Outline

Overview

This unit tracks the ethical and political disputes surrounding the ownership, control and care of cultural property. It begins by establishing historical attitudes towards cultural property which are then compared to current attempts to protect cultural heritage and regulate its movement. In doing so it considers how, more recently, museums have entered into dialogues with source communities about restitution and repatriation, new methods of display and ongoing relationships. The unit analyses numerous Australian and international case studies in order to define current models of best practice.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	MUSM7035
Academic unit	Art History
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Anna Lawrenson, anna.lawrenson@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Participation	Participation n/a	10%	-	Ongoing in-class assessment
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Case study paper Due two weeks after the presentation.	35%	-	2500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Case study presentation n/a	10%	Multiple weeks	10 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Essay n/a	45%	Week 13 Due date: 28 May 2020 at 23:59	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Case study presentation: students will be required to choose a case study topic (related to one of the class sessions) for which they will devise a seminar question aimed at generating discussion around that session’s topic. Students should provide the background to their particular case study, detail the provenance of the object/s in question, outline the major stakeholders involved and address why the case is significant from an ethical point of view in terms of issues around the object/s provenance, management, ownership, exhibition etc.
Case study paper: prepare an independent report / briefing document detailing your specific case study an account of the competing interests involved and their arguments in relation to the case. The aim of this report is to provide a balanced and in depth account that cites all of the stakeholders involved and their different perspectives on the situation.
Essay: the essay provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of, and response to, the range of issues and arguments covered in the seminars, museum visits and presentations. The essay must be presented according to the conventions of formal essays, including acceptable spelling and grammar. It is important to reference any source material referred to in your essay.
Participation: students should come prepared to class and demonstrate that they have completed the reading by engaging in meaningful and supportive discussion with their peers.

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
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.

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	Introduction: ethics and cultural property	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 02	Frameworks for museum ethics: legislation and policy	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 03	Immunity from seizure and due diligence	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 04	Plunder, pillage and museum collections	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 05	Nazi war loot and restitution	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 06	Illicit trafficking and trade	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 07	Ancestral remains, sacred objects and museums	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 08	Guest Speaker - TBC	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 09	Displaying human remains in the 21st Century	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 10	Ethics and the preservation of World Heritage	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 11	Guest Speaker - TBC	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 12	Censorship, controversy and cultural property	Seminar (2 hr)
Week 13	Summary and evaluation	Seminar (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 eReserve, 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. Understand the concepts and practices of the ethics and politics surrounding cultural property
LO2. Understand the politics of domestic and international museum practice regarding cultural property
LO3. Understand the current issues affecting museums, such as ownership, repatriation of material culture and human remains
LO4. Have developed a body of knowledge about the history of the museum and contemporary debates in museology
LO5. Examine the relationship between museums and indigenous groups.
LO6. Identify, access, organise and communicate knowledge in both written and oral English
LO7. Appreciate the requirements and characteristics of scholarship and research
LO8. Adopt a problem solving approach
LO9. Be capable of rigorous and independent thinking
LO10. Use information technology for professional and personal development

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.

The format of the seminars has been adjusted to better integrate student presentations in response to feedback.

Additional information

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

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MUSM7035: Ethics of Cultural Property

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect