Course Coordinator:Shannon Brincat (sbrincat@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
This course acquaints you with the forces that have influenced change in international relations and world orders, particularly in the twentieth century. It incorporates elements of political theory so that you acquire basic analytical tools for understanding the development of international relations. From a chronological and a thematic viewpoint, the course analyses the major forces of change - material, institutional, and ideational - in the history, present, and future of international politics.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On campus tutorials | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
Learning materials – Online learning materials | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
Online | |||
Learning materials – Online learning materials | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Online tutorials | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
Introduction to Forces of Change in International Politics
Theories of Change and Transformation
Nationalism, nation states, and global politics
The Cold War/s: superpowers, polarity, and hegemony
Political leadership as a force of change in international politics
Citizens and the state: Human security v. Human rights
The politics of globalisation and the transformation of political community
Colonialism, imperialism, and development
Gender, race, and identity
Environmental change: past and future
Futures of World Orders
200 Level (Developing)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | |
1 | Apply knowledge related to theory, history, and practice of forces of change in world politics. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered Ethical Engaged Sustainability-focussed |
2 | Examine and critique international relations theory, concepts, and practice related to forces of change in world politics, including actors, institutions, processes, historical events and current affairs. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Ethical Sustainability-focussed |
3 | Research, discuss, apply and communicate knowledge about the relationship between forces of change and world politics. |
Creative and critical thinker Ethical Engaged Sustainability-focussed |
4 | Application of scholarly writing and research, in the field of politics and international relations. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered Engaged Sustainability-focussed |
5 | Research and critically engage with information about events and current affairs related to forces of change in world politics |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered Ethical Engaged |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Early feedback is provided in Assessment 3 Preparation and Participation Portfolio throughout all weeks of class. Students will be given direct oral feedback on their preparation and participation in the tutorial related to readings and lecture content.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1 | Essay | Individual | 30% | 1250 Words |
Week 7 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 2 | Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece | Individual | 50% | 1) To write a Report (or Discussion Paper) exploring one of the counter-factual scenarios/questions released on Canvas. 1750 words. This is worth 30% 2) An audio; or visual; or artistic; or written; or mixed-media artefact/s exploring the same counter-factual scenario/question released on Canvas. 1000 words or equivalent. This is worth 20% |
Week 13 | Online Submission |
All | 3 | Portfolio | Individual | 20% | 100 words - Weeks 1-10 |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | In Class |
All - Assessment Task 1:Essay | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Goal: | To undertake research and write an essay that explores forces of change in world politics. |
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Product: | Essay | |||||||||||||||||||||
Format: | The essay is written as a formal academic essay with appropriate acknowledgement of research sources presented with references.Students will answer one essay question from the topics provided on Canvas. Particular attention will be focused on the inclusion of empirical data to support points and arguments made, integration of arguments with theories of politics and IR, and, on the critical analysis and synthesis of materials in the essay. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy |
All - Assessment Task 2:Artefact/s and Report on Forces of Change | ||||||||||||||||
Goal: | There are two parts of this assessment. The first is to write a Report/Discussion Paper, the second is to develop a Creative piece, both of which explore one of the counter-factual scenarios/questions released on Canvas. |
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Product: | Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece | |||||||||||||||
Format: | 1) The Report/Discussion Paper is written as a formal, scholarly piece of writing. Students are to write a discussion paper based on research and concepts related to the course, to explore and speculate on an alternative history/counter-factual to world politics. It must have appropriate acknowledgement of research sources presented with references. Students will explore one of the counter-factual scenarios/questions that will be released on Canvas. Particular attention will be focused on the ability to think critically and creatively through different theories, patterns, and conditions of the forces of change in world politics. 2) Using any form of media or communication tools (video, illustration, oral presentation, radio, web, musical, performative, written etc), students are to develop a creative artefact/s that explores the same counterfactual question/scenario released on Canvass. Examples and ideas are provided on Canvas and we will have class time dedicated to this project. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
All - Assessment Task 3:Preparation and Participation Portfolio | |||||||||||||
Goal: | Actively prepare for and engage in tutorial discussions and activities; and constructively respond to course content questions, theories and practices. |
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Product: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||
Format: | In each tutorial (weeks 1-10). Tutorial preparation and participation is assessed on active and informed participation. The tutorial provides an opportunity to extend your understanding though an exchange of views, discussion, debate and group exercises. Your contribution needs to be informed. Asserting opinions without providing evidence in support or constantly wandering too far from the set topics will not constitute informed participation. Please note, you will be required to listen to each lecture recording and read all required readings before attending the seminar to understand the key ideas, concepts and themes for the week. Preparation for each tutorial will require: - reading the required readings for the week; - watching the online materials; - completing written summaries or question/answer of the Portfolio (100 words) each week and emailing these to the lecturer prior to the seminar; - reflecting about the issues highlighted for discussion in the seminar. Discussions will take place in the tutorial which will give you the opportunity to be heard and participate in a range of learning activities. The mark of 20% is based on active and informed participation but you can only participate if you are present; and you can only participate if you are prepared by having completed the Portfolio. This contributes to peer-to-peer collaborative learning. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Information literacy |
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.
Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
Required | Richard Devetak,Jim George,Sarah Percy | 2017 | An Introduction to International Relations | Latest or Third | Cambridge University Press |
Not applicable
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty
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For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
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