Students
ANTH2008 – Cults, Saints, Shamans: Religion and Society
2021 – Session 2, Special circumstances
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
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convener and lecturer
Jaap Timmer
Contact via 0298502077
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts, Level 5, 25B Wally's Walk
On appointment
Convener and lecturer
Banu Senay
Contact via 0298502077
Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Arts, Level 5, 25B Wally's Walk
On appointment
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(ANTH150 or ANTH1050) or 40cp at 1000 level or above
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces students to anthropological approaches of studying religion and to some of the core themes of the anthropology of religion. We will explore multiple religious beliefs, meanings, experiences, expressions and practices across diverse sociocultural environments both in the past and within the contemporary moment. Topics to be examined include religious myths, symbols and rituals; material religion; religion and art practices; shamanism; theocracy; secularism; and interplay between religion and politics. Special attention will be paid to how anthropologists conduct ethnographic fieldwork, the central method for anthropologists, on the religious. Students will gain a sense of the range of challenges and issues that professional anthropologists engage with when doing extended field research on religious worlds and lives. Through studying these topics, students will gain new theoretical knowledge and analytical tools that will enable them to critically examine sociocultural dimensions of religion. |
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 mastery of knowledge on key themes in the anthropology of religion.
- ULO2: Evaluate anthropological theories of religion.
- ULO3: Examine ethnographic texts on religious experiences, practices, and lives.
- ULO4: Evaluate methodological dimensions of ethnographic research and data collection.
- ULO5: Write cogently about the sociocultural dimensions of religion.
- ULO6: Critically evaluate commonly held assumptions about other cultures and socio-religious differences and adopt an open-mindedness about other’s practices.
General Assessment Information
Faculty Late Penalty Policy
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz | 30% | No | 11:59pm 25/08/2021; 11:59pm 13/10/2021 |
| Ethnographic Essay | 30% | No | 11:59pm 01/10/2021 |
| Take-home Exam | 30% | No | 11:59pm, 08/11/2021 |
| Tutorial participation (internal students) | 10% | No | ongoing |
Quiz
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 11:59pm 25/08/2021; 11:59pm 13/10/2021
Weighting: 30%
The quiz is cumulative and multiple choice, conducted online via iLearn page.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate mastery of knowledge on key themes in the anthropology of religion.
- Evaluate anthropological theories of religion.
- Critically evaluate commonly held assumptions about other cultures and socio-religious differences and adopt an open-mindedness about other’s practices.
Ethnographic Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 11:59pm 01/10/2021
Weighting: 30%
Essay on Anthropology-related topic
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Evaluate anthropological theories of religion.
- Evaluate methodological dimensions of ethnographic research and data collection.
- Write cogently about the sociocultural dimensions of religion.
- Critically evaluate commonly held assumptions about other cultures and socio-religious differences and adopt an open-mindedness about other’s practices.
Take-home Exam
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: 11:59pm, 08/11/2021
Weighting: 30%
An open-note, short-answer final exam will assess cumulative knowledge of the unit material from the entire semester.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate mastery of knowledge on key themes in the anthropology of religion.
- Evaluate anthropological theories of religion.
- Examine ethnographic texts on religious experiences, practices, and lives.
- Write cogently about the sociocultural dimensions of religion.
- Critically evaluate commonly held assumptions about other cultures and socio-religious differences and adopt an open-mindedness about other’s practices.
Tutorial participation (internal students)
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: ongoing
Weighting: 10%
Active participation in tutorial discussion of topics related to weekly readings and lecture topic.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Evaluate anthropological theories of religion.
- Examine ethnographic texts on religious experiences, practices, and lives.
- Write cogently about the sociocultural dimensions of religion.
- Critically evaluate commonly held assumptions about other cultures and socio-religious differences and adopt an open-mindedness about other’s practices.
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 iLearn page for this unit contains all the information you need about ANTH2008. All lectures in this unit are pre-recorded fresh for the current cohort of ANTH2008 students and made available via the ECHO platform. Although the lectures and tutorials are scheduled to run on Mondays, we will make the lecture material accessible to you prior to Monday so that you have sufficient time to prepare for your tutorial. Make sure to confirm the tutorial you are enrolled in. Tutorials start in Week 2.
Unit Schedule
|
Lecture & Tutorials |
Day/Time |
Location |
|
Lecture |
Mon 10:00-12:00 pm |
Online/Pre-recorded |
|
Tutorial 1/01 |
Mon 1:00-2:00 pm |
Online |
|
Tutorial 1/02 |
Mon 2:00-3:00 pm |
23 Wally's Walk-105 |
|
Tutorial 1/03 |
Mon 3:00-4:00 pm |
23 Wally's Walk-105 |
|
Tutorial 1/04 |
Mon 4:00-5:00 pm |
23 Wally's Walk-105 |
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.
Changes since First Published
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 22/07/2021 | added late penalty policy statement |
| 15/07/2021 | Change of tutor. |
Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook