PL5153 - Politics and Foreign Relations

This subject interrogates why and how states enter conflict or cooperation with one another. Students learn about foreign policy making and diplomacy, state based and international bodies of governance, security relations, globalisation, and the international political economy. Students examine peace building and preventive diplomacy, as well as other concerns of the human condition such as human rights, international development, environmental degradation, and international migration and refugee flows. Within the context of global governance, students learn about important roles played by international organisations, regional organisations, and international non-governmental organisations, to arrest conflict and promote international cooperation.

Learning Outcomes

• apply International Relations concepts and theories and analyse a range of issues pertinent to complex political, historical, economic, environmental and/or cultural issues within domestic and foreign relations;
• evaluate the international/global/political/economic/social systems, institutions, structures and practices that have shaped contemporary world politics to identify the impact of conflict and cooperation within the global system;
• research and analyse the roles played by international actors such as states, international organisations and international non-governmental organisations in world politics to present a clear, coherent and independent exposition of knowledge and ideas.

Subject Assessment

• Written > Examination - In class - (40%) - Individual
• Written > Proposal - (20%) - Individual
• Written > Essay (including multi-draft) 2 - (40%) - Individual.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.