Outline

Overview

In this unit students will apply advanced methods from gender and cultural studies to examine experiences of belonging and formations of community. Students will analyse how power produces and regulates communities, identities and belonging. They will question the assumption that community is based on the unity and similarity of citizens and their location in specific cultures and places, and critically examine alternatives such as difference, diaspora, and other forms of sociality. Students will evaluate different theories of community in local, national and international contexts, and in relation to feminism, democracy, cosmopolitanism and hospitality.

Unit details and rules

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

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Arpita Das, a.das@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Participation	Tutorial participation n/a	10%	-	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final Essay Essay	30%	Formal exam period Due date: 31 May 2022 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Critical Reflection 1x Personal Reflection	20%	Week 06 Due date: 21 Mar 2022 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research essay/project Long Answer/Essay	40%	Week 11 Due date: 09 May 2022 at 23:59	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

All Assessment tasks are compulsory and must be attempted in order to pass the course.

Personal Reflection: You will be asked to provide a 1000 word critical personal reflection. You will be expected to identify and address a central argument with the use of unit readings.
Research essay/project: You are asked to apply the broad theories that contribute to our understanding of community from the first section of the course to a discrete area or formulation of the community from the second section of the course. It is recommended that you focus on particular cultural texts (films, novels, magazines, television shows, news segments, social media posts), however you may also choose to do a more philosophical essay.
Final Essay: This will involve approaching the theories, in either support or critique, of the formulation of community to date. Whilst the questions will draw upon the course as a whole, they will make some specific reference to the theoretical and critical perspectives examined in the third section of the course.
Tutorial participation: Besides attending lectures and tutorials, which are a requirement for passing the course, you are also expected to have completed the set readings and to be prepared to discuss these in tutorials, including leading the discussion in one specific week.

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	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 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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

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 to key concepts and unit overview	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Community and the Social Contract	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Communitarianism & Uses of Community	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Indigenous Belonging and Place	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	The Sexual Contract	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Queer Belonging and Community	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Trans Communities and Belonging	Independent study (3 hr)
Week 08	Online Communities	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Community and Neighbourhood	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Cosmopolitanism and Mobility	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Transnational Communities	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Community and Nation	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Cultural Identity, Home and Diaspora	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: The course offers face to face and online tutorials. Students are expected to attend tutorials as the roll will be taken.
Lecture Recording: Lectures will be delivered ‘live’ via zoom. The recordings will be made available online as well.
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

Detailed class schedule and reading list visible on Canvas to anyone with a unikey: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/30600/assignments/syllabus

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. develop skills in critical interpretation of texts and debates
LO2. understand recent debates about community and social formation, and especially feminist interventions into these debates
LO3. develop analytical and problem-solving skills through consideration of current events and theoretical issues raised in the course
LO4. develop verbal and written communication skills through discussion in tutorials and written assessments
LO5. practice group work through tutorial participation.

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.

I have largely stuck to the unit content from the previous iteration. I have made a few adjustments to the unit readings. Adjustments to assessment structure have also been made (keeping in mind the unit handbook guidelines).

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

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

GCST3631: Gender, Communities and Belonging

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

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

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect