Students
GEND2020 – Modern Families
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
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Dr Rebecca Sheehan
Contact via 98507947
Office C313, Level 3 West Wing, 25C Wally's Walk
By appointment
Lecturer and Tutor
Dr Saartje Tack
By appointment
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
The family is full of paradoxes. While it is an intimate space of love, safety and nurturance, people frequently experience conflicts and even violence. The family and home are often considered private sites, but they are also popular topics of intense public debate and major targets of government intervention. In this unit, we examine the increasingly diverse ways in which family life is imagined and practised in contemporary societies. The focus is on how families are bound up with gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, class and nation-states. By exploring topics such as work-life balance, marriage and friends-as-family, students interpret the changing landscapes of families, and analyse the interlinkage between their personal lives and wider social and cultural changes. The central aim is to understand important current issues concerning families so that we can generate ideas to build a just world. |
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: Explain key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) introduced in the unit
- ULO2: Analyse issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically
- ULO3: Communicate insights, present complex ideas and debate constructively andeffectively with peers
- ULO4: Write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions
General Assessment Information
See iLearn for more information on specific assessments.
Please be aware of the following policies in regard to assignments:
Academic Integrity Policy: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/academic-integrity. 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. 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class participation | 20% | No | Weekly |
| Weekly Quizzes | 20% | No | Weekly |
| Essay Assignment Part 1: Annotated Bibliography | 20% | No | Week 6 |
| Essay Assignment Part 2: Essay Writing | 40% | No | Week 13 |
Class participation
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 26 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 20%
Participate in class activities to explain key concepts, analyse relevant issues and communicate insights.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Explain key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) introduced in the unit
- Analyse issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically
- Communicate insights, present complex ideas and debate constructively andeffectively with peers
Weekly Quizzes
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 6 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 20%
Take weekly quizzes based on the unit content. The quizzes remain open for one week.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Explain key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) introduced in the unit
Essay Assignment Part 1: Annotated Bibliography
Assessment Type 1: Annotated bibliography
Indicative Time on Task 2: 27 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 20%
Develop an annotated bibliography to prepare for the Part 2 of the two-part Essay Assignment.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Explain key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) introduced in the unit
- Analyse issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically
- Write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions
Essay Assignment Part 2: Essay Writing
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 54 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%
Write an essay (2,000 words).
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Explain key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) introduced in the unit
- Analyse issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically
- Write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions
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
This unit will be delivered online only in 2021. There will be a weekly 2 hour lecture and a 1 hour tutorial. Depending on the mode of enrolment, the tutorial will be conducted via zoom (for internal students) or online discussion boards (for external students).
Students will need a computer and the Internet to access unit resources such as the recorded lecture, texts, the quiz assignment and all the essential communication with the unit convenor and other students. The unit iLearn page contains all the necessary information for students to successfully complete this unit.
Unit Schedule
Week 1 - Introduction to Modern Families
Week 2 - Gender Roles and Family Ideals in the Modern Era
Week 3 - Family and Domestic Work
Week 4 - Gender, Employment and Occupations
Week 5 - Marriage & Divorce
Week 6 - Reproduction: From Fertility to Adoption
Week 7 - Socialisation and Class Inequality
Week 8 - Consultation Week
Week 9 - Gender Socialisation: Spotlight on Transgender Kids
Week 10 - Domestic Violence
Week 11 - The Global Outsourcing of Care
Week 12 - Friendship and family
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