Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor Stephanie Lawson stephanie.lawson@mq.edu.au Contact via stephanie.lawson@mq.edu.au W6A room 434 Tuesdays 4-6pm
Credit points	Credit points 4
Prerequisites	Prerequisites Admission to MIntRel or PGDipIntRel or PGCertIntRel or MIntCommMIntRel or MIntBusMIntRel or MIntRelMIntTrdeComLaw or MTransInterMIntRel or MConfInt or MPP or PGDipPP or PGCertResPrep(Arts)
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:

An advanced understanding of a range of theories of International Relations.
The capacity to apply and utlize theoretical concepts in the analysis of International Relations.
The ability to carry out independent research and self-directed learning.
The ability to communicate fluently and effectively in both written work and oral presentations.
The ability to identify and organize knowledge in the field and to formulate persuasive, coherent and critical arguments.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Mid-semester test	20%	Week 6
Essay	50%	1 May 2013, 4pm
Final Test	30%	Week 12

Mid-semester test

Due: Week 6
Weighting: 20%

1. A mid-semester test comprising 20 multiple choice questions (worth 20%) covering material presented in the unit up to and including week 5. The test itself will be conducted at the end of week 6.

The test will be administered on-line. You will have access to it over a certain period (11 am Friday 5^th April – 11pm Sunday 7^th April), but once you open and start the test, you will have only 90 minutes to complete it. The normal time limit for a 20 question test of this kind and at this level is only 60 minutes but the allowance of 90 minutes is to ensure that students work under less pressure for this initial test. The instructions are on the iLearn site at week 6 and you will see them when you open the test, but are included here so that you can familiarize yourselves with the procedures ahead of time.

Notes for using the quiz:

Firefox is the recommended browser to use (update your browser regularly).
Do not use the browser Back or Forward buttons whilst in the quiz.
Once you begin your quiz you will see the timer begin in the top right corner.
Please use the Next button at base of screen to save and move to the next page of questions. Clicking Next on the final page will save your quiz attempt. This then takes you to a Summary screen which indicates the questions you have answered. If you have missed any questions you can click on these to return to the quiz. Click Finish attempt to return to the summary screen. When you are happy that all questions have been answered please click the Submit button at the base of the Summary Screen.
(Note: if you need to leave the quiz during the attempt you can log back in and resume provided there is time remaining on the timer. The timer countdown is not paused when you leave the quiz)

Specific instructions:

This quiz has 20 multiple-choice questions. You have 90 minutes to complete the quiz once you click on ‘Attempt quiz.
It is worth 20% of your overall grade for this unit.
You will be able to view your marks for this quiz after the quiz has closed (i.e. 7th April,11pm).

On successful completion you will be able to:

An advanced understanding of a range of theories of International Relations.

Essay

Due: 1 May 2013, 4pm
Weighting: 50%

An essay of up to 3,000 words maximum (worth 50%). Note that this word limit is inclusive of all footnotes and references. Please don’t ask me if you can go 10 per cent over this word count. The answer is no! You must include the word count on the title page of your essay. If you don’t provide an accurate word limit you will be penalized. If you exceed the word limit you will be penalized. Essays that are well short of the word limit (more than 10% under) will also be penalized. Include your tutor’s name on the cover, not the lecturer’s. Due date is Wed. 1^st May 4pm. Students who submit by the due date are likely to get their essays back before the end of the lecture period and will certainly be given priority in the marking process. Alternatively, students may take an extension of a week without penalty and submit by Wed. 8^th May 4pm. This date is for students who, for whatever reason (illness, poor time management, etc.), cannot make the due date. However, students submitting after the 1^st May deadline are unlikely to get their essays back before the exam period starts. It is entirely up to you to decide how to manage your deadline, but please note also that there will be no extensions for illness or other reasons beyond 8^th May, except in the case of very serious, prolonged illness or hospitalization.

Essay Questions

Choose one of the following questions:

1. Elucidate and critically assess the role of ideas concerning the ‘state of nature’ and ‘human nature’ in both classical realist and neorealist theory.

2. In what ways does the ‘democratic peace thesis’ express the essential principles of liberal theory in international relations.

3. ‘[R]ealists claim to recognize the brute facts about world of international politics for what they are, unclouded by wishful thinking about unobtainable goals.’ (Lawson, 2012, p. 88). Discuss.

4. How relevant is the Marxist critique of capitalism to the analysis of the modern international system?

5. ‘[C]ritical theory focuses attention on the social construction and effects of knowledge …’ (Lawson, 2012, p. 47). Explain this statement and assess the implications for the analysis of world politics.

6. How central is the concept of the state to theories of international relations?

7. In what ways do postmodern/postructural approaches provide a radical critique of more traditional IR theories?

8. What is ‘normative theory’ and how does it relate to ideas about the role of culture in world politics?

Advice on Essay Writing

Students are expected to present a very clear and concise answer to the question. All ‘waffle’ and ‘padding’ should be eliminated. You are advised to get straight to the point and ensure that every sentence you write relates directly to the question and contributes to your argument. Your style in the essays is also important. Students sometimes use many more words than they need to in a sentence, thinking that such wordy sentences produce a more sophisticated ‘academic’ tone to the essay. Nothing could be more mistaken.

You will be marked according to a number of criteria. These include:

Quality of analysis is the most important substantive element of a good essay. This includes the extent to which you are able to develop an independent line of argument and to assess competing arguments critically. The ability to understand the subject matter, identify key points, and address the question are also obvious factors in producing a good essay.

The way in which you structure the discussion is also very important. Ensure that your points of discussion and argument flow clearly and logically. Also ensure that you have a good succinct introduction that gives the reader an outline of what is to follow in the essay. Here you should also indicate your main line of argument. The conclusion is just as important. You should summarize the main findings and draw together the key points of your argument.

Quality and depth of background research (that is, the range of sources used including books and journal articles and other sources such as the internet, where appropriate) will be reflected in the quality of analysis. Note that some sources, such as Wikipedia or opinion internet blogs, are not considered suitable as academic sources. It is also important to show that you have gone beyond the reading lists and found sources on your own initiative.

Use of clear, correct English. A low standard of written English, including poor style, syntax, choice of vocabulary, spelling and grammatical mistakes, will inevitably mean lower marks. Really poor English will normally result in a fail grade. While it is especially important for students whose second language is English to pay attention to the way in which they write and to carefully proof-read their work before submitting it, it is no less important for English-speaking students whose basic style often leaves a lot to be desired. Assistance is available for MIR students through the Centre for Macquarie English (CME).

Correct and complete footnoting and referencing. This is absolutely essential and incorrect or insufficient acknowledgement of sources will once again mean lower marks or possibly failure. You should use either the Harvard in-text system or the footnoted ‘short-title’ system (note that this eliminates the use of op. cit.). If you use the latter system, do not put all your footnotes at the end as end-notes, but make sure that they appear at the bottom of the page. With either method, ensure that you give the precise page numbers with your reference. For example, (Smith, 2008) … is usually not enough. It should be (Smith, 2008, p. 9) .... With both systems, you must ensure that you have a full bibliography or list of references at the end, although please note that the setting out of the bibliography for each system is slightly different. You will be able to find various guides on the internet which explain each system and how to use it.

A detailed guide to the Harvard system may be found at:

http://www.accg.mq.edu.au/Accg_docs/pdf/postgraduate_coursework/Harvard_Referencing_System.pdf

The Chicago Manual of Style is available at:

http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

This provides guidance for both the in-text (Harvard) method and the footnoting method, although the way these are set out is not very clear. A clearer guide for using the short-title system (which is more commonly used in the humanities) may be found at Cambridge University Press’s guide for authors:

https://authornet.cambridge.org/information/productionguide/hss/text.asp#text_notes

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a type of cheating whereby a student attempts to pass off someone else’s work as their own. It can take a number of different forms. In academic essay writing it most commonly takes the form of copying from publications such as journals, books, magazines, newspapers or the internet without proper acknowledgement. Students are certainly expected to draw on such works (this after all constitutes research), but they must always provide the proper attributions and references in their essays.

If you quote word-for-word from a book, journal etc., you must use quotation marks to indicate exactly the extent of the material you have copied directly, and provide the full reference (including relevant page number).

If you paraphrase material from a book, journal etc., you do not use quotation marks, but you must still place a footnote or reference at the end of the material you have cited, and provide the full reference.

If you use an idea from someone else’s work, and fail to acknowledge it, this also constitutes a form of plagiarism even though you might use quite different wording. Copying an essay, or part of an essay, from another student is yet another form of plagiarism. Copying from one of your own essays submitted for a previous course also constitutes a plagiarism offence.

In summary, to avoid an accusation of plagiarism and risk failing the unit you must ensure that all the sources of information and ideas used in your essay are cited properly and that you have not copied an essay either from another student or from the internet, or from any other source.

Please note that any essay or other form of written assignment that is found to have been substantially plagiarized will automatically receive a mark of zero. Students who submit plagiarized work and receive such a mark will not be permitted to resubmit the essay. Thus students run a very high risk of failure in the unit if they plagiarize.

For further information on definitions and policies at Macquarie University you should read the information very carefully at: http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/. If you are found to have plagiarized material, and are penalized accordingly, excuses such as ‘I didn’t know what plagiarism meant’ will not be accepted.

Extensions

Essays submitted after Wed. 8^th May 4pm will automatically attract a penalty (see below). I will not give an extension beyond this date unless you have been seriously ill for more than a week and have a medical certificate specifying this. You must plan for minor illnesses. Sprained ankles, throat infections, stomach aches, head colds etc. do not count as illnesses justifying an extension beyond 8^th May.

Students whose computers crash and who have not made a back-up cannot apply for an extension on these grounds. A good habit to get into is emailing your draft essay to yourself after each and every session.

To give yourself sufficient time, you should choose your topic and start researching at least a month in advance of the due date, even if you have not yet had a lecture on that topic. You should start writing at least two to three weeks in advance, and have a full draft at least a week in advance. You will then have plenty of time to refine and improve it, check all your references, and submit it on time. If you do not follow all this good advice you must take responsibility for any consequences and not expect special treatment.

Penalties for Late Essays

Essays submitted after Wed. 8^th May 4pm and without a further official extension (and only on the serious grounds noted above) will be penalised at a rate of 3% per day. For example: a 9% penalty will be applied to an assignment that is 3 days late; a 21% penalty will be applied to an assignment that is 7 days late. Late essays may also not receive any comments. Essays submitted after the 10th day will not be marked and students will be deemed not to have completed and submitted the essay.

Given these penalties it is very foolish to leave your essay to the last minute, and also not to back up your work every day.

The other thing not to do is leave it until the last minute to submit your essay through Turnitin (see below) as the system can come under pressure when so many students are trying to submit their essays at the same time. Do yourself a favour and ensure that your essay is complete at least a couple of days in advance, print it off, proof-read it carefully, make any corrections, and then get it in ahead of the final deadline for peace of mind.

Electronic Essay Submission

This unit uses an anti-plagiarism software package called Turnitin for all written assessment (i.e. the essay as well as the short-answer part of the second test for external students). It compares student assignments or tests with other student papers and internet sources as well as a comprehensive database of academic periodicals, journals and books, and alerts the marker to any form of plagiarism. You will find a ‘quick-start’ student guide to registering with turn-it-in and uploading assignments at:

http://turnitin.com/static/pdf/tii_student_qs.pdf.

You will need a class ID and enrollment password for this unit. These are as follows (note that they are case sensitive):

Class ID: 5938437 Password: irtheory2013

You must submit your essay through Turnitin by the due date and time (or the extended date and time). You are also required to submit a hard copy of all written work in the normal way, as set out below.

Faculty Procedures for Submission of Written Work

Internal Students:

One hard copy of the essay must be submitted with a signed cover sheet using the assignments boxes located on the ground floor of building W6A. There is an after hours box.

