ANTH3604: Semester 2, 2022

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Units ANTH3604 Semester 2 2022 [Normal day]

Unit of study_

ANTH3604: The Anthropocene

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Anthropogenic climate change is the primary challenge facing the next generation of leaders. Anthropology's holistic approach to the social world provides key insights into the ways human/environment interactions have caused - and can mitigate - climate change. This unit will explore social/political/cultural aspects of climate change, focusing on current indicators and outcomes, and seek to understand and evaluate different forms of mitigation. The unit will rely on Anthropology's close association with social justice issues, and will focus on climate change effects in the developing world.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	ANTH3604
Academic unit	Anthropology
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 level in the Anthropology major
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Sophie Chao, sophie.chao@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Review essay 1,000-word review essay	20%	Week 04 Due date: 28 Aug 2022 at 23:59	1,000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Ethnographic essay 1 x 1,500-word ethnographic essay (20%)	20%	Week 09 Due date: 09 Oct 2022 at 23:59	1,500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	In-class presentation 1 x 1,000-word equivalent in-class presentation (20%)	20%	Week 13	15 - 20 mins per student
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research essay 1 x 2,500-word research essay (40%)	40%	Week 13 Due date: 06 Nov 2022 at 23:59	2,500 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

1 x 1,000-word equivalent in-class presentation (20%) – this assessment is marked based on students’ seminar presentation over the course of the semester
1 x 1,000-word review essay (20%) – this assessment is due by midnight on Sunday 28 August (Week 4)
1 x 1,500-word ethnographic essay (20%) – this assessment is due by midnight on Sunday 9 October (Week 9)
1 x 2,500-word research essay (40%) – this assessment is due by midnight on Sunday 6 November (Week 13)

Assessment criteria

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars established by the faculty.
Distinction	75 - 84	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars established by the faculty.
Credit	65 - 74	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars established by the faculty.
Pass	50 - 64	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars established by the faculty.
Fail	0 - 49	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, fail to demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard established by the faculty. This grade, with corresponding mark, should also be used in cases where a student fails to achieve a mandated standard in a compulsory assessment, thereby failing to demonstrate the learning outcomes to a satisfactory standard. In such cases the student will receive the mark awarded by the faculty up to a maximum of 49.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date, a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. The penalty will be calculated by first marking the work, and then subtracting 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. For work submitted more than ten calendar days after the due date a mark of zero will be awarded. The marker may elect to, but is not required to, provide feedback on such work.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	The Anthropocene: definitions and debates	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 02	Race and Indigeneity	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 03	Extractive natures – capitalism and commodification	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 04	Waste and toxicity	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 05	Biodiversity and conservation	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 06	Sensing the Anthropocene	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 07	More-than-human approaches	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 08	Ferals, pests, and other unloved others	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 09	Social, environmental, and multispecies justice	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 10	Development, modernity, and globalization	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 11	Science and technology	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 12	Storying the Anthropocene	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 13	Loss and grief, hope and emergence	Seminar (2 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Have an expert understanding of recent disciplinary developments that inform environmental and social justice thinking and discourse in the Anthropocene.
LO2. Evaluate complex ideas including understanding the contestation of ideas in the social sciences and humanities and being open to new ideas, methods, and ways of thinking.
LO3. Reflect critically on theoretical and empirical knowledge and communicate these ideas in oral and written form.
LO4. Develop the skills to design, apply, evaluate and theorize about scholarly developments that contribute to professional practice including problem-solving and interdisciplinary approaches.
LO5. Introduce collaboration skills that orient students to a practical application of concepts, practices and policies they are engaging with in the course.
LO6. Have the communication and research skills to justify and interpret findings and conclusions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit is being offered for the first time in 2021.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

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