Students

ANTH805 – Race, Nation and Ethnicity

2017 – S2 Evening

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Chris Vasantkumar
AHH North, W32
Wednesday 1:30-3:30 and by appointment
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MDevStud or MGlobalHlthDevStud or GradCertGlobalHlthDevStud or MDevStudGlobalHlth or GradCertDevStudGlobalHlth or MAppAnth or MDevCult or MIntRel or MPASR or GradDipPASR or GradDipIntRel or MPPP or GradDipPP or 4cp in ANTH units at 800 level
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
ANTH705
Unit description Unit description
This unit examines the changes that have occurred in the nation-state's understanding and management of migration. How might public policy seek both to integrate migrants and respect their cultural and class differences? What does racism mean in the contemporary era of both increased global interconnection and an increasingly walled world? The unit relates these problems (and others) to changing theoretical viewpoints in the anthropological analysis of race, nation, and ethnicity, particularly the rise of transnationalist perspectives and recent reconceptualizations of the relationships between culture, community and territory. Two main issues of policy relevance are addressed: the methodological nationalism and sedentarism of social sciences that underpin migration management, and the uses of 'culture' in discourses on integration and globalization.

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:

  • Develop familiarity with the history and evolution of anthropological approaches to race, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and transnationalism
  • Develop the ability to assess received understandings of race, ethnicity and nation using anthropologically informed holistic and relativistic descriptions of cultural practices.
  • Critically evaluate the validity of popular understandings of racial categories, ethnic groups, and national belonging using anthropologically informed approaches
  • Apply a critical understanding of race, culture, ethnicity and nationalism to real world situations and phenomena.
  • Analyze relevant aspects of contemporary Australian society using the concepts and frameworks imparted in the unit
  • Improve writing skills, especially structuring of argument, organization, and use of supporting evidence and data.

General Assessment Information

How to Submit Your Work With the exception of DPGs and the Research Essay Precis, all assessments must be submitted via turnitin no later than 11:59pm on the due date. 

Extensions and Late Submissions 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. Requests for extensions are more likely to be approved if they are submitted well in advance of the deadline.  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 in within 24 hours of the deadline (but he might not and you don't want to risk it).

Word Limits You will be deducted 1 percentage point for each 25 words by which you exceed the word limit. Please take the word limit very seriously and try to make your argument concisely and clearly. It is unfair to fellow students if one person has much more space to argue their case while another student sticks firmly to the length guidelines. The word limit is designed to level the essay-writing field, so to speak. You must provide a word count beneath the title when you submit your work. If you fail to provide a word count, you will be deducted 1 percentage point and the assessor will estimate length and mark accordingly. The word limit excludes end-of-text references but it includes footnotes and in-text citations. 

Failure to reach the minimum word count for an assessment will result in a penalty determined by calculating the percentage of the required word total you were able to complete. For example, if you wrote an essay 734 words in length for an assessment with a minimum word count of 1000 words, your mark would be penalized by 26.6% because you only completed 73.4% of the assessment. Example: your work would have received a 77D had it been 1000 words long, you wrote 734 words, your final mark would be 77 * 0.734 = 56 P. 

Plagiarism  You are responsible for reading the University's definition of plagiarism and its academic honesty policy. You must cite others' words and ideas appropriately. In this class I use turnitin to detect plagiarism and I take it very, very seriously. Plagiarism may result in a mark of zero for that assignment and, depending on the severity of the plagiarism, may also result in failing the unit and/or referral to the University Discipline Committee.

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.

Returning assignments Student work will usually be marked and returned within two to three weeks of receipt. Students who hand their work in before the due date will not have it returned early. Do not ask when marking will be finished. If you turned in you assignment late, it will likely be marked later.

Disruptions to Study: Please view the Disruption to Studies Policy here. All Disruption to Studies notifications are to be made online via the University’s Ask MQ system.

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 seminar without having to complete the Disruption to Studies process. This allowance is to reduce the documentation burden for you and your convenor.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Class Preparation: DPG 15% No Continuing
Participation in seminar 20% No Continuing
Leading Seminar Discussion 10% No Twice/semester
Short Essay 15% No 1 September via turnitin
Research Essay 40% No 12 November via turnitin

Class Preparation: DPG

Due: Continuing
Weighting: 15%

Each week, you must fill out a Discussion Preparation Guide and bring it to class.  A DPG template will be distributed in the first seminar meeting.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop familiarity with the history and evolution of anthropological approaches to race, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and transnationalism
  • Improve writing skills, especially structuring of argument, organization, and use of supporting evidence and data.

Participation in seminar

Due: Continuing
Weighting: 20%

Each student is expected to participate actively and constructively in the seminar discussion. Seminar attendance is mandatory for all students.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop familiarity with the history and evolution of anthropological approaches to race, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and transnationalism
  • Develop the ability to assess received understandings of race, ethnicity and nation using anthropologically informed holistic and relativistic descriptions of cultural practices.
  • Apply a critical understanding of race, culture, ethnicity and nationalism to real world situations and phenomena.
  • Analyze relevant aspects of contemporary Australian society using the concepts and frameworks imparted in the unit

Leading Seminar Discussion

Due: Twice/semester
Weighting: 10%

Each student is responsible for leading the seminar discussion twice during the semester.  (Dates for each person’s turns leading discussion will be worked out during first class meeting.)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop familiarity with the history and evolution of anthropological approaches to race, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and transnationalism
  • Develop the ability to assess received understandings of race, ethnicity and nation using anthropologically informed holistic and relativistic descriptions of cultural practices.
  • Critically evaluate the validity of popular understandings of racial categories, ethnic groups, and national belonging using anthropologically informed approaches
  • Apply a critical understanding of race, culture, ethnicity and nationalism to real world situations and phenomena.

