The nature/culture distinction is under pressure today as relations to our bodies, the world and each other are transformed by technology, ecological crisis, gender practices and new forms of consumption. Thinking beyond this distinction by examining the practices of bodies, this unit combines theoretical reflection with case studies to give students new tools for cultural analysis.

This unit familiarises students with contemporary ideas and debates concerning cultural identity, community and location, with an emphasis on diversity and difference in contemporary Australian culture but placed in an international context by the wider field of cultural studies. It will focus on contemporary case studies to enable students to explore theories of identity, community and cultural location and develop appropriate and effective means of analysing contemporary cultural identities and practices.

This unit familiarises students with contemporary ideas and debates concerning cultural identity, community and location, with an emphasis on diversity and difference in contemporary Australian culture but placed in an international context by the wider field of cultural studies. It will focus on contemporary case studies to enable students to explore theories of identity, community and cultural location and develop appropriate and effective means of analysing contemporary cultural identities and practices.

This unit offers an opportunity for direct work experience in a range of organisations, businesses and institutions undertaking or requiring cultural research or analysis, from education, legal, policy or popular culture research to consumer or community ethnography. Candidates will undertake an approved internship pending availability of an appropriate placement. Students should note that approval may be required from the host organisation to use material from the placement in subsequent publications.

Following directly from GCST5906, this unit requires that students complete a research project based on their internship placement experience, developing their understanding of cultural research in theory and in practice and their capacity to conduct independent research.

Based on close reading of individual authors, this unit introduces students with limited background in cultural theory to key thinkers for contemporary cultural studies. Students will learn about the influence of such theoretical fields as Western Marxism, psychoanalysis and feminism on cultural studies as well as how to relate cultural research to the cross-disciplinary traditions of structuralism and post-structuralism as these have been taken up in different intellectual contexts around the world.

Pleasure is often thought to make everyday life worthwhile, but it is also commonly positioned as the antithesis of health. In this unit we explore how key strands of cultural studies have approached this paradox with reference to specific examples: Drug use, sex, consumption, leisure activities are possibilities. By considering how authorities have attempted to govern these practices, and with what effects, students will develop new associations between conceptual innovation, cultural intervention and policy impacts.

This unit examines cultural policy across a range of sectors such as museums and heritage, the arts, media, and the 'cultural industries'. It will provide theoretical perspectives and practical insight into policy formation processes in Australia and internationally. The multiple actors and rationales that shape policy and ground claims for its relevance amid social change and cultural diversity are considered. Students learn how to analyse policies in relation to the institutional, social and political contexts of their emergence.

This unit explores key debates in cultural studies as an exploration of its core concepts. Unit content will vary from year to year in response to current issues in Australian cultural studies, but will also cover foundational debates in the discipline, including the relation between ideology and mass culture, between taste and habitus, and between changing media technologies and models of subjectivity. It will also consider ethical debates over theory and practice and the institutionalisation of cultural studies.

This unit explores key debates in cultural studies as an exploration of its core concepts. Unit content will vary from year to year in response to current issues in Australian cultural studies, but will also cover foundational debates in the discipline, including the relation between ideology and mass culture, between taste and habitus, and between changing media technologies and models of subjectivity. It will also consider ethical debates over theory and practice and the institutionalisation of cultural studies.

What is the relation between femininity, masculinity and culture? Does sexual difference affect our identity and, if so, how and in what circumstances? Does it affect our relations with others? Is there any link between cultural and racial difference and sexual difference? What contexts may shape such links? Where does equality fit into all this? Drawing on the work of major cultural theorists and feminist thinkers this unit examines various theoretical conceptualizations and popular representations of gender; the issue of embodiment; and how sex and race are articulated within gendered conceptual frames.

Research and writing towards a dissertation of 15,000 words on an approved topic, under the supervision of an academic member of staff. In this unit, students will be required to develop a 3,000 word dissertation prospectus. Prospective candidates should consult the postgraduate coordinator prior to enrolment, in order to formulate a topic.

Research and writing towards a dissertation of 15,000 words on an approved topic, under the supervision of an academic member of staff. Prospective candidates should consult the postgraduate coordinator prior to enrolment, in order to formulate a topic. Enrolment requires approval.

