« Asia and the Pacific


No dates are currently scheduled.

Description 

This micro-credential will consider the challenges and opportunities to extend conceptualisations of ‘legitimate leadership’ in the Pacific. Across most sectors, women are significantly under-represented in positions of formal leadership in the Pacific, including in politics, the public service, and business. Research points to a range of socio-economic and structural barriers to women’s leadership, including limited access to financial resources and education, and pervasive underlying social norms that place value in men and masculine forms of leadership. The micro-credential will examine a range of policy and programmatic interventions that have been designed over the last decade to improve women’s leadership in the Pacific.

Topics 

  1. What is legitimate leadership in Pacific context: gendered norms, practices and exclusions
  2. Pathways and motivations for women’s leadership: resistance, power and backlash
  3. Collective and individual leadership: identifying legitimate leadership strategies
  4. Intersectionality and leadership
  5. Trauma informed leadership
  6. Development programs to support women’s increased leadership in the Pacific

Learning outcomes 

Upon successful completion, enrollees will have the knowledge and skills to: 

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of existing challenges to women’s leadership in the Pacific
  2. Identify and critically analyse different approaches and pathways to leadership
  3. Demonstrate familiarity with the academic and policy debates around gender equality and leadership in the Pacific context and more broadly
  4. Critically analyse strategies that aim to support women’s increased, legitimate leadership

Indicative assessment

Policy Brief: 40%; Links to LO: 1, 3 and 4

Leadership Pitch: 10%: Links to LO: 1, 2 and 3

Response to Policy Interventions: 40%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Participation in class discussion: 10%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Assumed knowledge 

This Micro-credential is taught at graduate level and assumes the generic skills of a Bachelors or equivalent. 

Micro-credential stack information 

 This Micro-credential is currently not part of a stack.

Details 

  • Course Code: DPA17

  • Workload: Contact hours: 12 hours, face-to-face or online (eg via Zoom). Individual study and assessment: approx. 50-60 hours.

  • ANU unit value: 3 units

  • Course Code Level: 8000

  • Contact:  ANU Department of Pacific Affairs: dpa@anu.edu.au

This Micro-credential is taught at a graduate level.  This is not an AQF qualification. 

No dates are currently scheduled.

Description 

The micro-credential aims to explore the governance, uptake and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the Pacific region. ICTs to be examined include ‘new technologies’ such as basic mobile telephones, smartphones, the internet and social media. Access to news and other forms of information and communication will also be discussed for context, for example through mediums such as radio, television and newspapers. Governance of ICTs includes regulatory issues such as operator licences, spectrum allocation, interconnection, infrastructure sharing, universal access schemes, mobile telephone registration and pricing determinations. Cyber security and state surveillance will also be discussed in the credential. Uptake of ICTs differs between Pacific nations, due to factors such as affordability, network coverage, technical literacy and access to electricity. In the Pacific context, cultural norms, gender relations and family dynamics may also influence whether or not a person uses a mobile telephone or other ICT. Use of ICTs will be examined from four perspectives, relating to specific aims and practices: daily use, political use, development-focused use and e-government (electronic government).

Topics 

  1. Historical context, from traditional forms of communication in the Pacific to the advent of the mainstream media and, more recently, increasing access to ICTs
  2. Governance of ICTs in the Pacific region
  3. Uptake of ICTs in the Pacific region
  4. Daily use of ICTs in the Pacific region
  5. Political uses of ICTs in the Pacific region
  6. ICT4D: the use of ICTs for development outcomes
  7. e-government (electronic government)

Learning outcomes 

Upon successful completion, enrollees will have the knowledge and skills to: 

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the governance, uptake and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the Pacific
  2. Understand relevant terminology
  3. Comprehend the limitations and opportunities regarding ICTs in the Pacific
  4. Apply understanding to the design of an e-government or ICT4D project with potential application in the Pacific (or one part thereof)

Indicative assessment

Seminar attendance and credential participation 10%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Terminology quiz 20%; Links to LO: 2

Paper on ICTs in one particular Pacific nation 35%; Links to LI: 1, 2 and 3

Design an e-government or ICT4D project with potential application in the Pacific (or one part thereof) 35%; Links to LO: 4

Assumed knowledge 

This Micro-credential is taught at graduate level and assumes the generic skills of a Bachelors or equivalent. 

