Students

ANTH702 – Core Issues in Anthropological Theory II

2018 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Kevin P. Groark
Contact via kevin.groark@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
4
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit is the second of two core anthropology units that provide a grounding in theoretical, methodological and interpretive issues that are currently being debated by anthropologists. These courses form the core of the anthropology specialisation for the MRes. The issues covered will vary from year to year according to contemporary developments in anthropology and the interests of the course convenor. Others may be more enduring, such as the theoretical issues related to kinship, to politics and power and the relation between individual and society, the “writing culture” debate, “Orientalism” and the problem of the “other,” and cultural relativism.

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:

  • Students who have successfully done this unit will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in the field of urban studies.
  • Students will be able to utilize and reflect on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments.
  • Students will be able to synthesize and analyze information from a variety of sources.
  • Students will be able to articulate clearly a coherent argument in written and oral form to a variety of audiences. Students will develop a high level of oral and written skills, with specialisation for the specific needs of a discipline.
  • Students will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their ethnographic writing for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues.

General Assessment Information

The "Fine Print" 

1) Late Submissions Policy

Late submissions on any assignment will incur a penalty, unless the unit convenor has granted an extension due to an approved  “Special Consideration” such as a bona fide medical disruption. Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, the following will apply:

  • A penalty for lateness will apply: two (2) marks out of 100 (or 2%) will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date
  • 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.  This includes both the midterm and final, which are timed online tests.

2) Additional Policies Regarding Assignments

  • Discussion/Reading Guides must be presented within the first 5 minutes of class and you will lose points if you have not shown yours to the tutor during that first 5 minutes, so don’t be late to class! 
  • Failure to attend seminar when you are scheduled to lead tutorial discussion will result in no marks for that assessment task, unless you can document absence because of medical problems or ‘unavoidable disruption,’ have submitted an application for Special Consideration, and had your application approved.  In that case, an alternative assignment will be determined that is worth an equal weight (10%).

Exceeding the word limit

You will be deducted 1 percentage point for each 10 words you exceed the word limit. Please take the word limit very seriously and try to make your argument concisely and clearly. It is unfair to fellow students if one person has much more space to argue their case while another student sticks firmly to the length guidelines. The word limit is designed to level the essay-writing field, so to speak. You must provide a word count on the cover page when you submit your work.  If you fail to provide a word count, you will be deducted 1 percentage point and the assessor will estimate length and mark accordingly. (The word limit excludes end-of-text references but it includes footnotes and in-text citations.)

No consideration for lost work

It is the student’s responsibility to keep a copy of all written work submitted for each unit. No consideration will be given to claims of ‘lost work’, no matter what the circumstances.

Returning assignments

Student work will usually be marked and returned within three weeks of receipt. Students who hand their work in beforethe due date will not have it returned early. If you believe that your assignment has been lost, please contact the Arts Student Centre on the Ground Floor of W6A. Your claim will be logged and tracked in a database of lost assignment claims and kept on file for up to five years.

Written submissions

Students are required to keep copies of all the written work that they submit.  In the event that you submit it, and it is lost, you will be required to resubmit it.  If there is no record of your work being submitted and you cannot produce a second copy, it will be impossible for the convenor to give you credit for the assignment. 

3) Deadline Extensions and Special Consideration:

The University recognises that at times an event or set of circumstances may occur that: 

  • Could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student
  • AND
  • Was beyond the student's control AND
  • Caused substantial disruption to the student's capacity for effective study and/or completion of required work AND
  • Substantially interfered with the otherwise satisfactory fulfilment of unit or program requirements AND
  • Was of at least three (3) consecutive days duration within a study period and/or prevented completion of a formal examination.

In such circumstances, students may apply for Special Consideration. Special Consideration applications must be supported by evidence to demonstrate the severity of the circumstance(s) and that substantial disruption has been caused to the student's capacity for effective study.

Special Consideration applications must include specific details of how the unavoidable disruption affected previously satisfactory work by the student. 

The University has determined that some circumstances routinely encountered by students are not acceptable grounds for claiming Special Consideration. These grounds include, but are not limited, to: 

  • Routine demands of employment
  • Routine family problems such as tension with or between parents, spouses, and other people closely involved with the student
  • Difficulties adjusting to university life, to the self-discipline needed to study effectively, and the demands of academic work
  • Stress or anxiety associated with examinations, required assignments or any aspect of academic work
  • Routine need for financial support
  • Routine demands of sport, clubs and social or extra-curricular activities

Conditions existing prior to commencing a unit of study are not grounds for Special Consideration. The student is responsible for managing their workload in light of any known or anticipated problems. The student is responsible for contacting Student Support Services if they have a chronic condition.

To request Special Consideration, you must fill out the form found at the following web address: http://www.registrar.mq.edu.au/Forms/APScons.pdfThat form and all accompanying documentation must be submitted to the Student Enquiry Service, NOT directly to your Unit Convenor. The Student Enquiry Service will process your application and communicate it to your Unit Convenor.