This Unit of Study addresses the connections between human rights and the environment. We examine an array of environmental and natural resource management challenges through a human rights lens. Students will develop the skills to describe, interpret and analyse the relationship between environmental issues and human rights norms. We study the complexity of the human rights / environmental nexus in both conservation and development contexts. Topics include conservation and protected areas, rivers and dams, mining, climate change and forests. Throughout the course we consider the value, and limitations, of a human rights based approach to environmental decision making.

This unit examines major concepts and theories of comparative politics. Employing a range of theoretical perspectives and drawing on diverse cases from around the world, it explores topics such as the state, political regimes, development, institutional design, and state-society relations. Several major research traditions, schools of thought, and methodological approaches will be considered, and students will acquire the basic tools of comparative analysis.The unit will also explore some of the major debates and controversies among scholars working in this area.

Southeast Asia's economic experiences and socio-political challenges will be examined within an historical and comparative context in order to better appreciate the economic continuities, understand the major socio-political dilemmas and changing patterns of development. Themes such as the significance of colonialism on post-colonial economies and polities, role of the state in the national and global economy, causes of the region's high-speed growth in the 1980s and 1990s, subsequent economic downturn and future prospects, changing complexion of foreign investment, significance and operational dynamics of the Overseas Chinese Business Networks, salience of socio-economic and ethnic tensions, contradictions associated with the promotion of open economies within authoritarian political structures, the relationship between economic and political corruption, prominence of political Islam, rise of civil society actors, implications of the national and regional reserve army of labour, efficacy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the region's economic and security links with Northeast Asia will be analysed.

This unit will provide an in-depth examination of theories of political regimes and regime transitions. Political scientists have developed a variety of theories to explain democratic breakdown and democratization, and formulated an expansive typology of regimes to describe the diverse forms of democracy, authoritarianism, and 'hybrid regimes.' This unit provides a broad overview of theories of political regimes and regime transitions, and introduces students to some of the major debates and controversies in this field of study.

This unit will examine the internal governance of the People's Republic of China and aspects of its external relations. It begins by tracing the emergence of the PRC's political system after 1949, focussing on key features of Maoism and the rationale of Post-Mao reforms. It then considers the remarkable economic, demographic and social changes that have occurred in recent years and how China's government has responded to a range of crucial challenges. In particular the unit will provide critical insights into how concepts like democracy, human rights, civil society and 'rule of law' have developed within the Chinese context. Finally the unit will analyse the impact of 'globalization' on China's political system.

This unit aims to introduce students to how states and other actors in the international arena cooperate to build institutions as a response to common problems. After completing the unit students should be able to analyse contemporary international organisations to see how they work, whose interests they serve, and to what degree they attenuate or enhance the power of sovereign states.

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.

This unit explores the strategic relationship between the great powers in Northeast Asia, potential arenas of conflict, China and India's rise, Sino-Japanese tensions, North Korea as a potential nuclear weapon's state, inter-Korean relations and the US alliance system. Are we seeing the beginnings of a new security dilemma as Asia's rising powers extend their political and economic influence upsetting the established order? Will they challenge US strategic pre-eminence in the region ushering in a new age of super power competition, or can the region work together towards common security objectives?

It is widely believed that we are entering a new era in which the transborder flows of capital, goods, ideas, and people are rapidly transforming human society. 'Globalisation', many claim, threatens the autonomy of nation-states and erodes the power of national governments to provide social protection and promote the nation's economic prosperity. This unit examines not only the causes and mechanisms of this process, but also assesses its social, economic, and political impacts. The views of radicals, transformationalists, skeptics, and institutionalists are compared and criticised. While globalisation is often viewed as a singular process, trending towards a global society, this unit offers a distinctive approach. Globalisation has uneven and highly differentiated impacts, whether harmful or beneficial, and this unevenness is closely associated with the nature of institutions of governance, at both the domestic and international levels.

The unit consists of a Research essay OR project on a topic devised by the student and approved by the supervisor-marker. The student is responsible for finding a supervisor-marker, in consultation with the PG coordinator. The Essay/project is to be completed within one semester. It is strongly recommended that the students draft their proposal and seek a supervisor before the semester begins.

This unit examines the environment as a political and policy issue. Although relatively recent, the environment has become a full-fledged public policy issue exerting influence in local, national and international arenas. The unit will first focus on the specific features of the policy that influences the capability of contemporary societies to enhance the management of environmental resources and of public goods in general. Second, it discusses the development of environmental policy in Western countries, with a particular emphasis on the European Union. Third, a grid for the analysis of environmental policy will be presented, with a discussion of the main actors (political, institutional and socio-economic) involved in it and of the factors (interests and ideas) influencing their positions. Fourth, the unit briefly discusses environmental conflicts and consensual approaches used for tackling them.

This unit is organised around the upsurge in regional economic and security cooperation within East Asia and the more nebulous Asia Pacific in the last 15 years. It also looks at academic efforts to define East Asia and the Asia Pacific as regions. The first part of the unit covers the domestic similarities in East Asia and what these mean for East Asian and Asia-Pacific regionalism. The second part of the unit covers efforts to develop regional institutions like APEC and ASEAN and the role of these institutions in spurring regionalism. While the Asia Pacific and its sub-regions are the focus of the unit, both domestic and global economic and political forces are fully integrated into discussions. The unit provides critical insights into the reasons for the upsurge in regional economic and security cooperation, its likely trajectory and how East Asia and the Asia-Pacific are defined.

This unit introduces students to some of the most important contemporary structural changes in the global political economy and power structure with special attention to non-state actors (including corporate ones) and global civil society. The unit begins with an outline of the dominant modes of thinking about international political and economic relations, surveys some of the main theoretical schools and then examines global politics and political economy in terms of those events and forces that have been or are capable of precipitating major change. The historical focus will be principally on the role of war (including the so-called War on Terror), globalisation, power shifts and ideological innovation (including American unilateralism and Islamic fundamentalism) in the post Cold War period. The new agenda of international politics will be explored in a theoretical perspective - including the climate change emergency and the issue of effective global governance; the struggle for global social and economic justice, and the global prospects of democracy. The unit is designed as an advanced introduction to international relations for students pursuing postgraduate studies.

Adopting a comparative politics perspective, this unit of study explores the relationship between gender and family roles to state development, particularly in the aspects of political participation, human rights, and the transformation/revolution of state forms. The unit will also focus particularly on the impact of two higher order social institutions: religion and the state, and examine how both have influenced women and the family in both capitalist and socialist states.

This unit will provide students with the fundamentals for constructing and conducting effective research projects in the social sciences. An overview of social science inquiry will be presented through an examination of the diversity in theoretical and methodological approaches used in research. This will include a focus on both primary research, using interviews and questionnaires, and secondary research, using statistical databases, content analysis and textual analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be covered in the unit, as will an overview of ethical practices associated with research design. The assessment will be based around constructing practical research projects that can be utilised in both university and workplace-based research.

Why do states behave the way they do? Using a historical perspective, this unit explores the ways in which the different theories of international relations account for what shapes the international system - who are its main actors, what are its determining forces and structures. It examines both how these theories have vied with one another within inter-paradigm debates and how they developed in relation to specific historical events. These theories include realism, idealism, neorealism, neoliberal institutionalism, Marxism, the English school, constructivism, poststructuralism, feminism, post-colonial approaches. While no prior study of international relations is required, a willingness to engage with theoretical thinking and grapple with complex questions of ontology and epistemology is essential.

This unit of study comprises part 1 of a 10,000 word dissertation for the degree of Master of International Studies. Students must seek the department's permission prior to enrolment.

This unit of study comprises part 2 of a 10,000 word dissertation for the degree of Master of International Studies. Students must seek the department's permission prior to enrollment.

This unit examines the challenges of modern representative government. Comparing models of democratic politics, we assess the continuing relevance of political institutions, such as parliaments and parties, and consider political processes, citizen disengagement and new forms of participation.

This unit provides an overview of contemporary debates about policy making in democratic states, such as Australia. It examines how 'governance' is constituted by the interaction between the state and civil society. Governance is an emerging area of interest for both government and non-government organisations, and this unit analyses the way these social, economic and political organisations interact to both create public policy agendas and lead to social and political change. The unit covers the configurations of policy communities, political networks and social movements which shape both representative and participatory democratic practice. There is a particular emphasis on understanding the strategies that different political actors adopt.

