Bougainville held its referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea in November 2019. The option for independence won by an overwhelming majority. With this, Papua New Guinea and Bougainville enter an unprecedented phase in their history. How did this happen? Where does it lead? How does what has happened in Bougainville relate to the broader context of Papua New Guinea, Melanesia and the region? These are challenging and as yet not fully answered questions now faced by Bougainvilleans, Papua New Guineans, and also their neighbours, including Australia. This course aims to provide its participants with a strong knowledge base from which to understand and participate in the conversations now taking place regarding the future of Bougainville.
In this course we will examine the origins of Bougainville nationalism and situate it within the context in which it emerged: colonial and post-colonial Papua New Guinea. We will follow the history of the Bougainville conflict, or kraisis, and the decade-long search for peace, and compare the development of these political movements and those elsewhere in PNG. Careful attention will be paid to the political dynamics in the period after the establishment of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, to seek to understand how a once radical position became de facto government policy. Finally, we will examine the referendum vote itself and its implications.
Topics covered under the course:
- Driman (dream): the significance of the Bougainvillean referendum
- Gavman blo mipela (our government): the context and origins of Bougainvillean nationalism.
- Kraisis na bel isi (crisis and peace): the Bougainville Conflict and peace process
- Otonamas i stap pinis (autonomy is here): Autonomous Bougainville Government
- Vot blo yumi (our vote): the referendum, its administration and politics
- Bruklus? (Indepence?): challenges of the post-referendum period.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Describe the aspects of Bougainville’s political development and current constitutional arrangements.
- Identify the factors driving secessionism and the consolidation of political movements in Bougainville.
- Contrast and compare the factors at play in subnationalist politics in Bougainville with those elsewhere in Papua New Guinea.
- Demonstrate and understanding of the complexities involved in the relationship between Papua New Guinea and Bougainville.
- Understand and describe the key political challenges facing Australia, Papua New Guinea and Bougainville as it enters a period of transition.
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 | Driman - Course overview and the Significance of Bougainville | |
2 | Gavman blo mipela - The Origins of Bougainvillean Separatism | |
3 | Kraisis - The Bougainville Conflict | Review and Reflect - Bougainville Profile: Guided Discussion |
4 | Bel Isis - The Bougainville Peace Process | |
5 | Otonomas - Autonomy and its Challenges | |
6 | Wokmoni - The post-conflict political economy | Review and Reflect - Bougainville Profile: Guided Discussion |
7 | Unification - Pro-independence consolidation | |
8 | Vot blo yumi - The Referendum Vote | |
9 | Bruklus? - Towards Independence? | Review and Reflect - Bougainville Profile: Guided Discussion |
Assessment Summary
Assessment task | Value | Due Date | Return of assessment | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Participation | 20 % | * | 23/07/2021 | 1,2,3 |
Bougainville Brief | 30 % | 01/08/2021 | 09/08/2021 | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Scenario Analysis | 50 % | 15/08/2021 | 23/08/2021 | 1,2,3,4,5 |
* 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
You are expected to attend all sessions and actively participate in in-class discussions. Please ensure you email the course convenors before the class if you have a legitimate reason for not attending any session. Your grade for this assessment will be based on attendance, contributions to the in-class discussions, and your group presentation. For the group presentation, you will be assigned one of three groups to lead the Review and Reflect Bougainville Brief Guided Discussions.
Assessment Task 1
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3
Participation
You are expected to attend all sessions and actively participate in in-class discussions. Please ensure you email the course convenors before the class if you have a legitimate reason for not attending any session. Your grade for this assessment will be based on attendance, contributions to the in-class discussions, and your group presentation. For the group presentation, you will be assigned one of three groups to lead the Review and Reflect Bougainville Brief Guided Discussions.
Assessment Task 2
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5
Bougainville Brief
The Bougainville Brief is due on August 1. This assessment item requires the student to concisely outline Bougainville's political context, drivers of change and challenges to institutional organisation. The Bougainville Brief complements the Profile Guided Discussion in-class group activity. The student will select a major theme from the Profile developed in class to develop into a 1000 word document. The purpose of this assessment task is to develop each student's ability to critically engage with the subject matter (LOs 1,2) , to identify key challenges in the relationship between PNG and Bougainville (LOs 3,4), to articulate challenges presented by Bougainville's transition to the relationships between Bougainville, PNG and Australia (LO 4), and to present these in a clear and concise manner (LO5).
Assessment Task 3
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5
Scenario Analysis
The Scenario Analysis is due on August 15. This assessment item requires the student to articulate a scenario for Bougainville's immediate future, such as ratification of independence or modified autonomy, and to assess its likely political impact in Bougainville and Papua New Guinea, examining its implications for Australia's relationship with both entities (LOs 1,2,3,4). This assessment item should present a synthesis of the course materials which sets out to forecast, will be scored against the degree to which this forecast is grounded on a critical understanding of the materials provided, and the degree to which it engages with the necessarily limited reliability of such forecasts.
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
Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:
- Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
- 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.
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Convener
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Research InterestsI am an anthropologist specialising in the social and political history of Papua New Guinea, and specially Bougainville. To the study of these complex political systems, I bring a perspective that seeks to meet with the lives of ordinary Papua New Guineans and Bougainvilleans, and follows their needs, conflicts and aspirations through the local and national political economy. It is a perspective that emphasises listening and learning from villagers, but which seeks out difficult questions: how do state and villages interact? How do politics and elections work in these contexts? How have the unique ways of life in our region interacted with global society and economy? |
Thiago Cintra-Oppermann
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Instructor
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Research Interests |
Thiago Cintra-Oppermann
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