Outline

Overview

This unit explores the impacts of human activity on planetary ecosystems and societies. We approach the Anthropocene as an empirical and conceptual platform to consider the various ways in which humans and non-humans share environments, how social relations encompass but also transcend human beings and communities, and which humans are excluded, marginalised, exploited, or silenced under dominant economic, political, cultural, and ecological regimes. We consider the intersections of social, environmental, racial, and multispecies (in)justice in an age of planetary unmaking, when technoindustrial processes and the legacies of colonialism undermine conditions of life at a global scale.

Unit details and rules

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

Teaching staff

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

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Data analysis	Review of paper Pick one required reading from the unit (Weeks 1-4), summarise its key topics and arguments, analyse its key strengths and limitations, and connect the reading to your own life and experiences	20%	Week 04 Due date: 22 Mar 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 15 Jun 2026	1,000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Ethnographic reflection Refer to 'assessment summary' section below for details	25%	Week 08 Due date: 26 Apr 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 15 Jun 2026	1,500 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Research analysis	Research essay Choose 1 of 4 questions (focusing on materials covered in Wks 9-12), address/answer it by engaging with relevant concepts, theories and debates examined in the unit, and connect your points and arguments to relevant real-world lived events and experiences	25%	Week 13 Due date: 31 May 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 21 Jun 2026	1,500 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Contribution	Canvas discussion posts Offer meaningful comments and questions in response to the Week’s topic/readings, engage with your peers’ comments in your contribution, and connect the week's topic to relevant real-world events.	30%	Week 13 Due date: 31 May 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 21 Jun 2026	2,000 wd over 13 weeks	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Review of paper (1,000wd, 20% of final mark)
Ethnographic reflection (1,500wd, 25% of final mark): pick a location and/or activity that you frequent or practice regularly in everyday life, and that involves an encounter with a non-human being, ecosystem, object, or element, spend one or more extended periods of time in this location/practicing this activity, describe in detail the location and/or activity, including your own personal experiences and reflections, analyse the location and/or activity by using one or more concepts covered in the unit, and incorporate additional multi-modal materials (e.g., photographs, film, or audio) to supplement the written part of the reflection.
Research essay (1,500wd, 25% of final mark)
Discussion posts (10 x 200wd, 30% of final mark)

Except for Assessment 4, all word counts can be plus/minus 10%. Anything above or below is penalized at 1% per 10 words. Posts for Assessment 4 should not be below 200 words but can be over 200 words without penalty.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction: What is the Anthropocene?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Approaching the “anthropos” intersectionally	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Climate change across rural and urban ecologies	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Capitalism, commodification and resource extraction	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Biodiversity loss and feral proliferation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	More-than-human approaches	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Waste and toxicity	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Affects of the Anthropocene	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	(In)justice(s) in the Anthropocene	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Food and nourishment	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Science and technology	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Art and/as activism	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Reflecting on the Anthropocene	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

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.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library’s reading list system Leganto, available on Canvas.

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. Demonstrate an advanced level of understanding of key concepts and ethnographic methods in the discipline of anthropology, and how these link to related disciplines.
LO2. Develop a coherent and critical appreciation of how anthropology contributes to contemporary debates about climate change.
LO3. Master a high level of awareness of the ethical issues related to the study and representation of humans and the environment.
LO4. Develop skills in conducting independent library research and use the concepts and the research findings of scholars to support and develop one's own ideas about human impact on the environment.
LO5. Identify and critique the influence of social and cultural values on one's conception of climate change, especially among other scholars working in various fields including anthropology.
LO6. Explain anthropological ideas related to climate change to a broad intellectual and non-intellectual audience and to be able to inform public opinion using sound anthropological knowledge.
LO7. Apply and adapt problem-solving skills and disciplinary knowledge in interdisciplinary study and project work related to the issue of climate change.

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 was offered for the first time in 2021. It will continue to be redesigned in response to student feedback.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

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

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

ANTH3604: The Anthropocene

Semester 1, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links