Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Matthew Bailey
Conor Keane
Matthew Bailey
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
In this unit, we critically assess Australian politics from the perspective of political and economic history, through the lens of social power and financial interests, and drilling down into contemporary debates about economic crisis, globalisation, nationalism, environmental catastrophe and war. With this approach in mind, we examine key Australian political institutions, ideologies, and issues. What is the nature of Australia's key political institutions (the Constitution, the High Court, Federalism, Government and Parliament), and are they democratic and just? Could we live without them? What are some of the radical critiques of these institutions and the interests they serve? What is 'Australia', after all – a unified nation of peoples with shared identities and interests, or a construct that serves wealth and power by masking deep social fractures, or something else again? These questions should be seen as an entrée to Australian politics before embarking on the more in-depth companion unit PLT210.
All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Essay One | 30% | No | 16/4/2016 |
Major Essay | 45% | No | 4/6/2016 |
Reading Critique | 10% | No | Mutiple |
Weekly Participation | 15% | No | Ongoing |
Due: 16/4/2016
Weighting: 30%
In this first 1000 word essay, students will have an opportunity to explore one of the key Australian political institutions that we deal with in the early weeks of the unit. Essays should be submitted via turnitin. The essay topics are available on ilearn under the assessments tab, a separate word file for the essay has also been provided. Late submissions without an extension will be penalised 1 mark out of 20 for each late day.
Choose one of the following topics, making sure to reference all of the sources that you use:
Due: 4/6/2016
Weighting: 45%
Write 2000 words, +/- 10%, on one of the following topics:
Due: Mutiple
Weighting: 10%
Chose one of the additional readings or a journal article/book chapter that you have found yourself and write a 500 word analysis about it. There is no need to reference or include a bibliography. This only has to be done once a semester. It is a good way of delving into a topic you chose to assess for your minor and/or major essay.
Post your reading critique in the relevant weekly forum as a word document. All reading critiques should be completed by the end of semester, but it is preferable that you post your reading critique during the time of the forum discussions for the relevant week so other students have the opportunity to look at it as this is an important opportunity for peer assisted learning.
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 15%
Post at least one 100-250 word response to the weekly questions. One student should start a forum thread and include their answer; then others may also respond. Do not create more than one forum thread for each question.
Welcome to POIX101, 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. Amongst 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 quesitons, we will follow readings from the prescribed text book quite closely. Hence it is essential for all students to purchase a copy from the university bookshop:
Narelle Miragliotta, Wayne Errington and nicholas Barry (2013)The Australian Political System in Action (2nd edn.) South Melbourne: Oxfor University Press.
To do well in this unit it is imperative that students listen to all lectures and contribute to the discussion board on ilearn. You will enjoy the unit much more if you do. Beyond the perscribed text, I will also be recommending additional supplementary readings as we go. Students will also find the following resources useful:
Useful General Texts and Background Reading on Australian Politics
Aulich, C. & Wettenhall, R. (eds.) (2005) Howard’s Second and Third Term Governments. Sydney: UNSW Press.
Frankel, B. (2004) Zombies, Lilliputians and Sadists: The Power of the Living Dead and the Future of Australia. Fremantle: Curtin University Press.
Hirst, J. (2002) Australia’s Democracy: A Short History. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Irving, H. (2004) Five Things to Know About the Constitution. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 92-107.
Maddox, G. (2005) Australian Democracy in Theory and Practice, 5th edn. Melbourne: Longman.
Parkin, A., Summers, J. & Woodward, D. (eds.) (2006) Government, Politics, Power and Policy in Australia 8th edn. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
Singleton, G. (ed.) (2000) The Howard Government: Australian Commonwealth Administration 1996-1998. Sydney: UNSW Press.
Singleton, G., Aitkin, D., Jinks, B. & Warhurst, J. (2006) Australian Political Institutions, 8th edn. Melbourne:
Longman.
Smith, R. (2001) Australian Political Culture. Melbourne Longman.
Vromen, A. & Gelber, K. (2005) Powerscape: Contemporary Australian Political Practice. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Young, S. (2004) The Persuaders: Inside the Hidden Machine of Political Advertising. Melbourne: Pluto Press Australia.
USEFUL JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES
Arena
Australian Journal of Political Science
Australian Journal of Politics and History
Australian Journal of Political Economy
Australian Journal of Public Administration
Australian Journal of Social Issues
[Australian]Journal of Sociology
AQ: Journal of Contemporary Analysis
Griffith Review
Journal of Political Ideologies
The Monthly: Australian Politics, Society and Culture
Thesis Eleven
USEFUL WEBSITES
Macquarie University’s Politics subject site:
http://www.lib.mq.edu/resources/subject/politics
The Commonwealth parliamentary Library: http://www.aph.gov.au/library/index.htm
The National Library of Australia: http://www.nla.gov.au/oz/gov /
Elections data base website at the University of Western Australia: http://elections.uwa.edu.au
NSW government website:
http://www.nsw.gov.au/government.asp
Australian Bureau of Statistics: http://www.abs.goc.au/
ABC Online: http://www.abc.net.au
Australian Policy Online: http://www.apo.org.au/index.shtml
Australian Review of Public Affairs: http://australianreview.net
Online Opinion http://www.onlineopinion.com.au New Matilda Magazine www.newmatilda.com/home/default/.asp
The Whitlam Institute http://www.whitlam.org/about
The Australia Institute www.tai.org.au/
The Centre for Independent Studies http://cis.org.au/
The Green Left Weekly http://www.greenleft.org.au/
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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://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html
Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
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Date | Description |
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22/03/2017 | Assignment due dates changes due to issues with updating the lecture |