• Class Number 7498
  • Term Code 3160
  • Class Info
  • Unit Value 6 units
  • Mode of Delivery In Person
  • COURSE CONVENER
    • Dr Iain Henry
  • LECTURER
    • Dr Iain Henry
  • Class Dates
  • Class Start Date 26/07/2021
  • Class End Date 29/10/2021
  • Census Date 14/09/2021
  • Last Date to Enrol 02/08/2021
SELT Survey Results

When the Cold War ended three decades ago, some prominent commentators optimistically proclaimed that 'the end of history' had arrived and that international conflict was becoming obsolete. Yet the Cold War never really ended in the Asia-Pacific. Its legacy is still very much apparent in the form of the America-led bilateral network of security alliances and with the persistence of dangerous flashpoints on the Korean Peninsula and across the Taiwan Strait. Longstanding historical tensions persist between Japan and Korea, China and Japan and India and Pakistan, to name just a few.


In this course, students will learn about five security concepts and their relevance to security in the Asia-Pacific region. These concepts are order/hierarchy, alliances, polarity/balance of power, international reputation ("credibility"), and historical memory. We will explore these concepts through case studies such as the Korean War, the Taiwan Strait crises, the history (and future) of alliances in Asia, the Vietnam War, the Sino-U.S. rapprochement, the post-war order, and territorial disputes.

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a range of international security issues in the Asia-Pacific;
  2. Employ different security concepts to analyse and explain key international security issues in the Asia-Pacific, and reflect critically on the relative merits of those concepts;
  3. Conduct scholarly research, express ideas and construct evidence-based arguments in both written and oral form

Research-Led Teaching

Lectures 7 and 8 draw on the Convenor's research into alliances, reputation, reliability, the U.S. involvement in Indochina and the First Taiwan Strait Crisis.

Field Trips

NA

Additional Course Costs

NA

Examination Material or equipment

The exam is a take-home format, and students may consult scholarly works, their own notes, news sources, etc.

Required Resources

NA

There are no compulsory textbooks for this course, though students may wish to read Saadia M. Pekkanen, John Ravenhill and Rosemary Foot (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of the International Relations of Asia. New York, Oxford University Press, 2014.  This book is available online through the ANU Library.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:
  • Written comments
  • Verbal comments
  • Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

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 Lecture 1. Introductory lecture. Concepts: order and hierarchy.
2 Lecture 2. Case study: order after World War II.
3 Lecture 3. Concept: alliance politics
4 Lecture 4. Case studies: U.S. bilateral alliances, SEATO, the Quad
5 Lecture 5. Concepts: polarity and the balance of power
6 Lecture 6. Case studies: Cold War, Sino-Soviet split, U.S.-China rapprochement
7 Lecture 7. Concepts: reputation and credibility
8 Lecture 8. Case studies: Vietnam War, First Taiwan Strait Crisis
9 Lecture 9. Concepts: history, memory and re-remembering
10 Lecture 10. Case studies: China-Japan relations, U.S.-China relations.
11 Lecture 11. Concept: power transition.
12 Lecture 12. Case study/concluding lecture: U.S.-China relations today.

Tutorial Registration

The opening time of tutorial registration will be advised at a later date.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task Value Due Date Return of assessment Learning Outcomes
Tutorial participation 10 % * * 1, 2, 3
Analysis task 20 % 15/08/2021 06/09/2021 3
Research Essay 40 % 04/10/2021 26/10/2021 1,2,3
Take Home Exam 30 % * * 1, 2, 3

* 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:

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 ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

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

Tutorial participation is assessed.

Examination(s)

A take-home exam concludes the course.

Assessment Task 1

Value: 10 %
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Tutorial participation

Students will be assessed by the quality of their contribution to discussion and debate within tutorials. To do well in this assessment, students should ensure that they complete the assigned readings before their tutorial, attend the tutorial in which they are enrolled, and participate in class discussion.

Assessment Task 2

Value: 20 %
Due Date: 15/08/2021
Return of Assessment: 06/09/2021
Learning Outcomes: 3

Analysis task

Choose ONE of the articles nominated and argue against the author’s central argument.


In order to do so, you will need to first clearly identify the author’s argument and represent it fairly. You then need to refute the author's position. This should involve a consideration of the author’s theoretical standpoint, their empirical evidence, the way they have presented this evidence, any contradictory evidence that is missing, and/or the logical inferences they make.


Your 1200-word essay must be clearly structured, including an introductory and concluding paragraph.


Some tips:

Be careful in identifying the author’s argument. Don’t set up a straw man (a misrepresented and weakened version of the author’s argument) that is easier to critique.  

Be aware of when the article was published. Events since publication may be relevant to your critique but the author cannot be criticised simply for failing to predict the future

Judge the work by the standards the author set for it and the research questions they posed, rather than the question you might have preferred them to answer.  

Assessment Task 3

Value: 40 %
Due Date: 04/10/2021
Return of Assessment: 26/10/2021
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3

Research Essay

You will be required to write an essay of 2 500 words, answering one of the questions provided on the Wattle website.  

Assessment Task 4

Value: 30 %
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Take Home Exam

This course finishes with a take-home examination paper. The exam will consist of three essay questions. In answering these questions, students are encouraged to make reference to authors and arguments we have studied in this course. More details about the style and expectations of the exam will be provided during the semester. You will have either 24 or 48 hours to complete the exam.


The class will be surveyed to determine the best exam date.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community 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 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 University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses 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. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

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 of assessment tasks without an extension is 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 (whichever is earlier). 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.

Returning Assignments

Under normal circumstances, assignments will be marked and return to students within three weeks of the due date.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions 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.

Resubmission of Assignments

"Recycling" is submitting work that is not original (i.e. that you have previously submitted) and is not permitted. See this website for more information.

Resubmission of assignments permitted only in exceptional circumstances and as approved by the Course Convenor.

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).
Dr Iain Henry
02 6125 3207
iain.henry@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Asian security, alliance theory, diplomatic history

Dr Iain Henry

By Appointment
Dr Iain Henry
02 6125 3207
cap.student@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Dr Iain Henry

By Appointment

Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration / Page Contact: Website Administrator / Frequently Asked Questions