Today, information technology fuels international politics in ways unimaginable just a few short years ago. Wars are fought online, social media platforms fuel genocide, and we carry in our pockets a computer millions of times more powerful than the one which landed humans on the moon. This course takes students on deep dive into the impact of the information age on the discipline of international relations and the practice of international politics. The course will be structured around empirical material helping students to frame their understanding of the impact of the information age on International Relations. Students will tackle a range of topics, including the history and geopolitical impact of the internet, the concept of cyberwar, platform governance and information warfare. The course will approach these via key theoretical frameworks in International Relations, including constructivist, neorealist and critical approaches.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Understand the design and function of the internet and other information infrastructures and their impact on the ideas and practices of International Relations
- Situate information infrastructures and practices in the context of world politics
- Critically evaluate research on the political impacts of the information age and apply this to issues in International Relations
- Analyse relevant issues in world politics using theoretical approaches derived from International Relations theory.
- Effectively communicate, orally and in writing, their own perspectives on the impacts of the information age on world politics and the theoretical concerns of the discipline of International Relations
Indicative Assessment
- Meme design (15) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Research design critique (1,250 words) (25) [LO 3,5]
- Research essay plan (1,000 words) (15) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Research Essay (3,000 words) (40) [LO 1,2,3,4,5]
- Class participation (5) [LO 1,2,4,5]
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.
Workload
Approximately 130 hours comprising seminars, lectures, as well as associated preparation, independent study, and assessment time.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Prescribed Texts
Further information on prescribed texts will be provided via Wattle.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you 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). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found 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 |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $4440 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $6360 |
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.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3885 | 19 Feb 2024 | 26 Feb 2024 | 05 Apr 2024 | 24 May 2024 | In Person | View |
