Students
POL 258 – Political Violence
2015 – S2 External
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Conor Keane
Steve Wood
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
12cp or (3cp in HIST or MHIS or POL units)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
Aristotle described the human as a 'zoon politikon' (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two expressions of human activity, politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical and philosophical perspectives and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
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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:
- Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives, and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| Essay One | 20% | 7/9/2015 |
| Essay Two | 40% | 23/10/2015 |
| Examination | 40% | TBA |
Essay One
Due: 7/9/2015
Weighting: 20%
For their 1500 word essay, external students must answer either question 1, 2 or 3 (found in the unit guide). Due date September 7. For their 2500 word essay, external students may select any question other than that which they answered for their first essay. Submit essays to to Turnitin.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives, and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
Essay Two
Due: 23/10/2015
Weighting: 40%
One research essay of 2500 words, due on October 23, 5pm. The date has been deferred as late as possible. It is strongly advised to begin working on the essay sooner rather than later. Do not wait until the last days to research and/or write it. Use scholarly sources and ensure that the essay is properly referenced. Time management is an important part of coping with university requirements. Questions are available from the start of the unit and there is a week without lectures or tutorials (October 6-13) to work on the essays. Make good use of this time. No extensions are necessary. Submit essays to Turnitin, not hardcopy is required. Late essays lose 2 marks per day
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives, and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
Examination
Due: TBA
Weighting: 40%
There will be an exam in the examination period. The date, time and location are determined by the Academic Programs Section. You will be informed of those details when they are known. Exam content could be drawn from across the entire unit – that is what an exam is. All students, internal and external, must attend an exam - on campus or at an approved centre
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives, and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
Delivery and Resources
Teaching Methods/Mode of Delivery: Teaching on the unit consists of lectures and tutorials students. The tutorials follow the lecture program and their purpose is to allow students to participate in discussions and ask questions about the topics dealt with in the lectures. Students must also be prepared to discuss issues during the seminars based on the recommended readings and the lectures. Tutorial sessions will be led by qualified tutors who will share responsibility for the marking of coursework and who will be responsible for awarding marks for tutorial participation.
External students are provided with the recorded lectures. External students should also use the reading guide and questions provided for each week’s topic as a self-tutorial program. That is, if you do the required reading each week and consider the questions set, you should acquire a good understanding of the various topics. A tutor will be available to answer queries on the material from external students.
Prerequisites and Preparation: Students taking this unit inevitably come from a wide range of academic backgrounds. Some students will already have been introduced to the study of politics, and political, at a 100 level. For others, this unit will be their first experience of the subject, or of the more general field of political studies, of which this unit is a part. For those with little or no previous background in the study of politics, it is essential that you do some extra reading and preparation for the unit. Even if you have done some politics before, you will benefit from some revision.
Textbooks and Sources: There are a wide variety of sources that are used in this unit. All compulsory readings are available via ilearn
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results
Results shown in iLearn, 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.
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 improve your marks and take control of your study.
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
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
Creative and Innovative
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives, and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
Assessment tasks
- Essay One
- Essay Two
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives, and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
Assessment tasks
- Essay One
- Essay Two
- Examination
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives, and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
Assessment tasks
- Essay One
- Essay Two
- Examination
Problem Solving and Research Capability
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Aristotle described the human as a zoon politikon (political animal). That is, humans are creatures that live in a polis and engage in politics. Humans also have a history of violence, through all ages and across all cultures. This unit explores intersections of these two forms of activity: politics and violence. It incorporates theoretical, historical and philosophical perspectives, and empirical analyses, including on war, terrorism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, genocide and ethnic cleansing, insurgencies and revolutions, protest and assassinations.
Assessment tasks
- Essay One
- Essay Two
- Examination
Effective Communication
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Assessment tasks
- Essay One
- Essay Two
- Examination