Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Chris Houston
Contact via chris.houston@mq.edu.au
W6A 605
Tuesday 3.00pm - 5.00pm; Wednesday 2.00pm - 3.00pm
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
ANTH150 or (12cp 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
This unit introduces students to certain vital artistic practices and the social worlds and relationships they generate.
The unit first sketches out some theoretical questions concerning the anthropology of art, examining issues such as the universality or social-specificity of art and aesthetics as a phenomenon; the relationship between artworks and artefacts; the rise of the artist as a vocation; and how the body, senses, and emotions are trained in the production and consumption of aesthetic forms.
Next, students are encouraged to learn not only about the anthropology of art but to consider also the complementary process of anthropology as art. How do we represent – write about, film, draw – the lives, places and activities of others? Anthropology, too, is an artistic and experimental practice, as seen most clearly in the discipline and creativity of ethnographic writing or ethnographic film.
Third, we focus on the practices of artists, and the ways in which their work might contribute to anthropological understandings. How does ‘fieldwork’ with artists illuminate our understanding of art?
Last, students engage with art in a more experiential manner, through our own practice of it, enabling us to make art and to reflect upon the issues and experiences that emerge in the process. This fourth aspect of the course encourages students themselves to engage in art practice.
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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:
You must submit your essay through the turnitin link, found on iLearn for this subject.
Extensions: any extensions must be requested in writing with valid documentation of their necessity (e.g. medical certificate). Any work that is submitted after the due date without an extension will be penalized at the standard rate of 1 percentage point per day.
Important Note: It is a requirement that all students keep a copy of their written work. In the event of work being lost, or if you have handed it in but it is not in our records, you must be able to present a second copy. If you do not do so, no consideration can be given and all marks will be forfeited for that piece of work.
Plagiarism is a serious matter and will be treated as such by the Department. It is important that you understand what plagiarism is and the nature of the penalties it incurs. Please refer to the section on Policies and Procedures below. It is expected that every student familiarise themselves with this policy.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Seminar participation | 10% | No | Weekly |
Tutorial Reading Response | 20% | No | Weekly |
Dossier of workshop activities | 15% | No | 30/10/2015 |
Essay | 30% | No | 20/10/2015 |
Take Home Test | 25% | No | Week 13 |
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 10%
The Wednesday seminar class will run as a combination of lectures and practical workshops. We have a number of guests coming to speak to us and/or to mentor us in certain art practices, according to their particular areas of specialization. Attendance at Tuesday seminars is therefore mandatory. I will be taking attendance in our seminar sessions. In order to receive full marks for attendance you must attend at least 80% of seminars. Attendance in seminars is worth 10% of your overall mark.
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 20%
Tutorial preparation involves a couple of hours of pleasurable reading each week. To facilitate tutorial discussion, you are required to submit a one-page typed answer to the tutorial question for that week (see lecture and tutorial programme below).
The format of this answer is quite specific and you must address the following criteria:
The tutorial mark will be awarded both on the basis of the written work, as well as on tutorial participation.
You will be handing in 9 tute papers in total (which means out of the 10 weeks of tutorial questions, you can miss handing in one tutorial paper without academic penalty).
Due: 30/10/2015
Weighting: 15%
In the course of the semester we engage in four different art practices: an ethnographic writing workshop, a calligraphy class, a pottery lesson and an IPhone filming workshop. Students must participate in all three activities, and collect and submit in a single dossier the writing and drawing exercises. Student participation in these workshops is appreciated more than assessment of the quality of their work.
Due: 20/10/2015
Weighting: 30%
Students will write one short essay for the course, choosing their topic from one of the major themes under discussion. This essay should be approximately 1500 words. Weekly tutorial readings and lectures provide broad research areas for this essay, due in the 7th week of semester.
The essay is due on Friday October 20th, and must be submitted through the turnitin system on iLearn. Your essay question must be clearly stated in your assignment.
NO EXTENSIONS unless accompanied with documentation. Those wishing to obtain an extension MUST have notified the convenor and tutor in writing. Penalties as per departmental policy will apply to late work received without an extension.
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 25%
A take-home exam will be distributed at the seminar on 1st November and is due back at the seminar on 8th November. No extensions will be allowed and any late returns will be penalized. The exam will consist of a combination of short answers to questions that link together topics and themes covered in lectures, tutorials and practical activities throughout the course.
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Course Structure: 2-hour lecture (or 1 hour lecture + 1 hour film), 1 hour tutorial per week. Attendance at both lectures and tutorials is required.
There is no one set text for this unit but the weekly Required Readings are available on the ILearn page. Lectures, tutorials, the essay and exam are based on these readings. Additional references are listed below and should be available from Open Reserve in the library.
In addition to the articles and chapters linked to ILearn, the following are highly recommended background and supplemental texts.
Part One: Introduction to the Anthropology of Art
Week One: Introduction, Framing Concepts, Housekeeping
Week Two: Is Aesthetics a Cross-Cultural Category?
Week Three: What do Galleries do? Collection, Curation, and Exhibition (Visiting Macquarie University Art Gallery, tour with Rhonda Davis)
Part Two: The Art of Anthropology (1)
Week Four: The Art of Ethnography\
Week Five: Ethnographic Writing Workshop (with Michael Jackson)
Week Six: Anthropology and Poetry
Part Three: Learning Artistic Practices – Skill Acquisition, Perceptual Modification and Embodied Senses
Week Seven: Art and Self Formation – Modifying Perceptual Dispositions
Term break
Week Eight: Learning to Listen … to Music
Week Nine: Artless Art? Calligraphy as Art Practice
Week Ten: Visit to Pottery Studio
Part Four: The Art of Anthropology (2): Screen and Visual Anthropology
Week Eleven: Video Production Workshop
Week Twelve: New Developments in Visual Anthropology
Week Thirteen: Tying up the Loose Ends of the Anthropology of Art
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
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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