Students
SOCI3015 – The Urban Century: Movement, Cities and Space
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
Amanda Wise
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
SOCX3015
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit explores how sociologists understand the collective challenges of a global world. Research into global issues includes international migration, global cities, the rise of information & surveillance capitalism, global value chains and transnational financial flows, global interconnections of everyday actors and elites and the global consequences of climate change. Students explore the role of local communities and cultures in reshaping and regulating global forces and power structures underpinning globalism, nationalism and cosmopolitanism. We will examine the changing roles of civil society and local community in creating alternatives to the twin powers of states and markets, from successes and failures to future opportunities and emerging risks. By exploring the relationships between space, place and people through contemporary case studies (for example, global cities and social infrastructures, the sociology of risk and crisis, resilience and disasters; global migration, border politics and citizenship rights) students will build on and extend previous learning in theory and methods, with the option of a fieldwork project focused on a case study. |
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 theoretical and practical understanding of sociological research into global forces, particularly affecting urban space, place and culture
- ULO2: Observe and reflect upon global forces through a sociological lens
- ULO3: Evaluate the impact of global forces on 21st century society and culture through a structured research project or other written work
- ULO4: Critically evaluate and justify both individual and group performance through active participation and continuous learning
- ULO5: Analyse, synthesise and reflect upon the quality of empirical evidence from different scholarly sources
- ULO6: Reflect upon the realities of global urban living that they regularly confront, and evaluate the tools of analysis that may best enable them to critically evaluate these processes.
- ULO7: Demonstrate a level of research, reflection and writing appropriate for a third-year sociology student
- ULO8: Explore topics in global and urban sociology they could pursue in graduate study or research
General Assessment Information
Assessments include quizzes, active weekly participation and a culminating final project that will be worked on through the second half of semester.
WORD LIMITS: Word limits DO NOT include bibliography. You maybe +/- 10% word limit.
LATE 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.
ASSIGNMENT EXTENSIONS: By special consideration request.
PARTICIPATION: You are required to attend 80% of the tutorials (online or on campus before week 4) to pass. In practice this means that you may only miss 2 tutorials in a semester.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Participation | 20% | No | Ongoing weekly |
| Major Assignment: Option of essay or fieldwork based urban research project | 50% | No | Week 13 - 5pm Friday |
| Quizzes | 30% | No | Friday 5pm of Week 5, Week 8, Week 12 |
Active Participation
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Ongoing weekly
Weighting: 20%
Throughout the semester students will undertake a range of active participation tasks that apply theoretical and policy topics to develop key skills. This includes debate, small group discussions and presentations, film viewing and reflection. Students will be assessed on their active engagement in these activities and the degree to which this engagement demonstrates content understanding; reasoning and reflection; ability to interact with other students ideas; and an ability to express ideas clearly. Online students will undertake similar tasks online, organised through the online discussion forums.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of sociological research into global forces, particularly affecting urban space, place and culture
- Critically evaluate and justify both individual and group performance through active participation and continuous learning
- Analyse, synthesise and reflect upon the quality of empirical evidence from different scholarly sources
- Explore topics in global and urban sociology they could pursue in graduate study or research
Major Assignment: Option of essay or fieldwork based urban research project
Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Week 13 - 5pm Friday
Weighting: 50%
For the major assignment, students may choose one of the following:
1. A essay that explores one of the topics discussed in the lecture in-depth. Students will be required to undertake original desk-based research and apply social theories relating to globalisation and global cities to critically analyse a set question from one of the three key themes in the unit.
or
2. A major fieldwork based project in response one of three set themes.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of sociological research into global forces, particularly affecting urban space, place and culture
- Observe and reflect upon global forces through a sociological lens
- Evaluate the impact of global forces on 21st century society and culture through a structured research project or other written work
- Critically evaluate and justify both individual and group performance through active participation and continuous learning
- Analyse, synthesise and reflect upon the quality of empirical evidence from different scholarly sources
- Reflect upon the realities of global urban living that they regularly confront, and evaluate the tools of analysis that may best enable them to critically evaluate these processes.
- Demonstrate a level of research, reflection and writing appropriate for a third-year sociology student
- Explore topics in global and urban sociology they could pursue in graduate study or research
Quizzes
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Friday 5pm of Week 5, Week 8, Week 12
Weighting: 30%
Three quizzes will be conducted in class (for internal students) or online (for external students) based on the readings set for the course.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of sociological research into global forces, particularly affecting urban space, place and culture
- Observe and reflect upon global forces through a sociological lens
- Evaluate the impact of global forces on 21st century society and culture through a structured research project or other written work
- Critically evaluate and justify both individual and group performance through active participation and continuous learning
- Analyse, synthesise and reflect upon the quality of empirical evidence from different scholarly sources
- Reflect upon the realities of global urban living that they regularly confront, and evaluate the tools of analysis that may best enable them to critically evaluate these processes.
- Explore topics in global and urban sociology they could pursue in graduate study or research
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
Lectures online
Tutorials on campus or online
Curated resources distributed on iLearn and in Leganto
Unit Schedule
This unit explores how sociologists understand the collective challenges of a global world. Research into global issues includes international migration, global cities, the rise of information & surveillance capitalism, global value chains and transnational financial flows, global interconnections of everyday actors and elites and the global consequences of climate change. Students explore the role of local communities and cultures in reshaping and regulating global forces and power structures underpinning globalism, nationalism and cosmopolitanism. We will examine the changing roles of civil society and local community in creating alternatives to the twin powers of states and markets, from successes and failures to future opportunities and emerging risks. By exploring the relationships between space, place and people through contemporary case studies (for example, global cities and social infrastructures, the sociology of risk and crisis, resilience and disasters; global migration, border politics and citizenship rights) students will build on and extend previous learning in theory and methods, with the option of a fieldwork project focused on a case study.
LECTURE SCHEDULE (Draft -subject to minor changes)
|
|
TOPIC |
|
1 |
Introduction to the study of Global Urban Life |
|
PART ONE
|
GLOBAL CITIES |
|
2 |
The Global City |
|
3 |
Social Infrastructures (part 1): The Just City |
|
4 |
Urban Ethnography of Sydney: field trip |
|
PART TWO
|
PEOPLE MOVEMENT |
|
5 |
Superdiversity & Global Migration |
|
6 |
Social Infrastructures (part 2): Arrival Infrastructures |
|
7 |
Low-End Globalisation |
|
8 |
Social Infrastructures (part 3): Intermediaries, Brokers & Migration |
|
PART THREE
|
CHALLENGES: SECURITY & CLIMATE |
|
9 |
Social Infrastructures (part 4): SMART cities & networked urbanism |
|
10 |
Secure Cities: Surveillance, social movements & public space |
|
11 |
Resilient Cities: Global problems, local solutions |
|
12 |
Workshop final projects |
|
13 |
CONCLUSION: Real Utopias |
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 2021.04 of the Handbook