The aim of this course is to showcase the sovereign diplomatic practices of First Nations peoples in Australia, and Indigenous peoples’ engagement with foreign policy and the international system; giving students an understanding of this, alongside contemporary issues for First Nations diplomacy and sovereignty, and allowing them to understand and evaluate these practices within international relations. Part One of this course provides an introduction to concepts relating to Indigeneity and international relations, including Indigeneity, sovereignty, nationhood, relationality, agency, and power. It will also explore Indigenous values and worldviews across the Australian continent, and how Indigenous peoples experience and live in their cosmologies. Part Two of the course looks at Indigenous diplomacy, inter-polity relations, and diplomatic practices around the Australian continent, with a key focus on certain regions and peoples. It will look how Indigenous peoples conceive of the idea of diplomacy, examples of diplomatic practice, and the connection between culture, law, sovereignty, and diplomacy, and how . There will be an optional workshop during this period where elders from various nations will be in attendance in Canberra, where students can learn, participate, and ask questions. Part Three of the course focuses on contemporary issues in Indigenous sovereignty and diplomacy. It will delve into struggles over diplomatic standing and presence in the international system, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, efforts to achieve sovereignty and assert rights, efforts by states to undertake Indigenous diplomacy, and the 2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Describe the main principles and practices of Indigenous Diplomacy in pre-colonial Australia and critically evaluate the ways in which Indigenous peoples have used their traditional practices, knowledges, and experiences in the contemporary international system.
2. Evaluate how the principles and practices of Indigenous Diplomacy can be valuable in negotiating contemporary inter-nation disputes and transnation governance.
3. Explain the concepts and principles involved in Indigenous diplomacy within the Australian state in relation to treaty, reconciliation, and constitutional recognition; in particular around the struggle for diplomatic recognition. 
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of culture, values, and principles involved in the development of the concepts of Voice and Makarrata as proposed in the Uluru Statement From the Heart.
5. Critically compare Indigenous principles and practices with contemporary western derived inter-state diplomacy, and in particular the contribution such principles might make to broader understandings of diplomacy in the contemporary world.
6. Demonstrate a sophisticated awareness of the relationality of Indigenous inter-polity relations with western political systems, including both traditional and contemporary practices of diplomacy.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

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). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Indigeneity and International Relations What is Indigeneity? What does it mean to be an Indigenous person in a globalised world? This first week explores some of the foundational concepts within International Relations, and how they relate to Indigenous peoples. It also looks at some of the key ways Indigenous peoples understand the world around them.
2	Relationality Everything is relational. This week explores the concept of relationality in Indigenous culture, and what that says about how Indigenous peoples and nations may understand their interactions and relationships; within their own lives and communities, but also with outsiders. We will be reflecting too on what it means to live in a relational world as Indigenous peoples.
3	Sovereignty, Agency, Power Sovereignty, agency, and power are three essential concepts in modern, Western, international relations. They’re also foundational to understanding how Indigenous peoples see themselves and their identities. What is meant by Indigenous sovereignty? Who holds power in Indigenous cultures, and why? What agency do living and non-living things have in an Indigenous worldview?
4	Special Week - Wiradyuri resistance 1824-2024 The week of this class coincides with events to mark the 200th Anniversary of martial law being declared on Wiradyuri country and against Wiradyuri People, the only such time this occurred during the history of Australia. Events honouring and exploring Wiradyuri resistance are being held across the Central West of NSW. Instead of a regular class, a showing of a film by historian Dr Stephen Gapps on the Bathurst Wars will be held during class, followed by a discussion.	Reflection paper is due this week
5	Nationhood and nation (re)building In the final week of Part 1, we explore the concept of Indigenous nationhood, both as a traditional understanding but also a modern exercise; how do Indigenous nations identify, and what do concepts such as boundaries and borders mean for Indigenous nations? We will also look at some examples of Indigenous nation (re)building, and how this potentially causes tension with Western conceptions of nationhood.
6	What is Indigenous Diplomacy? What is Diplomacy? How does Indigenous Diplomacy 'fit' within Diplomatic Studies? Is the search for Indigenous Diplomacy an imposition of a western knowledge concept or an acknowledgement of indigenous forms of approaching universal questions of how the relations between groups should be governed? How to respectfully negotiate these western and indigenous systems of knowledge on this area of human/group relationships?  Why study Indigenous Diplomacy?
7	Pre-colonial Indigenous Diplomacy in Australia Why has western knowledge not recognised the existence and significance of Indigenous Diplomacy prior to British colonialism? What are the main features of pre-colonial Indigenous political organisation across the Australian continent? What were the main forms of interconnectedness? Drawing on western anthropology what form did the inter-tribal engagement take? What protocols governed these engagements? Seen through the lens of diplomatic studies what do these add up to as forms of diplomacy? How distinct from western forms of diplomacy? What key features?	Statement of Intent (SOI) is due this week
8	Indigenous Diplomacy in practice How do Indigenous peoples practice their diplomacy in the 21st Century? And how did they practice it in earlier ages? The similarities and differences between Western approaches have exposed tension and co-operation in equal respects. What rules or behaviours can we see governing interactions? Why are some relationships (i.e. Yolngu with the Makassans) seen as having been “better” than others (i.e. British colonisation)?
9	Negotiating with the Australian state: the struggle for diplomatic standing First Nations around the world have long struggled for standing and recognition by the = State. This picture is also not isolated globally. What have been the hallmarks of the struggle for recognition and diplomatic standing? How have First Nations peoples still managed to assert themselves? What can we learn from this?
10	The UNDRIP The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was passed in 2007 by the UN General Assembly. Only the CANZUS states (Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States) voted against it. In this week we explore the process by which the UNDIP came to be, what impact it has had in the 16+ years since its passage, and the lessons it shows about Indigenous peoples and the international system.
11	Indigeneity and Development Guest Lecturer: Professor Dominic O’Sullivan (Te Rarawa and Ngati Kahu, Aotearoa)
12	Voice, Makarrata The Uluru Statement from the Heart, issued by delegates at the 2017 National Constitution Convention, recommended Makarrata as a diplomatic concept that could advance reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. It called for a First Nations Voice, and a process of Makarrata to “supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history'. This was ultimately rejected in large margins by the Australian people. What did we see in the campaign for a Voice referendum that is reflective of Indigenous Diplomacy, and the potential tensions with Western settler diplomacy/ideas?

