Skip to main content
Unit of study_

GOVT6119: International Security

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit reviews developments in international security since before World War l, to recent events like September 11 and its aftermath. The principal focus is on developments since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of Communism. The unit takes account of traditional notions about the causes of war and the conditions of peace, as well as changes in the structure and process of contemporary international relations.

Unit details and rules

Unit code GOVT6119
Academic unit Government and International Relations
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Jamie Roberts, jamie.roberts@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Jamie Roberts, jamie.roberts@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation Participation
n/a
15% Ongoing Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO11 LO8 LO3
Assignment Essay 1
30% Week 06
Due date: 11 Oct 2020 at 23:00
2500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO10 LO11
Assignment Essay 2
55% Week 12
Due date: 22 Nov 2020 at 23:00
3500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO10 LO11

Assessment summary

Details of assessments can be found on the Canvas site for the unit.

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.

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.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Unit overview and introduction to International Security Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 02 Before theory. Classic works: Thucydides, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, Clausewitz Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 03 Modern foundational realist works: Carr, Morgenthau, Wolfers and Herz Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 04 Key figures and concepts in Neorealism Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 05 Classic works and key concepts in Liberalism Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 06 Constructivism and the Copenhagen School: securitization Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 07 New security issues: Human security and moving beyond Western paradigms Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 08 Gender and security Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 09 The environmental security nexus: water security, food security, energy security and natural disasters Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 10 Recent challenges: Humanitarian intervention and terrorism Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 11 Emerging challenges: Cybersecurity Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 12 Emerging challenges: International security and COVID Lecture and tutorial (2 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. In 6119, attendance is based on tutorial attendance.

Lecture recording: Lectures and tutorials will be recorded.

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.

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.

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

  • LO1. use building blocks of international security: professional concepts, specific theories and methods prevalent in the field
  • LO2. have improved reading skills with enhanced capacity for criticism, integration and association of readings to broader debates and empirical discussions in the field
  • LO3. apply acquired concepts and theories to the analysis of current security problems, issues and events
  • LO4. have improved professional writing skills, including proper presentation and application of theory
  • LO5. analyse theory and events in a critical manner
  • LO6. have gained insight into the logic and value of policy prescriptions
  • LO7. offer independent and original analysis
  • LO8. combine inductive and deductive thinking
  • LO9. write a concise theoretically based and empirically supported policy brief
  • LO10. have developed a focused interest and advanced evaluation of future study in the IR and related fields
  • LO11. distance themselves from ideological bias and assess opposing ideas on their own merits, consequently developing broad and flexible thinking.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The unit has been redesigned to cover a blend of classic works and concepts, new schools of thought and contemporary issues.

Disclaimer

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.