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Unit outline_

RLST3607: Witchcraft Paganism and Western Esotericism

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Witchcraft, Paganism and Western Esotericism examines the rebirth of esoteric traditions in the modern world. Esotericism is diverse and connections between Pagans, goddess worshippers, witchcraft and occultists are complex. This unit attempts to assess their importance in contemporary spirituality.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Studies in Religion
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
12 credit points at 2000 level in Studies in Religion
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
RLST2626
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Carole Cusack, carole.cusack@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Ray Radford, raymond.radford@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation hurdle task Participation
n/a
15% Ongoing Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO5 LO4
Assignment Site visit and blog
n/a
15% Week 05
Due date: 22 Mar 2024 at 23:59
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5
Assignment Essay
n/a
40% Week 09
Due date: 26 Apr 2024 at 23:59
3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4
Assignment Film review
n/a
30% Week 13
Due date: 24 May 2024 at 23:59
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO5
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Participation: marks for participation are based on your preparation for class (including having read the required materials), and your contribution to group discussions in class. Valid contributions to class discussions will be those based on the set readings, the issues raised in class presentations, and from the lecture material.
  • Essay: your essay should be well written and researched; please use primary sources where appropriate. A bibliography must be included on a separate page at the end of the essay. Proper referencing is essential; if you are in any doubt about what is required please discuss this with your tutor.
  • Film review: your film review should be styled for publication in a magazine and newspaper. The film selected must have a direct relation to one of the topics/ themes covered in this unit. 

In order to be eligible to pass this unit,

  • Attendance and active participation at all weekly seminars is required, and
  • You must acheive a pass or better in participation.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found in the Canvas site for this unit.

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 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.

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

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 02 The Origins of the Pagan Revival Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 03 Western Esotericism Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 04 Theosophy and Esoteric Christianity Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 05 Pagan Sacred Sites and New Age Pilgrimage Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 06 Indigenous Religion, Occultism and Ecology - The Western Esoteric Tradition Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 07 Renaissance and Re-enlightenment Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 08 20th Century Witchcraft and Paganism Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 09 Channelled Beings and Salvation & The Goddess/Feminist spirituality Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 10 Social Media and Popular Culture Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 11 Re-Invention and Re-Enchantment Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 12 The New Age, Marketing and Consumer Religion - Chaos Magic Seminar (2 hr)  
Week 13 The Future of Western Alternative Religion - Fiction, Film and Consumerism 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.

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. gain an overall view of the history of the development of the religious traditions of the contemporary West
  • LO2. understand the relationship between the Christian tradition and esoteric alternative strands of belief
  • LO3. gain an increased awareness of the biases that can colour the academic study of religion
  • LO4. understand a range of recent methodologists in this field and be encouraged to adopt these methodologies for your own work
  • LO5. take the body of knowledge acquired and relate it to your own life contexts, contributing to life-long learning.

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.

No changes have been made since this 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.