Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: Social Inquiry
Credit points: 8 cp
Result Type: Grade, no marks

Handbook description

This subject explores various dimensions of power and change in Australia as a society undergoing modernisation; a continuing process. Students investigate a number of situations where power is present and where social change has occurred. These situations have been chosen to introduce students to the varying but complementary approaches of historians, political scientists, anthropologists and sociologists in their analyses of the ways power is exercised, of the importance of collective beliefs and values and of the many formal and informal processes by which Australians generate and experience change. Students are asked to investigate critically the relationships between the different arenas of decision making: from the floor of Parliament to the negotiating tables 'behind the scenes' to the public drama of street demonstrations to the 'private' sites of kitchen, bedroom and everyday life.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:

1. identify and discuss different theoretical approaches to Australian social and cultural decision making processes
2. demonstrate an understanding of conflict and debate as they are shaped by politics and power relationships
3. distinguish between theory and evidence, and identify the basis and nature of arguments presented by both participants and observers of events
4. demonstrate skills in academic presentation, and the use of flexible learning technologies.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject will contribute to graduates who:

• are able to research and analyse wider social and public issues as well as apply critical analytical perspectives to daily and personal life
• have a critical cross-disciplinary knowledge of Australian societal, political, historical, anthropological and cultural traditions and institutions
• are aware of, and have the knowledge to critically analyse social, political and cultural phenomena across time and space in local, national, regional and global contexts
• are sensitive to the multiple dimensions of social difference and inequality especially in terms of race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic class, sexuality, disability and age
• are committed to ethical behaviour and practice
• are prepared for lifelong learning and are open to new perspectives on social, political and cultural life.

Teaching and learning strategies

Students are active learners, who plan and develop their own learning styles. In doing so, they attend lectures where they are provided with structured arguments about topics, and they engage with each other in tutorials where they learn how to assess and present arguments of their own. They undertake various assignments where specific skills, knowledge and understanding are developed. Much of the information you need for tutorials and other work is available on the website – go there and browse.

The subject is taught through lectures, tutorials, workshops and private and group study; students undertake tutorial assignments, tutorial participation discussion, online discussion activities, essay planning, essay research and essay writing. Students are expected to attend lectures and tutorials, undertake workshops and pursue individual and group study opportunities.

Content

The subject is built around three themes (Power, Change, Citizenship), each encompassing three or four weeks of lectures and tutorials. Each theme provides theoretical perspectives in an opening lecture, and then specific application of the theoretical ideas to an examination of historical and contemporary Australian events, from the micro-level to the macro-level. Tutorials support the lectures by extending the topic, and encouraging student learning through interaction between students.

Assessment

On some individual assignments you may receive an indication of your relative level within these grades (e.g. credit-, pass+, or in a numerical form). These intermediate grades are not used when reporting your final grade.

Assessment Criteria:
Grades will be awarded for work showing outstanding (high distinction) , superior (distinction) or more than satisfactory achievement (credit) on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of:

• evidence of appropriate research in the area
• capacity to critically assess debates
• capacity to present material in an appropriate form
• capacity to present material lucidly
• capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions

Resubmission:
Resubmission of marginally unsatisfactory work is at the discretion of the tutor in consultation with the subject co-ordinator. Students will have limited time to resubmit work that needs to meet the requirements indicated for a pass grade.

Assessment Tasks:
Summary:
Items, weighting and submission dates are shown below. Students must attempt each piece of work to pass the subject.

• Bibliography and review exercise (Weeks 2 and 5) 15%
• Lead on small group tutorial discussion 25%
• Essay Plan (Week 10) 10%
• Research Essay of 1500-2000 words (Week 13) 50%

(For students enrolled in elective subject 50230 Power & Change in Australia 8 cp, the word limit or equivalent is 2,500 words)

Percentage weightings shown are indicators of the contribution of each item to the overall assessment process to assist students in their allocation of time, etc. Students must have a pass grade for work that makes up half of the overall assessment load, plus gaining a pass grade overall, to pass the subject.

More detailed guidelines are available in the online Survival Guide.

