Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Course Convener Dr Kristine Aquino kristine.aquino@mq.edu.au By appointment External Students Tutor Mitra Pariyar mitra.pariyar@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 3
Prerequisites	Prerequisites
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description In this unit you are introduced to the analysis of everyday situations such as the home, the street, work, shopping, community, neighbourhoods, and various sites of leisure and entertainment. We also reveal and scrutinize the many tools and props that we use to negotiate these everyday activities (eg, clothes, mobile phones, automobiles, computers, furnishings etc) and explore the hidden social forces that shape our lives.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

General Assessment Information

Please note that we expect the Critical Review and Research Essay to be written in essay form. This includes: double-spaced, page references for direct citations and a list of all texts referred to in the assignment.

All written assignments for sociology should use the Harvard style of referencing. If you are in any doubt with regard to referencing or other aspects of essay writing, please consult your tutor or lecturer.

Submission of the Critical Review and Research Essay is through TURNITIN. There is no hard copy submissions needed. PLEASE KEEP A COPY OF ALL WRITTEN WORK YOU SUBMIT.

EXTENSIONS:

Due dates are REAL deadlines. Any request for an extension should be submitted before the due date for the assignment. Please see your tutor for assignment extensions.

Where a student cannot hand in a piece of work on the due date because of illness of other personal difficulties, the student is entitled to ask for an extension for that piece of work. The extension means that marks will not be deducted for lateness. In order to receive an extension, the student is requested to provide evidence of illness or personal difficulties in the form of a medical certificate or supporting letter. Other excuses for the late submission of work, such as other work due at the same time, or involvement in extra-curricular activities, do not entitle the student to and extension and are not considered reasonable excuses for late submission. Note: extensions cannot be given for work related issues.

LATE PENALTIES:

All assignments which are officially received after the due date, and where no extension has been granted by the course convenor, will incur a deduction of 5% for the first day, and 1% for each subsequent day on which the work is received. Weekends and public holidays are included. For example:

Due Date	Received	Days Late	Deduction	Raw Mark	Final Mark
Friday 14th	Monday 17th	3	7%	65%	58%

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION POLICY:

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html

Applying for Special Consideration

Students applying for Special Consideration circumstances of three (3) consecutive days duration, within a study period, and/or prevent completion of a formal examination must submit an on-line application with the Faculty of Arts. For an application to be valid, it must include a completed Application for Special Consideration form and all supporting documentation. See details:

http://www.arts.mq.edu.au/current_students/undergraduate/admin_central/special_consideration.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Online Quiz	25%	Friday, Week 7
Critical Review	25%	Friday, Week 8
Research Essay	35%	Friday, November 21, 2014
Online discussion	15%	Ongoing

Online Quiz

Due: Friday, Week 7
Weighting: 25%

The online quiz will be based on course readings and lecture content. It will be designed to test your understanding and application of key sociological concepts and ideas covered fromWeeks 1 to 7 in the course. It will be a multiple choice quiz with adesignated time for completion of 30 minutes. This means that once you commence the quiz, you must complete it within 30 minutes. We advise that you do not leave taking the test to the last day of the quiz closing, to avoid any technical issues. You will not sit test this during class but instead take it in your own time during Week 7.

Date of release: Monday, Week 7

Closing date: Week 7, Friday September 19, 2014

Where: A link to the online quiz will appear on the SOC180 ilearn page.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Critical Review

Due: Friday, Week 8
Weighting: 25%

**Erving, Goffman. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, New York: Anchor Books. pp 1-16. (In Course Reader)

The task is to write a review of Goffman's 'The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life' (pp1-16) in which you outline the main ideas and argument proposed by the author. Your review should, however, go beyond a summary of the key points. It should try to highlight the key terms and how these relate to the study of everyday life. In other words, the review should include your own evaluation of the author’s intent and the success of the argument/and or theme discussed. It is also a writing exercise and you should not exceed the word limit. No additional references are required for this exercise.

In your review you should focus on the following questions:

1. What does Goffman mean by the ‘presentation of the self’ in everyday life?

2. How does the social context on which social interactions occur affect Goffman’s idea of ‘impression management’? Provide two examples, one from the text and one of your own. (Here you might think about the difference between formal settings, for example, school, work, the lecture etc., and informal settings, for example home, parties with friends).

