Students

CUL 230 – Performance and Popular Media

2014 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Yuji Sone
Contact via yuji.sone@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
12cp
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Performance exploration in this course focuses on the cultural practice of everyday 'acting/performing' with a view toward a broader spectrum of performance. This unit examines the practices of performance work, identifying social and cultural issues (relating to gender, femininity, masculinity, and ethnicity) and artists' strategies. The key question for this unit is: How do everyday social and personal performances differ from acting/performing in film or theatre, or in non-drama TV programs? The time spent in class consists of approximately equal time for workshop exercises and theoretical study.

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:

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Contribution to discussion 10% Week 3, 4, 5
Individual report (1) 20% 07 April
Group performance project 35% Week 7-12
Individual report (2) 35% 13 June

Contribution to discussion

Due: Week 3, 4, 5
Weighting: 10%

Each student selects a topic from the lecture materials in week 3-5, and performs the role of respondent in a tutorial.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.

Individual report (1)

Due: 07 April
Weighting: 20%

Each student discusses, in a short speculative report, the findings from his or her own research in relation to class discussion and the issues raised in lectures.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.

Group performance project

Due: Week 7-12
Weighting: 35%

Weight: 35% (10% as group + 25% as individual)

Students will work together to produce a short group performance experiment in Week 11. The theme of the experiment is the issue of stereotype (of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and other social and cultural constructions that affect human behaviour) and inter-personal communication.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.



On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Individual report (2)

Due: 13 June
Weighting: 35%

On the basis of discussion in Week 12, students write up an observational report examining differences between proposal and actuality. Students' ability to critique and discuss another group's project and own project, highlighting issues in a logical and scholarly manner against proposals, will be assessed.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Delivery and Resources

Classes

For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au. This website will display up-to-date information on your classes and classroom locations. 

On-Campus Sessions

 

Date

Time

Location

Session 1

Tuesday class

Wednesday class

Thursday class

10am-12pm

10am-12pm

10am-12pm

Y3A 187

Y3A 187

Y3A 187

Required Reading

There is no Unit Reader for CUL230. A list of recommended readings are available on eReserve.

Recommended books

Gauntlett, David. 2008. Media, gender and identity: an introduction (2nd edition). London and New York: Routledge. Reference Number: P96.S45 G28 2008

Barker, Chris. 2008. Cultural studies: theory and practice (3rd edition). London and Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. Reference Number: HM623 .B37 2008

Schechner, Richard. 2006. Performance Studies: An introduction (2nd edition). London and New York: Routledge. Reference Number: PN2041.A57 S34 2006

Technology Used and Required

The unit uses the following technology: iLearn and Turnitin

 

 

Unit Schedule

 

Week 1

Overview of Unit: structure, assignment, assessment.

Lecture:

Performing and Performance

*Forming student groups & scheduling of tutorial group presentations

Workshop

Personal behavioural manner, body language

Suggested Readings (More available in eReserve)

Schechner, Richard. 2006. Performance Studies: An introduction. New York: Routledge. 28-51.

Goffman, Erving. 2003 (1959). 'Introduction to The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life' in Philip Auslander (ed.), Performance: Critical Concepts in Literary and Cultural Studies Volume 1. London and New York: Routledge. 97-107.

Week 2

Lecture & tutorial topic

Actor-related visual signs

Workshop

Appearance as performance, Gestural performance

Suggested Readings (More available in eReserve)

Kirby, Michael. 2002 (1984). 'On Acting and Not-Acting' in Philip Auslander (ed.), Performance: Critical Concepts in Literary and Cultural Studies Volume 4. London and New York: Routledge. 309-323.

Week 3

Lecture & tutorial topic

Feminist Performance/Theory

*Tutorial respondent

Suggested Readings (More available in eReserve)

Wynter, Vivienne. 2006. 'Feminism is passe because it worked'. The Australian, Higher Education (August/09). 37.

Butler, Judith. 2003 (1988). 'Performative Acts And Gender Constitution: An essay on phenomenology and feminist theory' in Philip Auslander (ed.), Performance: Critical Concepts in Literary and Cultural Studies Volume 4. London and New York: Routledge. 97-110.

Week 4

Lecture & tutorial topic

Performing Masculinity and Queerness

*Tutorial respondent

Suggested Readings (More available in eReserve)

Connell, R. W. 2003. 'Introduction: Australian masculinity' in Tomsen, Stephen and Mike Donaldson (eds.), Male Trouble: Looking at Australian Masculinities. North Melbourne: Pluto Press Australia. 9-21.

Meyer, Moe. 1994. 'Introduction: Reclaiming the discourse of Camp' in The Politics and Poetics of Camp. London and New York: Routledge. 1-22.

Week 5

Lecture & tutorial topic

Performing Ethnicity in a Multicultural Australia

*Tutorial respondent

Suggested Readings (More available in eReserve)

Gilbert, Helen and Jacqueline Lo. 2007. 'Introduction: Performing Cosmopolitics' in Performance and Cosmopolitics: Cross-Cultural Transactions in Australia. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. 1-20.

Lewis, Lee. 2007. Chapter 1 & 2 of 'Cross-Racial Casting: Changing the face of Australian theatre'. Platform Papers 13: 1-23.

Abdel-Fattah, Randa. 2007. ‘Veils and Vegemite’. Good Weekend, SMH, February 17. 51-52.

Week 6

Workshop

Analysing TV drama, Performance making

*Individual analytical report (1) is due on Monday 14 April.

Mid-term Break

 

Week 7

Production exercise: Forming groups, Draft proposal

Week 8

Production exercise: Exploring ideas

Week 9

Production exercise: Finalising ideas, Final proposal

Week 10

Production exercise: Dress rehearsal

(Final check through video recording)

Week 11

Production exercise: Performance

*Each group will present their performance experiment.

Week 12

Production exercise: Post-performance discussion

*Each group will present their oral analysis and discussion.

Week 13

(Individual study week)

*Individual analytical report (2) is due on Friday 13 June.

 

Learning and Teaching Activities

Group production exercise

Students are expected to work in groups for their performance projects. Students in this unit must be willing to work within a group and to assume responsibility for the group's project. Students are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes and shoes for practical exercises and workshops.

Independent work

Students may need to work independently outside of scheduled tutorial times when they are working on their performance experiments. CUL230 students will need to do their own reading of relevant texts outside class time.

Attendance

Attendance at all unit components is compulsory. Students are not allowed to miss a class for reasons to do with their own paid work or due to responsibilities concerning other units. Students must notify the convenor via email immediately if there are any problems.

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/

Extensions

Assessments submitted after the due date and time will automatically be deducted 10% per day (weekends included) unless medical certification is provided. For extensions, please contact the course convenor well in advance if you are unable to submit an assessment on time. Extensions will only be granted on grounds of illness or misadventure, and appropriate supporting documentation must be submitted. If you are experiencing difficulties with your coursework, it is advisable to seek support from the convenor as soon as possible.

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

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to discussion
  • Group performance project

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

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Assessment task

  • Group performance project

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

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to discussion
  • Individual report (1)
  • Individual report (2)

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

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to discussion
  • Individual report (1)
  • Individual report (2)

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

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to discussion
  • Individual report (1)
  • Group performance project
  • Individual report (2)

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

  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Assessment task

  • Group performance project

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

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.
  • Demonstrate critical evaluation skills concerning the relationship between students’ practical experiments and the theories discussed in the unit.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to discussion
  • Group performance project

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

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to discussion
  • Group performance project

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

  • Evaluate various modes of acting/performing in wider social, cultural and artistic contexts.
  • Interpret and evaluate developments in contemporary art performance and performance theory, as well as social and cultural theories, that deal with questions of identity and subjectivity.
  • Conceptualise and devise practical experiments while developing their communication skills.

Assessment tasks

  • Contribution to discussion
  • Group performance project