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What will the course cover?

Climate of Change

Who are the main protagonists in the globalisation debate?  Is 'globalisation' old or new? Is it a key to future prosperity or another name for Global Apartheid?  Can we imagine a different kind of globalisation?

World Economy, Bordered or Borderless?

What is the WTO?  Who makes the key decisions? Liberalisation or protection in agriculture? What of intellectual property rights or genetically modified foods? What are the key ethical issues?  What can we make of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement?  How do we explain the Third World's foreign debt or major financial crises?

Poverty or Development?

Can the world feed its hungry?  Are UN targets a pipe dream? WTO, IMF, World Bank, Western governments, UNDP - are they part of the solution or part of the problem?  Is poverty reduction in the poorest countries compatible with current forms of globalisation? What of the role of NGOs generally, and aid and development agencies in particular?

National or Human Security?

Is the nature of conflict changing?  Why the recent explosion of internal conflicts?  What are the problems posed by military intervention?  Who has the right and the competence to intervene?  When, how, and with what objectives? Do weapons of mass destruction deliver security or insecurity?

Energy and Climate Change

Why is the world so reliant on fossil fuels?  What are the global politics and economics of oil?  How does all this impact on the Middle East?  Who are the main protagonists in the current world energy debate?  What are the implications of the Kyoto Protocol?  Is there a role for nuclear power? Are there other alternatives?

Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan

What lies behind terrorism?  Is terrorism a new phenomenon?  If not, does it have new features?  What lies behind the 'war on terror'?  Who is pushing for what, how and why? 

Clash or Dialogue of Civilisations?

Are the world's major civilisations on a collision course?  Is Western dominance threatened by the rise of Islam or China?  Can collision be avoided?  What are the prospects for dialogue?  How can dialogue be approached internationally? In Australia?

Human Rights, Democracy and UN reform

How important are human rights? How seriously do we take them in Australia? What is an acceptable trade off between security and civil liberties? Can a globalising world be democratic?  Are democracy and the rule of law a help or a hindrance in addressing the major challenges facing Australia and the world? Does the UN have a future?

Race and Culture in Australia

How well are Australians coping with racial and cultural differences at home and in our relations with Asia and the Pacific?  Can we do better?  How?    Does multiculturalism have a future?  What are the options facing Australia over the next decade and beyond?

Australia and the World

What is Australia's view of the world?  Has it changed over time? How do we approach our relations with the United States? With China, India and Japan? With Indonesia and Malaysia? What is our role in the South Pacific? How do Australians imagine the future? Is it something we can shape or influence? If so, how?