Head: Professor Ray Nichols
Graduate coordinator: Mr Andrew Perry
The Department of Politics offers five main areas of specialisation for postgraduate work: Australian politics and culture; international relations, including both a diploma and a separate MA in international relations, taught under the auspices of the Centre for International Relations within the department; Asian, regional and development studies; contemporary political cultures; and social and political theory. However the research interests of staff extend beyond these areas.
All graduate students are expected to contribute papers to the postgraduate work-in-progress seminar and to attend regularly.
Graduate studies in politics are offered at the levels of graduate diploma, MA and PhD.
Members of staff and their fields of special interest
Susan Blackburn Foreign aid; Southeast Asian development policies; gender and Asian politics; non-government organisations and social movements in Southeast Asia.
Andrew Butfoy Defence, security and strategic studies.
Brian Costar Australian politics with special reference to elections and parties, especially the National Party, State politics and the politics of labour.
John Dalton Australian politics and foreign policy; Malaysia; Fiji; Australia and the South Pacific.
Alastair Davidson Social and political theory with special reference to modern European theory; human rights, citizenship and the republican question; Marxist studies; the state and constitutional reform in Australia. Aspects of modern European politics, especially Italian; globalism.
Robyn Eckersley Green politics and philosophy, modern social and public policy, political theory, new social movements, environmental philosophy, environmental law and ecological economics.
Nick Economou Australian politics, especially public policy, environmental policy and politics, and federal and state elections.
Hugh Emy Australian politics; political theory; liberalism, democracy and the state.
Hyam Gold Political sociology; quantitative techniques and electoral studies; Australia-New Zealand relations.
David Goldsworthy Australian foreign policy; politics of development; decolonisation; North-South relations.
Paul James Social and political theory; nationalism, the state and community; Australian politics with special reference to cultural studies, and the impact of technology on politics and democracy.
Michael Janover History of political thought; ancient Greek culture, politics and philosophy; critical theories of modernity and postmodernity.
Peter Lentini Eastern Europe; Russian politics; European integration; political economy.
Paul Muldoon:Aboriginal studies and postcolonialism; cultural studies, political theory and historiography.
David Muschamp Foundations of ethical theory; public policy on valuing lives; history of political theory, especially the liberal theorists.
Ray Nichols Culture and political action; language; politics and philosophy of political theory (modern-contemporary European); ideology; epistemology, hermeneutics; contemporary America; early twentieth-century France.
Tony O'Grady Chinese politics with special reference to military and Communist Party leadership and to the relationship between the Chinese Communist Party and the Christian churches in China; Indian parties and elections.
Andrew Perry Modern politics and economics of Japan, Korea and the Philippines; East Asian international relations; American foreign policy, especially in relation to Asia; politics of international and transnational trade and finance; Japanese relations with Southeast Asia and Australia.
Harry Redner Nature of past civilisations; the present global system as a civilisational world; technology and science; nuclear arms race; urban metropolises; international balance of power; third world and non-European societies.
Gillian Robinson Theories of modernity, particularly democracy, citizenship and the nation state; ancient Greek politics and philosophy; Australian politics and culture; feminist critiques of modern political theory; European social and political theory; contemporary ethical and moral philosophy
Colin Rubenstein Aspects of public policy formation and implementation, including foreign and defence policies; science and technology policies, energy policy, multiculturalism; Middle East.
Roger Spegele The theory of international relations with special reference to critiques of realism. International political economy, historical and contemporary including Australia's current trading problems; ethics and politics, globalism; political theory and aspects of literary studies.
Dennis Woodward Australian politics with special reference to elections and parties; Chinese politics with special references to the People's Liberation Army and to industrial and agricultural policies.
David Wright-Neville The relationship between politics and culture in East Asia; contemporary East Asian capitalism; Australian foreign policy, especially Australian-Asian interactions; Japanese politics.
Doctor of Philosophy
Normally, PhD work consists of the preparation of a dissertation of around 75,000-90,000 words. In some cases, however, coursework may also be prescribed by the head of the department in consultation with the candidate's supervisor. Persons applying for admission to PhD candidature in politics will normally be expected to have completed an honours degree in politics with at least a second class division A result, or a masters degree in politics which includes a significant research component. The period of candidature is between two and five years full-time or up to eight years part-time.
In cases where a BA honours graduate or successful candidate at the MA Part I examination is admitted to MA candidature but not initially to PhD candidature, the head of the department may subsequently recommend such a person for transfer to PhD candidature, where this is supported by the thesis supervisor and the candidate has submitted a substantial piece of research of approximately 20,000 words.
Master of Arts
Candidates for the MA in politics should normally have obtained an honours degree in politics with at least second class honours, or a pass BA with at least credit results in the third-year subjects of a politics major.
Candidates who do not have an appropriate honours degree must normally pass the MA Part I and must achieve a mark at least equivalent to second class honours in order to proceed to full masters (MA Part II) candidature.
MA Part I
The MA Part I may be completed in one year full-time or two years part-time. The program comprises the core subject PLM4060.12 and three semester-length subjects to be chosen from the following:
Core subject
* PLM4060.12 Politics research project (9000 words)
Subjects
* PLM4130.12 Rethinking politics: gender and feminism
* PLM4140.12 Grand theories of politics
* PLM4200.12 Electoral behaviour
* PLM4250.12 Tourism and development in the Pacific
* PLM4280.12 Japan, Korea and China: East Asian states and development
* PLM4290.12 China: the quest for modernisation
* PLM4310.12 Globalism and governance
* PLM4320.12 Republicanism and constitutionalism in Australia
* PLM4380.12 Capitalism, rationalisation and the evolution of East Asian identity
* PLM4500.12 International relations and development
* PLM4700.12 Green political theory
* PLM4740.12 Politics of policy
* PLM4800.12 Theorising the Australian polity
* PLM4920.12 Knowledge and power
* PLM4940.12 Language and politics: meaning, power and cultural conflict
All candidates are expected to attend PLM4170.04 (Approaches to politics) (not for assessment).
MA Part II by thesis
The MA in politics may be taken by the submission of a thesis (the normal length is 40,000-60,000 words) on a topic approved by the head of the department, at the end of a period of supervised study and research (between twelve and thirty-six months for full-time candidates, or between twenty-four and sixty months for part-time candidates). The maximum time for any candidate to complete the MA is thirty-six months of full-time and sixty months of part-time studies, irrespective of whether the candidate has entered the MA at Part I or Part II level. Candidates for admission to this degree must have obtained at least second class honours division A, or its equivalent.
MA Part II by coursework
Candidates for admission to this degree must have obtained at least second class honours division B, or its equivalent. Candidates must complete satisfactorily four of the semester-length subjects listed below. The period of candidature for the MA Part II is between twelve and eighteen months for full-time candidates, or between twenty-four and forty-eight months for part-time candidates. For candidates who entered the MA at Part I level, the maximum time to complete both Part I and Part II of the MA is thirty-six months of full-time and sixty months of part-time studies.
Subjects
* PLM5120.12 Australia and Europe
* PLM5140.12 Grand theories of politics
* PLM5150.12 Transition to democracy in Europe: civil societies to civic culture
* PLM5190.12 Australian-Asian relations
* PLM5200.12 Electoral behaviour
* PLM5250.12 Tourism and development in the Pacific
* PLM5280.12 Japan, Korea and China: East Asian states and development
* PLM5290.12 China: the quest for modernisation
* PLM5310.12 Globalism and governance
* PLM5320.12 Republicanism and constitutionalism in Australia
* PLM5380.12 Capitalism, rationalisation and the evolution of East Asian identity
* PLM5500.12 International relations and development
* PLM5520.12 Perspectives on world politics
* PLM5600.12 Strategic studies and the military dimension of international security
* PLM5640.12 International finance: dollars, debt and development
* PLM5700.12 Green political theory
* PLM5740.12 Politics of policy
* PLM5800.12 Theorising the Australian polity
* PLM5940.12 Language and politics: meaning, power and cultural conflict
Master of Arts (International Relations) Part II
The aim of this degree is to analyse the variety of changes now occurring in and to the international state system, concurrently with recent theoretical developments in the field of international relations. The degree is available (i) as a coursework degree,or (ii) as a research degree comprised of a 75 per cent thesis plus one subject. Both may be completed in twelve to eighteen months of full-time study, or twenty-four to forty-eight months part-time.
Entry requirements
Those students who have completed the MA Part I with at least credits in all subjects or who hold an honours degree at second class division B level (or better) or the equivalent may be admitted to the MA Part II by coursework. To be admitted to the MA Part II by research students should either have completed the MA Part I with credits in all subjects, or have an honours degree at second class division A level, or the equivalent.
As a coursework degree
Candidates must complete satisfactorily four of the semester-length subjects listed below.
Core subject
* PLM5520.12 Perspectives on world politics
Subjects
* PLM5120.12 Australia and Europe
* PLM5150.12 Transition to democracy in Europe: civil societies to civic culture
* PLM5190.12 Australian-Asian relations
* PLM5310.12 Globalism and governance
* PLM5600.12 Strategic studies and the military dimension of international security
* PLM5620.12 Research project in international relations (9000 words)
* PLM5640.12 International finance: dollars, debt and development
As a research degree
Candidates must complete satisfactorily PLM5520.12 (Perspectives on world politics), together with a thesis of 35,000-40,000 words on a topic in international relations. The weighting of the thesis is 75 per cent.
Graduate Diploma of Arts (International Relations)
This program is aimed at students (and teachers) who wish to develop a more specialised interest in international relations, or who wish to update their existing knowledge. It is available to students who have completed either an honours degree in politics or a pass degree with a major in politics. Subject to the approval of the head of the department, students who have completed honours or a major in a cognate discipline may be admitted. The program may be completed in one year full-time or two years part-time. The program makes available a variety of subjects at both the fourth-year and the third-year level. (The latter are assessed by fourth-year workload requirements.) At least two of the subjects must be taken at fourth-year level. Students may choose to focus on recent theoretical developments in international relations, coupled with changes now occurring in the contemporary state system; or they may focus more on Australia's changing relationships with the Asia-Pacific region.
Graduate Diploma of Arts (Politics)
This program is available to students who have completed either an honours degree in politics or a pass degree with a major in politics. Subject to the approval of the head of the department, students who have completed honours or a major in a cognate discipline may be admitted. The program may be completed in one year full-time or approximately two years part-time. Candidates must complete satisfactorily four twelve-point semester-length subjects chosen from the subjects offered by the department at third-year level (list A) and fourth-year level (list B). At least two of the subjects must be chosen from list B. Subjects selected from list A are assessed by fourth-year workload requirements in order to give them a twelve-point weighting.
List A
* PLM4240.12 The impossible dream of European unity
* PLM4450.12 Revolution, the state and the individual
* PLM4790.12 Three conceptions of international relations
* PLM4860.12 America, Japan and China: Asian Pacific competitors?
* PLM4890.12 Empirical research and analysis
* PLM4930.12 Southeast Asian politics
* PLM4950.12 International ethics in a divided world
* PLM4970.12 Australia and the world
* PLM4990.12 The politics of environmentalism
List B
* PLM4130.12 Rethinking politics: gender and feminism
* PLM4140.12 Grand theories of politics
* PLM4200.12 Electoral behaviour
* PLM4250.12 Tourism and development in the Pacific
* PLM4280.12 Japan, Korea and China: East Asian states and development
* PLM4290.12 China: the quest for modernisation
* PLM4310.12 Globalism and governance
* PLM4320.12 Republicanism and constitutionalism in Australia
* PLM4380.12 Capitalism, rationalisation and the evolution of East Asian identity
* PLM4500.12 International relations and development
* PLM4700.12 Green political theory
* PLM4740.12 Politics of policy
* PLM4800.12 Theorising the Australian polity
* PLM4920.12 Knowledge and power
* PLM4940.12 Language and politics: meaning, power and cultural conflict