GOVT6119: Semester 2, 2024

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Units GOVT6119 Semester 2 2024 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

GOVT6119: International Security

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit considers several dimensions of international security. In the first part it explores what is meant by ‘International Security’ and discusses several classic texts to begin to understand the causes of war and the conditions of peace. In the second part it focuses on specific security areas, such as Humanitarian Intervention, Environmental Security, Cybersecurity and Interstellar Security. Current International Security events will also be addressed.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Government and International Relations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	David Blunt, david.blunt@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	David Blunt, david.blunt@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Essay 1 Essay focusing on the topics covered in the first part of the semester	25%	Week 08 Due date: 16 Sep 2024 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	In-class quiz The quiz will be held in the final week.	25%	Week 13	1500wd equivalent
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay 2 Essay focusing on the topics covered in the second part of the semester	50%	Week 13 Due date: 28 Oct 2024 at 23:59	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Details of assessments can be found on the Canvas site for the unit.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Unit overview and introduction to International Security	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Classic works and International Security: Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War', Kautilya's 'The Arthashastra' and Machiavelli	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	Realism versus Idealism: Carr's 'Twenty Years' Crisis'	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Structural Realism: Waltz and Mearsheimer	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	Perpetual peace - or at least the decline of violence: the Liberalism of Kant and Pinker	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Game theory	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Constructivism: Changing norms and decentering the state	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Humanitarian Intervention	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Environmental security	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Artificial intelligence	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Biosecurity	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Interstellar security	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Quiz and unit wrapup	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 80% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.

In GOVT6119, attendance is recorded and is mandatory to pass the unit.

Please be advised that seminars will not be recorded.

Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Please refer to the unit’s Canvas page for a full list of required readings as well as for access to them. Most up-to-date information related to GOVT6119 is on Canvas, so please make sure you are familiar with the unit’s Canvas page.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. have a broad understanding of international security debates, as well as in-depth case studies
LO2. have appropriate knowledge of the main theories and concepts of international security studies
LO3. link theoretical notions of international security to real-world security issues
LO4. utilise enhanced reading skills, supported by state-of-the-art publications in the field of international security
LO5. utilise strengthened writing skills in an academic and professional context
LO6. possess a good understanding of war and peace, terrorism and international crime, environmental security and climate change, irregular migration and security, health security and pandemics, cyber security and space security
LO7. detect and avoid personal, ideological, and cognitive bias and thus develop logically-sound understandings of international security, supported by a plurality of theoretical and empirical approaches
LO8. understand the origins and directions of contemporary security debates, a useful skill for both personal and professional development

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit has been redesigned due to the ever-changing nature of international security challenges and approaches. Previous students' feedback has been valuable in supporting this process.

Additional information

Please refer to the unit’s Canvas page for up-to-date information about GOVT6119.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

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