From the ban on 'Supertrawlers' to investigating the 'live baiting' of greyhounds, modern public policy addresses contemporary issues in ways that mobilise or mitigate public sentiment. Understanding policymaking increasingly depends on analysing how the emotionality of a topic and the salience of an issue create penalties for actors and may influence policy responses. This unit focuses on the way emotional issues rise on the political agenda and can lead to short-term policy responses

In an urban society, cities form the locus for critical public policy challenges. This unit considers the multi-level, co-governance of cities in the comparative context of Western democracies. It considers the validity of contending theories of urban governance and explores the systemic tensions between public policy goals, such as subsidiarity and solidarity. It seeks to equip students with a critical understanding of the complexities and challenges of urban politics and policymaking in real world application.

Some science and technology can be used for both benefit and harm. This interdisciplinary unit critically examines the security and policy implications of dual use research and related technologies across several important fields, ranging from nuclear and information technology to the life sciences. Students will consider the costs and benefits of specific developments in science and technology, as well as the various mechanisms that governments and civil society can use to mitigate the risks that new knowledge or tools will be used for nefarious purposes.

State Security and Human Rights: This unit focuses on the interrelationship between state security and international human rights in the Post September 11 environment. Using a comparative approach to politics, it encourages students to identify similarities and differences in the response of western liberal governments to the threat of terrorism and to examine how these responses have influenced human rights practices, especially civil and political rights - in each country under review.

Secession represents one of the most definitive challenges to the legitimacy and authority of the sovereign state. This unit will examine explanations for the causes of secessionism, why it has become more common over the last 60 years, and when it results in civil war. Consideration will also be given to normative questions such as: when do a people have the right to secede? These topics will be discussed in the context of a number of real world cases.

This unit will offer a broad survey of environmental politics and policy in Australia. It will provide an introduction to the issues raised, the stakeholders and movements involved, analysis of the discourses used and potential policies to be implemented, an overview of the political issues and pressures involved, and reflection on the actual implementation of a range of policies at the local, state, and national level. Australian environmental politics will also be examined in comparative perspective.

This unit will offer a broad overview of a key contemporary issue in environmental politics. Topics could include climate change policy, environmental justice, food security and politics, sustainable cities, or timely issues in the Australian or global context. The goal will be to ground these issues in the relevant literatures of politics and environmental studies. Check with the unit coordinator or Department for the particular topic to be addressed in any given semester.

This unit introduces the students to the Theories of International Relations through an in-depth, close up and rigorous reading of the core texts that have shaped the discipline's history; ranging from classical realism, to various strands of liberalism, constructivism, post-structuralism and post-colonial approaches. Through an active engagement with the discipline's founding texts students will deepen their knowledge of the discipline and hot it has developed in relation to key events in world politics. Seminar discussions will be based on the method of textual analysis.

Much recent attention has focused on preventing corruption and improving ethics in public sector organisations around the world. This unit equips students to identify and analyse different forms of corruption and ethical failure, and to reflect critically on the best ways of combatting corruption and enhancing ethics in the public sector. The unit takes a comparative approach to these issues.

This unit will examine critical perspectives on international development. It will explore key questions concerning development, including: Have efforts to 'reduce poverty' been effective? What are the various meanings associated with development concepts like 'building capacity' and 'empowerment'? Is there any consensus about what development is and how to 'do' it? The unit will include an analysis of how much has been learned about development over the last fifty years. Finally, the unit will consider what role might individuals take.

This unit of study will examine a current national or international public policy process, issue or sector. It will deal with contemporary themes and issues in terms of ground level policies, as well as wider conceptual frameworks to help explain them.

'The leader points the way.' Eleanor Roosevelt. Leadership is a story that resolves these questions: What is a leader? What kinds of leaders are there? Is democratic leadership different from other kinds? Is leadership in a local community similar to that in national politics or international politics? Are leaders made or born? Is leadership generic? Is it the same in Europe and Asia? What is the difference between a leader and a manager? This unit reviews and evaluates theories of leadership. Participants' experiences and perceptions of leadership are an important part of the unit.

This unit provides a comprehensive theoretical and empirical introduction to the problem of terrorism worldwide and its impact on global security. It will cover the origins of terrorism, the structure and behavior of terrorist organisations, social, political, economic, and technological trends that impact terrorism and the threat it poses, and the complexities of counterterrorism policy. The knowledge and analytical skills acquired by students in this unit will be instrumental in understanding the challenge of terrorism.