3. Finally, Goffman defines social interaction as “the reciprocal influence of individuals upon one another’s actions when in one another’s immediate physical presence” (1959:15). Can Goffman’s ideas of ‘impression management’ apply to the on-line social environment? Illustrate your answer with at least one example.

Word Limit: 800-850 words

DUE: Week 8, Friday October 10, 2014

Submission: TURNITIN

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Research Essay

Due: Friday, November 21, 2014
Weighting: 35%

Option 1: Undertake an observation of an everyday activity or everyday space. Using your mobile phone camera, take 2 images from your observation.

Option 2: Choose an object that you regularly use in your everyday life (eg. cutlery, toothpaste, car, mobile phone, etc.).

Using your observation and images OR an object from your everyday life as the focus of analysis; explain what it reveals about ourselves, the social forces that shape everyday life and broader modern life. In your essay you need to employ at leastone of the concepts and/or theories in the unit (ie. gender, class and taste, cultural diversity, presentation of self, rationalisation, ritual, modernity, post modernity, etc.). You must also cite scholarly references in support of your interpretation.

Word Limit: 1200- 1500 words

Due: Friday, November 21, 2014 (exam period)

Submission: TURNITIN

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Online discussion

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 15%

You are required to participate weekly on the EXTERNAL STUDENT DISCUSSION FORUM. There are a set of questions for every week and you are required to address at least 2 questions. Your post should reflect engagement with the reading/s and lecture material. Late posts will not receive full marks and only a valid excuse such as medical related issues with documentation will be accepted. The tutor for External Students will monitor the forums weekly.

The weekly online discussion forums provides the opportunity for students to engage in active peer discussion and participatory learning and raise questions about the material you are encountering in lectures and in the readings. You are expected to have listened to the lecture and read the required reading before posting. On occasions you may be asked to do other kinds of preparations, such as look up websites, read charts, analyze images etc. Please check the forums regularly.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Delivery and Resources

Listening to recorded lectures weekly will ensure you keep up to date with the course material which is important for tutorial participation and assessments. There is a 2 hour lecture every week on campus on Tuesday and will be made available on ilearn shortly thereafter.

Please purchase your course reader from the Co-op Uni book store or contact COE to arrange a course reader to be sent out to you.

You must consult ilearn WEEKLY for any announcements or updates.

Any supplementary reading will also be uploaded on ilearn. You will also find the recommended readings in the Library Reserve and Open sections. They are designed to support material presented in the lecture and should be used to deepen your understanding of particular topics. You may also use the lecture readings as the beginning points for research in your essays, depending on the topic you choose.

This unit has been prepared on the basis that students will devote 6 hours per week keeping up with the material. The required study pattern is:

Lectures (2 Hours)
Doing the Required reading and participating on online discussion forum (3 Hours)
Relevant Study (1 Hour)

Unit Schedule

LECTURE SCHEDULE

Week	Lecture Topics	Lecturers
	PART 1
1	Making Something of Nothing?	Kristine Aquino
2	The Meaning of Everyday Life	Kristine Aquino
3	Modernity, Post-Modernity and Everyday Life	Kristine Aquino
4	Theorising the Mundane	Kristine Aquino
5	Researching Everyday Life	Kristine Aquino / Roberta Simpson
	PART 2
6	Social Class and Taste	Tobia Fattore / Justine Lloyd
7	Gender and The Body *Online Quiz opens Monday, Week 7 and closes Friday, Week 7 (25%)*	Emily Cachia
	MID-SEM BREAK
8	Cultural Diversity *Critical Review due Friday, Week 8 (25%)*	Banu Senay
9	Rituals of Food / The Phenomena of Fast Food	Sudheesh Bhasi
10	Film screening: Food Inc.	Kristine Aquino
11	Technology and Media	Justine Lloyd / Jayde Cahir
12	Urban Life	Peter Rogers
13	Course Conclusion and Research Essay (Final lecture at 9am only. No tutorials)	Kristine Aquino
	EXAM PERIOD *Research Essay due Friday, 21 November 2014 (35%)*
	*Tutorial attendance and participation is ongoing (15%)*