Assessment item 1: Library information (a); Bibliography and review exercise (b) (Weeks 2 (a) and 4 (b)) 5% AND 10%

Objectives	c
Value	(a) 5%; (b) 10%
Due	(a) Library Quiz - through UTSOnline by 5pm Friday of Week 2. (b) Bibliographical essay in tutorials, Teaching Week 5.
Word Limit	500 words
Task Summary	Students will go to UTS Online and answer the 20 questions listed under the Library Quiz.
Further Information	The Quiz will be open until the end of Week 2. There are multiple chances to complete the Quiz. The Quiz will help you complete the Bibliographical assignment. For additional help with the quiz, you can book a library support session at http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/booking. Students will have to login, then select 'New booking' and step through the process of selecting the session and time they want. Then students are to select one of the essay topics listed for the end of semester, though you are not required (though you are advised) to use this topic for your final essay. Then, you should prepare a five item list of relevant material from the UTS library. At least one piece should be a book (not a collection), and the others should include an academic article, and one URL (web address). Then write a 500 word book review. The book must be a monograph - that is, a single work by one or more authors, NOT an edited collection by disparate authors on different topics. Your review should discuss the particular topic of interest to the author (s), describe the argument the author develops and critically evaluate the validity and power of that argument. This means that you must demonstrate that you have asked questions about the approach, the perspective and the conclusions of the author. This will necessitate reading more than this one book in the topic area. Your review should include at least three references (other than the main book) that you have read in order to write the review. The completed bibliographical assignment will list the following at the beginning of the review: all the items used with full details, using the modified Harvard system title of the book author's name, place of publication, the publisher's name and year of publication number of pages in the book. An extension of time without penalty for this assignment will only be granted in exceptional circumstances without Special Consideration. Requests are to be made in writing to your tutor before the due date.
Assessment criteria	A pass result or higher will be awarded for work showing outstanding, superior or more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of: evidence of appropriate research in the area capacity to critically assess debates capacity to present material in an appropriate form capacity to present material lucidly in the genre chosen capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions. To pass this assignment, students will need to address all of the requirements outlined here and meet the assessment criteria listed above. Those who do not include the location and publication details or an evaluation of the argument of the book will fail this item of assessment. (This item addresses objective (c) of subject objectives in particular. It is an individual assessment task.)

Assessment item 2: Tutorial discussion

Objectives	a, b, c
Value	25%
Due	Week 3 onwards
Task	Tutorials will have the following structure (about 80 minutes): 10-15 minute clarification of lecture and Q and A by tutor of class on readings break into 2 small groups facilitated by leaders for about 50 minutes plenary report back to whole group – each group will select one of its members to document the discussion and report back, then open discussion for about 20 minutes. One student from each small group within the overall tutorial group will be responsible for leading or facilitating the discussion in class (for about 50 minutes). These are oral presentations. A summary in dot point form of the facilitator's key points must be filed on UTSonline in the tutorial group discussion board by 5pm of the Tuesday preceding the class in which she is to present. Other group members should have read these discussion points and referred to them in reading for the tutorial class. The facilitator's introduction of the topic for discussion and the questions she poses should generate further questions to be explored by the group rather than answered by either the leader or the tutor (except for clarification). The emphasis is on discussion by the group participants. We expect students to have read the required reading but the facilitator will need to have prepared for the leadership role by reading well beyond the other students. The facilitator needs to be able to identify the arguments presented in the works read and critically evaluate them so that the questions brought to the discussion will allow other students to engage with them. Students are not to write their research essay on the same or a similar topic as they are allocated for tutorial facilitation. Students whose group facilitation reflects preparation and who post it to their tutorial group discussion board in due time will pass this component of assessment at a graded standard. Those students who simply ask the tutorial questions and wait for others to respond or provide uninformed lists of matters discussed in reports will fail, as will those who do not post the required leader's outline. Failure to attend when you are to facilitate a group discussion will be treated as a failure to submit an assessment. (This item addresses objectives (a) and (b) in particular and (c) to some extent.)
Assessment criteria	A pass result will be awarded for work showing outstanding, superior or more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of: evidence of appropriate research in the area capacity to critically assess debates capacity to present material in an appropriate form capacity to present material lucidly in the genre chosen capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions.

Assessment item 3: Essay Plan

Objectives	c
Value	10%
Due	Week 10
Word Limit	400 words
Task	This is an item of individual assessment. All students are to select an essay topic (not from the same area as their tutorial presentation topic) and begin library research sufficient to have developed a plan for discussion in tutorials in Teaching Week 10 (Week of Lecture 9th May 2008).
Further Information	The plan should be revised in light of feedback from other students and the tutor, and attached to the essay/project when it is submitted in week 13. The plan could include the following in point form: Matters to be covered in the introduction (e.g. key concepts or definitions; limits and scope of what is to be covered in the essay). The key or major aspects of the topic identified which will be covered in your argument (i.e. your response (answer) to the question(s) posed by the essay topic). Include any references from your reading to date that support your argument and indicate any other evidence which you have gathered or plan to obtain. Any matters you can see will need to be included in the conclusion which will flow from the argument/response you are developing. A list of references consulted so far in developing the essay topic. Students will both workshop their topics in tutorial groups and seek/obtain feedback from their tutor. Students who are absent from tutorials for this exercise are to provide their tutor with a written plan not later than one week after their tutorial time in Teaching Week 9. Those students who do not provide a plan according to the subject requirements set out here will fail this item of assessment.
Assessment criteria	A pass result will be awarded for work showing outstanding, superior or more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of: evidence of appropriate research in the area capacity to critically assess debates capacity to present material in an appropriate form capacity to present material lucidly in the genre chosen capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions. Those students who do not provide an essay plan according to the subject requirements set out here will fail this item of assessment.