External Students

All assignments must be submitted through the Centre for Open Education. All assignments must be submitted with a cover sheet and plagiarism declaration which can be downloaded from the COE’s website: http://www.coe.mq.edu.au/coeassign.html

Assignments can be submitted by hand, post or using the e-assignment facility online.

The COE is located on campus at level 1 of Building X5B. The entrance to the Centre is on the southern side of the building, adjacent to the W4 car park. The COE has an after hours assignment box adjacent to the entrance to the Centre.

If you would like to submit your assignments by email through the COE, you must follow their e-assignment guidelines. As a note of warning, assignments submitted electronically without a coversheet and plagiarism declaration will be rejected by the COE. This will delay the submission of your essays. Guidelines for submitting assignments using e-assignment are found at: http://www.coe.mq.edu.au/coeassign.html

Please remember to keep a copy of the receipt email sent to you by the COE once your assignments are submitted. This will provide us with proof of submission.

You must also submit the essay through Turnitin. Note that the version submitted through Turnitin must be identical to the hard copy a.nd that the deadline applies to both

Marking and Return of Essays

Essay marking in this unit follows a strict protocol to ensure consistency in marking standards. This includes sample marking and moderation by the convenor as well as a statistical overview of each marker’s range to check for anomalies before the return of essays. In view of these procedures, requests for re-marks are rarely granted. Also note that because of these procedures, marking and the checking of marks may take up to three weeks.

On successful completion you will be able to:

The capacity to apply and utlize theoretical concepts in the analysis of International Relations.
The ability to carry out independent research and self-directed learning.
The ability to communicate fluently and effectively in both written work and oral presentations.
The ability to identify and organize knowledge in the field and to formulate persuasive, coherent and critical arguments.

Final Test

Due: Week 12
Weighting: 30%

An end-of-semester test worth 30%.

This will be administered in the same way as the mid-semester test and will also consist of 20 short answer questions. Note that the time limit for this test is only 60 minutes as students will now be familiar with the question format and the on-line procedures.

There will be an additional section of short-answer questions comprising 10% of the total test and for which additional time will be available. The short answer questions are in lieu of a seminar mark.

On successful completion you will be able to:

An advanced understanding of a range of theories of International Relations.
The capacity to apply and utlize theoretical concepts in the analysis of International Relations.

Delivery and Resources

This unit requires that you have a computer and access to broadband internet with Firefox as the browser.

Reading List

Textbooks and Sources

Students make an enormous financial investment in studying for a Master’s degree. Don’t compromise by not investing in the core texts for any unit and relying solely on the library. You are strongly advised to acquire your own copies of the core texts so that you have ready access to them when you need them. You will find that these texts are useful for other units as well. The core texts for IRPG841 are:

Stephanie Lawson, International Relations, Polity Press, 2003.

This book introduces students to the general field of IR, explains the emergence of IR theories in an historic context, and examines three major contexts for the application of theoretical concepts, namely: security and insecurity, global governance and world order, and globalization and the state. You are advised to read this book within the first week or so of the course as it will give you a good overview of the field of IR and the role of theory at a fairly accessible level. You can then re-read the relevant sections each week as indicated in the week-by-week program.

John Baylis, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens (ed), The Globalization of World Politics, 5^th edn, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011.

This book covers a range of IR theories, from the principle strands of realism, liberalism and Marxism through to constructivism, feminism, poststructuralism and postcolonialism. In addition to the theory chapters, there are more than 20 chapters on a range of other topics in IR, so it will be useful for wider reading. However, it does not cover ‘green theory’ and a separate reading will be provided.

Graham Evans and Jeffrey Newnham, The Penguin Dictionary of International Relations, Penguin, 1998.

Although it is more than 12 years old, this is one of the most useful reference books available to IR students. It defines and explains not only the key terms used in IR but has entries on the major ideas, institutions, actors and events relevant to the study of IR

You will find all these books useful in other MIR units as well.

Supplementary Texts

You need not buy these, although they are certainly highly relevant to the unit and would be a good investment.

Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki and Steve Smith (eds), Theories of International Relations: Discipline and Diversity, 2^nd edn, Oxford University Press, 2009.

Scott Burchill et al, Theories of International Relations, 4^th edn, Palgrave, 2009.

Martin Griffiths and Terry O’Callaghan, International Relations: The Key Concepts, Routledge, 2^nd edn, 2008.

Further Reading

There are many other good texts that students may benefit from reading and consulting for seminar and essay preparation. These include the following:

Amitav Acharya and Barry Buzan (eds), Non-Western International Relations Theory: Perspectives from Asia, Routledge, 2010.

Brooke A. Ackerly, Maria Stern, Jacqui True (eds), Feminist Methodologies for International Relations, Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Robert J. Art and Robert Jervis, International Politics: Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 8^th edn, Pearson International Edition, 2007.

Richard Beardsworth, Cosmopolitanism and International Relations Theory, Polity Press, 2011.

Robin Attfield, The Ethics of the Global Environment, Edinburgh University Press, 1999.

J. Marshall Beier, International Relations in Uncommon Places: Indigeneity, Cosmology, and the Limits of International Theory, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.

Kanti P. Bajpai and Siddarth Mallavarapu, International Relations in India: Bringing Theory Back Home, Orient Blackswan, 2005.

Duncan Bell (ed.), Political Thought and International Relations: Variations on a Realist Theme, Oxford University Press, 2008.

Duncan Bell (ed.), Ethics and World Politics, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2010.

Felix Berenskoetter and Michael J. Williams, Power in World Politics, Routledge, 2007.

Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckman, The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge, Anchor Books, 1966.

Antony Best et al., International History of the Twentieth Century, Routledge, 2004.

Lee-Anne Broadhead, International Environmental Politics: The Limits of Green Diplomacy, Boulder, Lynne Rienner, 2002.

Stephen G. Brooks and William Curti Wohlforth, World Out of Balance: International Relations and the Challenge of American Primacy, Princeton University Press, 2008.

Chris Brown and Kirsten Ainley, Understanding International Relations, 4th edn, Palgrave, 2009.

Chris Brown, Terry Nardin and Nicholas Rengger (eds) (2002), International Relations in Political Thought: Texts from the Ancient Greeks to the First World War, Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Hedley Bull, The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics, 3^rd edn, Macmillan Palgrave, 2002.

Barry Buzan, People, States and Fear, Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1991.

Walter Carlsnaes, Thomas Risse, Beth A. Simmons (eds), Handbook of International Relations, Sage, 2002.

E. H. Carr, The Twenty Years’ Crisis, 3^rd edn, Palgrave, 2001.

Ian Clark, Legitimacy in International Society, Oxford University Press, 2005.

R.W. Connell, Masculinities, University of California Press, 2^nd edn, 2005.

Ian Clarke, The Post-Cold War Order: The Spoils of Peace, Oxford, 2001.

Oliver Daddow, International Relations Theory, Sage, 2009.

James Der Derian, Critical Practices in International Theory: Selected Essays, Routledge, 2009.

Richard Devetak, Anthony Burke and Jim George, An Introduction to International Relations: Australian Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Diehl, Paul F. and Brian Frederking (eds), The Politics of Global Governance, Lynne Rienner, 2010.

Andrew Dobson, Green Political Thought, Routledge, 2007.

Dora Ion, Kant and International Relations Theory: Cosmopolitan Community Building, Routledge, 2012.

Nigel Dower, World Ethics: The New Agenda, Edinburgh University Press, 1998.

Daniel W. Drezner, Theories of International Relations and Zombies, Princeton University Press 2011.

Kevin C. Dunn and Timothy W. Shaw, Africa’s Challenge to International Relations Theory, Palgrave Macmillan, 2001.

Tim Dunne, Inventing International Society: A History of the English School, Macmillan, 1998.

Robin Eckersley, The Green State: Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty, MIT Press, 2004.

Jenny Edkins and Nick Vaughan-Williams (eds), Critical Theorists and International Relations, Routledge 2009.

Lorraine Elliott, The Global Politics of the Environment, Macmillan, 1998.

Michel Foucault, Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings, ed. and transl. Colin Gordon, Harvester Press, 1980.

Mervyn Frost, Towards a Normative Theory of International Relations: A Critical Analysis, Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Greg Fry and Jacinta O’Hagan (eds), Contending Images of World Politics, Macmillan, 2000.

John Garner, Peter Ferdinand and Stephanie Lawson, Introduction to Politics, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2009.

Joshua S. Goldstein, War and Gender: How Gender Shapes the War System and Vice Versa, Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Joshua S. Goldstein and Jon C. Pevehouse, International Relations, 8^th edn, Pearson International Edition, 2008.

Antonio Gramsci, The Modern Prince, and Other Writings, International Publishers, 1967.

Martin Griffiths, Fifty Key Thinkers in International Relations, 2^nd edn, Routledge, 2008.

Branwen Gruffydd Jones (ed.), Decolonizing International Relations, Rowman & Littlefield, 2006.

Nicolas Guilhot (2011), The Invention of International Relations Theory: Realism, the Rockefeller Foundation and the 1954 Conference on Theory, Columbia University Press, 2011.

Stefano Guzzini and Anna Leander (eds), Constructivism and International Relations: Alexander Wendt and His Critics, Routledge, 2006.

Patrick Hayden (ed), The Ashgate Research Companion to Ethics and International Relations, Ashgate, 2009.

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Fontana, 1962.

John Hobson, The Eurocentric Conception of World Politics: Western International Theory 1760-2010, Cambrideg University Press, 2012.

Kimberley Hutchings, International Political Theory, Sage, 1999.

G. John Ikenberry , Michael Mastanduno and William C. Wohlforth, International Relations Theory and the Consequences of Unipolarity, Cambridge University Press, 2011.

Beate Jahn (ed.), Classical Theory in International Relations, Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Morton A. Kaplan, System and Process in International Politics, ECPR Press, 2005.

Charles W. Kegley and Eugene R. Wittkopf, World Politics: Trend and Transformation, Thomson Wadsworth, 2007.

Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict From 1500 to 2000, Fontana Press 1988.

Robert O. Keohane and Joseph S. Nye, Power and Interdependence, 2^nd edn, Scott Foresman, 1989.

Robert O. Keohane (ed), Neorealism and Its Critics, Columbia University Press, 1986.

Torbjørn L. Knutsen, A History of International Relations Theory: An Introduction, Manchester University Press, 1992.

Milja Kurki, Causation in International Relations: Reclaiming Causal Analysis, Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Audie Klotz and Deepa Prakash, Qualitative Methods in International Relations: A Pluralist Guide,Palgrave Macmillan, 2008

Yosef Lapid and Friedrich Kratochwil (eds), The Return of Culture and Identity in IR Theory, Lynne Rienner, 1996.

Eric Laferrière and Peter John Stoett, International Relations Theory and Ecological Thought: Towards a Synthesis, Routledge, 1999.

Stephanie Lawson (ed.), The New Agenda for International Relations: From Polarization to Globalization in World Politics?, Polity Press, 2002.

Stephanie Lawson, Culture and Context in World Politics, Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.

Charles Lemert, Anthony Elliott, Daniel Chaffee and Eric Hsu (eds), Globalization: A Reader, Routledge, 2010.

V. I. Lenin, Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism, Progress, 1986.

Andrew Linklater and Hidemi Suganami, The English School of International Relations: A Reassessment, Cambridge University Press, 2006. Recovering International Relations: The Promise of Sustainable Critique, Oxford University Press, 2012.

Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, Penguin, 1961.

Cerwyn Moore, International Relations Theory and Philosophy: Interpretive Dialogues, Routledge, 2009.

Hans Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power, Alfred A. Knopf, 1948 (or any other edition of this text).

Michael Nicholson, International Relations: A Concise Introduction, 2^nd edn, Palgrave, 2002.

Nicholas Onuf, World of Our Making: Rules and Rule in Social Theory and International Relations, University of South Carolina Press, 1989 (new edn published 2013).

