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Department of Pacific Affairs · ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
Students will spend two weeks in Fiji undertaking learning with USP peers and leveraging ANU’s strong connections in the region to obtain hands on experience working with three leading regional institutions – the University of the South Pacific (USP), the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), and the Pacific Community (SPC). Students will be exposed to issues that are of direct relevance to Australia’s regional interests, and examine the main theoretical approaches to Pacific development such as postcolonialism and development economics and how they affect development policy in the Pacific. Students will have an unique opportunity to experience policy-making and diplomacy in action from inside some of the region’s most important organisations. Case studies will allow students to explore Pacific development theory and issues that have been identified as priorities by Pacific leaders, including climate change, security, gender, and economic development. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing our neighbours and of the complexity involved in regional approaches to policymaking.
1. Pre-departure quiz (20%) - This online quiz is based on understanding of key concepts, the research activity and the risk management policies and procedures discussed in the compulsory pre-departure training, and short answer questions based on issues discussed during the pre-departure roundtable seminar. [LO 4]
Learning outcomes 4
2. Participation (10%) - This assessment is based on students engagement in the course including participation in seminars both at the ANU and at USP. Each student will be assessed by field school academics (5%) and USP academics (5%). [LO 2,3,5]
Learning outcomes 2, 3, 5
3. Briefing (25%)This briefing includes a presentation (10 minutes); a critical reflections piece (2,500 words) based on their experience of the field school and feedback from peer respondent. [LO 2,3,5]
Learning outcomes 2, 3, 5
4. Research project - report (45%) - This 6,000 word research report will be based on a case study relating to an environmental, political, economic or social development issue in regional policymaking. [LO 1-4]
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
120 hours — 84 contact hours (64 hours in-country field school component and 20 hours at ANU for pre- and post-travel workshops), 36 hours of library/online work. Work Integrated Learning Fieldwork This WIL component helps you to develop different perspectives while engaging in real situations. It allows you to learn through direct application of your future specialised role in real workplace setting.
Prior to the in-country fieldschool component, students will have a set of required readings to complete and will be provided with additional supplementary readings. As there is no suitable textbook for this course, the readings will draw on a range of sources. Preliminary Reading An indicative list of readings is below: Required readings: Aqorau, Transform. 2016. State of the Pacific — Slippery Slopes and Rough Rides in Regional Cooperative Endeavours in the Islands. SSGM Discussion paper 8. Canberra: State, Society and Governance in Melanesia, ANU. Carter, George. 2015. ‘Establishing a Pacific Voice in the Climate Change Negotiations.’ In The New Pacific Diplomacy, eds Greg Fry and Sandra Tarte. Canberra: ANU Press. Dornan, Matthew and Tess Newton Cain. 2014. Regional Service Delivery among Pacific Island Countries: An Assessment. Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies 1(3): 541-560. Fry, Greg and Sandra Tarte. 2015. 'The 'New Pacific Diplomacy': An Introduction.' In The New Pacific Diplomacy, eds Greg Fry and Sandra Tarte. Canberra: ANU Press. Lawson, Stephanie. 2016. ‘Regionalism, Sub-Regionalism and the Politics of Identity in Oceania.’ Pacific Review 29(3): 387-409. Tarte, Sandra. 2014. ‘Regionalism and Changing Regional Order in the Pacific Islands.’ Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies 1(2): 312-324. Taylor, Meg. 'The Future of the Pacific Islands Forum and the Framework for Pacific Regionalism.' In The New Pacific Diplomacy, eds Greg Fry and Sandra Tarte. Canberra: ANU Press. Additional supplementary readings: Baker, Nicola. 2015. ‘New Zealand and Australia in Pacific Regionalism.’ In The New Pacific Diplomacy, eds Greg Fry and Sandra Tarte. Canberra: ANU Press. Baldacchino, Godfrey. 2004. ‘Autonomous but Not Sovereign? A Review of Island Sub-Nationalism.’ Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalism 31: 77-91. Carter, George and Stewart Firth. 2016. ‘The Mood in Melanesia after the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.’ Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies 3(1): 2016. Connolly, Peter J. 2016. 'Engaging China's New Foreign Policy in the South Pacific.' Australian Journal of International Affairs 70(5): 484-505. Firth, Stewart. 1989. 'Sovereignty and Independence in the Contemporary Pacific.' The Contemporary Pacific 1(1-2): 75-9