This unit focuses on the nature of public policy and the processes by which it is produced. Relevant issues are common to all nation states, although they take specific forms in each individual country. First, the unit takes an overview of public policy - dealing with basic themes such as 'What is policy?' through to different approaches to understanding the policy process. These include policy cycles, rationality, interest groups, institutions, and socio-economic interests. Second, it maps out and examines the main components of public policy making: actors, institutions and policy instruments. Third, it focuses on aspects of policy-making processes which often attract a high level of attention from analysts. These include problem definition, agenda setting, decision-taking, policy implementation, policy evaluation and crisis policy-making. Fourth, it examines wider issues in terms of the state and who ultimately holds power over the making and shaping of public policy. Finally, it examines the 'bigger pictures' of long term policy trends, and the extent to which national policy making capacities and processes have been affected by globalisation. Assessments offer a large element of flexibility, allowing students to concentrate on areas of particular interest.

The course is focused on two major concepts which are mobilised in the explanation of the way we are governed: 'public policy' and 'governance'. It aims to clarify what is meant by these constructs, and how they can be used in the analysis of governing. It examines the argument that 'governance' denotes a change in the way we are governed, and works through a combination of analytic development and detailed empirical cases to establish the significance of these concepts in both the analysis and the practice of governing.

This unit outlines some of the most important developments in contemporary public management and governance and how these relate to the everyday practices of those working in the public sector. It uses examples drawn from a number of OECD countries to: critically analyse the forces that have driven the move towards 'public management'; examine the theory and practice of 'public governance'; evaluate the merits of these developments; and apply this knowledge to better understand specific developments across different contexts.

This unit will examine the politics of news, the institutional basis and processes of its production and how this influences its content. It will analyse the news media as an area of political conflicts and the consequent interests and strategies of various groups in affecting news content. It will examine the way in which news coverage impacts upon political processes and relationships. It will especially examine the role of the news media in election campaigns, policy formation and scandals. Our primary focus is Australia, but there are some comparisons with other affluent liberal democracies.

This unit of study comprises part 1 of a 10,000 word dissertation for the degree of Master of Public Policy. Students must seek the department's permission prior to enrolment.

This unit of study comprises part 2 of a 10,000 word dissertation for the degree of Master of Public Policy. Students must seek the department's permission prior to enrolment.

This unit examines the interplay between international and domestic policy making. It evaluates the international context of policy making and public management in domestic arenas, attending to the roles of international governmental organizations and treaties, pressure groups, and multinational corporations in shaping policy decisions. It evaluates the diffusion of policy ideas and programmes internationally and the transfers of policies from one country to another and interrogates the factors that facilitate or frustration implementation.

This unit of study covers immigration policy debates in the world's three largest immigrant selecting nations - Australia, Canada and the United States - with additional reference to developments across the European Union. Students will analyse the regulation of skilled, family, asylum and illegal immigration and the determination of the size and composition of immigration programmes. Integration and citizenship policies are also considered. In all of these debates, the role of policy instruments, institutions and actors in the policy process are considered.

This seminar introduces students to the dynamics of US-China relations, regarded by many as the most significant bilateral relationship in the world. The seminar aims to give an overview of the history of US-China relations, to deepen the students' understanding of the strategic thinking and policy-making of both China and the US, and to discuss a number of key contemporary issues in the relationship in some detail. This bilateral relationship has arguably become the most complex and challenging for both Washington and Beijing.

This unit examines the design, implementation and evaluation of policy in contemporary democracies. Reflecting the varying roles of the public sector - for example, regulator, service provider and law-maker - policy is approached as an exercise that occurs within specific institutional, historical, political and economic contexts rather than an abstract ideal. Through tailored case studies, this unit will explore issue-identification and framing, consultation, decision making, implementation and evaluation. Government is increasingly understood as a generator of public value, and effective policy is the central mechanism through which public value is delivered. Focusing on practitioner perspectives, the unit explores relevant theoretical and analytical frameworks. Throughout the unit there is an emphasis on the need for policy which is informed by the best available evidence and which, as much as possible, actively engages citizens and builds trust in public institutions and services. National and international policy transfer, the impact of globalisation and the challenges of the information explosion will be considered.

Leadership is made by followers and leaders together. It is a story that resolves these questions. What is a leader? What is the difference between leaders and managers? Are leaders made or born? What are the different kinds of leaders? Who follows leaders and why? Is democratic leadership different from other kinds? How is public-sector leadership different from leadership in business or community organisations? Is it different across different cultures? Do men and women lead in the same way? In this unit, we will review and evaluate theories of leadership. Emphasis will be on the application of theories to evidence, including participants' experiences and perceptions of leadership in different contexts. The theme of leaders as facilitators and agents of change will be explored, including real-world examples of what, how and when to make decisions. Similarly, the themes of ethical practice in managing and leading people and shaping organisational culture will be explored.

