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Unit of study_

ASNS6905: Asian Popular Culture

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Remote

Asia is the centre of new developments in the mass media. Focusing on East and Southeast Asia, with examples from South Asia, this unit will introduce major regional trends in music, film, television, and other aspects of popular culture, as well as cross-cultural understandings of Asian media. Particular focus will be on the analysis of feature films and television from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand and/or China, and on pan-Asian developments. These analyses will include discussions of the social, cultural and political roles of media.

Unit details and rules

Unit code ASNS6905
Academic unit Asian Studies
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Masafumi Monden, masafumi.monden@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation Presentation
Presentation via recorded or in-person video
25% Multiple weeks 1000 word equivalent
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO6 LO4 LO3
Participation In class participation
Contributions to general tutorial discussions of readings.
10% Ongoing 500 word equivalent oral component
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO2
Assignment Analytical report
Short critical writing
25% Week 05
Due date: 26 Mar 2023 at 23:00
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6
Assignment Major essay
Essay
40% Week 13
Due date: 28 May 2023 at 23:00
3500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

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

Demonstrates a high level of understanding of content combined with strong analytical ability, especially an ability to construct original arguments from evidence.

Distinction

75 - 84

Demonstrates good understanding of content combined with good analytical ability, especially an ability to construct sound arguments from evidence.

Credit

65 - 74

Demonstrates understanding of content combined with analytical ability, especially an ability to construct arguments from evidence.

Pass

50 - 64

Demonstrates basic understanding of content and ability to construct an analytical argument.

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.

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
Week 01 Introduction to Asian popular culture Lecture (1 hr)  
Tutorial preparation Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 02 What is (Asian) ‘Popular Culture’ and how do we study it? Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO4 LO6
Mass and popular culture; tradition and modernity Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 03 Transnational flows of popular culture in Asia Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Cultural odourlessness and soft power Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 04 Popular music in East Asia: Chinese and K-pop and beyond Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Music industry and popular culture Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 05 Korean film and TV Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6
Consuming Korean culture Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 06 Southeast Asia: youth cultures Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Youth cultures, subcultures, and localization Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6
Week 07 Manga and Anime Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Japanese comics, pop culture production and consumption Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 08 Fandom, fashion, and cosplay Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Performance, imitation and identity construction Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 09 Taiwanese popular theatre Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Popular theatre and national identity Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 10 Chinese film Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Consuming Chinese popular culture Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 11 Hong Kong Gangster films Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Screen culture in East Asia Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 12 Indian popular culture in the world Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Bollywood, globalisation and diaspora Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 13 Conclusions: What is Asia? Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
What is Asia? Tutorial (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6

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: Lectures will be recorded and may be made available to students on Canvas. 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 are provided via Canvas and the ‘Reading List’ (Leganto) in digital form.

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 an extensive knowledge of major cultural, historical, social and political trends and issues relating to Asian Popular Culture
  • LO2. demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach to understanding Asia through their mastery of various approaches drawn from the arts, humanities and the social sciences as tools to approach Asian Popular Culture
  • LO3. critically analyse popular culture texts and practices, thereby gaining the ability to appreciate the influence and significance of popular culture in society and at a personal level
  • LO4. make use of various forms of sources, including traditional, digital, and new media, in analysing Asian Popular Culture
  • LO5. assess and identify relevant resources for a research project, and be able to prioritise conclusions reached from an analysis of a variety of cultural and academic texts, giving reasons
  • LO6. deploy different cultural perspectives in analysing Asian Popular Culture

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.

The unit of study has been updated, and some of the changes are the result of student feedback.

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.