POLI 3009 Looking at Global Politics Through Film

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Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 101733

Coordinator Diane Colman Opens in new window

Description Popular representations of world politics shape our collective understanding of political history and international relations. This unit examines the ways in which film can communicate political messages to its audience, as well as the far more difficult issue of the effects that those messages might have on viewers. Although the discipline of International Relations (IR) has overwhelmingly ignored popular culture, it is the argument of this unit that popular culture actually provides us with a wealth of significant representations of world politics.

School Humanities & Comm Arts

Discipline Political Science

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 4 10cp

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Level Undergraduate Level 3 subject

Restrictions Successful completion of 60 credit points of study in currently enrolled program.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
  1. Analyse the approaches, methods and conceptual tools available for assessing the impact of popular culture on international politics.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the intertextuality of film representations of world politics.
  3. Critique the main theories of global politics and evaluate the application of those theories to cinematic representations of world affairs.
  4. Apply theoretical and empirical material to articulate concise and persuasive arguments.
  5. Recognise the significance of film representations for the popular understanding of international affairs.

Subject Content

Introduction to the content and contexts of global politics on film
Popular culture and the representation of global politics
Popular culture and understanding IR theoretical claims about global politics
Framing the world - representing global politics on film
Representations of global politics through time and space
Reimagining the global political past through the lens of today
Contesting, challenging and convincing - advocating global political change through film
Rethinking theoretical claims about global politics through film
Reframing the policies and actions of various actors in global politics
Projecting the global political future

Assessment

The following table summarises the standard assessment tasks for this subject. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated, where there is a difference your Learning Guide takes precedence.

Item Length Percent Threshold Individual/Group Task
Quiz 1 hour (20 multiple choice questions) 20 N Individual
Discourse Analysis 1,500 words 35 N Individual
Final Exam 1,500 words 45 N Individual

Teaching Periods

Structures that include subject