Students

GEN 210 – Reading Gender in Everyday Life

2018 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Rebecca Sheehan
Contact via 9850 7947
AHH Level 2
By arrangement
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(12cp at 100 level or above) or admission to GDipArts
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit evaluates the ways that gendered identities and relations operate and are shaped in and by the cultural and social institutions that organise and frame our everyday lives. The unit builds on foundational concepts from the field of Gender Studies and is divided into thematic modules that may include politics, religion, economics, media, and health. Through an in-depth and interdisciplinary analysis of these topics we examine how ideas and ideals of gender are produced, reproduced, and deployed, while recognising the ways that gender intersects with other identities including sexuality, class, and race. Assignments encourage the development of research skills including posing questions and sourcing evidence.

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:

  • Critically examine the operations of gender, identity and power in everyday life.
  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

General Assessment Information

Detailed Assessment Guidelines explaining the requirements for each assignment are available on the GEN210 iLearn page in the Assessment Resources section. It is necessary to read these guidelines in order to successfully complete each task.

All essays are to be submitted electronically through Turnitin on the GEN210 iLearn page.

Students should be aware of the following policies in regard to assignments:

Academic Honesty Policy: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html. The university takes plagiarism very seriously and there are penalties for using other people's work as your own. This includes directly quoting other people's work without quotation marks and/or acknowledgement. Please check this unit's iLearn site for resources on how to cite your sources properly and avoid plagiarism.

Special Consideration Policy: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

Assessment Policy: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment. For specifics on Grading Policy, click on the "Schedule 1" tab.

Requests for Extensions

To request an extension for a period up to and including 5 working days, please email your tutor.

To apply for an extension of more than 5 working days please complete a Special Consideration request and submit it online through AskMQ. For more information see the Special Consideration Policy above and find further details here: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration/disruption-to-studies. 

Late Assessment Penalty

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.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Reading journal 20% No Weeks 2-5
Research Essay Proposal 25% No 11.59pm Sunday of Week 7
Research Essay 40% No 11.59pm Sunday of Week 13
Tutorial Participation 15% No Throughout the semester

Reading journal

Due: Weeks 2-5
Weighting: 20%

This assessment exercise requires you to keep an online journal about the weekly readings from weeks 2-5 (4 weeks in total). You are required to: 

  • For weeks 2-3 write annotations (brief summaries of no more than one paragraph) about each of the set readings for that week
    • Identify the main argument of the reading and express it in your own words. 
    • Explain why it is relevant to the broader topic of the week
  • For weeks 4-5 write a 200-word answer to one of the questions set for that week’s tutorial

This exercise will help you learn to identify and summarise other people's arguments in your own words. This will, in turn, help with note-taking, researching for the essay, and avoiding plagiarism.

There is a 10% margin on the word count.

Please see Assessment Guidelines in the Assessment Resources section on iLearn for further details


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically examine the operations of gender, identity and power in everyday life.
  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts

Research Essay Proposal

Due: 11.59pm Sunday of Week 7
Weighting: 25%

Research and write a 1000 word essay proposal in response to one of the questions listed on Ilearn. The proposal must include an annotated bibliography (annotated bibliography is not included in word count).

There is a 10% margin on the word count.

Please see Assessment Guidelines in the Assessment Resources section on iLearn for further details.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts

Research Essay

Due: 11.59pm Sunday of Week 13
Weighting: 40%

Building on the work you did in your research essay proposal (and responding to the same question), write a 2000 word essay

There is a 10% margin on the word count.

Please see Assessment Guidelines in the Assessment Resources section on iLearn for further details.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically examine the operations of gender, identity and power in everyday life.
  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts

Tutorial Participation

Due: Throughout the semester
Weighting: 15%

The mark is given for active participation in tutorials. Active participation includes evidence that you have done the readings, listened to the lecture, and thought about the topics in relation to your contemporary context.

Regular attendance and contribution to group discussions within GEN210 tutorials is a requirement of this unit. Participation in fewer than 80% of tutorials without documentation could result in a fail for this assessment. 2 absences are permitted without penalty. Additional absences without supporting documentation will be penalised.

Please see Assessment Guidelines in the Assessment Resources section on iLearn for further details.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically examine the operations of gender, identity and power in everyday life.
  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Delivery and Resources

Delivery:

Day (on-campus) and Online (iLearn). 

GEN210 comprises of 1 x 2 hour lecture and 1 x 1 hour tutorial each week. Lectures begin in Week One. Tutorials begin in Week Two.

Lecture: Fridays 10am-12pm 23WW PG Price Theatre (Please note that lecture theatres can be subject to last minute changes. Please confirm the location on your timetable at the start of the semester).

For up to date times and locations of tutorial classrooms please consult the MQ Timetables website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au

All unit readings are available via Leganto. There is a link to Leganto on our iLearn site.

Technologies used and required

This unit has an online presence in iLearn (http://ilearn.mq.edu.au).  Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.

This unit will use Echo lecture recording (accessed via iLearn).

Unit Schedule

 

Reading Gender in Everyday Life - weekly topics (these are a guide and may change)

Week  1

Introduction and theories

    (no tutorials this week)

Week  2

Making Gender and Sex

Week  3

Science and medicine

Week  4

Psychiatry, gender, and the gaze

Week  5

Reproduction

Week  6

Labour

Week  7

Selling Sex

Week  8

Technology

Week  9

Hegemony

Week  10

The State

Week  11

Religion

Week  12

Conclusions

Week  13

No lecture – work on research essay

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/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.

Requests for Extensions and Late Penalties

To apply for an extension of more than 5 working days, please complete the disruption to studies notification and submitted online through AskMQ. See the Disruption to Studies Policy above and find further details here: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration/disruption-to-studies

Late assessments without an approved extension will incur a penalty of two marks (out of 100) per working day (ie. week day).

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

  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Reading journal
  • Research Essay Proposal
  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

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 outcomes

  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Reading journal
  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

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

  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Reading journal
  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

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

  • Critically examine the operations of gender, identity and power in everyday life.
  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Reading journal
  • Research Essay Proposal
  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

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

  • Critically examine the operations of gender, identity and power in everyday life.
  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Reading journal
  • Research Essay Proposal
  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

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

  • Critically examine the operations of gender, identity and power in everyday life.
  • Appraise the theories of major thinkers including Marx, Freud, Foucault, and Butler, and the ways their ideas have been used, challenged, and critically extended in Gender Studies
  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Research Essay Proposal
  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

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

  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Reading journal
  • Research Essay Proposal
  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Critically examine the operations of gender, identity and power in everyday life.
  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Reading journal
  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

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:

Learning outcomes

  • Interpret the relationship between everyday life and theories of gender and power and apply analyses outside the classroom
  • Practice skills in summarising texts, designing basic research plans, and writing research essays. These skills will in turn support the analysis and evaluation of and engagement with everyday texts
  • Synthesise ideas through discussion with peers

Assessment tasks

  • Research Essay
  • Tutorial Participation

Changes from Previous Offering

The number of required weekly reading journals has been reduced from 7 to 4.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
15/07/2018 Clarified that research essay builds on the work done in the research essay proposal.