Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor Steve Wood steve.wood@mq.edu.au Contact via steve.wood@mq.edu.au unknown AHH tba
Credit points	Credit points 3
Prerequisites	Prerequisites 12cp at 100 level or above or (3cp in HIST or MHIS or POL units)
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description Aristotle described the human as a 'zoon politikon' (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two expressions of human activity, politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical and philosophical perspectives and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.

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:

acquire knowledge and understanding about varieties of political violence, including relevant concepts, actors, theoretical perspectives, processes and contexts
develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study
understand the importance of organisation and time management of workloads, and student responsiblities in this area

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Tutorial Contribution	10%	No	weekly
Tutorial Presentation	10%	No	one of the tutorials
Group Exercise	10%	Yes	Week 5
Research Essay	35%	No	November 3, 4pm
Exam	35%	No	In the exam period

Tutorial Contribution

Due: weekly
Weighting: 10%

Tutorial Contribution (worth up to 10%)

This 10% could be very important to the overall mark. Students are expected to do weekly readings and contribute to tutorials. Tutorials are not an exercise in merely attending, sitting silently and/or typing into a computer, and expecting the tutor and 1 or 2 others to do all the talking. Do some reading and be involved. There are NO marks for attendance at tutorials. Marks are awarded ONLY for contributions to discussion.

On successful completion you will be able to:

acquire knowledge and understanding about varieties of political violence, including relevant concepts, actors, theoretical perspectives, processes and contexts
develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study
understand the importance of organisation and time management of workloads, and student responsiblities in this area

Tutorial Presentation

Due: one of the tutorials
Weighting: 10%

Tutorial Presentation (worth up to 10%)

In each tutorial one or two students will each make a 15 minute presentation and lead the discussion. Questions (one or more) can be selected from those listed, though inquiry can extend beyond them. Do not merely repeat what a source has said. Please submit a ½ to 1 page summary in note form including any references drawn on. The presentation is evaluated, not the written summary. NB: No presentations in Tutorial 5 (video review week

On successful completion you will be able to:

acquire knowledge and understanding about varieties of political violence, including relevant concepts, actors, theoretical perspectives, processes and contexts
develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study
understand the importance of organisation and time management of workloads, and student responsiblities in this area

Group Exercise

Due: Week 5
Weighting: 10%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

This exercise involves 4 students per group. All group members receive the same mark. The aim is to:

i) conceptualise a terrorist scenario, specifying actors, motivations, target/s, plan, and so on.

ii) present a strategy (e.g. measures taken) for preventing that scenario from materialising or ending it if it has

On successful completion you will be able to:

acquire knowledge and understanding about varieties of political violence, including relevant concepts, actors, theoretical perspectives, processes and contexts
develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study
understand the importance of organisation and time management of workloads, and student responsiblities in this area

Research Essay

Due: November 3, 4pm
Weighting: 35%

One research essay of 2500 words, due on November 3, 4pm. The date has been deferred as late as possible. It is strongly advised to begin working on the essay sooner rather than later. Do not wait until the last days to research and/or write it. Use scholarly sources (not internet commentaries, blogs or mainly media reports) and ensure that the essay is properly referenced. Time management is an important part of coping with university requirements. Questions are available from the start of the unit and there is a week without lectures or tutorials (October 2-6) to work on the essays. Make good use of this time. No extensions are necessary. Submit essays to the Turnitin link on the unit iLearn site. Late essays lose 2 marks per day.

Read and inform yourself on the Academic Honesty Policy and the Notice on Plagiarism. There are no excuses for not adhering to scholarly conventions. If you do not properly and completely acknowledge source material used for your assignments, do not claim afterwards that you did not know what you were doing.

On successful completion you will be able to:

acquire knowledge and understanding about varieties of political violence, including relevant concepts, actors, theoretical perspectives, processes and contexts
develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study
understand the importance of organisation and time management of workloads, and student responsiblities in this area

Exam

Due: In the exam period
Weighting: 35%

There will be an exam in the examination period. The date, time and location are determined by the Academic Programs Section. You will be informed of those details when they are known. 2 hours + 10 minutes reading time will be available for the exam. The exam content could be drawn from across the entire unit. All students, internal and external, must attend an exam.

