AIP746 - Governing Crises
Unit details
| Year | 2027 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes | Trimester 1: Online |
| Credit point(s) | 1 |
| EFTSL value | 0.125 |
| Unit chair | Trimester 1: Baogang He |
| Prerequisite | Nil |
| Corequisite | Nil |
| Incompatible with | AIP446 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment | 1 x 2-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Content
Modern states face mounting pressures to respond to a series of complex domestic crises. In Australia and elsewhere, challenges such as housing affordability, Indigenous disadvantage, disease pandemics, climate change, refugee and migration policy, and domestic terrorism test the capacity of political institutions to govern effectively while retaining public trust. This unit examines how such crises are governed and asks whether complex policy challenges can, or should, be addressed according to the principles of good governance: legitimacy, efficiency, democracy and accountability. With a primary focus on contemporary Australia, the unit introduces students to key debates in policy and governance and explores how governments manage problems that are politically contested, socially divisive and institutionally demanding. Students will evaluate competing policy responses, assess the strengths and weaknesses of existing approaches, and consider the tensions between effective crisis management, democratic legitimacy and public accountability. Assessment in the unit is designed to build students’ analytical and practical policy skills. Students complete short written exercises on contemporary political and policy issues before developing a substantial policy brief that addresses a major domestic challenge through evidence-based analysis and recommendation. Students will benefit by gaining the conceptual and practical tools needed to analyse crises of governance and to think critically about how complex policy problems should be governed.
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 | Demonstrate a broad and coherent knowledge of issues of governance, models of democracy and explanations of democratisation Analyse statements about governance, democracy and democratisation and debate the merits of various views about governance, democracy and democratisation | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Demonstrate an ability to evaluate, gather, organise, and use various forms of evidence to explain various aspects of different cases of democratic governance Compile and evaluate evidence relevant to the processes of democratic governance and decide how far a particular case exhibits these processes | GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO3 | Evaluate different models of democracy and different explanations of democratisation Dispute various positions and develop arguments in ongoing debates about democratic governance | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO4 | Communicate effectively in oral and written work Effectively communicate the findings and analyses of political science and apply them to real-world contexts, and do this in a range of formats for a range of readers | GLO2: Communication |
Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some units still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Essay | 2000 words or equivalent | 40% | Week 5 |
| Assessment 2: Essay | 3000 words or equivalent | 60% | Week 11 |
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 AIP746 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester 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.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
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.