Students

POIR3060 – Policy Making in a Global Era

2025 – Session 1, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer / convenor/ tutor
Jonathan Symons
jonathan.symons@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Room 252, Level 2, 25B Wally's Walk
Email to make appointment
Noah Bassil
noah.bassil@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Room 252, Level 2, 25B Wally's Walk
Email to make appointment - Mondays
Tutor
Vince Scappatura
vincenzo.scappatura@mq.edu.au
Contact via vincenzo.scappatura@mq.edu.au
Please consult with Jon and Noah if your questions can't be covered in tutorials.
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above OR (20cp in POL or POIR or POIX units at 2000 level).
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

The study of public policy has traditionally been focused on the nation-state, and policy-making activities at the domestic level. However, national policy-makers are increasingly focused on international policy challenges. Using a series of detailed case studies, this unit reflects critically on debates around globalisation, deglobalisation and the state. The unit introduces students to the policy process and explores the impact of international institutions, interests and ideas on domestic policy-making. The unit examines direct and indirect, coercive and voluntary mechanisms of policy transfer, diffusion and mobility, as well as the factors that shape patterns of intergovernmental cooperation and coordination.

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: Demonstrate a critical understanding of the various theoretical perspectives on the impact of globalisation on the role of the State.
  • ULO2: Describe the policy-making process and identify points at which international factors impact on domestic policy capacity.
  • ULO3: Explain the roles played by institutions and actors, both domestic and international, in the policy process.
  • ULO4: Describe the various mechanisms through which policy is transferred from one jurisdiction to another.
  • ULO5: Locate, assess and analyse relevant evidence and information related to public policy in the national and international spheres.

General Assessment Information

Special Consideration & Late Submission Penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic. 

https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Research essay 45% No 22/05/2025
Policy Brief and Demonstration 30% No Choose one date: 31/3; 28/4; or 12/5.
Analytical reading 25% No Weekly through unit. Final submission due 4/6/2025

Research essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 22/05/2025
Weighting: 45%

 

2000 word research essay requiring independent research on a policy question. Essay questions and marking criteria will be provided on iLearn.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of the various theoretical perspectives on the impact of globalisation on the role of the State.
  • Describe the policy-making process and identify points at which international factors impact on domestic policy capacity.
  • Explain the roles played by institutions and actors, both domestic and international, in the policy process.
  • Describe the various mechanisms through which policy is transferred from one jurisdiction to another.
  • Locate, assess and analyse relevant evidence and information related to public policy in the national and international spheres.

Policy Brief and Demonstration

Assessment Type 1: Demonstration
Indicative Time on Task 2: 28 hours
Due: Choose one date: 31/3; 28/4; or 12/5.
Weighting: 30%

 

Students will submit a policy brief and demonstrate it in tutorials or via the online forum. The policy brief is to be submitted to ilearn and presented in class/online on set dates. See ilearn for details.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the various mechanisms through which policy is transferred from one jurisdiction to another.
  • Locate, assess and analyse relevant evidence and information related to public policy in the national and international spheres.

Analytical reading

Assessment Type 1: Qualitative analysis task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 22 hours
Due: Weekly through unit. Final submission due 4/6/2025
Weighting: 25%

 

Students will produce an analytical reading assignment by annotating their weekly readings

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the policy-making process and identify points at which international factors impact on domestic policy capacity.
  • Explain the roles played by institutions and actors, both domestic and international, in the policy process.
  • Describe the various mechanisms through which policy is transferred from one jurisdiction to another.

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

There is no text book for this unit. All essential readings will be provided through the unit's Leganto page (or links on ilearn). Students will need to conduct some of their own research online and/ or in the library to complete assessment tasks.

Lectures

Lectures (Thursday, 11-1pm - 14 SCO 100 Theatrette) will be recorded and available via Echo360/ ilearn. If you are unwell please listen to the lecture online rather than attend class.

Tutorials:

Regular tutorials attendance (starting in Week 2) is expected of all on-campus students. However, if you are unwell please do not attend class. 

Tutorial content runs one week behind the lecture content for the first 11 weeks of the semester.

External and OUA students are expected to participate in the unit discussion board (ilearn) each week. External and OUA students will be able to complete all tasks off campus.

Unit Schedule

Week 1 - Thursday 27 Feb Ideas, interests and institutions in public policy Lecturer: Jon Symons

Note - tutorials commence in week 2 and content follows one week after the lecture until weeks 12 & 13 when lecture and tutorials coincide.

Week 2 - Thursday 6 March Thinking critically about the ‘state’. Key case: The policy infrastructure of settler colonialism.  Lecturer: Noah Bassil

*Students wanting invidual feedback on their annotated reading must submit the week 2 reading annotation by 11.55pm Wednesday 12 March

Week 3 - Thursday 13 March Policy processes - how policies are made; where policy ideas come from. Key case study: Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme.  Lecturers: Jon Symons with guest lecture on the NDIS from Dr. Georgia Van Toorn.

Week 4 - Thursday 20 March Activists, ideas and social norms. Key case studies: Modern Slavery Legislation, Abortion Law & the Uluru Statement Agenda. Lecturer: Jon Symons

Week 5 - Thursday 27 March  Economic ideas in policy-making. Key case study: Climate policy. Lecturer: Jon Symons

Each student will submit one policy brief for the semester, and must choose their topic from weeks 5, 7 or 9. If you choose week 5, policy brief submission is by Monday 31st March 11.55pm. Class debate #1 on climate policy will be Thursday 3 April.

Week 6 -  Thursday 3 April Economic ideas and policy-making II: the rise and demise of neoliberalism. Lecturer: Noah Basil

Week 7 - Thursday 10 April International interests and national policy-making: Corporate influence, platform governance (Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok etc) Lecturer: Jon Symons

Each student will submit one policy brief for the semester, and must choose their topic from weeks 5, 7 or 9. If you choose week 7, policy brief submission submission is due Monday 28th April 11.55pm. Class debate #2 on platform governance will be on Thursday 1 May. 

_______________________________

MID SEMESTER BREAK: 14 to 27 April 2025

Week 8 - Thursday 1 May. International interests II: foreign state influence. Key cases: US and Chinese influence on Australian society and policy-making.  Lecturer: Vince Scappatura. 

Week 9 - Thursday 8 May - Policy transfer. Key cases: Refugee detention and housing policies. Lecturer: Jon Symons

Each student will submit one policy brief for the semester, and must choose their topic from weeks 5, 7 or 9.If you choose week 9, policy brief submission submission is due Monday 12th May.  Class debate #3 on housing is on 15 May. 

Week 10 - Thursday 15 May - The institutions of global policy-making. Key case study: Heath and Trade regulation: from the World Trade Organisation to Sino-US trade tensions

Week 11 - Thursday 22 May - Reading Week - Tutorial but no lecture this week. Tutorial will cover the week 10 reading.

**Essay Due Thursday 22 May**

Week 12 - Thursday 29 May.  The institutions of global policy making II: International Monetary Fund and World Bank, North-South Inequality &Global Development Policy. Lecturer: Noah Basil

Week 13  - Thursday 5 June Citizen’s engagement in policy-making – from deliberative democracy to protest and revolt. Lecturer: Noah Basil

Final submission of annotated readings: Wednesday 4 June.

 

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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
25/02/2025 Correction of date errors

Unit information based on version 2025.02 of the Handbook