Students

POIR1010 – Australian Politics in Global Context

2021 – Session 1, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Ian Tregenza
Tutor
Vincenzo Scappatura
Tutor
Conor Keane
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
In this unit, we introduce Australian politics through the lens of debates about globalisation and in so doing, we examine key Australian political institutions, ideologies and contemporary issues. We explore the ways in which they have been effected by, and have also filtered the effects of, accelerated globalisation. We ask: What is globalisation and how, if at all, has it blurred the boundaries between domestic and foreign policy issues? What is the nature of Australia's key political institutions (the Constitution, the High Court, Federalism, and Parliament), and are they democratic? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the main political ideologies? What are the key contemporary issues in Australia's political life (reconciliation, immigration, the war on terror, political information management), and is globalisation a sufficient or even a necessary explanation for understanding them?

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Articulate a sound understanding of the foundations of the Australian political system and its relationship to its global context
  • ULO2: Communicate in verbal and written form the key features of Australia's main political institutions and the debates and controversies that surround them
  • ULO3: Demonstrate familiarity with the main political ideologies and parties that are influential in the Australia political scene
  • ULO4: Use a sophisticated analytical vocabulary for better appreciating the most pressing contemporary issues in Australian politics

General Assessment Information

Late Submission Penalty “Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.”

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Tutorial Participation 10% No Continuous
Quiz 20% No Week 4
Major Essay 40% No Week 10
Final Exam 30% No Week 13

Tutorial Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 13 hours
Due: Continuous
Weighting: 10%

 

The emphasis in tutorials will be on group discussions and exploring contemporary issues in Australian politics. Students will be assessed on the quality of their contributions.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Communicate in verbal and written form the key features of Australia's main political institutions and the debates and controversies that surround them

Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 16 hours
Due: Week 4
Weighting: 20%

There will be one online quiz in week 4 of the unit.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate a sound understanding of the foundations of the Australian political system and its relationship to its global context

Major Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 32 hours
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 40%

This is a 1500-word essay +/- 10%, with topics drawn from across the unit, which allows students to explore a research topic in depth


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate a sound understanding of the foundations of the Australian political system and its relationship to its global context
  • Communicate in verbal and written form the key features of Australia's main political institutions and the debates and controversies that surround them
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the main political ideologies and parties that are influential in the Australia political scene
  • Use a sophisticated analytical vocabulary for better appreciating the most pressing contemporary issues in Australian politics

Final Exam

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 30%

The final, two-hour exam will require students to write three short essays, drawn from topics across the entire unit.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Articulate a sound understanding of the foundations of the Australian political system and its relationship to its global context
  • Communicate in verbal and written form the key features of Australia's main political institutions and the debates and controversies that surround them
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the main political ideologies and parties that are influential in the Australia political scene
  • Use a sophisticated analytical vocabulary for better appreciating the most pressing contemporary issues in Australian politics

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Australian Politics in Global Context

Welcome to POL 101, Australian Politics in Global Context. Australian politics has undergone rapid change over the past three decades. The relative stability of the post-war era has given way to a political and social landscape of accelerated transformation. Previously taken-for- granted values are challenged, once stable institutions are destabilised, and the very idea of an Australian political community (what it is, who it encompasses, and the future directions it should take) is the subject of fierce controversy. These political tremors have been expressed most acutely in the rise of and subsequent challenges to multiculturalism, and in the neo-liberal restructuring of key Australian institutions, with an attendant growth of inequality.

In this course, we introduce Australian politics through the lens of debates about globalization and its consequences for state capacities, sovereignty and decision-making. In so doing, we examine key political institutions, ideologies and contemporary issues. We explore the ways in which they been affected by, and have also filtered the effects of, accelerated globalization. Among other questions, we ask: what is globalization and how, if at all, has it blurred the boundaries between ‘domestic’ and ‘foreign’ policy issues; what is the nature of Australia’s key political institutions, and do they ensure a high degree of democratic participation and accountability in a global era; what are the strengths and weaknesses of the main political ideas that inform public debate in this country, and how are they expressed in political struggle between the main parties?

In trying to answer these questions, we will provide a number of weekly readings that will be available on ilearn. To get the best out of this unit it is essential that students read, think carefully about what they are reading, and come to tutorials prepared to discuss the readings.

Unit Material:

The main readings will be from the textbook by Kefford, G. et. al., (2018) Australian Politics in the Twenty-First Century: Old Institutions, New Challenges (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). It is only available in hard copy. Students should order the book immediately so that they can start reading as soon as possible. 

 

 

 
       
       
       
       
 

Unit Schedule

Australian Democracy, an overview.

Australian Federalism

The Legislature: Whose Laws?

The Executive, Power and Accountability

The Australian Constitution and the High Court

The Bureaucracy and Public Service

The Australian Electoral System

The Parties – Major and Minor

Political Leadership

The Media and Democracy

Citizen Participation and Engagement

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

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.


Unit information based on version 2021.06 of the Handbook