GOVT3986: Semester 2, 2024

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Units GOVT3986 Semester 2 2024 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

GOVT3986: Gender, Security, and Human Rights

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit offers a gender perspective on security and human rights, with a focus on gender, race, and sexuality as relations of power in peace, conflict, and conflict-affected settings. The unit covers themes related to the security and human rights policy architecture in the international system, the challenges of pursuing human rights and peace activism, violations of human rights, forms of insecurity, and the role of civil society groups in advocating for human rights. Attention will be given to the gendered and racialised nature of human rights and to specific issues related to security and human rights that have differently distributed effects for various individuals and communities.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Government and International Relations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 2000 level in Politics or 12 credit points at 2000 level in International Relations or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Diversity Studies or 12 senior credit points from Government and International Relations
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	GOVT2336
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Sian Perry, sian.perry@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Sian Perry, sian.perry@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Kate Scott, caitlin.scott@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Take-home Final Assessment 3000 word written assignment	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 11 Nov 2024 at 11:59	3,000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Group presentation Group presentation plus written reflection. See Canvas.	20%	Multiple weeks	975wd equivalent
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Reading Quiz #1 (Week 4) See Canvas	10%	Week 04	175 word
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Reading Quiz #2 (Week 7) See Canvas	10%	Week 07	175 word
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Reading Quiz #3 (Week 10) See Canvas	10%	Week 10	175 word
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

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	See rubric for each assessment on Canvas.
Distinction	75 - 84	See rubric for each assessment on Canvas.
Credit	65 - 74	See rubric for each assessment on Canvas.
Pass	50 - 64	See rubric for each assessment on Canvas.
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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Concepts of gender, security, and human rights	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 02	Global governance of gender, security, and human rights	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 03	Problematising the subject of security and human rights	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Feminist approaches to gender, security, and human rights	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 05	Feminist approaches part 1: The Women, Peace, and Security agenda	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	Feminist approaches part 2: Feminist economics and the security/development nexus	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 07	Indigenous, decolonial, and postcolonial approaches to gender, security, and human rights	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Indigenous, decolonial, and postcolonial approaches part 1: Black Lives Matter and abolitionist/anti-carceral politics	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 09	Indigenous, decolonial, and postcolonial approaches part 2: Climate justice	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Queer approaches to gender, security, and human rights	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 11	Queer approaches part 1: Terrorist assemblages	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 12	Queer approaches part 2: International law and transitional justice	Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)
Week 13	Alternatives and solutions	Lecture and tutorial (3 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.
Lectures: Lecture content will be recorded.
Tutorials: Weekly, 60 minutes
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. demonstrate an advanced knowledge of leading scholarship and debates on gender, security, and human rights
LO2. critically examine current events and apply or relate theoretical debates to these events
LO3. demonstrate advanced written and oral communication skills
LO4. consider innovative alternatives and solutions to pressing global issues related to gender, security and development
LO5. engage with scholarship that crosses several disciplines, including international relations, security studies, gender studies, and Indigenous studies.

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.

Students are expected to attend/view all lectures and tutorials. Since the unit was last offered, some changes have been made to the assessment regime, with the unit now having three instead of four quizzes, and the group assessment now constituting 20% of the total grade.

Additional information

Additional details are provided on 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.

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

Support for students

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

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