GOVT1621: Semester 1, 2020

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Units GOVT1621 Semester 1 2020 [Normal day]

Unit of study_

GOVT1621: Introduction to International Relations

Overview

This unit provides students with a foundational understanding in two key areas of international relations. First students will gain an understanding of the history of the international political and economic system, and the forces, events, and processes that have shaped the contemporary international system. Second, students will be introduced to the main theories of international relations and explore how these help explain the forces that shape international relations.

Details

Academic unit	Government and International Relations
Unit code	GOVT1621
Unit name	Introduction to International Relations
Session, year ?	Semester 1, 2020
Attendance mode	Normal day
Location	Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Credit points	6

Enrolment rules

Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff and contact details

Coordinator	Megan MacKenzie, megan.mackenzie@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam	Take-home essay 2000 words	40%	Formal exam period	2.5+ hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay proposal Scaffolding assignment in preparation for the final essay.	20%	Week 06	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final Essay Research essay	30%	Week 12	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Tutorial participation Attendance and participation	10%	Weekly	ongoing
Outcomes assessed:

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Special consideration

If you experience short-term circumstances beyond your control, such as illness, injury or misadventure or if you have essential commitments which impact your preparation or performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction: what is international relations?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	War, Peace, and the State	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	How to get the most out of tutorials	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Realism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	1. Realism 2. How to get the most out of tutorials	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Feminism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	1. Feminism 2. How to take notes effectively	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Liberalism, Neo-Liberalism and Citizenship	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	1. Liberalism, neo-liberalism and citizenship 2. How to get the core ideas out of a reading	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Environmental Governance and Protection	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	1. Environmental governance and protection 2. Research and citation 101	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Constructivism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	1. Constructivism 2. How to avoid plagiarism	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Inequality and Wealth	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Inequality and Wealth	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Marxism and Global Inequality	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Marxism and global inequality	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Security and International Development	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Security and international development	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Poststructuralism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Poststructuralism	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Post-colonialism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Post-colonialism	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Revision	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Review and revision	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University’s graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. understand the historical context in which the discipline of international relations has emerged
LO2. identify the various theoretical approaches to understanding international relations
LO3. apply one or more of these theories to contemporary issues in international relations
LO4. effectively communicate an understanding of outcomes 1-3
LO5. engage in classroom debate regarding competing theories of international relations.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Closing the loop

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

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The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Details

Enrolment rules

Teaching staff and contact details

Assessment

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Special consideration

Academic integrity

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Closing the loop

Disclaimer

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