Students
SOCI2040 – Economic Life, Inequality and Society
2021 – Session 2, Fully online/virtual
Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update
The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.
This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.
Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor & Lecturer
Norbert Ebert
Lecturer
Ben Spies-Butcher
Tutor
Brigit Busicchia
Adobe Technical Specialist
Benedict Yip
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
We engage in economic activities on a daily basis. We work to earn money, buy groceries, pay rent or mortgages, save for a holiday. In often invisible ways, these everyday activities of production and consumption are underpinned by social structures, cultures and ideologies. You will learn about the workings of the economy, labour markets and finance, and how economic activity is embedded in social relationships. You will be able to understand and address important issues of our time, such as the increasing gap between the rich and the poor, and unequal access to power and resources based on intersecting questions of gender, race and class. |
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 an understanding of key concepts in economic sociology and political economy
- ULO3: Communicate ideas through effective listening and speaking, constructive debates with peers and personal reflection.
- ULO2: Identify important historical developments in the interplay of civil society, the economy and politics
- ULO4: Write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.
- ULO5: Recognise and contribute to sociological and economic arguments used in public and civic debates
General Assessment Information
The Faculty policy in relation to late assessment submissions is as follows: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests, etc.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Participation | 20% | No | Weekly during tutorial times |
| Quiz | 15% | No | Week 7 (10/09/2021) & Week 11 (22/10/2021) |
| Analytical Writing | 25% | No | every week between week 2 and 11 |
| Final exam | 40% | No | 04/11/2021 |
Class Participation
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Weekly during tutorial times
Weighting: 20%
Participate in class activities to learn to explain key concepts, analyse relevant issues and communicate insights to others.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in economic sociology and political economy
- Communicate ideas through effective listening and speaking, constructive debates with peers and personal reflection.
- Identify important historical developments in the interplay of civil society, the economy and politics
- Recognise and contribute to sociological and economic arguments used in public and civic debates
Quiz
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 42 hours
Due: Week 7 (10/09/2021) & Week 11 (22/10/2021)
Weighting: 15%
Based on readings from the course, students will have to complete several quizzes.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in economic sociology and political economy
- Communicate ideas through effective listening and speaking, constructive debates with peers and personal reflection.
- Identify important historical developments in the interplay of civil society, the economy and politics
- Write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.
- Recognise and contribute to sociological and economic arguments used in public and civic debates
Analytical Writing
Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: every week between week 2 and 11
Weighting: 25%
Write a sociological analysis of a concrete economic issues or topic using specific course material.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in economic sociology and political economy
- Identify important historical developments in the interplay of civil society, the economy and politics
- Write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.
Final exam
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 04/11/2021
Weighting: 40%
At the end of the course students have to complete a final exam based on all course material from lectures, tutorials and readings.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.
- Recognise and contribute to sociological and economic arguments used in public and civic debates
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 course materials will be made available or accessible online via the SOCI2040 iLearn page.
Unit Schedule
All lectures will be delivered as pre-recorded lectures. At the time of writing this unit guide, Sydney is in COVID lockdown. We assume that all tutorials will be online tutorials on Zoom at this stage. The unit has been designed in a way that all assignment can be completed online.
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