Students

ANTH7001 – Core Issues in Anthropological Theory II

2023 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Eve Vincent
eve.vincent@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This core unit in the Master of Research specialisation in Anthropology provides a grounding in theoretical, methodological and interpretive issues currently being debated by anthropologists. The seminars deal with a selected number of theoretical, methodological and interpretative issues that are currently debated in the discipline. These issues will vary from year to year according to contemporary developments in Anthropology and the interests of the course convener, and in terms of how current concerns in the discipline link to the theoretical issues addressed by students. Others may be more enduring, such as the theoretical issues related to the 'writing culture' debate, 'orientalism' and the problem of the 'other', cultural relativism, politics and power, and the relation between individual and society.

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: Apply core anthropological theories to both your own life as a member of society and to the social processes of the world around you
  • ULO2: Demonstrate mastery of emerging theoretical and methodological issues central to Anthropology
  • ULO3: Conceptualise the ways that different scholars have theorised the creation of culture by subjects as well as the creation of subjects by culture
  • ULO4: Consider issues of social and cultural reproduction and domination; the creation of subjectivity through inter-subjective encounter; the self-institution of society; and the individual as creator of their world beyond their conditioning by pre-existing cultural frameworks

General Assessment Information

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 unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Seminar Participation 25% No Weekly, Wednesdays, 11:55pm
Seminar Presentation 15% No TBA in Week 1
Essay plan 10% No Wednesday October 11 (Week 10)
Essay 50% No Sunday November 5 (Week 13)

Seminar Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 26 hours
Due: Weekly, Wednesdays, 11:55pm
Weighting: 25%

 

To facilitate seminar discussion, non-presenting students are required to submit a one page response to the reading(s) each week, structured according to the three 'Is': insight, interest, and incomprehension. Find in the reading(s) what you thought was the author's main insight; something of particular interest to you; and something that seems confusing or even incomprehensible that you would like to discuss. The seminar mark will be awarded on the basis of the written work as well as on seminar participation.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply core anthropological theories to both your own life as a member of society and to the social processes of the world around you
  • Demonstrate mastery of emerging theoretical and methodological issues central to Anthropology
  • Conceptualise the ways that different scholars have theorised the creation of culture by subjects as well as the creation of subjects by culture
  • Consider issues of social and cultural reproduction and domination; the creation of subjectivity through inter-subjective encounter; the self-institution of society; and the individual as creator of their world beyond their conditioning by pre-existing cultural frameworks

Seminar Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: TBA in Week 1
Weighting: 15%

 

Over the duration of the unit, each student will give a brief introduction to the week's reading(s), drawing out its main themes and selecting a number of questions or conundrums for the seminar to discuss. These facilitation of the discussion can be used by the students to focus on something interesting, maddening or confusing about the reading.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply core anthropological theories to both your own life as a member of society and to the social processes of the world around you
  • Demonstrate mastery of emerging theoretical and methodological issues central to Anthropology
  • Conceptualise the ways that different scholars have theorised the creation of culture by subjects as well as the creation of subjects by culture

Essay plan

Assessment Type 1: Plan
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Wednesday October 11 (Week 10)
Weighting: 10%

 

Submission of a draft question and bibliography for peer review. The essay question will be finalised with the unit convenor's involvement.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate mastery of emerging theoretical and methodological issues central to Anthropology
  • Conceptualise the ways that different scholars have theorised the creation of culture by subjects as well as the creation of subjects by culture
  • Consider issues of social and cultural reproduction and domination; the creation of subjectivity through inter-subjective encounter; the self-institution of society; and the individual as creator of their world beyond their conditioning by pre-existing cultural frameworks

Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 63 hours
Due: Sunday November 5 (Week 13)
Weighting: 50%

 

The essay should relate, compare and critically assess the work of two or more of the scholars to the major themes of the unit - cultural creativity, agency (agents), structures and world-making. In the essay students critically focus on where the scholars identify sources of creativity or change, and how the texts articulate society and the individual - or in what terms.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate mastery of emerging theoretical and methodological issues central to Anthropology
  • Conceptualise the ways that different scholars have theorised the creation of culture by subjects as well as the creation of subjects by culture
  • Consider issues of social and cultural reproduction and domination; the creation of subjectivity through inter-subjective encounter; the self-institution of society; and the individual as creator of their world beyond their conditioning by pre-existing cultural frameworks

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 readings are available via Leganto.

Unit Schedule

 

Week 1

Why anthropology?

Week 2

From armchair anthropology to Arrernte Country

Week 3

Difference as culture

Week 4

Malinowski’s gift

Week 5

Structuralist and symbolic approaches

Week 6

Interpretive anthropology

Week 7

Social Sciences Week

Week 8

Critique of anthropology

Week 9

Anthropology meets feminism

Week 10

‘Dark’ anthropology

Week 11

The multispecies turn

Week 12

Ethnographic biographies

Week 13

Why anthropology? Redux

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.

Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook