How do social movements, advocacy groups, political parties, interest groups and government departments achieve their policy goals? Operating beyond the formal structures, actors and participative modes of representative democracy, campaigning has become perhaps the predominant form of contemporary political activity. Challenging policy-cycle models of policy development, the course considers how campaigns shape policy and political outcomes by mobilising individuals, creating networks and influencing public opinion.
The course considers the origins, forms and techniques of campaigns, drawing on Australian and international case studies, and on the practitioner expertise of campaign managers. We will study professionalised managers of political parties and interest groups; political activists and organisers in grassroots social movements, NGOS, pressure groups and protest movements; and private sector issues managers. Alongside this practical focus we will also critically appraise the normative implications of these developments for democratic governance.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
After successfully completing this course, students will:
- be able to identify distinctive campaigns, appraise their strengths and weaknesses, and explain their relevance to the formation of public policy
- understand recent developments and contemporary practice in campaign management in Australian and international contexts
- have the skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse and theorise about developments in campaign practice, and thus contribute to professional practice or scholarship
- be able to reflect critically on the normative implications of campaigns for democratic practice
- have the communication and technical research skills to justify and interpret findings and conclusions to specialist and non-specialist audiences
Indicative Assessment
Campaign Evaluation – short essay evaluating the design and execution of one of the campaigns studied in class. 1000 words, 15%
Campaign Research Paper – research paper exploring in detail the practical and theoretical aspects of an aspect or phase of campaign activity selected from among the following: (i) strategy formation, (ii) intelligence gathering, (iii) communications, (iv) stakeholder management and (v) resourcing. 2,500 words, 40%
Campaign Design Exercise– a collaborative exercise in which students work in groups to (i) design a campaign to influence policy in a chosen policy field, and (ii) make a group presentation of their results. Time will be set aside in class for collaborative work leading to the presentation, though students will likely need to meet outside of class to complete the work. The 20-minute in-class group presentations take place in the final week of semester and serve as a capstone experience for the class. The group structure of this assignment reflects the collaborative nature of campaign work and group members share a common mark for this assignment. 25%
Reflective Essay – an essay in which students reflect on what they have learned from their group assignment, and from the course generally, about issues of campaign design and implementation. 1,500 words, 20%
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Preliminary Reading
Reading brick to contain excerpts from the following (indicative):
• Henry, Ken (2007), ‘Challenges confronting economic policy advisers’, Public Policy 2 (2)
• Igo, Sarah (2007), The Averaged American: surveys, citizens and the makings of a mass public, Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press
• Klein, Naomi (2001), No Logo, London: Flamingo
• Mills, S (1986), The New Machine Men: Polls and Persuasion in Australian Politics, Ringwood: Penguin
• Muir, K (2008), Worth Fighting For: Inside the ‘Your Rights at Work’ Campaign, Sydney: UNSW Press
• Rose, C (2010), How to Win Campaigns: Communications for Change (2nd ed), London: Earthscan
• Young, Sally (2007), Government Communication in Australia, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and 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). You can find your student contribution amount for each course 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 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $3660 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2018 | $5160 |
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.