Australian Foreign Policy
Overview
This unit introduces students to Australian foreign policy, exploring the regional and international context in which Australia pursues its national and security interests, and how those interests have changed over time. It covers Australia's relationship with the USA and other international and regional actors and organisations, and explores key foreign policy issues in the context of the globalised world, such as terrorism, asylum and migration, global economics, foreign aid, climate change and human rights. It also assesses Australia's place in the world, and what sort of international actor it has been, and aims to be.
Requisites
50 credit points
05-October-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Articulate the pre- and post-colonial legacies on Australian foreign policy
- Evaluate the major developments in Australian foreign policy, and their relationship to domestic politics and identity
- Identify the problems of alliance, multilateralism, and unilateralism in Australian foreign policy
- Evaluate Australia’s place in global and regional politics and relevant emerging foreign policy issues, individually and with others
- Critically analyse Australian foreign policy in relation to key concepts and foreign policy approaches and theories
Teaching methods
Swinburne Online
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Online Class | 1.00 | 4 weeks | 4 |
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.17 | 12 weeks | 146 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literature Review | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Major Essay | Individual | 50% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Tutorial Paper | Individual | 30% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Content
- Australia in the domestic and international context: foreign policy and national identity, legacies and continuing challenges
- Key relationships at the international and regional level
- Australian foreign policy in the context of globalisation
- Australia's place in international and regional politics
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.