Students

POIR8410 – Understanding World Politics: Theoretical Approaches

2021 – Session 1, Fully online/virtual

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

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer
Govand Azeez
Karim Pourhamzavi
Arts Precinct level 2
Contact for appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MIntRel or PGDipIntRel or GradDipIntRel or MIntCommMIntRel or MIntBusMIntRel or MSecStrategicStudMCrim or MSecStrategicStudMIntell or MSecStrategicStudMCyberSec or MSecStrategicStudMCTerrorism or MIntellMCrim or MIntellMCyberSec or MIntellMCTerrorism or MCTerrorismMCrim or MIntRelMIntTrdeComLaw or MTransInterMIntRel or MConfInt or GradCertIntRel or MPPP or MPPPMIntRel or GradCertPP or GradDipPP or MSecStrategicStud or MCrim or MIntell or MCTerrorism or MIntPubDip or MDevStud or MPASRMDevStud or MPPPMDevStud
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit provides students with a grounding in the principle theoretical approaches to the study of international relations and world order. Beginning with a focus on the historical emergence of traditional approaches such as realism, liberalism and Marxism and their competing perspectives on the causes of war and the conditions for peace, the unit goes on to consider more recent approaches, including gender approaches, critical theory, constructivism, postcolonialism, postmodernism and green theory.

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: Analyse and critically assess complex International Relations theories and place them within the broader context of the study of of International Relations.
  • ULO2: Analyse and critically assess scholarly texts in International Relations theories and identify particular solutions to the problems raised in traditional and contemporary International Relations theories
  • ULO3: Analyse, generate and transmit solutions to a variety of current problems in International Relations using International Relations theories
  • ULO4: Transmit the knowledge and ideas generated by International Relations theories to others

General Assessment Information

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.

Note also that the convenor does not grant extension to any assessment based on special considerations (for example, illness). All requests for extension need to go through the Special Consideration procedure (see Special Consideration Policy under Policies and Procedures).

More information about each assessment task is available on the iLearn. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
In class presentation or online posting 15% No Each Week
Article review 15% No 19/03/2021
Research essay 40% No 14/05/2021
In class short test or online quiz 30% No 04/06/21

In class presentation or online posting

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Each Week
Weighting: 15%

Internal (on-campus) students: a short oral presentation in class on a chosen weekly topic. Online students will post short essay answers to set questions each week.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and critically assess scholarly texts in International Relations theories and identify particular solutions to the problems raised in traditional and contemporary International Relations theories
  • Analyse, generate and transmit solutions to a variety of current problems in International Relations using International Relations theories
  • Transmit the knowledge and ideas generated by International Relations theories to others

Article review

Assessment Type 1: Literature review
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 19/03/2021
Weighting: 15%

A short paper reviewing one or more items from required readings


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and critically assess complex International Relations theories and place them within the broader context of the study of of International Relations.
  • Analyse and critically assess scholarly texts in International Relations theories and identify particular solutions to the problems raised in traditional and contemporary International Relations theories
  • Transmit the knowledge and ideas generated by International Relations theories to others

Research essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 14/05/2021
Weighting: 40%

An essay based on original research of scholarly articles and scholarly monographs which are not part of the required readings for the unit.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and critically assess complex International Relations theories and place them within the broader context of the study of of International Relations.
  • Analyse and critically assess scholarly texts in International Relations theories and identify particular solutions to the problems raised in traditional and contemporary International Relations theories
  • Analyse, generate and transmit solutions to a variety of current problems in International Relations using International Relations theories
  • Transmit the knowledge and ideas generated by International Relations theories to others

In class short test or online quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 04/06/21
Weighting: 30%

A short in-class closed book test requiring short essay answers to set questions. An online quiz, available for a short time , constructed as an online closed book quiz, requiring short essay answers to set questions.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and critically assess complex International Relations theories and place them within the broader context of the study of of International Relations.
  • Analyse and critically assess scholarly texts in International Relations theories and identify particular solutions to the problems raised in traditional and contemporary International Relations theories

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

Teaching Methods/Mode of Delivery

There will be two hour lecture and one hour tutorial every week. Students will present in the tutorial hour.

Prerequisites and Preparation

Students taking this unit inevitably come from a wide range of academic backgrounds. Some students will already have been introduced to the study of IR, and IR theory, at the undergraduate level. For others, this unit will be their first experience of the subject, or of the more general field of political studies, of which IR is a part. For those with little or no previous background in the study of politics and IR, it is essential that you do some extra reading and preparation for the unit. Even if you have done some politics and IR before, you will benefit from some revision.

Textbooks and Sources:  The core text for IRPG841 is: International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity, edited by Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki, Steve Smith, Oxford University Press. Each chapter is written by a leading theorist who is working on the theory which she or he is writing about. The texts are thus coming from the actual theorists-practitioners.

Some of the ilearn material and resources this semester draw from the work of previous convenors, Associate Professor Aleksandar Pavkovic and Dr Conor Keane.

 

Unit Schedule

POIR8410/S1/Day/Lecture_1/01

Friday

10:00am

12:00pm

2:00

9‑14,17‑23 Classes are online - consult iLearn for further detail

Understanding World Politics: Theoretical Approaches - Lecture

 
POIR8410/S1/Day/Tutorial_1/01

Friday

1:00pm

2:00pm

1:00

9‑14,17‑23 17 Wallys Walk - 209 Tutorial Rm

Understanding World Politics: Theoretical Approaches - Tutorial

 
POIR8410/S1/Day/Tutorial_1/02

Friday

3:00pm

4:00pm

1:00

9‑14,17‑23 Classes are online - consult iLearn for further detail

Understanding World Politics: Theoretical Approaches - Tutorial

The Topics will be available on the ilearn page. 

External students: The lecture is digitally recorded and can be downloaded from the iLearn website shortly after it is delivered. 

External students are required to participate actively in discussion on the iLearn website (further details are given in the section on Assessment). 

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 2021.02 of the Handbook