GCST6903: Semester 2, 2022

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Units GCST6903 Semester 2 2022 [Normal day]

Unit of study_

GCST6903: Debates in Cultural Studies

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

This unit explores key debates in cultural studies as an exploration of its core concepts. Unit content will vary from year to year in response to current issues in Australian cultural studies, but will also cover foundational debates in the discipline, including the relation between ideology and mass culture, between taste and habitus, and between changing media technologies and models of subjectivity. It will also consider ethical debates over theory and practice and the institutionalisation of cultural studies.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	GCST6903
Academic unit	Gender and Cultural Studies
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Adam Gall, adam.gall@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Adam Gall, adam.gall@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Final essay Cultural analysis of an issue or topic of the student's choice.	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 14 Nov 2022 at 23:00 Closing date: 09 Dec 2022	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Seminar Leadership In groups of 2 or 3 students present to open a weekly seminar	10%	Ongoing	300 words per presenter
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Participation Contributions to class learning	10%	Ongoing	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Critical literature review Discussion of research literature around an issue of the student's choice.	30%	Week 08 Due date: 23 Sep 2022 at 23:00 Closing date: 30 Nov 2022	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

This unit adopts a liberal arts learning pathway approach to assessment. This means that students choose the topics of their assignments based on their interests in the field of culture. Then the mix of interrelated assessments and interactive learning activities around assessment provide a pathway through which students learn to develop and express their interests.

Detailed information for each assessment will be posted 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	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
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.

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	Conjuncture: Culture and/as the world around us	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 02	Approaching Culture	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 03	Culture as meaning	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 04	Text and experience	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 05	Symbolic power	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 06	Negotiating meaning	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 07	Everyday life	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 08	Digital Power	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 09	Identity and Difference	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 10	Nation, Place and Belonging	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 11	Cultural policy	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 12	Individual tutorials	One-to-one tuition (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

Readings for this unit are available through the University Library, and can be accessed via the Reading List, embedded in the Canvas site, from the beginning of semester. Please download readings to your computer as soon as possible as occasionally problems with links to ebooks or provider’s wesbites arise. Please report them to the coordinator if they do.

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. Articulate the meaning and discuss significance, scope and usefulness of some key concepts in cultural inquiry.
LO2. Demonstrate the ability to critically appraise literature about issues or debates in the fields of cultural and gender studies.
LO3. Identify critical issues that are germane to a particular object of cultural analysis and demonstrate their significance to it.
LO4. Develop skills in critical analysis and independent thinking.
LO5. Demonstrate research, writing, discussion and oral communication skills through assessment and classroom tasks.

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.

No changes have been made since the unit was last offered

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

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

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