Students

GEN 320 – Modern Families

2018 – S1 External

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Kumiko Kawashima
Contact via kumiko.kawashima@mq.edu.au
AHH S 2688-5
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
39cp at 100 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
GEND310 or AHIS340 or CUL322 or ENGL306 or LAWS502 or LAWS511 or LAWS570 or LING332 or MAS302 or MECO310 or PHL352 or RSN305 or SOC315 or SOC322 or SOC350 or SOC352
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The family is full of paradoxes. While it is an intimate space of love, safety and nurturance, people frequently experience conflicts and even violence. The family and home are often considered private sites, but they are also popular topics of intense public debate and major targets of government intervention. In this unit, we will examine the increasingly diverse ways in which family life is imagined and practiced in contemporary societies. The focus will be how family issues are bound up with gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, class and nation-states. By exploring topics such as (same-sex) marriage, the gendered division of labour, and adoption, the unit is designed to help students understand the changing landscapes of families in our society, and to critically analyse the close inter-linkage between their personal lives and the impact of wider social, economic and cultural changes.

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:

  • An understanding of a number of key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies.
  • An ability to analyse gender issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically.
  • A capacity to share insights, present complex ideas and debate constructively with peers.
  • An ability to write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.
  • A capacity to conduct independent research, from topic selection and literature research to text analysis and development of worthwhile questions.
  • An ability to demonstrate active engagement with unit materials.

General Assessment Information

Attendance

For internal students, attendance at lectures and tutorials is required, and the permission to listen to ECHO recordings in lieu of attending lectures must be given by the convenor. External students are required to listen to ECHO recordings and participate in all online discussions. Details of participation requirements are available on iLearn.

Late submission of assessment penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply - two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date - and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than 7 (seven) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments - e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Plagiarism is forbidden

The University defines plagiarism in its rules:  "Plagiarism involves using the work of another person and presenting it as one's own." Plagiarism is a serious breach of the University's rules and carries significant penalties.  You must read the University's practices and procedures on plagiarism.  These can be found in the Handbook of Undergraduate Studies or on the web at: http://www.student.mq.edu.au/plagiarism/

The policies and procedures explain what plagiarism is, how to avoid it, the procedures that will be taken in cases of suspected plagiarism, and the penalties if you are found guilty.  Penalties may include a deduction of marks, failure in the unit, and/or referral to the University Discipline Committee.

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Class participation 20% No Throughout semester
Quizzes 20% No Wed Weeks 3-12
Individual Research Project 60% No Weeks 7 & 13

Class participation

Due: Throughout semester
Weighting: 20%

Regular class attendance and active participation in discussions. Both internal and external students need to satisfy weekly requirements.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • An understanding of a number of key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies.
  • An ability to analyse gender issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically.
  • A capacity to share insights, present complex ideas and debate constructively with peers.
  • An ability to demonstrate active engagement with unit materials.

Quizzes

Due: Wed Weeks 3-12
Weighting: 20%

Weekly multiple choice quizzes on iLearn. They open after each lecture (Weeks 2-11) and close on the night before the next lecture (Weeks 3-12). These will be based on the required readings and the lectures.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • An understanding of a number of key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies.
  • An ability to demonstrate active engagement with unit materials.

Individual Research Project

Due: Weeks 7 & 13
Weighting: 60%

Part One (20%): An annotated bibliography and a research question

Part Two (40%): A research proposal on a topic relevant to the unit.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • An understanding of a number of key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies.
  • An ability to analyse gender issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically.
  • An ability to write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.
  • A capacity to conduct independent research, from topic selection and literature research to text analysis and development of worthwhile questions.

Delivery and Resources

Delivery

Day and Online.

The unit comprises of one 2 hour lecture and one 1 hour tutorial each week. 

Lecture Program and Lecture/Tutorial Readings

The tutorials on campus run straight after the lectures. The required readings will be available via iLearn, and discussed in both lectures and tutorials.

Times and Locations for Lectures and Tutorials

For current updates, lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetables website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/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://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.

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

  • An ability to write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation
  • Individual Research Project

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • A capacity to share insights, present complex ideas and debate constructively with peers.

Assessment task

  • Class participation

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • An ability to demonstrate active engagement with unit materials.

Assessment task

  • Class participation

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 outcomes

  • An understanding of a number of key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies.
  • An ability to analyse gender issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically.
  • An ability to write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.
  • A capacity to conduct independent research, from topic selection and literature research to text analysis and development of worthwhile questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation
  • Quizzes
  • Individual Research Project

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 outcomes

  • An ability to analyse gender issues of everyday significance conceptually and theoretically.
  • An ability to write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.
  • A capacity to conduct independent research, from topic selection and literature research to text analysis and development of worthwhile questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation
  • Individual Research Project

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

  • A capacity to conduct independent research, from topic selection and literature research to text analysis and development of worthwhile questions.

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation
  • Individual Research Project

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:

Learning outcomes

  • A capacity to share insights, present complex ideas and debate constructively with peers.
  • An ability to write coherently, logically and succinctly, while following appropriate academic and stylistic conventions.

Assessment tasks

  • Class participation
  • Individual Research Project

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • An understanding of a number of key concepts, issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies.
  • An ability to demonstrate active engagement with unit materials.

Assessment task

  • Class participation

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Assessment task

  • Class participation