The success of politics and political systems in the Pacific Islands is measured by their capacity to deliver development in poor states. We explore this dynamic by looking at the politics of development and the development of politics. In the first half we examine the politics of development, with reference to the impact of colonialism, decolonisation and secessionism; the place of the Island countries in international politics, especially in relation to the rise of China in the Pacific and the response of the USA; the political impact of official development assistance; and tensions between ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ modes of governance. In the second half we investigate the development of politics, including attempts to engineer development outcomes via constitutions and electoral systems; intervention in Island countries by outside powers such as Australia; the phenomenon of state-building, particularly in ethnically divided societies; and women’s representation in politics.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- understand the diversity of the Pacific region, including its political institutions and prevailing cultures;
- produce a persuasive argument about the relationship between politics and development in the Pacific Islands; and
- demonstrate familiarity with the key debates about political challenges in the Pacific region
Indicative Assessment
- Item A - ‘Know the Region’ Short Test (10) [LO 1]
- Item B - Essay (2,500 words) (50) [LO 2,3]
- Item C - Take home examination (2,000 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3]
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Workload
2 lectures and one tutorial per week. Tutorial readings will be available on the course website.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Not applicable
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $3900 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $5580 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6959 | 26 Jul 2021 | 02 Aug 2021 | 14 Sep 2021 | 29 Oct 2021 | In Person | View |
