Skip to main content
Unit of study_

ASNS2669: Field Study of Southeast Asia

Intensive July, 2022 [Online] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Students will travel to Southeast Asia to undertake supervised, in-country field study. Focusing on a complex, real-world issue (e.g. urbanisation, women's empowerment, disability and social inclusion), students will consider the issue from a multidisciplinary perspective, including geographical, political, economic, social and cultural. While in the destination country, students will work in small multidisciplinary groups to conduct a mini research project. *Note that this unit is subject to travel and health advice at the time the unit is offered and may be delivered virtually. For more information please contact the unit coordinator.

Unit details and rules

Unit code ASNS2669
Academic unit Asian Studies
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
24 credit points at 1000 level
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Natali Pearson, natali.pearson@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation Participation
Engagement
10% Ongoing
Due date: 29 Jul 2022 at 10:00
Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Annotated Bibliography
Annotated bibliography (three readings)
20% Week 01
Due date: 01 Jul 2022 at 23:00
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1
Assignment Weekly reflection diary
Weekly polished reflection on content and process
5% Week 02
Due date: 10 Jul 2022 at 23:00
375 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Assignment Weekly reflection diary
Weekly polished reflection on content and process
5% Week 03
Due date: 17 Jul 2022 at 23:00
375 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO2
Presentation group assignment Group presentation
Group presentation: 1 hour seminar run by 4 students = 15 minutes each
20% Week 04
Due date: 25 Jul 2022 at 13:00
1500 words equivalent
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Weekly reflection diary
Weekly polished reflection on content and process
5% Week 04
Due date: 24 Jul 2022 at 23:00
375 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Assignment Weekly reflection diary
Weekly polished reflection on content and process
5% Week 05
Due date: 31 Jul 2022 at 23:00
375 wordsw
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO2
Assignment Essay
The essay question should be the same as that posed in the group presentn.
30% Week 05
Due date: 05 Aug 2022 at 23:00
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Annotated Bibliography: Students will be required to submit an annotated bibliography on three academic readings related to the theme of the field school. This will be done prior to Program commencement to demonstrate that the student has undertaken some preliminary research. Students must choose one reading from the three assigned readings, and another two sourced from www.mekonglandforum.org. Each of the three annotations should be about 350 words in length (the first paragraph of about 175 words should summarise the reading, the second paragraph of about 175 words should analyse and assess the reading), for a total of 1000 words. There is a sample annotated bibliography in Canvas – please ensure you review this before starting the assessment.
  • Weekly Diary: Due every Sunday (10, 17, 24 and 31 July); approx 375 words of polished reflections on content and process.
  • Group Presentation: Each group will lead a one hour seminar. In the first 20 minutes, each group will deliver a presentation of key findings from their research projects. For the remainder of the seminar (40 minutes), student groups will facilitate a wider group discussion on key rights-related issues relating to their topic. After the seminar, each group will receive feedback from their mentors, who will provide pointers for the student essays.
  • Participation: Unit of Study coordinators will allocate a participation mark that rewards students on the basis of their intellectual energy and enthusiasm.
  • Individual essay: Due one week after the Virtual Mobility program concludes, the essay should address the research question posed during their group presentation. Students must discuss and confirm their essay question with Dr Natali Pearson before the final day of the Program. Students are expected to include a minimum of 5 academic sources and a complete bibliography using the Chicago referencing style.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

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:

Submission of assessment tasks will be required by the due date. Written assessments must be submitted online through the Canvas site for this course. Other assessments, for example group presentations, must be submitted according to the assessment instructions. Work not submitted on or before the due date is subject to a penalty of 5% per calendar day late. If work is submitted more than 10 days after the due date, or is submitted after the return date, the mark will be 0. Refer to http://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/arts/rules/faculty_resolutions_arts.shtml for the undergraduate Policy on Late 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.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Mid-semester break Site visit to Thai Town, Haymarket (1 July 2022) Field trip (5 hr) LO1
Week One: Culture and Context. The first week sets out the basic background to the program. Since an important part of the field school is cultural exchange, we will examine cultural themes relevant to the course substance, to interaction between students from different countries, language background and disciplines, and to ways of teaching and learning in Thailand and Australia. We will also set out some basic historical, geographical, social, political and economic context on Thailand. Block teaching (20 hr) LO1 LO4
Week Two: Concepts and cases. The second week is the most concentrated in terms of presenting key ideas relevant to land and environmental rights, and it is also a chance to look at a number of cases. Virtual field trips will take participants as close to the “field” as we can in an online program such as this. Block teaching (18 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week Three: Collaborative Research Project. Students will work together to develop and design their own research project; collect and analyse data; and present the results of their findings in the final week of the field school. Each of the five groups will pursue one of the following sub-themes: Policy, law, land rights recognition and formalisation; Land distribution, civil society and access to justice; Dispossession, land grabbing and FDI; Environment and conservation; Marginalised people. Block teaching (15 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week Four: Presentations and Consolidation. Each group will run a one-hour workshop based on findings of the respective research projects. The workshop will commence with a 20-30 minute presentation of findings, and this will be followed by a facilitated discussion of key rights-related issues raised by the topic with respect to land and environmental rights. Following this, each group will receive focused feedback from their respective academic mentors, who will provide pointers for the essay. Block teaching (15 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

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

The Mekong Land Research Forum online site at www.mekonglandforum.org will serve as the key resource.

Other key readings are:

Hall, Derek, Philip Hirsch, and Tania M Li. "Introduction." In Powers of Exclusion: Land Dilemmas in Southeast Asia, 1-26. Singapore: NUS Press, 2011.

Hirsch, Philip. "Land Governance and Inequality in Thailand: The Need for Context." International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand XII (2020).

International Commission of Jurists. "The Human Rights Consequences of the Eastern Economic Corridor and Special Economic Zones in Thailand." Geneva, Switzerland: International Commission of Jurists, 2020.

 

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.

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

  • LO1. Demonstrate familiarity with key aspects of the Southeast Asian region, including its cultures, history and geography and its political and economic systems
  • LO2. Demonstrate the ability to draw on insights provided by a range of disciplines when analysing complex real-world problems in a Southeast Asian context
  • LO3. Present evidence-based arguments in academic and policy genres
  • LO4. Work in interdisciplinary groups to understand and deconstruct complex social issues.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

This unit is being offered virtually rather than in-country.

Weekly timetable and Zoom links can be found in CANVAS

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.