Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Chris Vasantkumar
Social Sciences General Information Contact Persons
Payel Ray
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Credit points |
Credit points
10
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces students to the field of sociocultural anthropology, which seeks to explore and understand human diversity from a holistic and relativistic perspective. Highlighting important contributions anthropologists past and present have made to the understanding of human cultures and societies, emphasis will be placed on how to study and represent cultural diversity in the contemporary world. Topics to be examined include: the history and development of the culture concept; race and ethnicity; sexuality and gender; magic, religion and secularism; kinship and the family; economic systems; key controversies in the field; and tourism, mobility and globalization. We will also pay special attention to anthropological fieldwork methods and ethics, closely examining how anthropologists both conduct long term field research and write about their findings in anthropology's characteristic written output, the ethnography. The unit will demonstrate the relevance of applying anthropological thinking to your career and personal lives. |
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Late Assessment 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 unitconvenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
---|---|---|---|
'Take-Home Examination' -- Final | 25% | No | 5 Nov 2023 |
Weekly Reading Quizzes | 15% | No | Weekly |
Participation in Online Forum for external students | 15% | No | Weekly |
'Take-Home Examination' -- Midterm | 25% | No | 9 Sep 2023 |
Mini Essay | 20% | No | 7 Oct 2023 |
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 5 Nov 2023
Weighting: 25%
Online Final
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 6 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 15%
Online Weekly Reading Quizzes
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 15%
Each student will be responsible for answering one to two weekly discussion questions (1-2 paragraphs) and commenting on at least one other student contribution. (This required task subsitutes for face-to-face tutorial participation and will be supplemented by recommended live weekly drop in zoom sessions with tutor).
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 9 Sep 2023
Weighting: 25%
Online Midterm
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 7 Oct 2023
Weighting: 20%
Short Essay on Anthropology-related topic
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Many readings will be drawn from the free online anthropology textbook by Michael Wesch,The Art of Being Human, available at anth101.com. Other readings will also be available online.
Week |
Date |
Lecture (Tues) |
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Forum Topics |
1 |
24 Jul |
What is Anthropology, Anyway? |
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Nacirema and Nialartsua |
2 |
31 Jul |
The Concept of Culture |
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The Columbian Exchange |
3 |
7 Aug |
Off The Verandah: Anthropological Fieldwork in Focus |
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WTF, FTW |
4 |
14 Aug |
Fieldwork Controversies | Rogues' Gallery | |
5 |
21 Aug |
Kinship, Family and Relatedness |
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Family Trees |
6 |
28 Aug |
Sex and Gender |
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XX/XY |
7 |
4 Sep |
Race, Belonging and Exclusion |
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The Chicken Curtain |
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Online Midterm Open 7 Sep-9 Sep |
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* Mid-semester Recess 11 Sep-24 Sep
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8 |
25 Sep |
Turbulent Times: Anthropology in the Contemporary World |
Cancel Anthropology? |
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9 |
2 Oct |
No class due to Labor Day Holiday | ||
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7 Oct | SHORT ESSAY Due 23:59 via turnitin |
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10 | 9 Oct | Globalization I: Culture |
Authentic Culture? |
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11 |
16 Oct |
Globalization II: Human Economic Systems |
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Stuff Happens |
12 |
23 Oct |
Magic, Science, Religion | Halloween as Australian Ritual | |
13 |
30 Oct |
The Case for Anthropology |
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Taking Stock |
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Online Final Open 3 Nov-5 Nov
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Unit information based on version 2023.01R of the Handbook