Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Nicholas Smith
Contact via nicholas.smith@mq.edu.au
AHH
To be confirmed
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(39cp at 100 level or above) 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
What value should we attach to work? Is it something we do just for the wages? Or does work have a value beyond that? How does work affect our identity? Should the availability and quality of work be left to the job market? Or does the state have responsibilities to provide decent work? In the first half of the unit we look at how some of the great philosophers of the past answered such questions, including Plato, John Locke, Adam Smith, Hegel, Marx and Hannah Arendt. Using these philosophical models, in the second half of the unit we look at the worries people have about work from a contemporary perspective. With a focus on issues such as unemployment, precarious work, disrespect at work and meaningless work, we ask how things can go well or badly with work and what might be done about it.
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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:
The take-home exam and text analyses tasks will be assessed according to criteria of clarity of argumentation, relevance of content, appropriateness of structure, soundness of understanding, and clarity of presentation.
The participation and engagement task will be assessed according to the quality and regularity of contributions to class discussions and discussion boards.
A detailed rubric for each of the assessment tasks will be supplied in the Assessment and Guides section of the PHL356 iLearn site.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Take-home exam | 45% | No | Week 13 |
Participation and engagement | 15% | No | throughout semester |
Text analysis 1 | 20% | No | 17/09/17 |
Presentation | 20% | No | 05/11/17 |
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 45%
Take-home exam comprising of 4 short essay type questions.
Due: throughout semester
Weighting: 15%
contribution to class discussion or discussion boards
Due: 17/09/17
Weighting: 20%
written analysis of text from part 1 of unit
Due: 05/11/17
Weighting: 20%
Presentation and report of analysis of text from part 2 of unit
The unit will be delivered by way of weekly lectures and tutorials.
Recorded lectures, lecture slides, readings, and other information can be accessed from the PHL356 i-learn site.
Week 1
31/07 Introduction to the philosophy of work
Part 1: Classical Problems in Philosophy of Work
Week 2
07/08 Who should do what job? Justice and work in Plato’s Republic.
Week 3
14/08 What is the best kind of work? Aristotle’s hierarchy of types of action
Week 4
21/08 What is the relationship between work, wealth and well-being? Adam Smith on the benefits and costs of the division of labour
Week 5
28/08 Can you be free when you work? Hegel on the institutional basis of freedom
Week 6
04/09 Can you be free when you work? Marx on free and alienated labour
Week 7
11/09 What is the place of work in the human condition? Hannah Arendt on labour, work and action.
Part 2: Contemporary issues of justice, freedom and work.
Week 8
02/10 Labour Day public holiday
Week 9
09/10 Should we be sharing types of work? The case for contributive justice
Week 10
16/10 Should we have to work for a living? The case for Unconditional Basic Income
Week 11
23/10 Should we have to work for a living? The case for and against Unconditional Basic Income
Week 12
30/10 Should we be working less? The case for shortening the working week
Week 13
Wrap up
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_2016.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 (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
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
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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:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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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: