and students will then be able to choice a theory or an example to develop their own essays. Students may wish to use the theory to consider states of exception, such as that of Guantanamo Bay or to think of refugee policies or the "Stolen Generation" in Australia as examples of the State operating within or outside a particular consensus, relevant to that situation. The ideas of State and situation are therefore meant to stimulate thinking so as to develop political ideas and concepts.

Political Economy of Contemporary China
This course will guide students through the process of China's developmental experience since the 1940s until the present. Its goal is to help develop an informed perspective on the different historical stages, economic and political rationale, and effectiveness of the economic policies and institutional changes that have shaped China's economic development. The second goal of the course is to study Chinese economic development in order to think critically about the linkages between economy and politics, as well as the role of an individual in the process of the articulation and implementation of economic policies. China's experiment with socialism and its continuous efforts to find the Chinese path to modernization make it a fascinating case study for understanding how economic change affects political processes and a wider society. While recognizing the importance of an interdisciplinary perspective, this course will emphasize the application of political economy to the study of Chinese economic development.

Nuclear Policy & Regional Security in Northeast Asia
The course will focus on nuclear policies (both historical and current) in Northeast Asia, particularly China, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Of particular interest will be their governments' Research & Development in the nuclear energy and the military sectors, and the impact of this on the regional security. Furthermore, the effect of global warming has impacted upon most of these countries' energy policy. With nuclear technology being broadly adopted in energy sector, Northeast Asia has become a highly developed nuclear power area in the 21st Century. Due to their emphasis on economic growth as the foundation for their broader sense of security, these states have become increasingly reliant on nuclear energy, and especially so China and Japan. To these states, nuclear materials (and technologies associated with these) have therefore become an essential economic and military resource.

Key questions include: How do these countries obtain the resources and develop their nuclear energy technologies? Will one of them transfer 'peaceful' technology to 'military' usage in order to strengthen their influence in the regional affairs, and perhaps promote their aspirations to a global status? Could the consequence of their nuclear policies alter regional political stability or the global environment? To explore these questions, this course is divided into three parts: first, to examine nuclear policies (civilian and military) of the Northeast Asian countries, and beyond that to introduce and analyse the international relations of Northeast Asia. Secondly, to analyse the consequences of nuclear energy development, and especially its impact on regional stability. Third, to discuss the probability of nuclear conflict among these countries (for example, over their increasing demand for natural resources).

Readings will be drawn from international relations theory, political science, historical and current documents.

Honours in International Studies

The Honours International Studies program is an interdisciplinary program which builds on the undergraduate courses in the Bachelor of International Studies and BA (International studies). It is a course designed to allow students to explore a range of aspects of the international situation by combining seminar courses from participating Disciplines with a supervised thesis. It is designed to provide students with analytical skills required for further postgraduate research in International studies or International Relations or International Politics. An Honours degree is a necessary qualification for anyone wishing to undertake postgraduate studies by research. The normal expectation of the Discipline of Politics is that candidates wishing to enter a postgraduate programme should possess a good Honours degree (upper second class standard or better). Scholarships are decided on by a University committee and, in recent years, a first class honours degree has been necessary to qualify for a scholarship

Students wishing to apply for entry to Honours in International Studies must have qualified for the award of B.A. (International Studies) Bachelor of International Studies or another undergraduate degree deemed by the Honours Committee to be appropriate preparation by the end of the 2006 academic year. You must have also achieved a minimum credit average of 65% in the required sequence for a International Studies major in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences i.e. 8 points at Level II, 12 points at Level III. Students applying for joint honours must have achieved a minimum credit average of 65% in one second year semester length Politics subject and one third year semester length Politics subject. The Honours Committee reserves the right to examine and assess the academic record of each candidate before admitting them to the Honours programme. In exceptional circumstances a student who has successfully applied to undertake an M.A. (Qual) for the purposes of qualifying for candidature for an M.A. by research, may be permitted to undertake an Honours degree instead.

What is an Honours degree
An Honours degree in International Studies is made up of two separate components, the thesis and the coursework.

1. The Thesis
   The Thesis is a piece of work of 15,000 words including references but excluding bibliography with an upward discretion of 3,000 words. A thesis of more than 18,000 words, including footnotes but excluding bibliography, will have marks deducted because it did not meet the specified length. Appendices are not included in the word count but must be relevant and necessary to the thesis. The thesis will be, like all research theses, involved with the development of a sustained argument around a specific topic. You will be individually supervised in this task by a member of the Politics staff. How you arrive at who your supervisor will be, and what your topic will address, will be discussed at a preliminary meeting. You should take note that this project will be the most challenging and exciting you will have met in your academic career to date. At the end of the process a copy of your thesis will be lodged in the Barr Smith Library and one retained in the Discipline thesis library.
2. Details of Seminar Presentations
   All Honours students are required to take two elective subjects which are offered in semester one by participating Disciplines. Each seminar paper is expected to be 6,000 words in length including references but excluding bibliography, with an upward limit of 7,000. Papers that exceed this limit will have marks deducted.

Seminar courses in the first semester commence in the week beginning 26 February 2007. Seminars run for ten weeks and will finish in the week ending 18 May 2007. Part time students may be permitted to enroll in second semester electives (please see the Honours Convenor to discuss this).

Seminar courses in second semester commence in the week beginning 30 July 2007. Seminars run for ten weeks and will finish in the week ending 19 October 2007.

Enrolling in Honours
There are a number of stages in the enrolment procedure which are outlined below:

1. Application forms will be made available at the preliminary Honours meeting or can be obtained from the Politics Office. They should be submitted by Friday 24 November 2006 by 4.00 p.m. Do not worry if you do not have all your final results from the University of Adelaide as the Discipline will check the University student system. You will be notified of the outcome before Christmas (late December).
2. The form will ask you to name your area of interest in terms of your thesis, and who you wish to act as your thesis supervisor. These questions normally induce a mild form of panic. So, don't worry, you're normal!
   The first step is to work out your broad area, or areas, of interest and then consult with a member, or members, of the Politics staff about what sort of thesis could be written in the area/areas in question. It is through a process of consultation and discussion that the research topic for the thesis is normally decided upon.
   There is a list of staff and their research interests (see p. 9). This will serve as a guide as to who to consult. However, if there is any problem you should discuss the issue with the Honours Convenor who will be able to point you in the right direction. Note that not all choices with respect to supervision can be met, and, in perhaps the majority of cases, students will be allocated a supervisor by the Honours Convenor.
   It is possible that you have still not made a final decision about your research topic and your supervisor at the time you submit your application form. However, you should, after discussions, be in a position to indicate your preferred topic areas and the names of potential supervisors who have been contacted. There is an additional procedure for confirming your final choice of research topic and supervisor, which is discussed under 4. below.
   
3. The Honours Admission Committee of the Politics Discipline will meet in December and you will be informed of your acceptance into the Honours course as soon as possible after this meeting. If results are still outstanding this acceptance will, of course, be provisional.
4. It is our intention that students have a firm topic and a supervisor before the Christmas break. They are thus able to use their long vacation for thesis research. The danger is that, with nothing decided, students can allow time to slip by without a firm work schedule being established. Given the fact that the first semester is taken up with seminar work it is essential that thesis research, data collection etc. be undertaken in January and February.

   Thus it is a requirement for entry to the Honours that a research proposal be submitted to their supervisor by Friday, 26 January 2007. All students must have met their supervisor by this date and should contact the Honours Convenor if this has not been possible.

For information on part-time & joint Honours, please consult the Honours handbook.