a) This class will run as a combination of lectures, tutorials and workshops. We have a number of guest lecturers coming along to talk about the sociology of arts from their particular areas of expertise. Attendance at all lectures, tutorials and workshops ( see below ) is therefore mandatory. I will be taking attendance in all our sessions. in order to receive full marks for attendance you must attend at least 80% of all lectures, tutorials and 100% of workshops. In addition I will be setting up a class blog on your experience of a gallery/ exhibit/ performance during the semester. This exercise will be explained in class,

b) Attendance is not enough. Participation not only means coming along regularly to class. It also means that before class on Thursdays you should have read the required readings set for each week's lectures and discussions and be prepared to raise questions. the quality of these discussion sessions will depend on your active participation ad you are expected to have read the set readings before class and have questions ready for discussion. You will be encouraged to keep notes on your understandings of the required readings. You are also expected to contribute to general discussions when they arise and be prepared to speak up. We will discuss how to facilitate this in our first tutorial session in week 2. We may elect to have specific speakers to lead discussion questions in class. it is also possible that we will use the online discussion boards to signal questions for the class in preparation for our weekly discussions.

c) This class has a group workshop component. During the semester we will hold one workshop in class time where we will work in collaboration with the MQ Art Gallery and the senior curator, Rhonda Davis and her colleagues on a class project to do with drawing and the creative process. This workshop will give students the opportunity for some valuable hands on experience working with the MQ gallery staff. The workshop will also provide an opportunity to discuss the possibilities of working with the MQ collection on your final research essay projects and presentations.  At the end of  the semester in Week 13 you will have the opportunity to present your final  research projects to the whole class in a format of your own choosing, This exercise will be discussed and explained in class.

Choose topic A or topic B

A: What might a perspective from the sociology of the arts contribute to understanding the biography and career of an individual artist?

Choose a particular  artist whose work  interests you.   Research the artist's biography and look up their work. Write up a case study of the artists and the artist's career. Using the course readings, as well as other research material illustrate how a sociological perspective on art and the arts might help us understand the artistic life and career of this artist.

B: What can a sociological perspective on art and the arts tell us about the production of art?

Choose a work of art from any field of the arts and tell me why you have chosen this particular piece and why it interests you.  Research the work. Describe it.  Using the course readings, as well as other research discuss what a sociological perspective on art that the arts might tell us about the production of this work.

For this exercise you are expected to do a close reading of a text to demonstrate your understanding of key issues. The exoercise is also a writing exercise where you must synthesise ideas from the readings and respond in your own words.

Question: Why is Art so difficult to define?

Choose ONE of the following articles.

Dissanayake, Ellen 1992. 'The Core of Art'. Chapter 3 in Homo Aestheticus: where art comes from and why. New York: the Free Press, pp 39-63

Dewey, John 1980(1934) 'The Live Creature'. Chapter 1 in Art as Experience. New York: Perigree Books, pp 3-19.

Gell, Alfred 2006( 1996) Vogel's net: Traps as Artworks and Artworks as Traps. Chapter 13 in The Anthropology of Art: a reader. Oxford: Blackwell, pp: 210-235.

Outline the author's argument in the chapter  about art as a social category. Make sure to do a 'close reading' of the artcle by summarizing the key points and using the text itself to illustrate where appropriate. Respond to the author's argument in your own words. What do you think of the argument in the piece? What are its limitations and difficulties? In your answer you may also refer to the lecture material or other sources, but it is not necessary. The key to doing well in this exercise it to stay close to the text and write and answer that really tries to explain what the author is saying and to clearly articulate you own response.