AIR350 - Australia and the Indo-Pacific: Identity, Interests, and Order
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Previously coded as: | AIR202 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: David Hundt |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | AIR205, AIR243 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour on-campus lecture per week 1 x 1-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour lecture per week (recordings provided) 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the trimester undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
This unit introduces students to the evolution of Australia’s place in the mega-region known as the Indo–Pacific. In doing so the unit adopts a three-way focus on identity, interests, and order. First, it explores how and why the concept of identity matters for specific nation-states (including Australia) but also regions and regional groupings. This is particularly important in Australia’s region given that the Indo–Pacific construct recently superseded the ‘Asia–Pacific’ as the dominant (if not undisputed) paradigm. Second, the unit analyses the interests that bind – to varying degrees – the constituent members of the region. If Australia and the nation-states around are to be meaningful described as a region, what precisely do they have in common and are strong are those shared connections? Third, we focus on the norms and unwritten conventions – or order – that establish the ‘rules of the game’ for the region. What types of order have traditionally applied to Australia’s region and how well have regional orders – including the current one – facilitated stability and common prosperity? By focusing on the interaction of identity, interests, and order in the region, the unit will allow students to better understand not only Australia’s current place in the Indo–Pacific but also its future prospects.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Identify and analyse a range of historical, cultural, and structural factors that influence Australia's relations with the Indo-Pacific region and the world more broadly | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Identify and critically evaluate arguments from a wide range of sources, including academic literature and also official publications such as Defence White Papers | GLO3: Digital literacy |
| ULO3 | Identify and analyse major issues and challenges in Australia's foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific from a critical perspective and based on relevant evidence | GLO4: Critical thinking |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Essay | 2000 words or equivalent | 50% | Week 8 |
| Assessment 2: Report (Media Analysis) | 1200 words or equivalent | 30% | Week 11 |
| Assessment 3: Class Exercises/Online Exercises | 800 words or equivalent | 20% | Ongoing |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for AIR350 can be found on the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant study period reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.