Shelford goes global

Will China be the next superpower state? Is China’s South China Sea claim damaging or guaranteeing their regional relationships?

These questions and more have been the focus for the Units 3 and 4 Global Politics class for the past seven weeks as they have studied the foreign policy and power of China. By examining differing interpretations of China’s goals, the 16 dedicated VCE students have considered the importance of national security to Beijing.

Global Politics has a contemporary focus and the students may only draw on evidence from the past ten years so current issues such as the Solomon Islands security pact have been front and centre in this unit. Current student, Olivia S (Y12) predicts ‘that China will continue to rise, and may well become the international superpower in our lifetime. I think, however, that the entity that is a superpower may change significantly before that happens’.

Through studying this outcome, the students have developed their analytical skills considerably. After studying key global actors at the start of the year ranging from the United Nations to transnational corporation, Tesla, this area of study has allowed students to explore the concept of power in greater depth. Upon reflection of the year so far, Olivia comments that ‘it’s interesting to learn about the aims of these conglomerates of states, and to compare these with their actions. But more importantly, we have learnt about the many facets and shapes of power, and how these can be exerted by many different institutions and groups, from Médecins Sans Frontières to terrorist organisations.’

By reviewing the idealistic and pragmatic elements of the ‘Chinese Dream’ and the relative effectiveness of China’s hard and soft power, students are constantly evaluating, justifying their position and explaining evidence to support their views. A highlight of the outcome was a group presentation investigating China’s foreign policy instruments of trade, aid, military and diplomacy. Students were tasked with investigating why China had chosen their approach and whether the use of the policy was effective and had achieved the desired outcome. The standard of the presentations was exceptional and showcased the future focused skills that Shelford students have developed throughout their schooling, with every student confident to not only research and present their ideas but also to collaborate and design activities to challenge their peers. 

The second half of the course begins with a study of ethical issues, where the students will examine human rights and arms control, providing plenty more opportunity for points of view to be debated! Olivia reflects on her study of Global Politics saying:

 ‘I think every student of the modern world should be studying Global Politics, as without it, we are blind to the actions, or lack thereof, of institutions which should be representing our nations, and ultimately our globe. It also ensures we still interact with the world during a more insular final year, which makes me very happy.’

Melissa Webb (Global Politics Teacher) and Olivia S (Year 12)

The Humanities Faculty would like to congratulate Melissa Webb on the recent publication of the Unit 3 and 4 Global Politics textbook by Social Education Victorian (SEV) of which she is a co-author.