Micro-credential stack information 

 This Micro-credential is currently not part of a stack.

Details 

  • Course Code: DPA19

  • Workload: Contact hours: 12 hours, face-to-face or online (eg via Zoom). Individual study and assessment: approx. 50-60 hours.

  • ANU unit value: 3 units

  • Course Code Level: 8000

  • Contact:  ANU Department of Pacific Affairs: dpa@anu.edu.au

This Micro-credential is taught at a graduate level.  This is not an AQF qualification. 

No dates are currently scheduled.

Description 

This micro-credential will provide an introduction to key issues in law and justice in the Pacific islands region. To understand the issues, the focus will be on historical and colonial legacies, and the plural and hybrid forms of law and justice that have emerged. Within this context, the micro-credential will consider law and justice development in the region, including broad trends, challenges & reform priorities. Case studies from region will illustrate the key issues. The micro-credential aims to equip enrollees with tools to facilitate the analysis and understanding of domestic and international to reform and develop law and justice capabilities in an environment of rapid change and challenging complexity.

Topics 

  1. Colonial impositions and global standards including; legacies of colonisation, establishment of modern justice systems and impact of international conventions
  2. Legal and justice pluralism including; customary norms and state law, policing and security, adjudication and dispute management and punishment and compensation
  3. Law and justice capacity building in the region including; policies and programs using case studies and regional networks of state and non-state actors
  4. Local innovations including; hybrid approaches

Learning outcomes 

Upon successful completion, enrollees will have the knowledge and skills to: 

  1. Use concepts and frameworks to critically analyse complex and contemporary law and justice issues
  2. Demonstrate a working understanding of law and justice policy challenges
  3. Formulate, analyse and evaluate policy options for improved law and justice outcomes in Pacific Islands countries
  4. Develop and communicate ideas, analysis, and arguments in a range of forms for professional and scholarly audiences

Indicative assessment

Essay in the form of a short research paper (2,000 words) on a topic agreed with the credential convenors: 60%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Short presentation on research and main findings: 40%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Assumed knowledge 

This Micro-credential is taught at graduate level and assumes the generic skills of a Bachelors or equivalent. 

Micro-credential stack information 

 This Micro-credential is currently not part of a stack.

Details 

  • Course Code: DPA20

  • Workload: Contact hours: 12 hours, face-to-face or online (eg via Zoom). Individual study and assessment: approx. 50-60 hours.

  • ANU unit value: 3 units

  • Course Code Level: 8000

  • Contact:  ANU Department of Pacific Affairs: dpa@anu.edu.au

This Micro-credential is taught at a graduate level.  This is not an AQF qualification. 

No dates are currently scheduled.

Description 

This micro-credential will address the importance of understanding the many ways that culture influences development. Culture is often seen to be an impediment to development, especially to central elements of development policy such as human rights and gender equality. Culture is also often used to justify violence or discrimination and is considered a major contributing factor in violence against women. As a result, cultural practices are sometimes given the negative label of “harmful traditional practices.” However, while violence and discrimination are serious problems, the importance of culture in development is a wider issue, for successful development requires policy makers and practitioners to work with culture.
Given the significance of culture in the development process, it is important to understand just what we mean by culture. The micro-credential will draw on contemporary anthropological writings to examine and analyse the significance of culture and the multiple ways that culture influences development in the Pacific.
The micro-credential will draw on case studies which show how cultural beliefs shape the specific ways that Pacific Islanders understand and explain such things as:
  • The AIDS epidemic
  • Illness and death
  • Sorcery and witchcraft accusations and related violence;
  • The relationship between culture and land and conflicts over land,
  • The ways that culture and exchange plays out in elections through money politics
Finally, these case studies will demonstrate why a thorough understanding of culture is necessary for the development interventions which are appropriate and acceptable to the people they are applied to.

