Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Coordinator
Nicholas Bromfield
Contact via Email, as above
Level 2, Hearing Hub
By appointment
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MIntRel or PGDipIntRel or GradDipIntRel or MIntCommMIntRel or MIntBusMIntRel or MIntRelMIntTrdeComLaw or MTransInterMIntRel or MDevCult or GradCertIntRel or MSecStrategicStud or MCrim or MIntell or MCTerrorism or MIntPubDip or MPPPMIntRel
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces students to traditional security studies as well as non-traditional approaches which have sought to deepen and broaden our understanding of what 'security' means. We consider threats to the state including attempts to control the spread of nuclear weapons, the adequacy of strategic concepts such as deterrence to the new security threats posed by international terrorism and rogue states, and the challenge of irregular warfare. We then consider broader conceptions of security, including the idea of societal security (ethno-national conflicts, UN peacekeeping and peace-building) and human security (resource scarcity, climate change, and pandemics such as HIV/AIDs).
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Late Submission Penalty
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 2 marks out of a total of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date including weekend days – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Participation | 15% | No | Ongoing |
Role Play 1 - traditional | 15% | No | Week 8 |
Role Play 2 - non-traditional | 15% | No | Week 11 |
Literature Review | 15% | No | Monday September 3 by 5pm AEST |
Major Essay | 40% | Yes | Monday 12 Nov by 5pm AEST. |
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 15%
Attendance and participation is a requirement of this unit. This assessment has two major components:
Grade
Assessment Criteria
Absent/Non-Satisfactory
Pass
Credit
Distinction
High Distinction
Adapted from: Martha L. Maznevski (1996) Grading Class Participation available Online:
http://trc.virginia.edu/Publications/Teaching_Concerns/Spring_1996/TC_Spring_1996_Maznevski.htm
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 15%
Role play 1 will take place in week 8. You will assigned group members after the HECS census date, but general research and reading on the case study should begin ASAP. A hypothetical scenario based upon a traditional security threat will be posted well beforehand to frame the role play. The task will consist of three graded components:
Assessment Criteria
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 15%
Role play 2 will take place in week 11. Your assigned group members and scenario actor will roll-over from the first role play, but general research and reading on the case study should continue after week 8. A new hypothetical scenario, based upon a non-traditional security threat, will be posted well beforehand to frame the role play. The task will again consist of three graded components:
Assessment Criteria
Due: Monday September 3 by 5pm AEST
Weighting: 15%
Word Length: 1000-1200 words.
This first assessment is a formative assessment - a preparatory assignment for the major essay. It requires three major components:
A review of the literature on the theory to your essay question (approx. 500 words).
A review of the scholarly and secondary literature on essay question (approx. 500 words).
A brief statement of your approach to the essay question and justifying that rationale (approx. 200 words).
Word limit: 1000-1200 words. N.B. The reference list and title page will be excluded from the word count. Everything else, including sub-headings, references, quotes, tables/data, footnotes etc., will be included in the final count. Please do not write less or more than the set word ranges – penalties will be applied for those who do not follow these instructions.
N.B. This assignment is not a plan for your essay. Essays that fail to do the above and waste time setting out the precise detail of their essays or rehearsing their arguments for the essay, will grade poorly, or even fail.
A literature review requires a comprehensive survey on what has been written on a topic. You should set out what has been written on your essay question, including what the major debates, controversies, schools of thought, and data that exist are. Further, you are required to explain the rationale behind your approach to the essay question in the final section. What theory/typology will you adopt and why? What evidence will you need and why? Your selection of cases will play an important role here and needs to be explained too.
Since this is a review of the literature, you are required to find and cite a minimum of 15 peer-reviewed and scholarly sources. At least 10 sources must be found independently, and cannot be set readings. Reports and research from governments, international organisations, NGOs, think tanks etc, or media reports from reputable sources will in all likelihood be required and may be appropriately included and cited too (especially in section 2 on the case study), but will not count towards the 15 peer-reviewed and scholarly sources.
Assessment Criteria
Due: Monday 12 Nov by 5pm AEST.
Weighting: 40%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)
Word Length: 2000-2500 words.
The major essay is a summative assessment - the culmination of the preparatory work conducted in the first assessment and your further research. You should have acted on the feedback and advice given in your previous assessment and discussions and further engaged with research on your topic.
The essay has one major component:
Answer your essay question in an essay format.
This assignment has three minor components:
State your thesis, and clearly signal your argument, in your introduction (approx. 250 words).
Provide a brief literature review and justification of your focus immediately after the introduction (approx. 300 words).
Use the remainder of your essay to skilfully and persuasively mount your argument, employing the theories/concepts/typologies that you have identified.
Word limit: 2000-2500 words. N.B. The reference list and title page will be excluded from the word count. Everything else, including sub-headings, references, quotes, tables/data, footnotes etc., will be included in the final count. Please do not write less or more than the set word ranges – penalties will be applied for those who do not follow these instructions.
Like the first assessment, you are required to find and cite at least 15 peer-reviewed and scholarly sources, 10 of which must be found independently, and and cannot be from the set readings. Further secondary literature from reputable government, international organisation, NGO, media, etc. sources will also be required, but will not count towards the 15 peer-reviewed materials.
Further guidance on the structure of the assessments will be provided well-beforehand in an essay writing workshop and will be hosted on iLearn.
Assessment Criteria
Unit Requirements and Expectations
Required readings
Technology used and required
Submitting Assessment Tasks
Weekly Topics
Week 1 - What is security?
Week 2 - The status-quo?: an introduction to theories of realism and liberalism.
Week 3 - The critics: theories of constructivism and critical approaches.
Week 4 - Why war?: conventional and asymmetric war.
Week 5 - The big bang - nuclear proliferation.
Week 6 - All about oil?: energy security and the scramble for resources.
Week 7 - The persistence of nationalism, secession, and ethnic/religious conflict.
Week 8 - Global terror, local consequences.
Week 9 - Never again?: human security and R2P.
Week 10 - Hot under the collar: climate change and environmental security
Week 11 - Closed borders: the securitisation of migration.
Week 12 - Study week: no classes
Week 13 - The dimensions of security in review and final essay preparation.
NB: more information regarding the weekly topics and readings can be found on iLearn.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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