Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Chris Vasantkumar
W6A, Room 600
Thursdays 1-3 and by appointment
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
ANTH150 or 12cp or admission to GDipArts
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
We are surrounded by economic activity and yet often oblivious to it, like fish in water. Is greed universal? Is a free market inevitable? If Western societies are so wealthy, why do we feel unable to meet our needs and expectations? This unit explores wealth and poverty across cultures, examining the diverse ways people organise their economic life, decide who gets what, and determine what is valuable. From classical studies in anthropology to contemporary events like consumer fads, stock fraud, real estate bubbles, and corporate bailouts, we explore how economic phenomena cut across cultures, uniting what may appear to be different sorts of societies. This unit explores cultural diversity in a range of areas: shopping, gift giving, money, status seeking, trade, advertising, exploitation, and even get-rich-quick schemes. Across many cultures, we study the effects of the corporation, commoditisation, global trade, colonialism, materialism, and a range of other contemporary economic forces affecting the way that people consume. From cargo cults to The Secret, Native American potlatches to bank-busting weddings, Fair Trade to foraging, we find that humans, including ourselves, may be stranger than we think but not all that different from each other, and even that we are connected with those that appear to live a world away.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
EXTENSIONS, PENALTIES, AND SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
Late submissions on any assignment will incur a penalty, unless the unit convenor has granted an extension due to “unavoidable disruption” certified as such via the formal Disruption of Studies request process (see Undergraduate Student Handbook). The late penalty is a 5% deduction in your mark per 24-hour period. The unit convenor at his discretion may waive this deduction for assignments turned within 1 hour of the deadline.
No consideration for lost work or technology issues
It is the student’s responsibility to keep a copy (electronic or otherwise) of all written work submitted for each unit. No consideration will be given to claims of ‘lost work’ or technology issues no matter what the circumstances. It is your responsibility to ensure that your computer is fully compatible with iLearn during exam periods.
Extensions and Disruption of Study:
Please view the Disruption to Studies Policy at: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
All Disruption to Studies notifications are to be made online via the University’s Ask MQ system.
Remember, the University has determined that some circumstances routinely encountered by students are not acceptable grounds for claiming Disruption of Studies. These grounds include, but are not limited, to:
Conditions existing prior to commencing a unit of study are not grounds for Special Consideration. The student is responsible for managing their workload in light of any known or anticipated problems. The student is responsible for contacting Student Support Services if they have a chronic condition.
Remember that you can miss one tutorial without having to complete the Disruption to Studies process. This allowance is to limit the documentation burden for you, the convenor, and your tutors.
Re-mark of Work During the Semester:
A re-mark will be considered only on the following grounds:
1. Administrative error
2. The feedback provided on the assessment does not justify the grade awarded
Student Procedure:
1. The student must contact the original marker of the assessment (usually your tutor) to discuss the mark or resolve the administrative error.
2. If the marking issue cannot be resolved by the original marker, the student will email the unit convenor. This email must clearly detail the marking issue at hand.
Grade Appeals
The Macquarie Grade Appeal Policy is available here: http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Lecture Attendance | 10% | Weekly |
Tutorial Participation | 20% | Weekly (Commencing in Week 2) |
Group Tutorial Presentation | 20% | Various |
Short Creative Essay | 10% | 19 August 2016 |
Short Scholarly Essay | 15% | 7 October 2016 |
Research Essay | 25% | 4 November 2016 |
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 10%
Details: Lecture Attendance is Mandatory. Lecture provides essential information in an engaging and accessible manner. See iLearn for further information.
Due: Weekly (Commencing in Week 2)
Weighting: 20%
Details: Tutorial attendance is mandatory. See iLearn for details on how participation is assessed.
Due: Various
Weighting: 20%
Details: During weeks 4, 5, 6, 9 & 10, groups of four students will do 20 to 30 minutes of presentation (2 x 10-15 minutes for pairs), followed by discussion within the class. See Unit iLearn page for topics and further details.
Due: 19 August 2016
Weighting: 10%
750-1000 word Creative Essay on the topic "100% Australian" (written in the style of Ralph Linton's "100% American"). See iLearn Page for further details. To be submitted via turnitin (link on Unit iLearn page) by 23:59 on the due date.
Due: 7 October 2016
Weighting: 15%
Scholarly Essay of 1000-1250 words in the form of a Film Review, comparing two movies on global economic inequality. See iLearn for more details and list of films. To be submitted via turnitin (link on Unit iLearn page) by 23:59 on the due date.
Due: 4 November 2016
Weighting: 25%
Details: Essay of 2500-3000 words in length based on independent research on the topic of "Following the Thing." See iLearn for further information. To be submitted via turnitin (link on Unit iLearn page) by 23:59 on the due date.
Lectures will use videos and other graphic material not available elsewhere. It is required that all students attend lectures.
Tutorials meet on Wednesdays--check timetables for the location of your particular tutorial as this may be subject to change.
Check ilearn page for weekly readings, background readings and other resources.
Required readings will be made available on electronic reserve and/or will be accessible through OneSearch on the MQ Uni Library Website.
Week |
Date |
Lecture (Tues) |
Date |
Tutes (Wed) |
1 |
2 Aug |
“Making the Lunch Meat Anonymous”/The Travels of a Fleece |
3 Aug |
None—Tutorials begin Wednesday, 10 August |
2 |
9 Aug |
Global Connections and Frameworks/ False Universals |
10 Aug |
Introductions; How to do well in the unit. |
3 |
16 Aug |
Cultural Economies/ Wealth and Poverty Beyond the Bottom Line |
17 Aug |
Some things money can’t buy |
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19 Aug |
SHORT ESSAY #1 DUE 23:59 via Turnitin |
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4 |
23 Aug |
Beyond North Atlantic Universals I: Exchange |
24 Aug |
Debate: Altruistic Donation |
5 |
30 Aug |
Beyond North Atlantic Universals II: Money |
31 Aug |
Debate: Cashless Society |
6 |
6 Sep |
Beyond North Atlantic Universals III: Consumption in Critical Perspective |
7 Sep |
Debate: Welfare Quarantining |
7 |
13 Sep |
Following the Thing/Friction in the Commodity Chain |
14 Sep |
Typically Australian? |
Mid-semester Recess: 19 September-3 October |
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8 |
4 Oct |
Follow the Mobile I—Extraction |
5 Oct |
Our phones, our selves |
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7 Oct |
SHORT ESSAY #2 DUE 23:59 via Turnitin |
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9 |
11 Oct |
Follow the Mobile II—Production |
12 Oct |
Debate: Buying Australian |
10 |
18 Oct |
Follow the Mobile III—Consumption |
19 Oct |
Debate: Fair Trade |
11 |
25 Oct |
Follow the Mobile IV—Destruction |
26 Oct |
Show and Tell: Obsolete Technologies |
12 |
1 Nov |
No Class Work on Your Research Essays |
2 Nov |
No Tutorials |
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4 Nov |
RESEARCH ESSAY DUE 23:59 via Turnitin |
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13 |
8 Nov |
Financial Inclusion and the Future of Global Inequality |
9 Nov |
Where do we go from here? |
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
New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/
Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.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.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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: