ANTH 2053 - Life, Death and Culture
North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2016
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code ANTH 2053 Course Life, Death and Culture Coordinating Unit Anthropology and Development Studies Term Semester 2 Level Undergraduate Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 3 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y Prerequisites At least 12 units of level 1 undergraduate study Assessment 1200-1500 word research proposal (25%), 2500 word essay (45%), 1500 word critical reflective journal (20%), workshop participation (10%) Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Dr Susan Hemer
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
1 Introduce students to the anthropological literature on life and death 2 Increase students’ understanding of how people define and deal with life and death 3 Broaden students’ knowledge of cultural variation in how connections are forged or severed between the living and the dead 4 Engage students in contemporary debates that relate to life and death 5 Develop students’ awareness of, and ability to critically reflect on the politics of life and death in their own cultural background 6 Develop students’ research skills on a topic of interest related to life and/or death University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Deep discipline knowledge
- informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
- acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
- accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
1, 2, 3 Critical thinking and problem solving
- steeped in research methods and rigor
- based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
- demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
6 Teamwork and communication skills
- developed from, with, and via the SGDE
- honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
- encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
4 Career and leadership readiness
- technology savvy
- professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
- forward thinking and well informed
- tested and validated by work based experiences
6 Intercultural and ethical competency
- adept at operating in other cultures
- comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
- able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
- demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
3, 4, 5 Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
- a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
- open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
- able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
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Learning Resources
Required Resources
There will be a reader available for purchase from the Image and Copy Centre for this course. This is an essential resource for this course.Recommended Resources
Cecil, R. 1996 The Anthropology of Pregnancy Loss. Oxford: Berg.
Franklin, S. & Lock, M. 2003 Remaking Life and Death: toward an anthropology of the biosciences. Santa Fe: School of American Research Press.
Ginsburg, F. D. & Rapp, R. 1995 Conceiving the new world order: the global politics of reproduction. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Kaufman, S. R. & Morgan, L. M. 2005 The anthropology of the beginnings and ends of life. Annual Review of Anthropology 34: 317-41.
Loizos, P. & Heady, P. 1999 Conceiving Persons: Ethnographies of procreation, fertility and growth. London: the Athlone Press.
Lukere, V. & Jolly, M. 2002 Birthing in the Pacific: beyond tradition and modernity? Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
Margry, P.J. & Sanchez-Carretero, C. 2011 Grassroots memorials : the politics of memorializing traumatic death. New York: Berghahn Books.
Metcalf, P. & Huntington, R. 1991 Celebrations of death: the anthropology of mortuary ritual. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Robben, A. C. G. M. 2004 Death, Mourning and Burial: a cross-cultural reader. Oxford: Blackwell.
Scheper-Hughes, N. 1992 Death Without Weeping. Berkeley: University of California Press.Online Learning
MyUni will be used in this course to communicate with students through Announcements, as well as to post recorded lectures and powerpoint slides. MyUni will also have the details for assignments. -
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
This course is taught through a combination of lectures and workshops. Lectures aim to provide the theoretical and conceptual background of the topics at hand. Workshops will focus on key debates around these topics as well as cross-cultural variation. Assignments will allow student to focus on a number of issues of their own choice.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
1 x 1-hour lecture (or equivalent) per week 12 hours per semester 1 x 2-hour workshop (or equivalent) per week 24 hours per semester 4 hours reading and workshop preparation per week 48 hours per semester 5 hours assignment preparation per week 60 hours per semester 1 hour research per week 12 hours per semester TOTAL WORKLOAD 156 hours per semester Learning Activities Summary
Schedule Life Week 1 Anthropology of the Beginnings and Ends of Life Week 2 Pregnancy Week 3 Birth Week 4 The Cultural Politics of Reproduction Week 5 Independent learning and research Life-death boundaries Week 6 Brain death & organ transplantation Week 7 Social birth, aging and social death Death Week 8 Death and Dying Week 9 Independent learning and research Week 10 Memorials and cemeteries Week 11 Grief Week 12 The Afterlife
.Specific Course Requirements
Attendance at Lectures and Workshops is essential for success in this course. If more than 2 workshops are missed (without documentation such as a medical certificate) students will gain 0% for Workshop participation.
Failure to submit a piece of assessment (journal, or research project) will result in a Fail grade for this course. Failure to submit any written work will result in a FNS grade (Failure No Submission).Small Group Discovery Experience
Small Group Discovery Experiences will occur throughout this course particularly in workshops where students discuss case studies from written material; workshop themes and ideas presented through documentaries; and through a research-learning visit to the West Terrace Cemetery. -
Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Assessment Task Task Type Weighting Learning Outcome Workshop Participation Formative and Summative 10% 1-6 1000 word critical reflective journal Formative and Summative 20% 1-6 1000 word research proposal Formative and Summative 25% 1-6 2500 word research essay Formative and Summative 45% 1-6 Assessment Related Requirements
Attendance at lectures and workshops is essential for success in this course. If more than 2 workshops are missed (without documentation such as a medical certificate) students will gain 0% for Workshop participation.Assessment Detail
Workshop Participation: Workshops are the major learning context for this subject. Students are required to participate in one 2-hour workshop each week. Workshops require continual preparation by way of reading and thinking about the materials under discussion.
1000 word Critical Reflective Journal: write a journal reflecting on themes related to this course.
1000 word research proposal: students choose their own research topic relating to life or death that is related to the themes of this course.
2500 word research essay: this will be based on the student's research proposal and other research.Submission
Assignments are submitted electronically via MyUni.
Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through .
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Student Support
- Academic Integrity for Students
- Academic Support with Maths
- Academic Support with writing and study skills
- Careers Services
- Library Services for Students
- LinkedIn Learning
- Student Life Counselling Support - Personal counselling for issues affecting study
- Students with a Disability - Alternative academic arrangements
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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Fraud Awareness
Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.
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