PNG-Australia and offshore detention

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Today, for IR431, we had a really critical discussion on what Australia is doing on Manus Island. The discussion came after viewing the video on the Journeyman Pictures channel on YouTube titled: 'Australia's Secret Migration Detention Centre'.
In the next few days you will be working on your personal opinion on Australia's offshore detention centres. I look forward to reading some of the points you mentioned verbally in class today.

Please note the questions for consideration:
  • What is your understanding of Australia's offshore detention centres?
  • Do you agree or disagree with Australia's approach?
  • Why do you agree or disagree with Australia's approach?
  • What would be your suggested solution?
I like how you connected the case to your selected human security issues. We all know by now that we have 7 main human security categories according to the Human Development Report 1994:
  • Economic security
  • Food security
  • Health security
  • Environmental security
  • Personal security
  • Community security
  • Political security
Those taking IR302 will also be talking about the resettling of refugees in PNG. They will analyze the Regional Resettlement Agreement between Australia and PNG singed in Brisbane on 18 July 2013. Thus, if you are free tomorrow (9/5/2018) from 10:30am to 12:30pm please join us in Room 126.  

We will continue to talk about this case or issue in order to help us understand why PNG agreed to house the asylum seekers and resettle the refugees. We will also attempt to look at the case or issue from a theoretical perspective.

Few question for consideration:
  • Can we use the theory of realism and its central tenets to explain why PNG agreed to house and resettle these displaced group of people? 
  • Is it because of the norm of 'protection' or 'Melanesian' brotherhood? 
  • Why do we go out of our way to help Australia? 
  • Is it because of the 'big brother' identity that we have created due to our on going and historical social relations with them?
Hopefully, we get to find the answers to the questions above in due course.

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