Shadow Syllabus, AUKUS and its Discontents

Autumn 2025

School of Social Science, Monash University

This webinar in a part of a series. Past webinars can be viewed on YouTube by clicking this link.

Why AUKUS exists and why it’s the least of our worries

Presentation by Dr Sian Troath, Postdoctoral Fellow, International Relations, ANU

About AUKUS and its Discontents Shadow Syllabus

AUKUS is a security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Encouraging a diversity of perspectives, we hope to examine both the strategic merits and potential drawbacks of AUKUS. Since its announcement in 2021, AUKUS has been met with a range of perspectives. While many see it as a strategic step forward in strengthening regional security and defense partnerships, others have raised concerns about its necessity and potential implications for people, ecological impacts, human rights, prospects for peace, relationships with Asia-Pacific neighbours, the education sector, and ultimately, Australia’s place in the world.

This shadow syllabus, consisting of online lunchtime webinars, critically examines the AUKUS Agreement from a broad lens. Open to all, it offers an informal learning environment for considered reflection. The aim is to contribute to informed discussion on peace, security, and the future of Australia and our region. The presenters will be academics, representatives of AUKUS-related institutions, and members of social movements. A shadow syllabus is an informal or supplementary guide to a formal program. This syllabus emerged from discussions in Dr Samanthi J Gunawardana's ATS3697 Gender and International Relations class, which was run in Semester 2, 2024.

Recommended Resources (provided access after registration):

Troath, S. (2025). Trusting technology to wage war: the politics of trust and ethics in the development of robotics, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence. Critical Military Studies, 11(1), 59-77, DOI: 10.1080/23337486.2024.2362074

Troath, S. (2023). The Political Economy of Australian Militarism: On the Emergent Military–Industrial–Academic Complex. Journal of Global Security Studies, 8(4)

Troath, S., & Ainley, K. (2025). Resistance, power, and the new global ethical order. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 79(1), 86-90.