For more information, see http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/special_consideration/policy.html

4) Plagiarism

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 definition of plagiarism and its academic honesty policy. These can be found in the Handbook of Undergraduate studies or on the web at: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.htmThe 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.

Please note that the availability of online materials has made plagiarism easier for students, but it has also made discovery of plagiarism even easier for convenors of units.  We now have specialized databases that can quickly identify the source of particular phrases in a student’s work, if not original, and evaluate how much is taken from sources in inappropriate ways.  My best advice to you is to become familiar with the guidelines about plagiarism and then ‘quarantine’ the files that you are actually planning on turning in; that is, do notcut and paste materials directly into any work file that you plan to submit, because it is too easy to later on forget which is your original writing and which has come from other sources.

It’s so easy to avoid plagiarism: all you have to do is make sure you (a) put in quotes any words taken from another source, and (b) scrupulously reference all quotes and all statements of fact.  No matter what, it’s always better to cite than to use someone else’s words without citation.  Look at it this way: if you write your book review based wholly on a Wikipedia article (with no original thinking or other sources) and you reference that Wikipedia article, then you’ll probably fail the assignment with a grade of somewhere around 30-40%.  But if you write your book review based wholly on a Wikipedia article and you don’treference that Wikipedia article, then I’ll know and you’ll fail the assignment with a grade of zero.

In this class I use Turnitin to detect plagiarism and I take it very, very seriously.  Plagiarism will result in a mark of zero for that assignment and, depending on the severity of the plagiarism, may also result in failing the unit and/or referral to the University Discipline Committee.

5) Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is an integral part of the core values and principles contained in the Macquarie University Ethics Statement:  http://www.mq.edu.au/ethics/ethic-statement-final.html.

Its fundamental principle is that all staff and students act with integrity in the creation, development, application and use of ideas and information. This means that:

  • All academic work claimed as original is the work of the author making the claim.
  • All academic collaborations are acknowledged.
  • Academic work is not falsified in any way
  • When the ideas of others are used, these ideas are acknowledged appropriately.

 

 The link below has more details about the policy, procedure and schedule of penalties that will apply to breaches of the Academic Honesty Policy which can be viewed at: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Seminar Participation 25% No Throughout semester
Midterm Essay 35% No 17 Sep
Final Essay Exam 40% No 12 Nov

Seminar Participation

Due: Throughout semester
Weighting: 25%

Details: Seminar attendance and participation are mandatory. Students are expected to be active participants and demonstrate that they have actively engaged the readings and material presented. This unit is not a lecture course. As a graduate seminar, it is structured around close reading of assigned texts and engaged participation in discussing and thinking through these texts.  As a seminar participant, not only will you learn a lot about medical anthropology, you will also develop graduate skills related to academic interaction, formulating and presenting arguments, critical listening and questioning, and the art of constructive critique.  Scholarly interaction in a seminar setting involves contributing to a general atmosphere of enquiry, showing respect for the opinions of others, and listening well. Disrespectful interactions will not be tolerated.  If you don’t understand or agree with something someone says, ask them to clarify, or explain respectfully why you disagree—do not mock anyone’s contributions. Everyone should feel free to speak up, and feel safe doing so. If you are having trouble speaking up in class discussion, please come to speak with the course convenor and together we can strategize ways to facilitate your contribution. One suggestion is to take notes on what you read and to write out questions or comments in advance—this is what the discussion guides are for (see below).

Each week, the unit convenor will assess seminar participation for each student. Points will be awarded for any of the following:

•    initiating discussion •    giving information •    asking for information •    raising questions •    restating another’s contribution •    asking for clarification •    giving salient examples •    encouraging others •    relieving group tension

Points will be subtracted for any of the following:

•    expression of unsupported opinions •    attempts to dominate discussion •    mocking others

Discussion Guide: You are expected to complete a Discussion Guide prior to each seminar and turn in a hard copy at the beginning of class.  This is a reading and discussion-intensive course that requires you to develop skills as an engaged and thoughtful reader.  The “discussion guide” component is designed to help you develop and refine these skills.  

For each class session, a 1-page typed “reading reaction” will be due at the start of each class (bring two copies—one for you to refer to during the discussion, and one to hand in to me) for each of the assigned readings.  A Discussion guide template is available on iLearn, but you can vary the format of your response.  In this “reading reaction, you should develop, criticize, analyze, or otherwise engage an analytical issue, question, or problem raised by the session’s readings. This should not be a summary of the reading, but rather, a response to the reading. The response can range from identifying points of contention or confusion, formulating questions you’d like to raise in discussion, highlighting themes common across the readings, considering the theoretical propositions made, linking readings from one week to another, etc. Most importantly, I would like you to clearly identify one or two central questions or issues you would like to address in the class discussion.  Each discussion guide will receive a mark of ‘+’  or ‘-’ (acceptable or unacceptable).  Discussion guides prepared during the seminar will not receive a +.

