Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Matthew Bailey
Lorna Barrow
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
Popular culture is ubiquitous in today’s world. We cannot turn without being confronted by it in some form. It is so pervasive, so powerful an influence on daily lives, that it must be historically significant. But how? From the Beats to Big Brother traces the history of popular culture in the United States, Australia and Britain from the fifties to the present. It particularly focuses on the ways in which class, gender, race and politics have shaped the experience of popular culture. Film, television, music, music video and other forms of new media will be used to evoke seminal moments in the history of popular culture and students will be encouraged to explore such non-discursive forms as primary sources. Students will also be encouraged to consider the reception of popular culture by audiences and to think about their own experience of popular culture historically. This unit offers an important addition to conventional history by exploring the depths of what has often been seen as superficial culture. It raises a number of questions about how we might analyse this culture, whilst offering a detailed explanation for its historical genesis and global dissemination.
All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Historiography Essay | 20% | Friday Week 4 |
Major Essay | 40% | Friday Week 9 |
Exam | 30% | Friday Week 13 |
Online Participation | 10% | Weekly |
Due: Friday Week 4
Weighting: 20%
The aim of this task is to assess your ability to evaluate secondary sources, and to take a position in a scholarly debate after considering a range of perspectives. The instructions for the task are as follows:
1) Go to the American Historical Review online via the Macquarie University Library Journal Finder (www.lib.mq.edu.au)
2) Find Volume 97, No. 5, December 1992 and download the forum on history and popular culture (articles by Levine, Kelley, Davis, Lears and the response by Levine).
3) In 1200 words, outline Levine’s argument, and the various criticisms the other authors make of it. Evaluate the debate, paying attention to the following questions: what is popular culture? How have historians defined it and how is it different to ‘folk’ or ‘mass’ culture? How do the different historians define the role of the audience in relation to popular culture? What are the implications of this debate for historians writing the history of popular culture? You may draw on examples from one of the first three tutorial topics to support your argument.
4) Your work must be accurately footnoted – see the referencing guidelines on the unit website for instructions.
Due: Friday Week 9
Weighting: 40%
The aim of this task is to assess your ability to produce an extended discussion in written form in response to a specific question. You must select one of the questions listed on the course website and respond to it in 2500 words. At 300-level, you should aim to produce a history essay that reflects your ability to conduct self-directed research (in both primary and secondary sources), to find and analyse information, and to write clearly and cogently. Your essay should be fully referenced in line with the unit’s referencing guidelines. Marks will be deducted in the major essay for inadequate or incorrect referencing.
Due: Friday Week 13
Weighting: 30%
The non-invigilated take home exam is based on the lecture and tutorial program, and will be a direct response to the issues raised in these. The main purpose of this assessment task is to test your ability to produce a brief but clear and logical argument that is supported by evidence. For this task, you need not consult any readings beyond those listed as required or recommended. It must, however, be fully documented in the appropriate forms, with footnotes and a bibliography. There are three short questions, 200 words each and one short essay, 900 words. The total word length for the exam is 1500 words.
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 10%
The online discussion task, undertaken through the HST370 unit website, tests your ability to communicate ideas, your appreciation and comprehension of the themes and concepts discussed in the course, your ability to critically assess and evaluate the arguments of others, and your ability to clearly articulate your thoughts. It is also a task that monitors your progress across the unit topics. You are expected to do the weekly readings, participate in weekly discussions and make postings within the time frame of each discussion topic. These begin on Monday of the discussion week and run through to the following Sunday. You should look to answer at least two of the set questions each week, as well as engaging with the posts of other students. Each individual post should be kept to a maximum of 100 words. A professional and courteous approach towards staff and fellow students is expected at all times.
Delivery is all online. Resources and reading materials online supplement the textbook: Michelle Arrow, Friday on Our Minds: Popular Culture in Australia since 1945 (Sydney : UNSW Press, 2009)
Week 1 |
Historians and popular culture
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Week 2 |
Popular culture and family life
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Week 3 |
Suburban rebels
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Week 4 |
Youth cultures
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Week 5 |
The Sixties and the counterculture
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Week 6 |
Black Power & popular culture
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Week 7 |
Essay workshop
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Week 8 |
The sexual revolution and the seventies
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Week 9 |
The Eighties
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Week 10 |
Hip-Hop & Black culture
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Week 11 |
Postmodern gender cultures
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Week 12 |
Interactivity & reality TV
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Week 13 |
Popular culture and history |
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
The University recognises that students may experience events or conditions that adversely affect their academic performance. If you experience serious and unavoidable difficulties at exam time or when assessment tasks are due, you can consider applying for Special Consideration.
You need to show that the circumstances:
If you feel that your studies have been impacted submit an application as follows:
Outcome
Once your submission is assessed, an appropriate outcome will be organised.
You can withdraw from your subjects prior to the census date (last day to withdraw). If you successfully withdraw before the census date, you won’t need to apply for Special Circumstances. If you find yourself unable to withdraw from your subjects before the census date - you might be able to apply for Special Circumstances. If you’re eligible, we can refund your fees and overturn your fail grade.
If you’re studying Single Subjects using FEE-HELP or paying up front, you can apply online.
If you’re studying a degree using HECS-HELP, you’ll need to apply directly to Macquarie University.
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.
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