Political Concepts
This term refers to a state's supreme authority over its territory and people.
What is sovereignty?
What is a non-governmental organisation?
Australia's key region of strategic interest.
What is the Indo-Pacific?
This perspective prioritises the power of states and their national interests over global cooperation.
What is realism?
Cyber operations, economic coercion, and information warfare are all considered forms of this category.
What is hybrid warfare?
Power that uses attraction or persuasion rather than force.
What is soft power?
An organisation formed by multiple states to cooperate on issues like security or trade.
What is an intergovernmental organisation?
An instrument of foreign policy whereby Australia provides money, expertise or equipment to other states.
What is foreign aid?
What is cosmopolitanism?
Great power conflict can threaten this principle, which relies on cooperation and shared rules among states.
What is foreign policy?
This panel was created to provide policymakers with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks.
What is the IPCC?
The Prime Minster who was in office at the time of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Who is Scott Morrison?
Actions by a state or group that violate basic freedoms or protections for people.
What are human rights violations?
Middle powers pursue this type of foreign policy, allowing independence from great powers while maintaining influence internationally.
What is strategic autonomy?
Referring to maintenance of the status quo, more consistency or less conflict in affairs.
What is stability?
Regional political and economic group in south-east Asia that promotes cooperation amongst member states.
Invoked only once in its history, this treaty is considered the corner-stone of Australian defence and security.
What is ANZUS?
A challenge to the international norms occurs when powerful states act without consultation or support.
What is unilateralism?
This term describes when a state participates in international organisations only when it suits its national interests.
What is selective multilateralism?
A type of activity global political actors engage in in multilateral forums.
What is diplomacy?
A group of Western-aligned states interested in European security.
What is the Coalition of the Willing?
The military treaty between Australian and Papua New Guinea signed in 2025 increasing interoperability and shared defence.
What is the Pukpuk Treaty?
The concept of balancing, limiting the influence of or countering another state or bloc.
What is containment?
Australia’s approach to managing great power conflict is often framed around this dual strategy of engagement and deterrence.
What is a hedging strategy?