Designed for advanced practitioners, this unit will explore six key strategic themes in public administration. The legislative and regulatory frameworks of NSW and other jurisdictions will be reviewed to provide a better understanding of how these affect macro-governance of the public sector. Case studies will be used to illustrate techniques and skills for managing and facilitating policy as well as delivering services within these frameworks. Explanations will be given of different models and techniques for negotiating agency, cross-agency and centre-of-government consultation and decision-making processes. Various theoretical and applied frameworks for ethics and policy will be examined as well as for personal and corporate responsibility, the political process and managing relationships with ministers. The notion of the 'contract state' will be reviewed, particularly in the context of designing and executing complex private-sector contracts. Consideration will be given to the nature and culture of organisations, particularly the ways they manage changes in their work force and workplace that have been introduced in response to external and internal stimuli. The impact of globalisation, and the response of various public sectors to terrorism will be reviewed as well as the influence these have had on international business dealings and trans-national contracting. Theories and practical examples will be presented of adjusting to, understanding and anticipating social, political and economic change and its impact.

This unit examines contemporary budgeting and financial management practices in Australia and selected comparative jurisdictions (for example, Canada and the United Kingdom) as a continuing site of political, bureaucratic, and parliamentary conflict. In particular, it is framed around the continuing quest to increase the 'rationality' of resource allocation. The unit traces the shift from traditional cash-based financial management to the rise of accrual-based performance budgeting, and examines issues such as the nature of 'budgeting control', the place of non-financial performance information in resource allocation, the consequences of accounting reforms for public accountability and the contested orthodoxy of applying 'market discipline' in budget-dependent government services. Students will review the changing role of central budget agencies, in particular, the influence of the accounting profession, corporate interests and international organisations on the reform agenda. At a practical level the unit provides insight into techniques for budget management and preparation, including the strategies and issues involved in risk management, procuring capital works and managing assets and facilities. The role and application of pricing policy and strategies are addressed in case studies.

A project, undertaken individually or with a group, that results in a written report with appropriate supporting material and documentation to aid implementation or progression to approval (for example, a draft Cabinet Minute, ministerial briefing note, internal or external discussion paper). The report should demonstrate primary research, the development of proposals based on independent research and an in-depth examination of the project theme. For students undertaking individual projects the expected length would be 5000 words or less, while group projects would be 10,000 words or less (including supporting and implementation documentation). The project report must include a Learning Objectives Impact Analysis (about 250 words) that demonstrates the manner and extent to which the completed project achieves the general learning objectives identified below for the Work Based Project unit of study. The project must also demonstrate the application of theory and practice with respect to policy development and the assessment of resource impacts of recommendations or proposed actions. The project report must also demonstrate the use of processes and techniques that engage others in consultation and feedback during the evolution of the report and the project. Each project will be assigned both an academic and work-based supervisor, underpinned by a formal commitment to complete the defined scope of the project. Milestones will be identified with feedback provided as the project develops.

The Internship in Public Administration is a capstone project - it brings together themes developed in the first four core units of study (Policy in Practice: Delivering Public Value; Public Sector Leadership; Strategic Administration and Managing Public Expenditure) and allows students to practise the application of theory to a real life situation, problem or issue. The Internship needs to be based on a 'real world' situation and should add value to the sponsoring agency. All Internship Projects require agreement between the student, the sponsoring agency and the Director, GSG. Depending on the nature of the project approval may also be required from the University's Human Research Ethics Committee.

This unit consists of a 5000 word Research essay under the guidance of a supervisor from GSG. Usually students will use this unit to expand on a topic covered in a core or elective unit. Entry into this unit is not automatic, and requires the student to identify and gain agreement from an available staff member to supervise the proposed topic. The student must demonstrate sufficient existing knowledge in the area based on a combination of previous studies and work experience.

This unit covers all the nine knowledge areas of the Australian Project Management competency standards including planning and scheduling, quality, risks and status reporting. Team and people management issues, managing external dependencies and costs are also covered. Workshop groups use exercises based around a case study to apply principles to various situations.