Short Essay

Due: 1 September via turnitin
Weighting: 15%

Write a short paper (1250-1750 words, double-spaced) on an assigned topic (see iLearn for topics)


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop the ability to assess received understandings of race, ethnicity and nation using anthropologically informed holistic and relativistic descriptions of cultural practices.
  • Critically evaluate the validity of popular understandings of racial categories, ethnic groups, and national belonging using anthropologically informed approaches
  • Analyze relevant aspects of contemporary Australian society using the concepts and frameworks imparted in the unit
  • Improve writing skills, especially structuring of argument, organization, and use of supporting evidence and data.

Research Essay

Due: 12 November via turnitin
Weighting: 40%

A research paper (3000-3500 words, double-spaced) analyzing a racial, ethnic or (trans-)nationalism-related issue or controversy in contemporary Australian society in light of the material we have covered in the unit. You have wide latitude in terms of the focus that you select as long as you bring it into productive conversation with the unit’s themes, concerns and materials. Significant independent research is required for this assessment. Using Harvard reference style recommended. Students may pursue ethnographic or library-based topics, but topics must be selected in consultation with the convenor early in the semester.

This assessment has 4 parts:

1. Precis (1-2 page outline of proposed topic): due in Seminar, week 4 -- 2.5% of unit grade

2. Working Bibliography (correctly formatted list of 20-30 sources with the most important 5-10 annotated with 1-2 descriptive paragraphs each): due via turnitin in lieu of Seminar meeting, week 8 -- 2.5%

3. 10-15 minute presentation of paper topic: due in Seminar, week 13 -- 10%

4. The essay itself: due 12 November -- 25%

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply a critical understanding of race, culture, ethnicity and nationalism to real world situations and phenomena.
  • Analyze relevant aspects of contemporary Australian society using the concepts and frameworks imparted in the unit

Delivery and Resources

Readings will be available on electronic reserve. See iLearn for full details. Topics to be covered include the following:

Week

Topic

1

Introduction: Color and the Politics of Race-Blindness

2

Race--Key Concepts

3

Race--Contemporary Complications

4

Race & Culture: Anthropology's Interventions and Misadventures

5

Culture, Authenticity and Belonging: Identity in Mashpee

6

Enter Ethnicity

7

Nations and Other Imagined Communities

Mid-semester Recess

8

No Class: Labour Day/Queen's Birthday

9

Culture and Territory in the National Order of Things

10

Racialized Spaces in Contemporary Australia and Beyond

11

The Citizen and the Terrorist: Racial and Religious Others in Our Midst

12

#blacklivesmatter and Global Anti-racist Activism

13

 

Student Presentations

 

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.

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

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Analyze relevant aspects of contemporary Australian society using the concepts and frameworks imparted in the unit

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Develop familiarity with the history and evolution of anthropological approaches to race, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and transnationalism
  • Develop the ability to assess received understandings of race, ethnicity and nation using anthropologically informed holistic and relativistic descriptions of cultural practices.
  • Critically evaluate the validity of popular understandings of racial categories, ethnic groups, and national belonging using anthropologically informed approaches
  • Apply a critical understanding of race, culture, ethnicity and nationalism to real world situations and phenomena.
  • Improve writing skills, especially structuring of argument, organization, and use of supporting evidence and data.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Preparation: DPG
  • Participation in seminar
  • Leading Seminar Discussion
  • Short Essay
  • Research Essay

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Develop familiarity with the history and evolution of anthropological approaches to race, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and transnationalism
  • Develop the ability to assess received understandings of race, ethnicity and nation using anthropologically informed holistic and relativistic descriptions of cultural practices.
  • Critically evaluate the validity of popular understandings of racial categories, ethnic groups, and national belonging using anthropologically informed approaches
  • Apply a critical understanding of race, culture, ethnicity and nationalism to real world situations and phenomena.
  • Analyze relevant aspects of contemporary Australian society using the concepts and frameworks imparted in the unit

Assessment tasks

  • Class Preparation: DPG
  • Participation in seminar
  • Leading Seminar Discussion
  • Short Essay
  • Research Essay

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Improve writing skills, especially structuring of argument, organization, and use of supporting evidence and data.

Assessment task

  • Short Essay

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Improve writing skills, especially structuring of argument, organization, and use of supporting evidence and data.

Assessment tasks

  • Class Preparation: DPG
  • Short Essay

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Develop familiarity with the history and evolution of anthropological approaches to race, culture, ethnicity, nationalism and transnationalism
  • Develop the ability to assess received understandings of race, ethnicity and nation using anthropologically informed holistic and relativistic descriptions of cultural practices.
  • Critically evaluate the validity of popular understandings of racial categories, ethnic groups, and national belonging using anthropologically informed approaches
  • Apply a critical understanding of race, culture, ethnicity and nationalism to real world situations and phenomena.
  • Analyze relevant aspects of contemporary Australian society using the concepts and frameworks imparted in the unit

Assessment tasks

  • Class Preparation: DPG
  • Participation in seminar
  • Leading Seminar Discussion
  • Short Essay
  • Research Essay