Unit 1: The National Citizen
In this unit students are introduced to the study of politics as the exercise of power by individuals, groups and nation-states. Students consider key concepts related to power and influence types of power, political ideology and values, political involvement and active citizenships. The nature of and philosophical ideas behind democracy are studied, as well as the operation and nature of contemporary Australian representative democracy. Students examine the reasons why people seek political power, the characteristics of successful political activists and leaders, and the political ideas that motivate them. The ways in which political power is exercised and how that power is challenged and resisted by others is explored. Students also examine the role and influence of social and political movements as methods of organising political ideas and action. VCE Australian Politics is contemporary in focus. While the focus of this study is the twenty-first century and current events, historical events, examples and illustrations may provide students with contextual understanding and may provide unique examples of the workings of the Australian political system.
Areas of Study
- Power, politics and democracy
- Exercising and challenging power
There are two outcomes:
- Describe and analyse the nature and purpose of politics and power in a broad sense and in the context of contemporary Australian democracy.
- Explain why people seek political power, and the major political ideologies that influence political involvement and political movements.
Unit 2: The Global Citizen
This unit focuses on the contemporary international community. Students examine their place within this community through considering the debate over the existence of the ‘global citizen’. In Area of Study 1 they explore the myriad ways their lives have been affected by the increased interconnectedness – the global threads – of the world through the process of globalisation. In Area of Study 2 students consider the extent to which the notion of an international community exists, and investigate its ability to manage areas of global cooperation and respond to issues of global conflict and instability. This unit is concerned with contemporary issues and events. While these may have antecedents in issues and events before contextualise contemporary global situations, focus needs to be on the twenty-first century when choosing particular examples and case studies.
Areas of study
- Global threads
- Global cooperation and conflict
There are two outcomes:
- Identify the ways in which the lives of citizens in the twenty-first century are interconnected globally.
- Describe and analyse the extent to which the international community is cohesive, and whether it can effectively manage cooperation, conflict and instability in relation to selected case studies.
Unit 3: Global Actors
In this unit students investigate the key global actors in twenty-first century global politics. They use contemporary evidence to analyse the key global actors and their aims, roles and power. They develop an understanding of the key actors through an in-depth examination of the concepts of national interest and power as they relate to the state, and the way in which one Asia-Pacific state uses power within the region to achieve its objectives. For the purposes of this study, the term ‘non-state actors’ covers a range of global actors: altruistic non-governments organisations (NGOs), for example Amnesty International and Greenpeace; organised religions; terrorist movements and organised crime syndicates. This unit is concerned with contemporary issues and events. While these may have antecedents in issues and events before the twenty-first century, that students need to understand to contextualise contemporary global situations, focus needs to be on the twenty-first century when choosing particular examples and case studies.
Areas of study
- Global actors
- Power in the Asia-Pacific region
There are two outcomes:
- Evaluate the power and influence of key global actors in the twenty-first century and assess the extent to which they achieve their aims.
- Analyse and evaluate of power as used by a specific Asia-Pacific state in the region in pursuit of its national interests.
Unit 4: Global Challenges
In this unit students investigate key global challenges facing the international community in the twenty-first century. They examine and analyse the debates surrounding two ethical issues, which are underpinned by the contested notion of global citizenship. They then evaluate the effectiveness of response to these issues. Students also explore the context and causes of global crises, and consider the varying effectiveness of responses and challenges to solving them. This unit is concerned with contemporary issues and events. While these may have antecedents in issues and events before the twenty-first century, that students need to understand to contextualise contemporary global situations, focus needs to be on the twenty-first century when choosing particular examples and case studies.
Areas of study
- Ethical issues and debates
- Crises and responses
There are two outcomes:
- Analyse two global political issues from a range of perspectives and evaluate the effectiveness of global actors’ responses to these issues.
- Explain two contemporary global crises and evaluate the effectiveness of response to these.