W. Park and G. Wyn Rees, Rethinking Security in Post-Cold War Europe, Longman, 1998.

Nicholas J. Rengger, International Relations, Political Theory and the Problem of Order: Beyond International Relations Theory?, Routledge, 2000.

Christian Reus-Smit and Duncan Snidal, The Oxford Handbook of International Relations, Oxford University Press, 2008.

James L. Richardson, Contending Liberalisms in World Politics, Lynne Rienner, 2001.

James N. Rosenau, The Study of World Politics: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges, Routledge, 2006.

Joel H. Rosenthal and Christian Barry (eds), International Ethics: A Reader, 3^rd edn, Georgetown University Press, 2009.

Brian C. Schmidt (ed.), International Relations and the First Great Debate, Routledge, 2012.

Paul Sharp, Diplomatic Theory of International Relations, Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Robbie Shilliam, International Relations and Non-Western Thought: Imperialism, Colonialism and Investigations of Global Modernity, Routledge, 2011.

Keith L. Shimko, International Relations: Perspectives and Controversies, Houghton, Mifflin, 2005.

Steve Smith, Ken Booth and Marysia Zalewski (eds), International Theory: Positivism and Beyond, Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Jill Steans, Gender and International Relations: Issues, Debates and Future Directions, 2^nd edn, Polity Press, 2006.

Jill Steans and Lloyd Pettifer, International Relations: Perspectives and Themes, Longman, 2001.

Jennifer Sterling-Folker, Making Sense of International Relations Theory, Lynne Rienner, 2005.

Jennifer Sterling-Folker, International Relations Theory: A Brief Introduction, Routledge, 2009.

Geoffrey Stern, The Structure of International Society: An Introduction to the Study of International Relations, Pinter, 2000.

Peter John Stoett and Eric Laferrière (eds), International Ecopolitical Theory: Critical Approaches, UBC Press, 2006.

Christine Sylvester, War, Feminism and International Relations, Routledge, 2012.

Benno Teschke, The Myth of 1648: Class, Geopolitics and the Making of Modern International Relations, Verso, 2003.

J. Ann Tickner, Gender in International Relations: Feminist Perspectives on Achieving Global Security, Columbia University Press, 1992.

Edwin Van de Haar, Classical Liberalism and International Relations Theory: Hume, Smith, Mises, and Hayek, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.

Paul R. Viotti and Mark V. Kauppi, International Relations Theory, 4^th edn, Prentice Hall, 2009.

John Vogler and Mark Imber (eds), The Environment and International Relations, Routledge, 1996.

R. B. J. Walker, Inside/Outside: International Relations as Political Theory, Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Kenneth Waltz, Man, the State and War, Columbia University Press, 1959.

Kenneth Waltz, Theory of International Politics, Addison Wesley, 1979.

Cynthia Weber, International Relations Theory: A Critical Introduction, 3^rd edn, Routledge, 2009.

Phil Williams, Donald M. Goldstein and Jay M. Shafritz (eds), Classic Readings and Contemporary Debates in International Relations, Thompson Higher Education, 2006.

James H. Wylie, European Security in the New Political Environment, Longman, 1997.

John W. Young and John Kent, International Relations Since 1945, Oxford University Press, 2004.

The above lists are certainly not exhaustive. There are literally hundreds of other books as well as many journals dealing with the subject matter of this unit, and the literature is growing all the time. You should sample other texts in the library as well as journal articles, especially when researching for essays.

With respect to journals, some of the main international ones that carry articles on IR theory are: Review of International Studies; Millennium: Journal of International Studies; British Journal of Politics and International Relations; European Journal of International Relations; International Studies Quarterly; International Studies Review; International Organization, Foreign Affairs and World Politics. Relevant journals based in Australia are: Australian Journal of International Affairs; Global Change, Peace and Security; Australian Journal of Political Science; Australian Journal of Politics and History.

Journal articles generally provide commentary on more specialized issues in world politics as well as aspects of IR theory. The Macquarie library holds a large range of books and journals on the subject matter of IR and it is recommended that you explore the shelves to see what is available at an early stage in the unit. It is certainly expected that you go beyond the readings listed in this unit guide, especially when researching for essays. For specialized reading, it is very important that you learn to find relevant journal articles via the library’s electronic data bases. Once you know how to use these, access to journal articles is quite straightforward. Also, recent journal issues are more readily accessible than recently published books which take much longer to get into the library system (and for which reason many books published in 2011/12) may not yet be in the library).

Unit Schedule

Lecture and Tutorial Program

Below is a calendar providing a week by week summary of the program, together with dates for assessment tasks.

Wk 1 (25 Feb) Introducing IR Theory

Wk 2 (4 March) Classical Realism and the State of Nature

Wk 3 (11 March) Idealism, Liberalism and Internationalism

Wk 4 (18 March) Neo-Realism and Neo-Liberalism

Wk 5 (25 March) Marxism and Critical Theory

Wk 6 (1 April) No Classes: Mid-Semester Test

Wk 7 (8 April) IR Theory after the Cold War

Recess: Mon 15 April – Fri 26April

Wk 8 (29 April) Constructivism and Postmodernism

Essay due: Wed. 1 May 4pm

Wk 9 (6 May) Postcolonialism and Gender

Wk 10 (13 May) Green Theory

Wk 11(20 May) Theorizing Security and International Order

Wk 12(27 May) Study Week (no classes) and Final Test

Detailed Weekly Program and Reading Guide

In the remaining pages you will find your detailed weekly guide with selected weekly readings. Each lecture/seminar topic has a series of questions which will form the focus for the seminar sessions. Internal students (day and evening) must come prepared to discuss these questions. External students should use them as a focus for thinking through the issues that they raise on a week-by-week basis. Some of the short-answer test questions set for external students will be based on the weekly topics, readings and questions.

Wk1 (25 Feb) Introducing IR Theory

The aim of the first week’s lecture and seminar is to introduce students to the nature of IR, the role of theory and some of the key terms and concepts used in IR theory. More specifically, we shall consider:

(1) the scope of IR as a discipline and what distinguishes it from other disciplines.