Assessment item 4: Research essay

Objectives	a, b, c
Value	50%
Due	Week 13
Word Limit	1,500-2,000 words
Task Summary	Students should select a topic from the questions listed below and prepare a final academic essay of 1,500-2,000 words equivalent (50109 Power and Change in Australia (6cp)). (For students enrolled in elective 50230 Power and Change in Australia (8cp), the word limit is 2,500 words.)
Further Information	It is expected that students will complete their project on the topic for which they have prepared a plan. The selected topic should not be from the same topic area as that selected for your tutorial facilitator task. This is an individual assessment task. The essay should be thoroughly researched using the listed subject readings as the core material. Students are to follow up other references from those authors cited in the core references and/or through searches of the library catalogues and databases. The completed essay should provide evidence of wide and critical reading, the ability to consider and explore innovative approaches to the question and the ability to organise evidence, discussion and conclusions into a sound and sophisticated argument. The essay grade will reflect the structure, quality of argument, and content of the essay.
Assessment criteria	A pass result will be awarded for work showing outstanding, superior or more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject. These criteria will reflect an assessment of: evidence of appropriate research in the area capacity to critically assess debates capacity to present material in an appropriate form capacity to present material lucidly in the genre chosen capacity to ask imaginative and pertinent questions. Those students who do not provide an essay plan according to the subject requirements set out here will fail this item of assessment.

You may be absent on up to two occasions with good cause (without penalty) and are to attempt all items of assessment.

Expectations about assessment tasks

• All assessment tasks are to be submitted by the specified due date. Penalties may apply for late submission.
• Assignment cover sheets are to be used for all assignments: they are in the hard copy subject handout and online at the PCA website. A cover sheet must be completed, signed and firmly attached to the front of every assignment. Do not insert assignments into folders or plastic sleeves. Ensure you keep a copy of anything you submit.
• Assignments are to be submitted in class; they will be returned to you in class, other than the final assignment that will be mailed to you, if you have provided a properly stamped, self-addressed envelope. The Faculty Academic Administration Office in Building 2, level 7 (CB02.07.032) will hold all remaining assignments until Week 4 of the Autumn semester, when they will be disposed of according to University guidelines. See the UTS Assessment Manual at:
  http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/policies/coursewkassess.html

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g., illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Indicative references

A Subject Reader, Power and Change in Australia, containing all the required readings for the unit is available from the Union Shop, Level 3, Building 1 (Tower); it is also available at the City Campus Library on Closed Reserve. (CN 3129 50109/50230 Power and Change Reader $21.00: available until sold out and then orders taken for future delivery). Ancillary reading necessary for leading tutorials or undertaking assignments on the PCA website and can be downloaded from the UTS Library website. There is also a web site for this subject at: http://pca.hss.uts.edu.au/2008. Additional resources are available there, while information about changes etc to the subject are publicised through UTS Online and its associated email list.

Lectures
Students are to attend the lecture in which you are enrolled starting with the first week of semester. Lectures provide students with a framework for both tutorial discussions and assignment work. Lectures have three purposes:

1. they provide a framework for understanding the required and additional reading, and the overall narrative of the subject - you are expected to have taken this in;
2. they provide an example of how to develop an argument, marshal evidence, and reach a conclusion;
3. they indicate the skills required to present information in an accessible and useful way, and show the differences between written and oral engagement.

Lectures will be recorded for students who are unable to attend through illness or other unavoidable difficulty. Downloads as MP3 files will be available from the ITS counter in the Markets Library for the cost of a disc. Lecture recordings may be used to assist in developing understanding but are not for quotation in written assignments. Outlines of each lecture will be mounted after the lecture each week on UTS Online.

Tutorials:
You will be assigned to a tutorial class on enrolment. You cannot change tutorial classes at will, as the class you are enrolled in will be used to allocate you to a UTSOnline group. If you wish to change and have good reason, fill in the "Application to Change a Class within a Subject" form in Week 1.

Students must ensure that they attend at least 10 of the 12 tutorials during the semester. Please ensure you attend any classes where you are responsible for leading group work.

Tutorials last for 80 minutes - please ensure you arrive on time, and have done the required reading. Late arrival or early departure does not count as attendance. There is time either after or before tutorials for individual consultation with tutors, or by arrangement.