There are 11 seminars this semester (excluding the first seminar and the Reading and Research Week). You can miss one seminar and/or forget one discussion guide without penalty. Accordingly, I will count 10 seminars for your participation. Failure to attend more than one seminar without a medical certificate or another form of ‘unavoidable disruption’ (see Student Handbook) will lower your mark or result in failing.  Attendance is vital. For every unexcused absence beyond three, you will receive a 10% reduction in their final grade (4 absences = 10% reduction, 5 absences = 20% reduction).

No emailed or late copies will be accepted unless you have a University approved excuse for your absence. The discussion guide template is available on iLearn. Use the discussion guide to help you formulate questions and examples to discuss during the seminar.

Each week, one or more seminar participants will be assigned the role of “seminar facilitator.”  Your role is to come to the seminar with a set of core questions that will serve to open and facilitate discussion.  Collectively, your facilitation will count for 5% of the 25% seminar participation score.  Assignments will be made during the first session of class.  Please look over the assigned topics and come up with a short list of those you would be most interested in facilitating.  I will try to accommodate your preferences to the extent possible, but you may end up assigned to a topic that was not on your short list.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Students who have successfully done this unit will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in the field of urban studies.
  • Students will be able to utilize and reflect on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments.
  • Students will be able to synthesize and analyze information from a variety of sources.
  • Students will be able to articulate clearly a coherent argument in written and oral form to a variety of audiences. Students will develop a high level of oral and written skills, with specialisation for the specific needs of a discipline.
  • Students will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their ethnographic writing for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues.

Midterm Essay

Due: 17 Sep
Weighting: 35%

This essay exam counts for 35% of your grade.  It will consist of approximately 4 "short" essays (approx. 1000 words each) which cover the core conceptual material covered in class.  The emphasis will be on synthesizing and integrating the material we've read and discussed, and presenting a concise, coherent, and insightful answer to the essay question.  A rubric will be provided prior to the exam.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Students who have successfully done this unit will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in the field of urban studies.
  • Students will be able to utilize and reflect on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments.
  • Students will be able to synthesize and analyze information from a variety of sources.
  • Students will be able to articulate clearly a coherent argument in written and oral form to a variety of audiences. Students will develop a high level of oral and written skills, with specialisation for the specific needs of a discipline.
  • Students will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their ethnographic writing for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues.

Final Essay Exam

Due: 12 Nov
Weighting: 40%

This essay exam counts for 40% of your grade.  It will consist of approximately 4 "short" essays (approx. 1000 words each) which cover the core conceptual material covered in class.  The emphasis will be on synthesizing and integrating the material we've read and discussed, and presenting a concise, coherent, and insightful answer to the essay question.  A rubric will be provided prior to the exam.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Students who have successfully done this unit will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in the field of urban studies.
  • Students will be able to utilize and reflect on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments.
  • Students will be able to synthesize and analyze information from a variety of sources.
  • Students will be able to articulate clearly a coherent argument in written and oral form to a variety of audiences. Students will develop a high level of oral and written skills, with specialisation for the specific needs of a discipline.
  • Students will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their ethnographic writing for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues.

Delivery and Resources

Lecture/meeting: Please consult university schedule for time and location of seminar

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

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Students will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their ethnographic writing for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues.

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Students who have successfully done this unit will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in the field of urban studies.
  • Students will be able to utilize and reflect on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments.
  • Students will be able to synthesize and analyze information from a variety of sources.
  • Students will be able to articulate clearly a coherent argument in written and oral form to a variety of audiences. Students will develop a high level of oral and written skills, with specialisation for the specific needs of a discipline.
  • Students will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their ethnographic writing for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues.

Assessment tasks

  • Midterm Essay
  • Final Essay Exam

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Students who have successfully done this unit will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in the field of urban studies.
  • Students will be able to utilize and reflect on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments.
  • Students will be able to synthesize and analyze information from a variety of sources.
  • Students will be able to articulate clearly a coherent argument in written and oral form to a variety of audiences. Students will develop a high level of oral and written skills, with specialisation for the specific needs of a discipline.

Assessment tasks

  • Midterm Essay
  • Final Essay Exam

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Students will be able to synthesize and analyze information from a variety of sources.
  • Students will be able to articulate clearly a coherent argument in written and oral form to a variety of audiences. Students will develop a high level of oral and written skills, with specialisation for the specific needs of a discipline.

Assessment tasks

  • Seminar Participation
  • Midterm Essay
  • Final Essay Exam

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Students who have successfully done this unit will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in the field of urban studies.
  • Students will be able to articulate clearly a coherent argument in written and oral form to a variety of audiences. Students will develop a high level of oral and written skills, with specialisation for the specific needs of a discipline.

Assessment tasks

  • Seminar Participation
  • Midterm Essay
  • Final Essay Exam

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Students who have successfully done this unit will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in the field of urban studies.
  • Students will be able to utilize and reflect on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments.
  • Students will be able to synthesize and analyze information from a variety of sources.
  • Students will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their ethnographic writing for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues.

Assessment task

  • Seminar Participation

Changes since First Published

Date Description
14/07/2018 Corrected an error in weighting of assessments, and added additional details about participation in seminar