This paper uses critical theories to examine New Zealand foreign policy in relation to conflicts and crises in the Pacific region. In relation to each conflict/crisis, it seeks to understand key factors that shaped New Zealand's response. In nearly every case, the response was devoid of critical perspectives regarding issues of nation-state building, race/ethnicity and politics, culture and politics, geopolitics, and resource exploitation. It might be argued that this resulted in shallow and unsustainable long-term policies. Contrarily, it could be argued that these were the most effective. We'll examine both sides, and see whether adopting perspectives based on critical theories could have provided for better policies.
Assessment:
Policy paper of 3500 words - 40%
Policy paper of 4000 words - 45%
Conducting seminar discussions - 15%