166-231 Australia in the International Political Economy

Note

Available as 166-331 at 3rd-year level.

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Normally 25 points of first-year Politics; students with only 12.5 points in Politics may apply to the 2nd/3rd-year coordinator.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The transformation of the international political economy since World War II and its impact on Australia. It includes an introduction to the major international economic developments since WWII and their impact on Australia including: trade liberalisation and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT); multinational corporations and foreign investment; and the emergence of global financial markets. We will also explore Australia's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the global economy and in the Asia-Pacific region. Finally we will examine Australia's attempts to reposition itself in the rapidly changing global economy through the restructuring of its domestic economy and through its leadership in organisations like the Cairns Group of Agricultural Fair Traders, and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group.

Assessment

One 3000 word essay and a 2-hour final exam equivalent to 2000 words.