Students
ANTX1006 – Drugs Across Cultures
2021 – Session 1, 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 activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online 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
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| 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 |
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: Demonstrate a basic understanding of the pharmacology of recreational drugs.
- ULO2: Describe the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction.
- ULO3: Show familiarity with anthropological and ethnographic approaches to drug use, including the ritual and symbolic aspects of drug use.
- ULO4: Describe the impact of broad social, political, and economic forces on drug use and on social perceptions of drugs, including how social perceptions of drugs are influenced by gender, class, and ethnicity.
- ULO5: Identify the influence of local, regional, and global factors on drug production and distribution.
- ULO6: Apply anthropological knowledge to real world issues and clarify your own position on drugs to be able to make informed decisions about drug policy.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly Quizzes | 40% | No | Weekly |
| Mid-Semester Quiz | 20% | No | TBA (see iLearn page) |
| Final Exam | 40% | No | Released June 9 |
Weekly Quizzes
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 13 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 40%
Weekly quizzes based on lecture materials and weekly readings. They are completed through iLearn and they are open-note and open-book.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the pharmacology of recreational drugs.
- Describe the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction.
- Show familiarity with anthropological and ethnographic approaches to drug use, including the ritual and symbolic aspects of drug use.
- Describe the impact of broad social, political, and economic forces on drug use and on social perceptions of drugs, including how social perceptions of drugs are influenced by gender, class, and ethnicity.
- Identify the influence of local, regional, and global factors on drug production and distribution.
- Apply anthropological knowledge to real world issues and clarify your own position on drugs to be able to make informed decisions about drug policy.
Mid-Semester Quiz
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: TBA (see iLearn page)
Weighting: 20%
An open-note, online, mid-term quiz will assess comprehensive knowledge of lectures and readings for the first half of the semester
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the pharmacology of recreational drugs.
- Describe the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction.
- Show familiarity with anthropological and ethnographic approaches to drug use, including the ritual and symbolic aspects of drug use.
- Describe the impact of broad social, political, and economic forces on drug use and on social perceptions of drugs, including how social perceptions of drugs are influenced by gender, class, and ethnicity.
- Identify the influence of local, regional, and global factors on drug production and distribution.
- Apply anthropological knowledge to real world issues and clarify your own position on drugs to be able to make informed decisions about drug policy.
Final Exam
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 13 hours
Due: Released June 9
Weighting: 40%
A final exam will assess cumulative knowledge of lectures, readings and films from the entire semester.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the pharmacology of recreational drugs.
- Describe the physical, psychological and social aspects of addiction.
- Show familiarity with anthropological and ethnographic approaches to drug use, including the ritual and symbolic aspects of drug use.
- Describe the impact of broad social, political, and economic forces on drug use and on social perceptions of drugs, including how social perceptions of drugs are influenced by gender, class, and ethnicity.
- Identify the influence of local, regional, and global factors on drug production and distribution.
- Apply anthropological knowledge to real world issues and clarify your own position on drugs to be able to make informed decisions about drug policy.
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
All required and other texts are available through MQ Library (and can be accessed through iLearn).
Lectures, assessments and discussion boards provided online through iLearn.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). 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
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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.
Unit information based on version 2021.03 of the Handbook