TUTORIAL SCHEDULE

Week	Tutorial Schedule
	PLEASE PURCHASE THE COURSE READER FROM THE UNI CO-OP BOOK STORE. YOU MUST CONSULT THE iLEARN PAGE WEEKLY FOR THE TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES AND QUESTIONS. ANY SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS WILL ALSO BE UPLOADED ON iLEARN.
1	Making Something of Nothing? (NO TUTORIALS) Required Readings: Bennett, Tony. and Watson, Diane. (eds.) 2002. ‘Understanding Everyday Life: Introduction’ in Understanding Everyday Life. Oxford: Blackwell. pp ix-xix. Garcia, Jorge J. 2000. ‘The Secret of Seinfeld’s Humor’, Chapter 11 in Seinfeld and Philosophy. William Irwin (ed.) Illinois: Open Court pp140-151.
2	The Meaning of Everyday Life Required Readings: Highmore, Ben. 2002.’Figuring the Everyday’, in Everyday Life and Cultural Theory: an introduction. New York: Routledge.
3	Modernity, Post-Modernity and Everyday Life Required Reading: Inglis, David. 2005. ‘Modern Culture & Everyday’ in Culture and Everyday Life. New York: Routledge. pp 39-75.
4	Theorising the Mundane Required Reading: Sassatelli, Roberta 1999 ‘Interaction Order and Beyond: a field analysis of body culture within fitness gyms’ in Body and Society 5(2-3): 227-248.
5	Researching Everyday Life Required Reading: Chalfen, R. (2011) ‘Looking two ways: Mapping the social scientific study of visual culture’, in Margolis, E. and Pauwels, L. (eds.) Visual Research Methods, Sage Publications : London – pg 1-16 and 31-33
6	Social Class and Taste Required Reading: Western, Mark. And Baxter, Janeen. 2007. ‘Class and Inequality in Australia’, in John Germov and Marilyn Pool (eds.) Public Sociology: An Introduction to Australian Society. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin. [Chapter 11] Grazian, D. (2010) ‘The rules of the game: Cultural consumption and social class in America’, in Mix it up: Popular culture, mass media and society, W. W. Norton : London and New York – pg. 132-151
7	Gender and The Body Required Reading: Connell, R.W. (2002). Chapter Three 'Differences and Bodies' in Gender, Malden, MA : Blackwell Publishers ; Cambridge, UK : Polity Press in association with Blackwell Publishers. HQ1075. C658 2002 pp 28- 52 *Online Quiz opens Monday, Week 7 and closes Friday, Week 7 (25%)*
	MID-SEM BREAK
8	Cultural Diversity Required Reading: Wise, A. 2010. ‘Sensuous Multiculturalism: Emotional Landscapes of Inter-Ethnic Living in Australian Suburbia’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. pp. 1-21. *Critical Review due Friday, Week 8 (25%)*
9	Rituals of Food / The Phenomena of Fast Food Required Reading: Finkelstein, Joanne 1989. ‘The Meanings of Food in the Public Domain’, chapter one in Dining Out. Cambridge: Polity.
10	Film screening: Food Inc. Required Reading: Ritzer, George 2000 ‘McDonaldization and its Precursors’ in The McDonaldization of Society, Pine Forge Press.
11	Technology and Media Required Reading: Cahir, J. and Lloyd, J. (forthcoming) ‘’ People just don’t care’: Practices of text messaging in the presence of others’, Media, Culture and Society
12	Urban Life Required Reading: Jacobs, J. 2003 (1961) ‘The Uses of Sidewalks: safety, The City Cultures Reader, Routledge, London and New York, pp, 114-118 (Excerpt). and another TBA
13	Course Conclusion and Research Essay (Final Lecture at 9am only. No tutorials)
	EXAM PERIOD *Research Essay due Friday, 21 November 2014 (35%)*
	*Tutorial attendance and participation is ongoing (15%)*

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a range of generic skills useful in tertiary education and in vocational settings. This includes reading texts, critically review arguments and evidence, relate between and across contexts, become theoretically aware, and articulate arguments through written and verbal expression.
Be aware of a range of research skills, such as ethnography and visual analysis, used to carry out research in the area of the sociology of everyday life.
Be able to read, summarize and apply basic works in sociology and the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Be aware of the history and importance of the study of the sociology of everyday life.
Develop a broad understanding of how the ‘sociological imagination’ can be applied to our everyday lives.

Assessment tasks

Online Quiz
Critical Review
Research Essay
Online discussion