Politics of the Pacific
24 hours face to face + blended
One Semester or equivalent
Hawthorn
Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
Overview
The unit of study introduces students to the politics of neighbouring Pacific Island nations, with a special focus on Melanesia and the countries of the so-called Arc of Responsibility (Timor-Leste, PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu), along with Fiji. Students will gain an understanding of key historical, political and institutional developments in the post-independence politics of Australia's nearest neighbours. Political issues in the regions of West Papua, Bougainville and New Caledonia will also be examined.
Requisites
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in Political Science
- Investigate and critically analyse the major events, issues and institutions in Pacific nations
- Appreciate the history and contemporary agenda of nation and state building in post-independence Pacific nations
- Debate the regional and international relations of the Pacific countries
- Consider the key political and policy challenges in Pacific nations
- Understand how to make a systematic comparison of political regimes
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Online Lecture | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| On-campus Class | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Discussions | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Major Essay | Individual | 50% | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Minor Essay | Individual | 30% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- Comparative politics
- Melanesian politics
- History and institutions
- Post-independence politics
- Exploration of the political dimensions of neighbouring states in the arc of responsibility along with the non-self governing regions of West Papua, Bougainville and New Caledonia
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.