For internal students the exam component is 35% of the total assessment

On successful completion you will be able to:

acquire knowledge and understanding about varieties of political violence, including relevant concepts, actors, theoretical perspectives, processes and contexts
develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
understand the importance of organisation and time management of workloads, and student responsiblities in this area

Delivery and Resources

NOTE: A more 'Detailed Unit Guide' will be available on the unit iLearn site before the start of semester. Barring technical problems, students will be given access to the unit iLearn site some weeks before the start of semester. Readings for Week One will be available on the iLearn site. Some readings for other weeks may also be there. Please read the Week One readings before the first tutorials (which are in Week Two). Please think about which weekly topic/s you would like to do your presentation on.

Times and Locations:

Lectures: Monday 13:00pm (E7B T4) and Thursday 15:00pm (E7B T2)

Tutorial times: Monday 14:00, 15:00; Thursday 16:00 (this is an estimate only, actual times and availability may vary depending on numbers)

Please note: no tutorials in the first week of the unit.

Lectures will be delivered in person employing power point. Audio will be available via Echo. Some lectures will involve the broadcasting of video material

There is a unit iLearn site will be set up. Power point slides will be placed on the unit iLearn site after the lectures. There will be a links to Turnitin on the unit iLearn site. A discussion board for discussion of intellectual content (not questions about unit organisation, assessment, etc) will be available. Notices from the convenor may be placed on iLearn. Please check your university email.

Students will need to possess a computer or have access to one. In tutorials, computers are not to be used for purposes unrelated to the unit.

Readings:

Readings will be available via iLearn. It is Department policy not to produce hard copy readers.

Unit Schedule

See the more detailed unit guide on the unit iLearn site

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_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.

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.

University Policy on Grading

Academic Senate has a set of guidelines on the distribution of grades across the range from fail to high distinction. Your final result will include one of these grades plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG).

On occasion your raw mark for a unit (i.e., the total of your marks for each assessment item) may not be the same as the SNG which you receive. Under the Senate guidelines, results may be scaled to ensure that there is a degree of comparability across the university, so that units with the same past performances of their students should achieve similar results.

It is important that you realise that the policy does not require that a minimum number of students are to be failed in any unit. In fact it does something like the opposite, in requiring examiners to explain their actions if more than 20% of students fail in a unit.

The process of scaling does not change the order of marks among students. A student who receives a higher raw mark than another will also receive a higher final scaled mark.

Standard Grading is: 85+ High Distinction; 75-84 Distinction; 65-74 Credit; 50-64 Pass; <50 Fail

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://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.

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 outcomes

develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study

Assessment tasks

Tutorial Contribution
Tutorial Presentation
Group Exercise
Research Essay
Exam

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

understand the importance of organisation and time management of workloads, and student responsiblities in this area

Assessment tasks

Tutorial Contribution
Tutorial Presentation
Research Essay
Exam

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

acquire knowledge and understanding about varieties of political violence, including relevant concepts, actors, theoretical perspectives, processes and contexts
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study

Assessment tasks

Tutorial Contribution
Tutorial Presentation
Research Essay
Exam

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

acquire knowledge and understanding about varieties of political violence, including relevant concepts, actors, theoretical perspectives, processes and contexts
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study

Assessment tasks

Tutorial Contribution
Tutorial Presentation
Group Exercise
Research Essay
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

develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study

Assessment tasks

Tutorial Contribution
Tutorial Presentation
Group Exercise
Research Essay
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

develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study

Assessment tasks

Tutorial Contribution
Tutorial Presentation
Group Exercise
Research Essay
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 outcomes

develop abilities to conduct independent research and deploy appropriate sources in a scholarly way
build capacity to apply critical evaluation and debating skills, and enhance presentation in written and verbal forms
develop a more intensive knowledge of particular sub-themes, which could be expanded on in later postgraduate study
understand the importance of organisation and time management of workloads, and student responsiblities in this area

Assessment tasks

Tutorial Contribution
Tutorial Presentation
Group Exercise
Research Essay
Exam

Notice on Plagiarism

Notice on Plagiarism – read this very, very carefully

Plagiarism is more trouble than it is worth. It is unscholarly, unethical, unfair and illegal. It will waste your tutor’s and/or convenor’s time and ultimately your own. You will achieve far better outcomes by avoiding it. Do not do it. There are no excuses whatsoever. Plagiarism will result in a zero (0) for the component it occurred in. If you plagiarise do not claim after the fact that you did not understand what it was. More info at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

In addition to your hard copy submission to the POL box on the first floor, W6A, to further encourage good scholarship and accuracy in referencing, submit essays electronically to the Turnitin website which can be linked to via ilearn.

unit description

Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal), creatures that engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives and analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide, insurgencies and revolutions, death squads and humanitarian intervention.