Tutorial Registration

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.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date
Reflection paper (1000 words)	15 %	16/08/2024
Group Assignment (presentation)	20 %	23/09/2024
Statement of Intent (1,500 words)	20 %	13/09/2024
Research Essay (4,000 words)	45 %	28/10/2024

* 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 Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

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 Skills website. 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.

Assessment Task 1

Reflection paper (1000 words)

You should reflect on what you regard as the key idea or ideas in the readings under part 1, and reflect on the interesting questions that they raise for you, and what your positionality to this course and its content is.

A 10% leeway on word count is allowed, but anything over that will receive a 10% penalty for each 500w over the limit.

Assessment Task 2

Group Assignment (presentation)

Length: 15 minutes

Due: During Semester

In week 1 you will be assigned to groups for the group assignment. The task for the group is to present on the readings for one week during semester, including one optional reading. The group will share what they have learnt, and reflect on their positionality related to the readings and the topic for that week.

They should also reflect on how the readings critically engage with ideas of Indigenous Diplomacy in the modern world; the co-existence of Indigeneity and International Relations, and what role of Indigenous peoples and sovereignty might play in the future international system and/or foreign policy.

The presentation should go for 20 minutes, and does not have to utilise slides. Each person in the group is to speak and have worked on the presentation. 10% of the grade will be given individually, while the remaining 10% will go to the group as a whole.

If class enrolment numbers do not allow for groups, presentations will be individual, with the whole 20% being an individual grade, but the presentations to be 15 minutes long.

Assessment Task 3

Statement of Intent (1,500 words)

Topic: Statement of Intent (SOI) for your proposed Research Essay

Criteria: Clear approach to answering essay question; progress on what you will argue to answer the question; selection of sources showing argument; appropriate cultural respect for Indigenous knowledges; clear and concise writing.

A list of questions will be published during week 5. Students may also opt to choose their own essay question instead, in consultation with course staff. The SOI should be short piece of 1,500 words (2-3 pages) in an essay format, covering:

·  What question will your research essay consider?

·  Why have you chosen this question?

·  How will you go about answering it?

·  What argument are you thinking of developing in the essay as an answer to your question?

A 10% leeway on word count is allowed, but anything over that will receive a 10% penalty for each 500w over the limit.

Assessment Task 4

Research Essay (4,000 words)

Write an essay of approximately 4000 words on a topic from the chosen essay questions, or a separate question agreed to in consultation with course staff. Essays must be submitted via Wattle. Essays should be well spaced with margins on both sides. All articles and books and websites that are cited in the essay should be fully referenced in footnotes and/or in your bibliography.

Feel free to consult James Blackwell in the preparation phase of this essay (appointment by email james.blackwell@anu.edu.au)

A 10% leeway on word count is allowed, but anything over that will receive a 10% penalty for each 500w over the limit.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

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

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

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 Accessibility 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 supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students