Foundations of International Relations – Power, War and Peace

The entire history of international relations exists somewhere between the parameters of war and peace. Fundamental to both war and peace is the concept of power: the capacity of one actor to make another do something out of the ordinary.

This course is delivered via three interactive online modules and an in-person, five-hour practical workshop. Learning at your own pace, you will discover the intertwined nature of power, war, and peace, which will ultimately provide you with a foundational understanding of the modern international relations system.

This course is delivered via three online modules:

The Power and the State
The War
The Peace

Students will also complete a five-hour practical workshop about the virtue of a just war.

About this experience

Designed for: High school students in Years 11 and 12

Delivery: On campus/online

Learning time: A total of 25 hours of learning, consisting of:

8 hours of online modules on the Bond Learner platform
5 hours face-to-face on campus (Gold Coast and Brisbane locations)
12 hours of additional readings and assessment

May dates

Online course start date: Monday, 12 May, 2025

Practical workshop date: Saturday, 24 May, 2025

Registrations close: Saturday, 10 May, 2025

July/August dates

Online course start date: Monday, 21 July, 2025

Practical workshop date: Saturday, 2 August, 2025

Registrations close: Saturday, 19 July, 2025

Cost: $50

Location: Bond University Gold Coast campus

High School study areas

Modern History

Meet your educator

Assistant Professor Mark Dinnen

Dr Mark Dinnen is Assistant Professor of International Relations at Bond University. His teaching responsibilities include Introduction to International Relations, Geopolitics, Australian Public & Foreign Policy, and The United Nations. After co-creating a simulation software platform, the Global Strategic Operation Centre, Mark was awarded a seed grant from the Australian Office of Learning and Teaching. The grant allowed Dr Dinnen to lead a team of academics investigating the role of Model United Nations Conferences in developing employability skills in learners and the potential for technology to intensify that development.

Dr Dinnen is the founder and coordinator of the Bond University Model UN Program (BondMUNs), which led him to be recognised with the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning through Sustained Innovation and an Award for Teaching Excellence Citation from the Australian Awards for University Teaching. The program is also responsible for planning and executing the annual Bond University High School Model United Nations Conference.