This unit of study will teach students how to critically appraise clinical research pertinent to health professionals and to practice evidence-based decision-making. Self-directed modules address qualitative and quantitative study designs, experiences of therapies, effects of interventions, accuracy of diagnostic tests, prognoses, clinical decision analysis and systematic reviews.

This unit provides an introduction to health care systems with an emphasis on the Australian health care system. Topics to be studied include Commonwealth, State and Local government responsibilities for health with a particular focus on the structure and organisation of health care, health care financing and the health workforce. The Australian health care system analysed with particular attention to the concepts of effectiveness, efficiency and equity. The unit encourages a critical appraisal of current public policies and health care arrangements within an international context.

This unit aims to develop a critical and comparative understanding of the history, theory and practice of health policy. It gives an overview of the political choices and frameworks - national and global - that shape policymaking.
Learning objectives: By the end of this unit students will be able to: (i) Define the boundaries and key features of health policy; (ii) Understand the basic history and features of the Australian health system; (iii) Identify policy instruments and how they function; (iv) Understand the main frameworks used for analysing policy; (v) Understand the factors influencing how policy issues are prioritized in health; (vi) Demonstrate the capacity to apply these understandings in particular settings through case studies.
Content: This unit explores the main structures and institutions that make health policy. The unit examines debates over policy frameworks, and the evidence and advocacy in setting priorities. Conflicts over health policy will be placed in broader contexts - comparing different health systems and assessing global influences. Case studies will be used to examine the relationships between policy and practice.

This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the main concepts and analytical methods of health economics, political economy and finance to examine the workings of health systems in Australia and comparable countries. Topics covered include the debates over the public-private mix and governance and accountability - who makes decisions about funding priorities? To whom should decision makers be held accountable and for what aspects of their work? How does health finance shape broader policy reform?
Learning outcomes: By the end of this unit students will be able to: (i) apply basic concepts and methodologies of health economics and political economy in policy analysis; (ii) understand the role of economic analysis in evaluating health policy change; (iii) understand the main models and debates regarding health system funding and the implications for equity, delivery and governance of health services; (iv) apply this knowledge to current Australian and global health systems and debates over reform; (v) be familiar with theoretical frameworks underlying health economics and current debates over health finance.

This unit aims to develop skills for undertaking policy research and analysis. The unit takes a multidisciplinary approach to familiarise students with fundamental frameworks and methodologies that can be applied to analyse policy from public health, social and political sciences, public policy and history.
Learning outcomes. By the end of the unit students will be able to: (i) Apply a critical analysis to questions of policy success or failure; (ii) Understand and explain the different methodological approaches that can be applied in policy research; (iii) Identify appropriate research methodologies, data collection methods and analysis for specific policy research questions; (iv) Design a health policy research project.

The aim of this unit is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to identify and articulate political and policy processes at the global level, become familiar with institutions and actors involved in global health policy, and utilize strategies for influencing policy making at the global level. We analyse the influence and power of institutions and actors in the development and implementation of global health policy, and investigate the governance of global health policy responses. Teaching makes extensive use of current case studies from recognised experts in the field.
Learning outcomes. By the end of this unit students will be able to: (i) Explain the effects of globalization on health of populations; (ii) Demonstrate how events and trends in health and non-health areas affect global health policy; (iii) Identify and classify the different types of actors/institutions that influence health policy; (iv) Undertake a policy stakeholder analysis with reference to power, influence and interests; (v) Develop strategies to influence global health policy development; (vi) Define global health governance and its role in structuring and regulating global health policy.

This unit provides a foundational understanding of the content and philosophical justifications of human rights norms. Philosophical, historical and positivist perspectives will be brought together in this unit to allow students to grasp the content of human rights and the justification for norms that become law and to think about how to develop other justifications in the different cultural and social contexts. Using a case study method it will cover institutional protection mechanisms, including UN treaty and charter bodies.

Using a case study approach, this unit provides students with the ability to understand and judiciously utilise a range of research methods relevant to human rights and democratisation, with a particular focus on fieldwork and interviewing. It provides students with information literacy with respect to key sources of information in these fields. It also focuses on the production of effective research for advocacy purposes. All students will produce a research proposal that can be utilised in further study.

