Students

ENGX3061 – Literary Responses to Global Issues

2026 – Session 2, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Toby Davidson
toby.davidson@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130 credit points at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Literature has always been at the forefront of responding to and influencing social change, providing profound insights into what it means to live in challenging times. In this unit students choose one of several different streams of study to explore how particular literary epochs, movements and/or genres challenge political hierarchies, narrate social justice, create empathy for humans and the natural world, and engage with conceptual or technological innovations. Learn how major literary figures grappled with the global issues of their own interconnected worlds through dedication to their craft and the enduring search for freedom and meaning.

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: Analyse and synthesise literary texts and scholarship across a range of genres.  
  • ULO2: Articulate links between literary texts and their cultural contexts. 
  • ULO3: Analyse and explain how literature makes relevant contributions to contemporary debates.  
  • ULO4: Display creative thinking and construct cohesive arguments. 
  • ULO5: Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and teachers, consider and assess others' points of view, and to argue a critical position. 

General Assessment Information

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.

 

https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Quiz 20% No 30/08/2026 Individual Yes Open
Analysis Task 35% No 20/09/2026 Individual Yes Open
Research Essay 45% No 08/11/2026 Individual Yes Open

Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Problem-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 30/08/2026
Weighting: 20%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

Online quiz on unit content
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and synthesise literary texts and scholarship across a range of genres.  
  • Articulate links between literary texts and their cultural contexts. 
  • Analyse and explain how literature makes relevant contributions to contemporary debates.  

Analysis Task

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 36 hours
Due: 20/09/2026
Weighting: 35%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

Students analyse texts that align with unit themes.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and synthesise literary texts and scholarship across a range of genres.  
  • Articulate links between literary texts and their cultural contexts. 
  • Analyse and explain how literature makes relevant contributions to contemporary debates.  
  • Display creative thinking and construct cohesive arguments. 
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and teachers, consider and assess others' points of view, and to argue a critical position. 

Research Essay

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 08/11/2026
Weighting: 45%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

An essay analysing text(s) supported by scholarly research.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse and synthesise literary texts and scholarship across a range of genres.  
  • Articulate links between literary texts and their cultural contexts. 
  • Analyse and explain how literature makes relevant contributions to contemporary debates.  
  • Display creative thinking and construct cohesive arguments. 
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and teachers, consider and assess others' points of view, and to argue a critical position. 

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
  • Academic Success 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.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Delivery:

Live lectures (which are recorded) and classes start in Week 2. There is a pre-recorded Week 1 lecture, providing information to help students choose 1 of 5 Streams on different literary traditions which they study from Weeks 2 to 13.

 

Selections must be made in Week 1 through the iLearn site. 

 

One enrolled in a Stream of study (topics below), students are expected to attend or to listen to all recorded lectures before attending their classes each week.

OUA or Online Flexible Students: Please be prepared to participate in the weekly activities via the iLearn Discussion Forums beginning in Week 2.

 

Readings:

This will vary, depending on choice of Stream. For more details, see Unit Schedule below or email the Unit Convenor.

 

Unit Schedule

The five available Streams are:

 

Stream A  Medieval Texts and their Modern Afterlives (Prof Louise D'Arcens)

Stream B  Literature and Crisis in Restoration England and Augustan Britain: Reinventing Self, Nation, Literature (Dr Geoffrey Payne) 

Stream C  Victorian Poetry: Realism, Activism, Escapism (Dr Veronica Alfano)

Stream D  From Picturebook to Pixel: Children's and YA Stories in Books, Comics, TV and Film (Dr Ryan Twomey)

Stream E  The History and Future of Australian Literature (Dr Toby Davidson)

 

Full details on each Stream are available when the iLearn site opens in Week 0. 

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 connect.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/

Academic Success

Academic Success 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 the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/service-desk. 

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 2026.04 of the Handbook