Politics of the Pacific
24 hours face to face + blended
One Semester or equivalent
Hawthorn
Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
Overview
The unit of study introduces students to the politics of neighbouring Pacific Island nations, with a special focus on Melanesia and the countries of the so-called Arc of Responsibility (Timor-Leste, PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu), along with Fiji. Students will gain an understanding of key historical, political and institutional developments in the post-independence politics of Australia's nearest neighbours. Political issues in the regions of West Papua, Bougainville and New Caledonia will also be examined.
Requisites
Prerequisites
50 credit points of level 2 units
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-August-2026
01-November-2026
01-November-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-August-2026
Census date
01-September-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
22-September-2026
Results released date
08-December-2026
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in Political Science
- Investigate and critically analyse the major events, issues and institutions in Pacific nations
- Appreciate the history and contemporary agenda of nation and state building in post-independence Pacific nations
- Debate the regional and international relations of the Pacific countries
- Consider the key political and policy challenges in Pacific nations
- Understand how to make a systematic comparison of political regimes
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Online Lecture | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| On-campus Class | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Discussions | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Major Essay | Individual | 50% | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
| Minor Essay | Individual | 30% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- Comparative politics
- Melanesian politics
- History and institutions
- Post-independence politics
- Exploration of the political dimensions of neighbouring states in the arc of responsibility along with the non-self governing regions of West Papua, Bougainville and New Caledonia
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.