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SOCI2070 – Living Diversity: Understanding Racism & Co-existence today

2022 – Session 2, Online-flexible

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
40 credit points at 1000 level
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

We live in an age of super-diversity. How do we build a thriving multicultural nation where people from diverse racial, cultural and religious backgrounds are able to co-exist peacefully in a just society free from racism and discrimination? The first part of this unit explores current debates on superdiversity, urban multicultures, and new patterns of global migration. We consider the challenges of migrant and refugee settlement, barriers to social mobility and patterns of inequality among racial and ethnic minorities. We will compare different models of multiculturalism and integration before shifting attention to everyday multiculturalism and the daily lived experience of religious and cultural difference. The second part of the unit examines the sociology of race, discrimination and racism – from the structural to the everyday. Students will be introduced to concepts such as intersectionality and post-colonial sociology and we will investigate issues facing Aboriginal people in Australia today. We explore what sociology has to say about the surge in national populisms and the rise of the far right and why it is that race, immigration, and religion so commonly animate such movements. We also consider the role of social media in this resurgence. Finally, the unit explores anti-racism and the tools available to challenge discrimination and seek racial justice.

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: Be familiar with sociological concepts of race, ethnicity, racism, multiculturalism, nationalism, populism.
  • ULO2: Demonstrate knowledge of scholarly and public debates concerning the sociology of nation, ethnicity, multiculturalism, race and racism and migrant settlement.
  • ULO3: Be able to engage in the nuances of these debates as demonstrated in classroom discussion and assignments.
  • ULO4: Be able to source and engage with and critically assess news coverage and opinion pieces on these topics.
  • ULO5: Be able to critically reflect on social media 'storms' around the topics of religion, race, Islam, racism, populism, nationalism, migration.

General Assessment Information

LATE SUBMISSION PENALTY

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.   

This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc)Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic. 

WORD LIMITS For all assessments, the word limit is + / - 10%, NOT including bibliography.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Research essay 40% No Week 13
Learning reflections 30% No Ongoing
Quizzes 30% No Weeks 4, 8 & 11

Research essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%

 

Students complete a research essay from set topics.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be familiar with sociological concepts of race, ethnicity, racism, multiculturalism, nationalism, populism.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of scholarly and public debates concerning the sociology of nation, ethnicity, multiculturalism, race and racism and migrant settlement.
  • Be able to engage in the nuances of these debates as demonstrated in classroom discussion and assignments.
  • Be able to source and engage with and critically assess news coverage and opinion pieces on these topics.
  • Be able to critically reflect on social media 'storms' around the topics of religion, race, Islam, racism, populism, nationalism, migration.

Learning reflections

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 30%

 

Students are asked to maintain a diary style blog of reflections on readings, concepts, new ideas, set resources, and current affairs relevant to the unit, and notes from seminar discussions.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be familiar with sociological concepts of race, ethnicity, racism, multiculturalism, nationalism, populism.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of scholarly and public debates concerning the sociology of nation, ethnicity, multiculturalism, race and racism and migrant settlement.
  • Be able to engage in the nuances of these debates as demonstrated in classroom discussion and assignments.

Quizzes

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Weeks 4, 8 & 11
Weighting: 30%

 

Three quizzes over the course of the semester

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Be familiar with sociological concepts of race, ethnicity, racism, multiculturalism, nationalism, populism.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of scholarly and public debates concerning the sociology of nation, ethnicity, multiculturalism, race and racism and migrant settlement.
  • Be able to engage in the nuances of these debates as demonstrated in classroom discussion and assignments.
  • Be able to source and engage with and critically assess news coverage and opinion pieces on these topics.
  • Be able to critically reflect on social media 'storms' around the topics of religion, race, Islam, racism, populism, nationalism, migration.

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

Delivery and resources:    Lectures; face to face and Zoom seminars; audio-visual, news, and case study resources in iLearn, unit readings and compulsory documentaries in Leganto.

ON CAMPUS/Internal:  3 hour on campus seminar. Lectures will be integrated into the 3 hour seminar block.

FULLY ONLINE / External + OUA: Online asynchronous: online students are fully online/virtual and have no timetabled classes. All virtual materials are pre-recorded for access at any time. Students enrol Fully Online/Virtual or equivalent external mode.   Students studying in fully online mode will have access to recorded lectures and must complete learning diaries. Optional Zoom sessions may be offered during semester.

 

Unit Schedule

Weekly topics (draft, subject to minor change of topics or order)

Week 1: Multicultural Australia

Week 2: Indigenous Australia & Settler Colonialism  

Week 3: Race, Ethnicity & Cultural Identity  

Week 4: Racism & Intersectionality  

Week 5: Racism & Sport  

Week 6: Nationalism, Populism & the Far Right  

Week 7: Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Immigration control  

Week 8: Migrant workers, Exploitation & Precarity  

Week 9: Migrant and refugee settlement and integration  

Week 10: Everyday Multiculturalism: Co-existence & Living Diversity  

Week 11: Anti-Racism & 'Cultural Competence', 'Diversity Training'.  

Week 12: Multiculturalism: 'Tolerance' to 'Social Justice'  

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:

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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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
25/07/2022 On the delivery and resources page the line pertaining to seminars for on campus students was missing. Only just picked it up

Unit information based on version 2022.03 of the Handbook