Students

ANTH307 – Culture Myth and Symbolism

2015 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
39cp or admission to GDipArts
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
Individually and collectively people make their lives meaningful through practices of symbolic representation. During the twentieth century anthropologists concerned with the study of culture came to focus on systems of symbols and meaning. Psychoanalysis and linguistics were important early influences on symbolic anthropology because they identified the capacity of the human mind to operate according to symbolic processes, but these theories also proved too universalist in their claims for anthropology's cross-cultural evidence. The 1980s saw a marked shift in anthropological approaches. Taking the anthropology of religion as its focus this unit examines key theorists and ethnographic studies in the field of symbolic anthropology and phenomenology. We discover that the study of culture shows that human consciousness includes a non-rational or affective aspect sometimes described as 'mystical' or mythic. Mythic consciousness is also explored in this unit as a distinct form of consciousness that should not be seen as false, inferior or irrational. We therefore consider the way phenomena such as dreams, spirits, magic, and emotions figure importantly in anthropological analysis.

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:

  • 1. Participate in group discussion and formulate discussion questions relevant to the themes of the unit
  • 2. Execute anthropological methods of collection and analysis
  • 3. Examine and evaluate a range of ethnographic and theoretical texts
  • 4. Develop critical analysis and creative thinking skills through a tutorial exercise and an essay project
  • 5. Understand key themes, theories and issues in the anthropology of myth and symbolic anthropology

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
attend tutes and lectures 15% ongoing
Classification exercises 20% 01/04/15
Major Essay 40% Wed May 13th
Take-home exam 25% 09/06/15

attend tutes and lectures

Due: ongoing
Weighting: 15%

Attendance is compulsory and your level of participation will also be assessed. Each week all students are expected to have done the required readings and be ready to discuss them (and to link this to the lecture). Your preparation should include the formulation of at least one discussion question each week.

 

You will be expected to hand in a half-page to one-page summary/commentary on each reading (150-200 words) to your tutor in each tutorial session.  Your tutor will discuss these with you in detail.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Participate in group discussion and formulate discussion questions relevant to the themes of the unit
  • 2. Execute anthropological methods of collection and analysis
  • 4. Develop critical analysis and creative thinking skills through a tutorial exercise and an essay project
  • 5. Understand key themes, theories and issues in the anthropology of myth and symbolic anthropology

Classification exercises

Due: 01/04/15
Weighting: 20%

From weeks 2 to 5 you will be set a series of small tasks, the results of which are to be written up and contextualized in the course readings and films we have covered so far in a short paper (1000 -1200 words in essay format with references). Further details for this assignment will be provided in lectures and tutorials.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 2. Execute anthropological methods of collection and analysis
  • 4. Develop critical analysis and creative thinking skills through a tutorial exercise and an essay project
  • 5. Understand key themes, theories and issues in the anthropology of myth and symbolic anthropology

Major Essay

Due: Wed May 13th
Weighting: 40%

The essay topics will be distributed in week 6. They will focus on the various theoretical perspectives presented in readings and lectures whilst allowing you to investigate a particular area of interest.  The further readings listed for each topic and the lecture references each week should provide the basis for this essay.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 3. Examine and evaluate a range of ethnographic and theoretical texts
  • 5. Understand key themes, theories and issues in the anthropology of myth and symbolic anthropology

Take-home exam

Due: 09/06/15
Weighting: 25%

The exam will consist of short essay questions and will cover the lectures and tutorial readings for the unit. You will need the book of readings to complete the exam.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 3. Examine and evaluate a range of ethnographic and theoretical texts

Delivery and Resources

iLearn is used in this Unit

Unit Schedule

available on iLearn from Week 1

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/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

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

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 outcome

  • 4. Develop critical analysis and creative thinking skills through a tutorial exercise and an essay project

Assessment tasks

  • attend tutes and lectures
  • Classification exercises

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 outcome

  • 4. Develop critical analysis and creative thinking skills through a tutorial exercise and an essay project

Assessment tasks

  • attend tutes and lectures
  • Classification exercises

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

  • 1. Participate in group discussion and formulate discussion questions relevant to the themes of the unit
  • 2. Execute anthropological methods of collection and analysis
  • 3. Examine and evaluate a range of ethnographic and theoretical texts
  • 5. Understand key themes, theories and issues in the anthropology of myth and symbolic anthropology

Assessment tasks

  • attend tutes and lectures
  • Classification exercises
  • Major Essay
  • Take-home exam

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

  • 1. Participate in group discussion and formulate discussion questions relevant to the themes of the unit
  • 3. Examine and evaluate a range of ethnographic and theoretical texts
  • 4. Develop critical analysis and creative thinking skills through a tutorial exercise and an essay project

Assessment tasks

  • attend tutes and lectures
  • Classification exercises
  • Major Essay
  • Take-home exam

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

  • 2. Execute anthropological methods of collection and analysis
  • 3. Examine and evaluate a range of ethnographic and theoretical texts
  • 4. Develop critical analysis and creative thinking skills through a tutorial exercise and an essay project

Assessment tasks

  • attend tutes and lectures
  • Classification exercises
  • Major Essay
  • Take-home exam

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 outcome

  • 1. Participate in group discussion and formulate discussion questions relevant to the themes of the unit

Assessment task

  • attend tutes and lectures

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 outcome

  • 3. Examine and evaluate a range of ethnographic and theoretical texts

Assessment tasks

  • Major Essay
  • Take-home exam