(2) the role of theory in social science in general and IR in particular.

(3) the range of IR theories to be considered in the unit

(4) some of the key concepts in IR theory including human nature, anarchy, world order, the state and state system, security/insecurity, power, sovereignty, etc.

(5) some of the basic terminology of IR theory and related concepts in methodology, for example, rationalism, epistemology, ontology, empiricism, reflectivism, foundationalism, positivism, agency, discourse, universalism, relativism, etc.

Essential reading:

Lawson, International Relations, chapter 1. Also read chapter 4 ‘International Relations in the Twentieth Century’ to familiarize yourself with the essential background to contemporary IR.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, Introduction. See also the glossary at the back.

You may also consult other reference books such as the various dictionaries of political terms, philosophy or social sciences etc. Ordinary dictionaries are useful for one-line definitions of key terms but these will obviously not explain them in much depth. There are some good on-line dictionaries and encyclopaedias but be very careful with sources such as Wikipedia. While many of the entries are quite good, it is not refereed or professionally produced and may contain errors. You should never quote Wikipedia in an essay. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (http://plato.stanford.edu/), however, is a reliable and academically acceptable reference source.

Further Reading

You can sample any of the other books on the general reading list to get a feel for the subject, or to find out what other authors have to say about the subject matter for this week and the concepts being introduced. An interesting and provocative article analyzing the discipline of IR and many of its theoretical and methodological underpinnings is:

Steve Smith, ‘Singing Our World Into Existence: International Relations Theory and September 11’, International Studies Quarterly, 48(3), 2004: 499-515.

Questions

(1) What is the relationship between theories and facts?

(2) How are theories related to methods?

(3) Can theories ever be neutral or objective?

(4) What is the purpose of IR theory?

(5) Is there such a thing as ‘human nature’ and if so, what are its essential elements?

Wk2 (4 March) Classical Realism and the State of Nature

This week we consider in more detail the key concepts underpinning classical realist theory. These relate to a particular construction of the ‘state of nature’ depicted by classical realist thinkers as a realm of anarchy in which no sovereign authority prevails and which is therefore prone to ongoing violence or warfare. This is the condition which realists, in particular, take to be the condition of the international sphere. The idea of the state of nature which has played an enormously influential role in different social and political theories. Some of the specific issues to be considered are:

(1) the basic assumptions of classical realist thought.

(2) the meaning of the ‘state of nature’ in classical realism and its relationship to other key concepts such as anarchy and sovereignty.

(3) the influence of key historical figures such as Thucydides, Machiavelli and Hobbes.

(4) classical realism in the twentieth century.

Essential reading:

Lawson, International Relations, chapters 2 and 3, esp. pp. 41-43

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapter 5.

Further Reading

Listed below are a number of readings from the classical authors. Most of these appear in different editions, sometimes by different publishers, so I have not included publication details. All are available from the library. You are not expected to plough through all of these, but it is highly recommended that you sample at least some of the original classic texts to get a feel for what these authors have to say, and how they said it. Also included is a journal article on realism in British international thought that is very useful.

Carl von Clausewitz, On War.

E.H. Carr, The Twenty Years’ Crisis, 1919-1939: An Introduction to the Study of International Relations.

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan.

Niccoló Machiavelli, The Prince.

Hans J. Morgenthau, Politics among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace.

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War.

Ian Hall, ‘Power Politics and Appeasement: Political Realism in British International Thought, c. 1935-1955’, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 8(2), 2006: 174-192

Questions

(1) What are the foundational principles of classical realism?

(2) What is the relationship between power, necessity and morality in classical realist thought, especially as expressed in Thucydides’ and Machiavelli’s thought?

(3) How does Hobbes regard the ‘state of nature’?

(4) How do Carr’s and Morgenthau’s ideas reflect the period in which they lived?

Wk 3 (11 March) Idealism, Liberalism and Internationalism

The topics for this week explore ideas about international politics that present a distinct contrast with those of classical realism (and neo-realism which we consider later along with neo-liberalism). One of the most basic points of contrast is that while realists are generally pessimistic about the possibility of peace and harmony in the anarchic sphere of international politics, liberals are much more optimistic. Some of the more specific points we shall consider are:

(1) the basic assumptions of liberal/idealist thought.

(2) the contrast between liberal/idealist and realist theories of human nature and their implications for political order and warfare.

(3) liberal approaches to natural law and human rights.

(4) the influence of figures such as Woodrow Wilson and the rise of international institutions.

(5) liberal internationalism and international law

Essential reading:

Lawson, International Relations, chapter 3, pp. 39-41.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapter 6.

Further Reading

Liberalism also has its classic authors, including the seventeenth century thinker John Locke and later Enlightenment figures such as Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham. In the twentieth century, figures such as Woodrow Wilson are very important and it is worth at least sampling his writings and speeches. There are also many contemporary commentaries on liberal thought, one of which is included below.

Nils Peter Gleditsch, ‘The Liberal Moment Fifteen Years On’, International Studies Quarterly, 58(4), 2008.

Immanuel Kant, Perpetual Peace

John Locke, Two Treatises of Government.

Woodrow Wilson, ‘Fourteen Points Address’ to the US Congress, go to:

http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/fourteenpoints.htm

Questions

(1) What are the origins of liberal thought generally, and liberal international thought in particular?

(2) How did Immanuel Kant lay the foundations for the ‘democratic peace’ doctrine?

(3) How do liberals differ from realists in their approach to the problem of anarchy?

(4) How and under what circumstances did liberal idealism emerge in the early twentieth century?

(5) How does liberal theory relate to normative theory?

Wk 4 (18 March) Neo-Realism and Neo-Liberalism

Theories of international politics – like most social science theories – are always in process rather than fixed and stable. Both realism and liberalism have many variations even in just their classical forms. However, both bodies of theory are generally regarded as having developed, or undergone a process of renewal, in quite distinctive ways during the Cold War period. This week we examine neo-realism and neo-liberalism both in relation to their ‘classical’ predecessors and in relation to each other. In particular, we will look at:

(1) the neo-realist emphasis on structure in the international system.

