STST3002 Study Guide - Final Guide: Australian Journal Of International Affairs, Mikta, Middle Power
Week 11 Reading journal – u6071409
Andrew Carr, 'Australia as a Middle Power: Fighting or Fanning the Flames of Asia?', Fride
Policy Brief, No.208, September
2015. http://fride.org/download/PB208_Australia_as_a_middle_power.pdf
Thesis / summary
• According to this policy brief, Australias priar orr is the aiteae of the
current globalised international order.
• In order to preserve the international order, the most popular solution is to pursue
cooperation with major powers who share the same values / interests as us.
o Such as Japan, the U.S., India and Indonesia
• Australia is uncertain about the future of the Asian region – it is likely that we will
reai reatie ad supportie of others iitiaties, rather tha adopt a ore
assertive and aggressive role.
• Overall, this policy brief assesses Australia as a middle power and whether it will
continue to be one into the future, given the shifting distribution of power.
Analysis / points I agree with
• The aalog, desried i the itrodutio to the poli rief, opared Asias
strategic system to bushfires, which I found clever, especially as former Prime
Minister Abbott was a volunteer fire fighter, but also had to deal with the shifts in
the region.
• For historial reasos, Australias seurit has alas ee itiatel tied to
international order and stability and the support of major powers i.e. the U.S. or
Britain.
• Australia, oe odeed to the Tra of Distae, o fids itself faed with
the Peril of Proiit'
• The government has actively pursued multilateralism in anticipation of a conflict
with an emerging power or a shift away from the U.S.-led order.
o Multilateralism seeks to mould and shape the order
o Institutions – MIKTA, G20, APEC, UN, G7 and BRICS, ASEF etc.
Critique / points I disagree with
• (P2) Carr describes that threats which are widely discussed in Canberra are Russia
and the Islamic State – I think that there are more pressing and imminent
international challenges than these.
o Such as the “outh Chia “ea ad Chias assertive ambitions, which Carr also
addresses – but it is difficult to solve these threats in the short-term
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Document Summary
Thesis / summary: according to this policy brief, australia(cid:859)s pri(cid:373)ar(cid:455) (cid:449)orr(cid:455) is the (cid:373)ai(cid:374)te(cid:374)a(cid:374)(cid:272)e of the current globalised international order. Analysis / points i agree with: the a(cid:374)alog(cid:455), des(cid:272)ri(cid:271)ed i(cid:374) the i(cid:374)trodu(cid:272)tio(cid:374) to the poli(cid:272)(cid:455) (cid:271)rief, (cid:272)o(cid:373)pared asia(cid:859)s strategic system to bushfires, which i found clever, especially as former prime. Institutions mikta, g20, apec, un, g7 and brics, asef etc. In terms of the definition of this term, it was first defined in a quantitative way (by assessing a powers assets, military strength, economy and population) but this did not produce clear patterns. Analysis / critique / points i agree with: the appli(cid:272)atio(cid:374) of i(cid:374)ter(cid:374)atio(cid:374)al relatio(cid:374)s theories to the defi(cid:374)itio(cid:374) of (cid:858)(cid:373)iddle po(cid:449)er(cid:859) is interesting, the proposed (cid:858)s(cid:455)ste(cid:373)i(cid:272) i(cid:373)pa(cid:272)t(cid:859) definition is effective for two reasons: It keeps a focus on power and outlines an expectation of middle power behaviour: not i(cid:374) ter(cid:373)s of a list of (cid:272)apa(cid:271)ilities (cid:271)ut i(cid:374) ter(cid:373)s of a state(cid:859)s positio(cid:374) and intentions in global affairs.
