Australia In International Politics

The world has changed swiftly for Australia since the terrorist attacks on the USA on September 11, 2001, the 2002 Bali bombings and the explosion outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta in 2004. Security against terrorism has leapt to prominence in Australia's foreign policy. A fundamental structural change in world affairs is also occurring, as economic activity becomes increasingly globalised. International financial markets now determine economic development, and international financial institutions police the global economy. China is becoming a key trading partner for Australia. In a completely revised and updated edition, Australia in International Politics shows how the nation is responding to these changes. The book describes how Australian foreign policy has evolved since Federation and how it is now made. It explains Australian economic initiatives such as the Cairns Group and the Free Trade Agreement with the USA in the context of globalisation, and points to the intrusive nature of contemporary free trade. It examines recent issues such as Australia's military involvement in East Timor, Iraq, and Solomon Islands, the shift to a new engagement in the South Pacific, good governance' in Australia's foreign aid program, Australia's partial withdrawal from the UN human rights treaty system, the refugee issue, and the decision not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. Written by one of Australia's most experienced teachers of international relations, Australia in International Politics explains Australian foreign policy in a highly accessible manner to students encountering the subject for the first time. one of the best books on Australian foreign policy that I have read in recent years'Samuel M. Makinda, Australian Journal of Political Science A comprehensive and up to date account of Australian foreign policy. It provides a balanced and insightful appraisal of trends under the Coalition and Labor. A lucid and accessible style make this an ideal introductory text.'Karin von Strokirch, University of New England

Australia on the World Stage: History, Politics, and International Relations offers a fresh examination of Australia’s past and present. From the complex interactions of First Nations to modern international relations with significant partners and allies, it examines the forces that have influenced the place now called Australia both historically and today. It is a unique history told in two parts. The first half of the book examines the way Australia acted on the world stage both before and after British colonisation. It outlines the evolution of Australia’s relationship with the United Kingdom, first as colonies, then a dominion, and finally as an independent nation. It finishes with a First Nations perspective on foreign relations. The second half of the book provides a wide-ranging history of Australia’s dealings with major powers, the United States and China, as well as its relationships with New Zealand, Aotearoa, the Pacific Islands, Indonesia, Japan, Antarctica, and the United Nations. Written by leading and emerging researchers in their fields, this book encourages the reader to consider Australia’s performance on the world stage over the longue durée, well before the word ‘Australia’ was ever dreamt up. This interdisciplinary work challenges lazy stereotypes that see Australia's international history as fixed and uncontested. In revisiting Australia’s foreign relations, this work also asks the reader to consider its future directions.

The World has changed greatly for Australia since the mid-1980s. The threat of nuclear war between the superpowers has passed into history. The UN's role in international security is changing. Economic activity is increasingly globalised. International financial markets determine economic development. Australia in International Politics shows how this nation has responded to these changes. It explores the way Labor and Coalition governments answer the traditional foreign policy questions. It analyses the policies adopted to deal with new questions of foreign policy. It explains why economics now comes first in Australia's foreign policy; provides extensive coverage of initiatives including APEC, ASEM, the Cairns Group and the Uruguay Round; describes the role of international organisations including the WTO, World Bank and IMF. It deals with contemporary issues such as the Asian economic crisis, Australia's contribution to peacekeeping initiatives, its role at the Kyoto conference on climate change, and its participation in the Iraq/US contest.

Table of contents

Invaluable to students and those approaching the subject for the first time, An Introduction to International Relations, Second Edition provides a comprehensive and stimulating introduction to international relations, its traditions and its changing nature in an era of globalisation. Thoroughly revised and updated, it features chapters written by a range of experts from around the world. It presents a global perspective on the theories, history, developments and debates that shape this dynamic discipline and contemporary world politics. Now in full-colour and accompanied by a password-protected companion website featuring additional chapters and case studies, this is the indispensable guide to the study of international relations.

This title was first published in 2000. An important comparative study, which considers the domestic/international interface. The book covers climate change in Australia; New Zealand and the abolition of nuclear weapons; the Bougainville conflict and settlement in Papua New Guinea; Decolonization (New Caledonia, East Timor, West Papua); Indigenous Rights (Australia, New Zealand,and Fiji); Governance Reform and Environmental Management challenges in the Pacific Island states. The conclusion evaluates propositions advanced in the introductory chapter regarding the distinctive domestic/international issues raised and argues that, in order to comprehend foreign relations in an increasingly complex world, there is no substitute for a thorough knowledge of distinctive local, social and political dynamics shaping international orientations. The theme of the book is the way that these interactions have operated in the cases examined.

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the disintegration of the Soviet Union were only two of the many events that profoundly altered the international political system in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In a world no longer dominated by Cold War tensions, nation states have had to rethink their international roles and focus on economic rather than military concerns. This book examines how two middle powers, Australia and Canada, are grappling with the difficult process of relocating themselves in the rapidly changing international economy. The authors argue that the concept of middle power has continuing relevance in contemporary international relations theory, and they present a number of case studies to illustrate the changing nature of middle power behaviour.