National security is about the nexus of international and domestic security, and Australia’s security is bound up with its region, increasingly defined by governments as the Indo-Pacific.

This course thus introduces students to the challenges and choices facing national security policy-makers in an era of connectivity and contestation across the Pacific and Indian oceans. The debate about the Indo-Pacific as a coherent regional framework will be introduced, along with implications for the security interests of key regional powers, notably China, India, Japan, Indonesia, the United States and Australia. The interstate and transnational dimensions of Indo-Pacific security challenges will be considered, including how risks related to climate change, maritime resource management, pandemics and piracy connect with interstate competition.

In keeping with the National Security College signature pedagogy, this course will integrate academic expertise and the perspectives of senior policy practitioners. It will draw on resident expertise in National Security College and Strategic and Defence Studies Centre. The course will conclude with a geopolitical risk scenario, in which students represent the national security interests of multiple countries to present policy responses that integrate strategic, economic, diplomatic and narrative dimensions. This 3-unit course also serves to introduce students to options for deeper study on related topics in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the interactions and interests of key powers across the regional security environment
2. Analyse how these strategic factors intersect with one another and with economic factors in shaping a complex regional security dynamic involving cross-cutting interstate and transnational security issues
3. Evaluate the risks and advantages of various security policy options, including degrees of cooperation or competition, in responding to complex regional security challenges
4. Generate ideas for credible policy options in managing complex regional security challenges in the Indo-Pacific, and communicate those ideas for professional and scholarly audiences.

Research-Led Teaching

The teaching will be based on a combination of the convener's research (see for instance the recommended book) and on the insights of a range of policy practitioners.

Field Trips

No field trips, but day 3 will be a practical activity (crisis simulation and policy scenario)

Additional Course Costs

none

Examination Material or equipment

none

Required Resources

The course will extensively reference the following required reading (book):

Rory Medcalf, Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China Won't Map the Future, Melbourne: Black Inc/La Trobe University Press, 2020.

Copies have been ordered in by the Harry Hartog bookshop on campus. The book can also be obtained online here, including as an ebook.

Recommended Resources

Recommended readings include:

The Washington Quarterly, Special Issue on the Indo-Pacific, Volume 3 Issue 4 (Winter 2021)

Frances Adamson, ‘Shaping Australia’s role in Indo-Pacific security in the next decade’, ANU Women in International Security Series (speech), October 2018.

Brendan Taylor, ‘Is Australia’s Indo-Pacific strategy an Illusion?’ International Affairs, Vol. 96, No. 1, January 2020.

Brendan Sargeant, ‘The place of the Pacific islands in the Indo-Pacific’, The Strategist, July 2019.

Van Jackson, 'America's Indo-Pacific folly', Foreign Affairs, 12 March 2021.

Darshanah Baruah, 'Showing up is half the battle: US maritime forces in the Indian Ocean,' War on the Rocks, 18 March 2021.

Priya Chacko (ed.), New Regional Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific: Drivers, Dynamics and Consequences, London: Routledge, 2016.

Rory Medcalf, Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China Won’t Map the Future, Melbourne: La Trobe University Press, 2020.

Kai He, Huiyun Feng, ‘The institutionalization of the Indo-Pacific: problems and prospects’, International Affairs, Vol. 96, No. 1, January 2020.

Anthony Bergin, David Brewster, Paul Barnes and Francois Gemenne, ‘Environmental security in the eastern Indian Ocean, Antarctica and the Southern Ocean: A risk mapping approach’, ANU National Security College report, 2019.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Preparatory phase, before 8 April 2021: Commence required and recommended reading. View pre-recorded video materials (convener interviews with a range of experts and policy practitioners).	None
2	Day 1 of teaching: 8 April: seminars and discussions on first thee topics of the course: reimagining Australia’s region: a short history of the Indo-Pacific ; geoeconomics of the Indo-Pacific; hard power/maritime power in the Indo-Pacific. Teaching will be split into morning (in person) and afternoon (remote) repeat sessions.	Interaction with convener and practitioners/experts
3	Day 2 of teaching: 9 April: seminars and discussion on topics four and five, i.e: winning without fighting: diplomacy and the narrative battle; transnational security: risks to the regional commons. Initial discussion of how the elements of the course connect. Preparatory discussion of assessment item 1. Teaching will be split into morning (in person) and afternoon (remote) repeat sessions.	Initial preparation for assessment item 1 ('strategic background document', 2000 words).
4	Assessment item 1 delivery and scenario preparation phase, 10-21 April. Students have 12 days to write their first assessment item, consolidate their learning so far, and prepare for the 'risk scenario simulation' activity on 23 April. Students will receive preparatory materials for the scenario activity via Wattle.	Complete and submit assessment item 1
5	Participation in practical part of course, a 'risk scenario simulation' activity. This will be conducted as a virtual activity for all students on 23 April. Participation in this activity is compulsory as it provides a basis for assessment item 2.	Initial preparation for assessment item 2 ('lessons learned' debrief on scenario, 1000 words)
6	Preparation and submission of assessment item 2	Preparation and submission of assessment item 2

Tutorial Registration

No tutorials

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Indo-Pacific Strategic Background Document	60 %	21/04/2021	28/04/2021	1, 2, 3, 4
'Lessons learned' debrief on scenario	40 %	03/05/2021	10/05/2021	3, 4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Although there is technically no mark for class participation, students are strongly encouraged to join all sessions, and participation in the scenario risk simulation is compulsory in order to prepare and submit assessment item 2. Students who for whatever reason cannot participate in the scenario risk simulation will need to contact the convener to determine whether some other arrangement can be made for assessment item 2.

Assessment Task 1

Indo-Pacific Strategic Background Document

The word limit for this assessment item is 2000 words. You are required to provide a strategic background document for the Australian Government, explaining how the complexities of Indo-Pacific security across multiple dimensions - such as military, geoeconomics, diplomacy, information operations/narrative, transnational/commons issues - affect the nation's interests. You should also identify, in broad terms, some policy options that your analysis points to. But this is not primarily a recommendations document, more an analytical primer. The important thing here is to demonstrate your ability to make policy-relevant and analytical sense of the linkages across course themes, and gain confidence in providing integrated assessments and advice about complex regional security issues to a policy reader. If you would prefer to write your document for a foreign government - eg. US, China, India, Japan, Indonesia or another power of your choice - you must seek written approval from the course convener no latter than 15 April.

Assessment Task 2

'Lessons learned' debrief on scenario

The word limit for this piece is 1000 words. This assessment item is narrowly targeted, building on the knowledge and understanding already demonstrated through the course and the previous task. On 23 April, students will participate in a multi-nation scenario activity, translating the knowledge and understanding provided in the course into a practical policy situation, involving decision-making under uncertainty and the interplay of different nations' interests across multiple dimensions of security competition or cooperation. Students will be asked to provide a debrief on how their designated country fared in the scenario, how and why their chosen strategy was successful or not, and how different policy choices could have played out. This item is intended to sharpen students' skills to apply their knowledge and understandings to a policy challenge and in particular to interpret - and communicate - how policymakers must engage with a complex and dynamic security environment in the Indo-Pacific. If you cannot attend the 23 April scenario activity, and are thus unable to undertake this assessment item, please contact the course convener by email no later than 7 April.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students