Students
ANTX1006 – Drugs Across Cultures
2020 – Session 2, Fully online/virtual
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Timothy Lynch
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
Using anthropological and ethnographic studies, this unit focuses mainly on the social and cultural contexts of drug use, both legal and illegal. Topics include: the international traffic in opium/heroin and cocaine in the Golden Triangle of mainland South-East Asia and in South America and the way this traffic inter-meshes with regional politics and local tribal, peasant and commercial systems of production and exchange; the social history of drugs in the USA, UK and Australia; youth culture and drugs in the West; AIDS and intravenous drug use; addiction and treatment; drugs and the law; the global political economy of pharmaceuticals, particularly contraceptives, erectile dysfunction drugs, and antiretrovirals in the age of AIDS; and the placebo effect. Students will learn to appreciate the complex ways that drug use is shaped by cultural, historical, economic, and political factors on a global scale. This unit also examines psychological theories of addiction and the neurology of drug use.
All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au
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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:
- ULO1: acquire a basic understanding of the pharmacology of legal and illicit drugs, and the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction
- ULO2: apply and adapt anthropological knowledge to real world issues.
- ULO3: gain familiarity with ethnographic approaches to the study of drug use
- ULO4: understand the impact of broad social, political and economic forces on drug use and on social perceptions of drugs.
- ULO5: clarify the student’s own position on drugs, allowing informed and responsible decisions about social policies and strategies relating to drug use.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 3 Quiz | 5% | No | 5pm Sunday Week 3 |
| Mid-term Exam | 15% | No | 5pm Sunday Week 6 |
| Final Exam | 40% | No | 5pm Sunday Week 13 |
| Essay | 40% | No | 5pm Sunday Week 8 |
Week 3 Quiz
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 1 hours
Due: 5pm Sunday Week 3
Weighting: 5%
A quiz of 10 multiple choice questions on the topics for Weeks 1 and 2. Time limit is 20 minutes.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- acquire a basic understanding of the pharmacology of legal and illicit drugs, and the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction
- apply and adapt anthropological knowledge to real world issues.
- gain familiarity with ethnographic approaches to the study of drug use
Mid-term Exam
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 5pm Sunday Week 6
Weighting: 15%
A quiz of 20 multiple choice questions on the topics for Weeks 3 and 4. Time limit is 40 minutes.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- acquire a basic understanding of the pharmacology of legal and illicit drugs, and the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction
- apply and adapt anthropological knowledge to real world issues.
- gain familiarity with ethnographic approaches to the study of drug use
Final Exam
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 5pm Sunday Week 13
Weighting: 40%
Students will complete an open book exam. A choice of questions will be provided based on topics covered in Weeks 6-12. Answers will take the form of 3 short essays.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- acquire a basic understanding of the pharmacology of legal and illicit drugs, and the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction
- apply and adapt anthropological knowledge to real world issues.
- gain familiarity with ethnographic approaches to the study of drug use
- understand the impact of broad social, political and economic forces on drug use and on social perceptions of drugs.
- clarify the student’s own position on drugs, allowing informed and responsible decisions about social policies and strategies relating to drug use.
Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 5pm Sunday Week 8
Weighting: 40%
Students will complete a 1500 word essay. A choice of questions will be provided based on topics covered throughout the session.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- acquire a basic understanding of the pharmacology of legal and illicit drugs, and the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction
- apply and adapt anthropological knowledge to real world issues.
- gain familiarity with ethnographic approaches to the study of drug use
- understand the impact of broad social, political and economic forces on drug use and on social perceptions of drugs.
- clarify the student’s own position on drugs, allowing informed and responsible decisions about social policies and strategies relating to drug use.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
The required readings for each week, as well as many other relevant readings, are available on through iLearn or can be accessed online through the Macquarie University Library.
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:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
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 published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
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
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.