Pacific encounters provides an introduction into the debates about theory and practice that shape how we conceptualise and think about the Pacific region and its peoples. The course is built around three learning modules - the past, present and future. In the past we come to understand the voyages that brought people to the region and the stories they tell about their journeys. We investigate colonisation, the impact it had and still has on the region, and the different ways it can be understood. In the recent present we examine the new voyages that Pacific people have taken into places like Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In doing so we look at how people move within and between these new boundaries and how Pacific cultures and identities have evolved over time and place. Finally, we bring all of these themes together by examining how the past and the present can help us imagine the future.
This course will be taught in Japan (in English) as part of the Bachelor of Asia Pacific Affairs.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Critically apply a decolonising and indigenising approach to understanding Oceania as a region of diverse societies, cultures and languages
2. Demonstrate an understanding of diverse transdisciplinary approaches and methods drawn from the humanities, social sciences and environmental studies, to synthesize knowledge about Oceania and its place in the world
3. Evaluate the debates pertinent to the contemporary Pacific, including regional institutions, governance arrangements and migration
4. Critically analyse the continual expanding and mobilising notions of Pacific peoples, including the emerging identities and culture through space, time and place
5. Exercise critical thinking in identifying and evaluating challenges and strategies in Oceania using academic and other approaches addressing a variety of scholarly, policy and public audiences

Research-Led Teaching

This course is taught using research primarily conducted by scholars within the Department of Pacific Affairs at ANU and Pacific island scholars elsewhere. Students will gain first-hand knowledge of research in the topics covered in the course from active academics in Pacific research. The aim of the course is to encourage students to strengthen their knowledge using practical case studies and to teach applicable research skills that are important to know when conducting research within the Pacific region.

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	Pacific Connections
2	Pacific Navigation
3	Colonial Encounters
4	Sovereignty & Independence	Assessment 1. Minor Essay (1 May 25%)
5	Pacific regionalism
6	Mid-semester class recap and in-class test	Mid-semester in-class test (13 May 10%)
7	Sustainable development
8	Environment and climate resilience
9	Gender and Development	Assessment 2: Major Essay (5 June 35%)
10	Cultural Identities, Globalisation, Representations and shifting identities.
11	Japan in the Pacific and the Pacific in Japan
12	The Blue Pacific	Assessment 3. Critical reflective essay (26 June)
13		Assessment 4: Evaluated during the semester
14	Exam Week

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Assessment 1: Minor Essay (25%)	25 %	01/05/2026	19/05/2026	1,2, 3,4,5
Assessment 2: Major Essay 35%	35 %	05/06/2026	23/06/2026	1,2,3,4,5
Critical Reflection Essay (20%)	20 %	26/06/2026	*	1,2.3,4,5
Group Presentation (3-4 people) (10%)	10 %	30/06/2026	07/07/2026	1,4,5
Mid-semester in-class test (10%)	10 %	13/05/2026	30/05/2026	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 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

Students will receive verbal feedback on their contributions in tutorials prior to Census.

Assessment Task 1

Assessment 1: Minor Essay (25%)

Details of task: 

Students will be required to write a 1000 essay. Students are required to choose one of the following broad topics to choose from.

1.  What is Pacific studies, how did it come about and how has it been conceptualised?
2.  Reflecting on Hau'ofa's seminal piece "Our sea of islands" (1993) critically reflect what you learned from the reading and using other works discuss its relevance and/or limitations for Pacific studies today.
3.  What evidence do we have about early Pacific migrations? Critically examine the evidence. What does it prove and what are the assumptions? Are there other Pacific cosmologies or understandings that challenge these assumptions.
4. To what extent have colonial legacies shaped the contemporary Pacific?

Minor Essay is due Friday 1 May 11.55pm Japan Standard Time

Assessment Task 2

Assessment 2: Major Essay 35%

 For this assessment, you will be required to write a 2000-word research essay from a choice of five essay topics.

The essay questions are:

1. How has the division of the Pacific into three cultural regions (Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia) affected identity, politics and development?
2. How can Pacific Island countries demonstrate resilience in the face of climate change?
3. What does sustainable development mean for the Pacific? Please provide examples using case studies.
4. Explore the impact of local or external sustainable development partnerships in the Pacific region, providing examples.
5. Choose one case study between weeks 8-11 and explore the impacts of globalisation on cultural identity.

If you would like to write your essay on a different topic, please talk to Rochelle first.

To help limit the scope of your research essay you may choose to focus on one country or cultural region. Your research essay should also include examples from the course and readings.

The research essay is due Friday 5th June 11.55pm Japan Standard Time.

Assessment Task 3

Critical Reflection Essay (20%)

Details of task: For this assessment you will be required to submit a reflective piece (20%) about your malaga (journey) throughout the semester. The reflective piece can be submitted in writing (at least 500 and no more than 1000 words) or as a video or audio recording (at least 3 and no more than 5 minutes long). In the reflective piece, you are

writing or speaking from a personal perspective – it is about you and your thinking. Keep in mind the core aspects to critical reflection: reflect (on your own knowledge and/or experiences), relate (to what we have talked about in class or what you have read in the required readings), and retell (in an accurate, precise and specific way). The critical reflection

is due Friday 26 June 11.55pm Japan Standard Time. In this piece, reflect on the course as a whole. What did you know about the Pacific region prior to taking this course, what have you learned and has the course changed your thinking about the Pacific, and if so how?

Assessment Task 4

Group Presentation (3-4 people) (10%)

For this assessment, you will be required to sign up to present during a tutorial on a particular Pacific Island country. Your presentation should be at least 10 and no more than 15 minutes long. You will need to do your own research and present your findings to the class, which might include aspects of the country's history; political status and system; geography; environment;

economic status; cultural context; and demographics. You can use PowerPoint presentations, photos, videos, or other appropriate media for your presentation. An example presentation will

be given in the first few weeks of the course.

Assessment Task 5

Mid-semester in-class test (10%)

You must answer 10 multi-choice questions related to course content and concepts. This is an in-class only test.

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 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 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.

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 Access 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 all ANU students