Students

ENGX108 – Politics and Literature

2018 – S2 OUA

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor & Tutor
Kirstin Mills
Alys Moody
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The relationship between politics and literature is never simple. Writers have always addressed political issues: supporting or resisting revolution, analysing the ethics of war or the sophistries of political language, interrogating ideas of power embedded in gender, class, ethnicity, industrialisation and sexuality. Literary language can make available subversive and powerful critiques of dominant political structures and hierarchies just as it can normalise inequality and stifle dissent. Poets and novelists participate in the dissemination of myths, stereotypes and narratives that privilege certain worldviews over others. Covering writing from the Renaissance to the present this unit addresses a series of political issues as they are constructed in literary texts, and looks at the aesthetic forms writers invent and deploy in order to reflect, produce and contain change. All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

General Assessment Information

Extensions

Extension requests should be made at least 24 hours before the assignment due time. Requests of a short duration (up to 1 week) should be directed to your tutor. Requests for longer extensions should be submitted formally via the Ask system (https://ask.mq.edu.au/splash.php).

Unless otherwise stated in your iLearn unit, late submission of written work will result in a deduction of 2 marks from the total percentage grade for each day beyond the due date, or date to which an extension has been granted.

Extensions are granted only on grounds of illness or misadventure, and appropriate supporting documentation must be submitted. Work submitted after 3 weeks beyond the due date, or date after which an extension has been given, will not be accepted. If you are having problems completing an assignment, please contact the tutor as soon as possible.

 

OUA Special Circumstances Process

Special Circumstances refers to late withdrawal from a unit and your request to have your circumstances taken into account for a possible refund of fees and removal of a "fail" result.

Applications for Special Circumstances are to be submitted to Open University Australia directly.

https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/student-support-services/special-circumstances/ (https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/student-support-services/special-circumstances/)

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Forum Participation 20% No Weeks 1-13
Analysis/Practical Criticism 10% No Week 4
Essay 1 30% No Week 8
Essay 2 40% No Week 13

Forum Participation

Due: Weeks 1-13
Weighting: 20%

Students are required to engage critically with weekly readings and offer two considered posts in the forums each week.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Analysis/Practical Criticism

Due: Week 4
Weighting: 10%

Brief analytical exercise: a diagnostic tool to give students early warning should they have problems with literary analysis/argumentation, 650 words


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Essay 1

Due: Week 8
Weighting: 30%

Essay of 1000 words. See the unit's iLearn site for details and topics.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Essay 2

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%

Essay of 2000 words. See the unit's iLearn site for details and topics.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Delivery and Resources

Unit Requirements and Expectations

It is expected that students will listen to weekly audio lectures, read set primary texts, participate thoroughly in online discussion and submit all items of assessment. It is also imperative that students participate in the weekly discussion forums.

 

Unit Webpage and Technology Used and Required

Online units can be accessed at http://ilearn.mq.edu.au.

PC and internet access are required. basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement.

Please contact teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements. Consult the OUA website for more detailed information on technology requires:

https://www.open.edu.au/getting-started/studying-through-oua/computer-requirements.

 

Required Reading

Required (in the order in which they are studied):

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (1818/1831) Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “The Cry of the Children”; “The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point” (1843, 1848/50) Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) Christos Tsiolkas, Loaded (1995) William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus (1594) Revolutionary Poetry, a selection of 4 sonnets Joe Weisberg, The Americans, season 1 (2013). Chris Kraus, I Love Dick (1997) Aphra Behn, Oroonoko (1688) Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890/91) George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones (the novel 1996; David Benioff, D.B Weiss, Game of Thrones, season 1, 2011).

A lecture schedule is available on the Unit's iLearn site.

 

Unit Schedule

A unit schedule is available via the ENGX108 iLearn site.

Policies and Procedures

Late Submission - applies unless otherwise stated elsewhere in the unit guide

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 seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Extension Request

Special Consideration Policy and Procedure (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration)

The University recognises that students may experience events or conditions that adversely affect their academic performance. If you experience serious and unavoidable difficulties at exam time or when assessment tasks are due, you can consider applying for Special Consideration.

You need to show that the circumstances:

  1. were serious, unexpected and unavoidable
  2. were beyond your control
  3. caused substantial disruption to your academic work
  4. substantially interfered with your otherwise satisfactory fulfilment of the unit requirements
  5. lasted at least three consecutive days or a total of 5 days within the teaching period and prevented completion of an assessment task scheduled for a specific date.

If you feel that your studies have been impacted submit an application as follows:

  1. Visit Ask MQ and use your OneID to log in
  2. Fill in your relevant details
  3. Attach supporting documents by clicking 'Add a reply', click 'Browse' and navigating to the files you want to attach, then click 'Submit Form' to send your notification and supporting documents
  4. Please keep copies of your original documents, as they may be requested in the future as part of the assessment process

Outcome

Once your submission is assessed, an appropriate outcome will be organised.

OUA Specific Policies and Procedures

Withdrawal from a unit after the census date

You can withdraw from your subjects prior to the census date (last day to withdraw). If you successfully withdraw before the census date, you won’t need to apply for Special Circumstances. If you find yourself unable to withdraw from your subjects before the census date - you might be able to apply for Special Circumstances. If you’re eligible, we can refund your fees and overturn your fail grade.

If you’re studying Single Subjects using FEE-HELP or paying up front, you can apply online.

If you’re studying a degree using HECS-HELP, you’ll need to apply directly to Macquarie University.

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 outcomes

  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

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 outcomes

  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

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 outcomes

  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

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

  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

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

  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

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 outcomes

  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

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

  • Critically engage and respond to a wide range of literary texts
  • Communicate historical and theoretical concepts in scholarly written forms
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

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

  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

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:

Learning outcomes

  • Develop analytical and research skills that can be applied to past and present cultural and literary debates
  • Demonstrate a greater understanding of the way in which literary texts and literary language function to produce political critique
  • Achieve a greater understanding of the historical and often hierarchical deployment of concepts of gender, class and ethnicity
  • Engage in informed critical discussion on unit content with peers and tutors, to respond to others' points of views, and to argue a critical position.

Assessment tasks

  • Forum Participation
  • Analysis/Practical Criticism
  • Essay 1
  • Essay 2

Changes from Previous Offering

Updated list of texts set for study; reconfiguration of assessment schedule.