Topics 

  1. Culture and Development
  2. Culture and Health – Religion and the AIDS Epidemic
  3. Culture and Violence – Sorcery and Witchcraft Related Violence
  4. Culture and Land – Land Conflicts
  5. Culture and Politics – The Culture of Money Politics
  6. Working with Culture

Learning outcomes 

Upon successful completion, enrollees will have the knowledge and skills to: 

  1. Acquire a critical understanding of the concept of culture
  2. Understand the importance of culture for development policy-making and programming
  3. Critically analyse the way culture is addressed in policy
  4. Conduct independent research that demonstrates scholarly and practitioner focused engagement with the subject matter developing ideas and analysis for both audience

Indicative assessment

Policy Review 20%; Links to LO: 3 and 4

Policy Brief 30%%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Policy Intervention Design Project 50%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Assumed knowledge 

This Micro-credential is taught at graduate level and assumes the generic skills of a Bachelors or equivalent. 

Micro-credential stack information 

 This Micro-credential is currently not part of a stack.

Details 

  • Course Code: DPA18

  • Workload: Contact hours: 12 hours, face-to-face or online (eg via Zoom). Individual study and assessment: approx. 50-60 hours.

  • ANU unit value: 3 units

  • Course Code Level: 8000

  • Contact:  ANU Department of Pacific Affairs: dpa@anu.edu.au

This Micro-credential is taught at a graduate level.  This is not an AQF qualification. 

No dates are currently scheduled.

Description 

This micro-credential will consider what it means to be ‘feminist’ in contemporary Pacific society, and the goals of indigenous Pacific feminist action and advocacy. Through a series of guest lectures, the credential will showcase the stories of various self-identified Pacific feminists, revealing their triumphs and challenges in articulating a vision of change in their own contexts. Enrollees will also engage with a range of Pacific media – print and digital – to consider key issues pertinent to feminist struggles in the region, and strategies adopted by feminists to address these. Finally, the micro-credential will interrogate the occurrence of ‘feminist backlash’ in the Pacific, and consider its roots and consequences.

Topics 

  1. What is Pacific feminism and who can be a Pacific feminist?
  2. Feminism and Pacific cultures: inherent tensions or opportunities for respect?
  3. The foreignness of feminism: do foreign ideas and actors do more harm than good?
  4. Effective Pacific feminist strategies: from solidarity to coalitions to movements
  5. Feminist backlash: who drives anti-feminist sentiment in the Pacific and how?
  6. Feminism as critical reflection: achievements and continuing challenges

Learning outcomes 

Upon successful completion, enrollees will have the knowledge and skills to: 

  1. Independently identify, describe and relate critically to global and Pacific understandings of and divisions within feminist theory
  2. Use appropriate language, terminology and concepts for discussing gender and feminist thought in Pacific contexts
  3. Orally and in writing, present an independent analysis related to contemporary feminist concerns in the Pacific, including through standpoint and inter-sectional analysis
  4. Contribute qualified analytical comments in seminars and chair a seminar discussion
  5. Critically assess Pacific feminist strategies to achieve gender equality in terms of both Pacific and global normative frameworks
  6. Design an original Pacific-appropriate feminist campaign to eradicate a chosen indicator of gender inequality

Indicative assessment

Participation in class discussion: 10%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3 ,4 and 5

Discussion leader 10%; Links to LO: 1 2, 3 and 4

Reflective piece 30%; Links to LO: 2, 3 and 5

Feminist campaign 50%; Links to LO: 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6

Assumed knowledge 

This Micro-credential is taught at graduate level and assumes the generic skills of a Bachelors or equivalent. 

Micro-credential stack information 

 This Micro-credential is currently not part of a stack.

Details 

  • Course Code: DPA16

  • Workload: Contact hours: 12 hours, face-to-face or online (eg via Zoom). Individual study and assessment: approx. 50-60 hours.

  • ANU unit value: 3 units

  • Course Code Level: 8000

  • Contact:  ANU Department of Pacific Affairs: dpa@anu.edu.au

This Micro-credential is taught at a graduate level.  This is not an AQF qualification. 


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