(2) neo-realist views of power.

(3) neo-liberal ideas about collective action, international regimes, global governance, multilateralism and institutionalism.

(4) differences and similarities between neo-realism and neo-liberalism

Essential Reading

Lawson, International Relations, chapter 3, pp. 43-46.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapter 7.

Further Reading

A few key authors are associated with the rise of neo-realism and neo-liberalism. As with authors in the more ‘classical’ fields, you will benefit from at least sampling these works.

Kenneth N. Waltz, Theory of International Politics, McGraw-Hill, 1979.

John Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, W.W. Norton, 2003.

Stephen D. Krasner (ed.), International Regimes, Cornell university Press, 1983

Robert Keohane, After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy, Princeton University Press [1984], 2005.

Questions

(1) why is neo-realism often referred to as structural realism?

(2) why do neo-realists dismiss cultural differences between states, or the domestic character of states, as a factor in power politics?

(3) How does neo-liberalism differ from earlier versions?

(4) how does neo-liberalism explain the high level of international institutionalism?

(5) what do neo-realism and neo-liberalism share in common?

Wk 5 (25 March) Marxism and Critical Theory

Just as neo-realism and neo-liberalism have points of contrast and certain similarities, so too do Marxism and Critical Theory (CT). The study of Marxist thought, which incorporates important figures such as Antonio Gramsci, opens up an enormous field of study. So too does CT whose exponents include Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno and more recently Jürgen Habermas, Robert Cox and Andrew Linklater. This week we focus on just some aspects of Marxism and CT, especially in terms of the way in which each presents a challenge to some of the most taken for granted assumptions underpinning both realism and liberalism. Some of the main issues involved in this include:

(1) the Marxist critique of capitalism and the idea of class struggle.

(2) Gramsci’s notion of hegemony.

(3) the ideas of the Frankfurt School.

(4) the focus on social relations.

(5) the challenge to re-make the world.

Essential reading:

Lawson, International Relations, chapter 3, pp. 46-48.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapter 8.

Further Reading

The Communist Manifesto is relatively short (less than 30 pages) and is not difficult to read. You will find it in any basic Marx-Engels Reader or on the internet (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/ch01.htm). Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks are available in various editions as are Selected Political Writings. Writings of Frankfurt School figures are also easy to find through an author search while commentaries on one or more of these figures are readily available using ‘Frankfurt School’ in a library search. An influential piece by Robert Cox, ‘Social Forces, States and World Orders’ appears in Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 10 (2), 1981, pp. 126–55 as well as in Robert Keohane (ed.), Neorealism and its Critics, Columbia University Press, 1986. An article reviewing developments in critical theory over the last 25 years (which is part of a special journal issue) is: Nicholas Rengger and Ben Thirkell-White, ‘Still Critical After All These Years? The Past, Present and Future of Critical Theory in International Relations’, Review of International Studies, 33(S1), 2007: 3-24.

Questions

(1) What is the principle critique of realism and liberalism advanced in both Marxist and CT approaches to IR?

(2) How are agents and structures viewed in Marxist thought?

(3) What were the major critiques of Marxism advanced by the Frankfurt School?

(4) What are the key features of Gramsci’s theory of hegemony?

(5) What do critical theorists mean by the ‘social production of historical structures’?

Wk 6 (1 April) No Classes – Mid-Semester Test.

Wk 7 (8 April) IR Theory after the Cold War

If theoretical development does in fact respond to particular historical occurrences, then the end of the Cold War must be regarded as a key event. It certainly caused a great deal of speculation about the shape of a new world order following the collapse of bipolarity. It also prompted a more critical questioning of mainstream methods IR, especially since the end of the Cold War took most mainstream theorists by surprise. In addition, we consider two very different perspectives on how the world had changed. A more recent challenge to traditional IR has been the so-called ‘war on terror’. This week focuses on:

(1) A summary of theoretical and historical developments in IR to the end of the Cold War, including critiques of mainstream IR’s methodological assumptions.

(2) The ‘End of History’ and George Bush Snr’s ‘New World Order’.

(3) Identity politics and the ‘Clash of Civilizations’.

(4) The renewal of normative theory.

(5) The ‘war on terror’

Essential Reading

Lawson, International Relations, review ch. 4 esp. pp. 72-81.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapter 4.???

Further Reading

Some key works include Francis Fukuyama, ‘The End of History?’, The National Interest, 16, 1989, pp. 3-18, and Samuel P. Huntington, ‘The Clash of Civilizations?’, Foreign Affairs, 72 (3), 1993, pp. 22-49. Both of these titles also became full length books. See also Stephanie Lawson (ed.), The New Agenda for International Relations: From Polarization to Globalization in World Politics?, Polity, 2002 which contains a set of commentaries from leading IR scholars.

Questions

(1) What is meant by ‘The End of History’?

(2) What were the main ideas behind George Bush Snr.’s proclamation of a ‘New World Order’?

(3) How convincing is Huntington’s ‘Clash of Civilizations’ scenario and his account of identity politics?

(4) What is ‘normative theory’ and how does it relate to IR theory in general?

(5) How can we theorize the ‘war on terror’?

Recess: Mon 15th April – Fri 26th April

Wk 8 (29 April) Constructivism and Postmodernism

The idea of the ‘social construction of reality’ emerged out of European social theory, with early German sociologists playing a key role. It had a rather low profile in IR theory until the end of the Cold War although important elements of social constructivism are evident in Critical Theory and feminism in particular. Postmodern approaches (some prefer to describe their work as postructuralist) subscribe to a more radical notion of the social construction of reality, and therefore a more thoroughgoing critique of what is taken to be ‘material reality’ and the relationship between power and knowledge. The main themes to be considered this week include:

(1) The principles of social constructivism.

(2) Competing approaches to constructivism in IR.

(3) Key concepts in postmodern theory.

(4) Postmodern critiques of ‘reality’ and the knowledge/ power nexus.

Essential Reading

Lawson, International Relations, chapter 3, pp. 48-51, 54-56.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapters 9 and 10.

Further Reading

If you really want a challenge, you could sample some of the classic postmodern/poststructralist texts cited in the general IR theory texts such as those by Michel Foucault.

Questions

(1) In what sense do we live in a ‘world of our making’?

(2) What are the two main types of constructivism? On what points do they agree and disagree?

(3) What is the relationship between ‘modernism’ and ‘postmodernism’?

(4) How do postmodernists see the relationship between knowledge and power in IR.

(5) How do constructivists and postmodernists see the relationship between ‘theory’ and the ‘real world’?

Wk 9 (6 May) Postcolonialism and Gender

Postcolonial theory, which is largely a response to the legacies of European colonialism and the dominance of Western theorizing, challenges conventional IR theory in interesting ways, some of which we explore in the first part of the lecture. In the second part we consider the extent to which traditional IR theory has been heavily ‘gendered’, with men appearing as the most active agents and occupying most of the prominent positions. Women on the other hand have been regarded as occupying largely passive roles in a ‘domestic sphere’ and have therefore been almost invisible. The rise of feminist theories in IR has challenged many assumptions about gender and politics. Gender theory also has implications for postcolonialism. The main themes for this week include;

(1) The legacy of European colonialism

(2) ‘Orientalism’, ‘Occidentalism’ and identity politics in IR.

(3) different ‘feminisms’ and their critiques of gender relations in IR theory

(4) gender and power

(5) gender and security

Essential Reading

Lawson, International Relations, chapter 3pp. 51-54, 56-57.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapters 11 and 16.

Further Reading

For a classic text in postcolonialism, see Edward Said’s Orientalism: Western Conceptions of the Orient. His later book, Culture and Imperialism, is also highly relevant. An interesting and challenging article is: Anna Agathangelou and Lily Ling, 2004, ‘The House of IR: From Family Power Politics to the Poisies of Worldism’, International Studies Review, 6 (1), pp. 21-49. There is a huge range of literature on gender relations and feminism in social and political theory as well as IR in particular. One of the early classics is Germaine Greer’s The Female Eunuch although this doesn’t address IR specifically. An interesting book on gender more generally is R.W. Connell’s Masculinities. For other good general accounts of gender and feminism in IR see Steans’s Gender and International Relations, and Ackerly, Stern and True (eds), Feminist Methodologies for International Relations..

Questions

(1) How does postcolonial theory challenge ‘Western knowledge’?

(2) What alternatives does postcolonial theory offer?

(3) How can postcolonialism transcend the West/non-West divide?

(4) How is it possible to speak of traditional IR and the world it seeks to describe as ‘gendered’?

(5) How does a gender perspective challenge conventional understandings of security and insecurity?

Wk 10 (13 May) Green Theory

Concerns about the global environment have leapt to the top of the agenda in international politics over the last few years, although ‘green theory’ has been around for much longer. During the Cold War, apart from general environmental degradation, one of the main concerns relating to the global climate was the possibility of a ‘nuclear winter’. Now it seems we are much more likely to be baked as a result of climate change. Given the importance of international environmental issues in general and current debates about global warming/climate change in particular, ‘green theory’ and the ‘green agenda’ in IR are worth considering in some detail. This week we shall explore in particular:

(1) The scope of global environmental politics.

(2) The origins and development of green theory in general.

(3) A green theory of IR?

(4) Environmentalism, sustainable development, energy and security in world politics.

Essential Reading

Lawson, ch. 3, pp. 59-60.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapter 21.

Further Reading

Books by Attfield, Broadhead, Elliott, Dobson, Eckersley, Laferrière and Stoett, and Vogler and Imber which are devoted specifically to environmental politics and issues are listed at the beginning of this guide. See also M.R. Auer, ‘Who Participates in Global Environmental Governance? Partial Answers from International Relations Theory’, Policy Sciences, 33(2), 2000: 155-180.

Questions

(1) What are the basic premises of green theory?

(2) What is meant by ‘ecology’ and ‘ecopolitics’?

(3) In what sense is the environment a ‘new agenda’ issue in IR?

(4) How does green theory relate to other IR theories?

Wk 11 (20 May) Theorizing Security and World Order

In this last teaching week, we will revisit the full range of theories dealt with in the unit, and consider them in relation to the concepts of security, insecurity and order in world politics. We shall review all of the main theories, namely realism, liberalism, constructivism, Marxism, Critical Theory, gender theory, postmodernism/ poststructuralism, postcolonialism, and green theory. Reviewing how these theories treat the concepts of security and world order will help us to see how theories work as particular ‘lenses’ on issues and problems.

Essential Reading:

Lawson, International Relations, chapter 5.

Baylis, Smith and Owens, The Globalization of World Politics, chapter 14.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at: http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

UniWISE provides:

Online learning resources and academic skills workshops http://www.students.mq.edu.au/support/learning_skills/
Personal assistance with your learning & study related questions.
The Learning Help Desk is located in the Library foyer (level 2).
Online and on-campus orientation events run by Mentors@Macquarie.

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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

Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au/ses/.

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When using the university's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students and it outlines what can be done.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

An advanced understanding of a range of theories of International Relations.

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

The capacity to apply and utlize theoretical concepts in the analysis of International Relations.

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

The ability to carry out independent research and self-directed learning.

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

The ability to communicate fluently and effectively in both written work and oral presentations.
The ability to identify and organize knowledge in the field and to formulate persuasive, coherent and critical arguments.

Macquarie University

IRPG841 – Theories of International Relations

2013 – S1 External

General Information

Important Academic Dates

Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks

Mid-semester test

Essay

Final Test

Delivery and Resources

Unit Schedule

Policies and Procedures

Student Support

UniWISE provides:

Student Services and Support

Student Enquiries

IT Help

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Learning outcome

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Learning outcome

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Learning outcome

PG - Effective Communication

Learning outcomes