Using a case study approach, this unit helps students to analyse the causes and sustaining dynamics of human rights violations along a number of dimensions; cultural, economic, organisational, social and political. Students will then acquire analytic and practical capacities and skills to assess the merits and feasibility of different types of interventions and design intervention strategies. It considers the impact of different types of interventions and the processes available for assessing the human rights impact of other laws, policies or developments.

The unit exposes students to different theories of democracy/democratisation, raising issues of equality, justice, citizenship and popular sovereignty. Students learn about institutions and systems needed to maintain democracies such as the rule of law, constitutionalism, independence of the judiciary, accountability, impunity, electoral systems, and the role of civil society. The unit explores the relationship between human rights and democratisation and explores human rights and democratisation in different economic, social and cultural contexts, including times of emergencies and armed conflict.

This intensive unit will bring students together with human rights and democratisation practitioners from the Asia Pacific region and beyond to provide a focused engagement with issues of critical concern. Topics for the intensive will change annually subject to contemporary trends. The unit emphasises the translation of theory to practice and asks students to engage with the practicalities of application and importance of context. Examples of topics are: national human rights institutions, migrations and refugees and development. This unit may be taught offshore.

This unit addresses central themes from the history and philosophy of human rights. Topics may include the relationship between human rights and religion, natural law, moral and aesthetic justifications of human rights, claims and challenges to universality of the part of human rights, and tensions between human rights and state sovereignty. Thinkers may include Saint Paul, Kant, Burke, Tocqueville, Arendt, Schmitt, and Rawls.

This unit examines a range of critical issues of concern in the region and areas where there is particular contestation over human rights and democracy. Issues examined may include but are not limited to: development, human rights and the environment, migration, trafficking, gender and human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples. Themes may include cultural difference and the challenges of promoting human rights in societies where the rule of law, freedom of the press and civil society may not be strongly developed. This unit is taught offshore in one of the MHRD partner institutions.

Students will conduct original independent research in the areas of human rights and/or democratisation under the academic supervision of a relevant expert. Students enrolled in HRTD6909 are given a pass/fail grade and not numerically assessed on the basis of their progress towards the completion of their dissertation. This unit ensures that students are making adequate and timely progress towards completion of their 18,000 word dissertation.

Students will be placed in an international, regional, non-government or government organisation that is working in the fields of human rights and/or democratisation. Placement will be negotiated with the student and relevant academics, taking into consideration the student's interests and learning objectives. Students will work on projects being undertaken by the organisation and will produce a portfolio of project based work that may include reports, press releases, strategic advice or other policy related documents or products.

Students will conduct original independent research in the areas of human rights and/or democratisation under the academic supervision of a relevant expert.

Students will be placed in an international, regional, non-government or government organisation that is working in the fields of human rights and/or democratisation. Placement will be negotiated with the student and relevant academics, taking into consideration the student's interests and learning objectives. Students will work on projects being undertaken by the organisation and will produce a contribution based work that may include reports, press releases, strategic advice or other policy related documents or products.

This unit of study will provide students the opportunity to assume institutional roles within the international human rights framework, and understand its opportunities and constraints in responding to social problems rooted in inequality, precarity and violence. This unit reaches beyond traditional classroom instruction by simulating a range of human rights issues to which students must respond, engaging students in exercises designed to practice skills for future human rights advocacy, including data collection, interview techniques, and engaging with the media.

In contemporary society heritage is understood as a form of cultural practice and production that operates at local, national and global scales. Heritage has moved beyond the identification and conservation of 'things we want to keep' to incorporate ideas about intangible values, identity formation, the role of memory and different knowledge systems from critical and theoretical perspectives. This unit of study will examine how heritage is produced, consumed, negotiated and conserved through political processes, structures of governance and cultural practices.

A work of history may range in scope from a single life to the forces of internationalism, from a single moment to the span of human history, from a single locality to the globe. Why, and how, do historians tell such different stories? In this unit we explore the ideologies and social perspectives that underpin the historian's craft. Examining trends in historical scholarship, we consider how engagement with different methodologies has contributed to the social, cultural, intellectual and political 'turns'.

This unit looks at historical monuments - considered broadly to encompass ruins, statues, war memorials and other commemorative edifices, both formal and informal, as well as features of the natural landscape - and the role they play in the construction and conservation of historical identity and heritage. It will examine theoretical approaches to 'collective memory' and 'sites of memory' with examples drawn primarily from Europe, Australia and Asia. Students will write research papers on both specific monuments and thematic issues.