976001 Foundations in International Studies

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Handbook description

The aim of Foundations in International Studies is to provide students with an understanding of contemporary international issues, approaches and perspectives. The subject is taught from various disciplinary perspectives, with a strong focus on social justice and regional comparison. The objectives of the subject are to develop effective academic presentation, research and writing skills necessary to make informed arguments within international studies and to prepare students for writing and presentation techniques used in the contemporary society and in-country study subjects of the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. This subject requires students to use multidisciplinary approaches to build understanding of key international issues. Approaches taught include comparative sociology, cultural studies, socio-linguistics, political economy, studies of ethnicity and nationalism. Issues covered include environmental change, globalisation, migration, war, languages, and national identities.

Subject objectives/outcomes

The aim of this subject is to provide International Studies students with skills and knowledge to exploit multi-disciplinary approaches to create a shared understanding of key issues of international and comparative approaches to learning.

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. critically analyse academic texts relevant to the study of contemporary society,
2. identify representative theoretical approaches to the main forces in global issues to
3. build logical arguments about society/ies using relevant examples and theories
   

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

The subject makes a major contribution to following selection from the BAIS Graduate Profile in terms of the students’:

1. Capacity for analysing and evaluating processes of social and cultural change in another country (Objectives 1, 3)
2. Knowledge of contemporary issues and trends relating to processes of internationalisation and capacity to draw on this knowledge while living, studying and working in international settings (Objective 1)
3. Sensitivity to intercultural difference, a respect for other cultures and a commitment to international citizenship (Objective 2)
   

Teaching and learning strategies

This is an 8 credit point subject comprising weekly modular delivery: one and a half hour lecture / workshop, one hour tutorial and independent study. Students are expected to do 12-14 hours of study per week per 8cp subject at UTS. In this subject the rough weekly breakdown is as follows:

• Lecture 1 hour
• Tutorial 2 hours
• Reading and note-taking 5-6 hours
• Preparation for Learning Journal Blog & Group Presentation 2-3 hours
• Preparation for Essay Plan and Essay 3-4 hours

Small groups for discussions in class, online work and group presentations will be actively mixed by tutors to ensure a combination of discipline (Faculty) and major (country/language) backgrounds in each group.

Content

1. Key ideas and themes relevant for understanding other cultures and societies such as: national identity; modernity; cosmopolitanism; globalization; international/multilateral regimes; economic and technological development; cross cultural communication; war; regionalism; the importance of language for cultures; migration
2. Use of country case studies to discuss above themes
3. The international dimensions of a range of thematic topics such as climate change, music, cities and gender relations

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Information Skills Quiz

Assessment Item 2: Anti-Plagiarism Tutorial and Quiz

Assessment Item 3: Class Debates

Assessment Item 4: Essay Plan

Assessment Item 5: Group Presentation

Assessment Item 6: Learning Journal Blog

Assessment Item 7: Essay

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve a total of at least 50% on the combined total of marks from the graded assessment tasks.

Required text(s)

Details are available in the subject outline, distributed in class during the first week of teaching.