POLIS 3104 - Transforming Global Governance

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2016

What is global governance? Are new forms of global governance reshaping global and domestic politics? Is it giving rise to new governing actors? Are new forms of regulatory structures emerging at the regional and global level? Are cross border problems creating new and innovative governance solutions? How are rising powers such as China both challenging and contributing to global governance. These are some of the question to be examined in this course. This course will identify and analyse the emergence of new actors, processes and institutions in global governance and politics. A key aim of this course is to explore how the transformation of global governance problematizes such key political concepts as power, sovereignty, territory, and state. We will pay particular attention to the impact of rising powers ? such as China, India and Brazil ? on global governance. In this context, attention will also be given to emerging forms of global governance and its relationship to patterns of capitalist transformation. The course will also focus on the development of regional governance including the European Union (EU), African Union, APEC, Organisation of American State. We will draw in examples from health, finance, human rights, migration, and the environment.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code POLIS 3104
    Course Transforming Global Governance
    Coordinating Unit Politics and International Relations
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites At least 6 units of level 2 undergraduate study
    Incompatible POLIS 2123
    Assessment Seminar participation 10%, Policy memo 50%, Group project 15%, Exam 25%
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Martin Bailey

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1. Define Global Governance Institutions
    2. Demonstrate your ability to understand how Global Governance organisations impact the world.
    3. Demonstrate your ability to understand how these organizations are transforming Global Governance now and into your future.
    4. Critically discuss theoretical frameworks for thinking about Global Governance
    5. Collaborate in small groups on problem based learning tasks.
    6. Confidently use Google docs and Report Writer to produce a collaborative report.
    7. Effectively collaborate to defend your group position in the Global forum by presenting your report as an expert Consultancy Team
    8. Conduct a comprehensive literature review on your specific Global Governance organisation
    9. Construct a Policy Brief relevant to a specific area of interest for a Global organisation using a wide range of sources and methodologies.
    10. Develop your personal LinkedIn as a useful tool to extend your footprint in a globalized world.


    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1,2,3,4
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    4,5,7
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    5,6,7
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    5,6,7,9,10
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    2,3,9,10
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    2,3,4,7,9
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    There is no textbook required for this course. The use of technology in seminars is encouraged. Please ensure you bring a device with you to every seminar.



    Recommended Resources
    See course guide and My Uni (Canvas) for course resources.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    There will be 1 hour online lectures complemented by a two hour seminar each week. The seminars will be crucial as that is where the theories will be explored and applied to real life situations that have occurred in the last decade but more importantly, examples that are current each week of the semester.

    See Appendix B of the Course Guide for the structure on the Seminars.

    A key feature of this course will be to engage with the literature on Global Governance to produce a relevant Policy Brief that can be used by you to demonstrate to a future employer your ability to produce a comprehensive policy document.

    Another key feature of this course is to use technology to collaborate in your Group to produce a comprehensive, relevant and professional report that can be used by you to demonstrate to a future employer your ability to collaborate to produce a professional report.

    In addition, Students are encouraged to develop a LinkedIn account and profile to maximise communication opportunities within Canvas and to create opportunities for networking that may enhance future employment prospects.

    All Group and Team Communication is to be through MyUni (Canvas). This will be covered in detail in the Week 1 Seminar.



    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements

    Students will be expected to devote approximately 12 hours per week for this course (spread over 12 weeks). This will involve 2 hours of contact time per week plus 10 hours of individual or group study, as appropriate.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Lecture Outline

    Week 1: Global Governance in the 20th century: Historiography and underlying causal mechanisms
    Week 2: Global Governance in the 21st Century: Report card to date?
    Week 3: Governance of the Global Commons: Accountability and Legitimacy
    Week 4: Global Governance: Civic networks
    Week 5: Global Governance: Corporations
    Week 6: Global Governance: ‘Free’ Trade Agreements
    Week 7: Global Governance: Public-Private partnerships
    Week 8: Global Governance: NGOs and Transnational Activism
    Week 9: Global Governance: Regional multilevel governance
    Week 10: Global Governance: Regional and Global Interconnectedness
    Week 11: Challenges of/to Global Governance in the 21st Century; An hypothesis
    Week 12: No Lectures
    Small Group Discovery Experience

    The seminars will use a modified approach to the jigsaw method of pedagogy for SGDE where students will be based in Groups referred to as Consultancy Groups but also interact in what are referred to as Specialist Groups.

    This will reinforce the practice of collaboration across each seminar, enable multi-tasking skills to be enhanced and contribute to the notion that Students at this level should be work place ready. This is extended to the Group Report which will require advanced collaboration skills along with oral presentation skills.

  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Type Percentage Formative/Summative Due Dates Course Learning Outcome
    Policy Brief 45%

    Summative

    End of week 8 2,3,4,8,9
    Group Report 20% Summative Seminar in week 11 1,2,3,5,6,7
    Test (10) 20% Formative and Summative Week 2-11 1,2,3,4
    Seminar Participation 10% Formative and Summative Every Seminar 1,2,3,4,5
    Global Governance Forum 5% Summative Week 12 1,2,3,4,5
    Assessment Related Requirements
    None
    Assessment Detail

    The Policy Brief is based on 3000 words.

    A short Executive Summary indicating to whom the Brief is to be addressed to and the identified problem is to be presented in individual meetings set for week 3.

    You will required to use Microsoft ‘calendar’ to book 15 minute meetings with Dr Martin Bailey.

    The Policy Brief will consist of the following key components.

    -A cover page

    -A 2 page brief

    -A review of relevant literature

    -A comprehensive reference list

    -Appendices

    More specifically:-

    A cover page that has specific details depending on to whom it is addressed.

    A 2 page concise brief that details the problem, why it is a problem, short annotations of key sources, references to appendices as required, policy recommendations on how to solve the problem and why your recommendations will solve the problem.

    A review of relevant literature consisting of at least 20 key sources. This will total 2000 words.

    A complete and accurate reference list of those sources in the literature review and the appendices. Appendices that will consist of graphs, tables, charts etc. that all contribute to your 2 page brief. 

    It is important that you do not attempt to solve a ‘Wicked problem’. See Appendix C of the Course Guide.

    The Group Report is based on 500 words of text per Specialist Team Member with the team supporting all this with graphs, tables, charts and a comprehensive list of quality sources.

    This will be submitted as one document electronically with a hard copy handed up in the Week 11 presentation. The group will present a 10 minute oral presentation to the Seminar with all team members contributing to the presentation.

    The Tests will be taken over 10 weeks from Week 2 to Week 11. Each 20 question on-line Multiple Choice Test will ensure you have an understanding of the key concepts discussed in the Lecture and the readings. The Tests will be open from Midnight of the Sunday through to Midnight of the Mondayat the beginning of each week. The questions will be randomized with 0.1 mark available for each correct answer. After Midnight of the Monday, the Test will be closed off, the marks automatically applied, and the answers released to all students. The individual marks will be applied to Gradebook and available also.

    Seminar participation will be assessed by evaluating how you collaborate with your Consultancy Group AND your Specialist Team along with how you disseminate feedback in both directions. This will be explained in detail in the Week 1 Seminar.

    Forum Participation in the week 12 seminar will be an informed forum where you will all contribute to the future of Global Governance. The idea is that by week 12, you should all be sufficiently informed and able to carry out independent research that will allow you to contribute to your Group in that forum.

    Referencing Style

    The referencing style for this course in Harvard, also known as ‘Author date’ system of referencing. See Appendix A in the course guide for a link to the Harvard Guide and also some basic examples.
    Submission
    The policy brief and the group report are to be submitted in electronic format via TurnItIn. The group report is also to be presented in printed format at the week 11 presentations. More detail in the course guide.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.