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976001 Foundations in International Studies

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

UTS: International Studies: Social and Political Change
Credit points: 8 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Handbook description

The aim of Foundations in International Studies is to provide students with an understanding of contemporary international issues, approaches and perspectives. The subject is taught from various disciplinary perspectives, with a strong focus on social justice and regional comparison. The objectives of the subject are to develop effective academic presentation, research and writing skills necessary to make informed arguments within international studies and to prepare students for writing and presentation techniques used in the contemporary society and in-country study subjects of the Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. This subject requires students to use multidisciplinary approaches to build understanding of key international issues. Approaches taught include comparative sociology, cultural studies, socio-linguistics, political economy, studies of ethnicity and nationalism. Issues covered include environmental change, globalisation, migration, war, languages, and national identities.

Subject objectives/outcomes

The aim of this subject is to provide International Studies students with skills and knowledge to exploit multi-disciplinary approaches to create a shared understanding of key issues of international and comparative approaches to learning.

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  1. critically analyse academic texts relevant to the study of contemporary society,
  2. identify representative theoretical approaches to the main forces in global issues to
  3. build logical arguments about society/ies using relevant examples and theories

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

The subject makes a major contribution to following selection from the BAIS Graduate Profile in terms of the students’:

  1. Capacity for analysing and evaluating processes of social and cultural change in another country (Objectives 1, 3)
  2. Knowledge of contemporary issues and trends relating to processes of internationalisation and capacity to draw on this knowledge while living, studying and working in international settings (Objective 1)
  3. Sensitivity to intercultural difference, a respect for other cultures and a commitment to international citizenship (Objective 2)

Teaching and learning strategies

This is an 8 credit point subject comprising weekly modular delivery: one and a half hour lecture / workshop, one hour tutorial and independent study. Students are expected to do 12-14 hours of study per week per 8cp subject at UTS. In this subject the rough weekly breakdown is as follows:

  • Lecture 1 hour
  • Tutorial 2 hours
  • Reading and note-taking 5-6 hours
  • Preparation for Learning Journal Blog & Group Presentation 2-3 hours
  • Preparation for Essay Plan and Essay 3-4 hours

Small groups for discussions in class, online work and group presentations will be actively mixed by tutors to ensure a combination of discipline (Faculty) and major (country/language) backgrounds in each group.

Content

  1. Key ideas and themes relevant for understanding other cultures and societies such as: national identity; modernity; cosmopolitanism; globalization; international/multilateral regimes; economic and technological development; cross cultural communication; war; regionalism; the importance of language for cultures; migration
  2. Use of country case studies to discuss above themes
  3. The international dimensions of a range of thematic topics such as climate change, music, cities and gender relations

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Essay Plan: Thesis & Procedure Statements and Annotated Bibliography

Objective(s):

1,2,3

Weighting: 20
Length:

Around 1200 words (including everything, plus or minus 120 words)

Criteria:

Quality of thesis statement and procedure statement: (-/8)

  • Relevant to question/topic (missing the point scores badly)
  • Thesis is original/creative, logical and shows sophisticated use of the ideas explored in the subject, gives a clear draft answer to the question
  • Procedure statement specifies clearly what will be covered in the essay

Quality and use of materials (-/8)

  • Use of knowledge built thus far in subject (use relevant lecture and reading materials)
  • Five independently found peer reviewed academic journal articles annotated
  • Relevance of articles to the essay topic and student’s thesis
  • Each article is summarized including: main points of the paper, theoretical perspective, scope
  • Each article is evaluated including: logic of argument; use of evidence; bias; limitations; usefulness for essay; reliability
  • The summaries and evaluations demonstrate understanding of the papers, ability to assess their qualities, and understanding of how each may be used in the essay

Appropriate organization, expression and formatting: (-/4)

  • Clear and succinct language use (around 200 words for the thesis/procedure paragraph and 200 words for each reference annotation)
  • Reference at the start of each annotation formatted as per FASS Essay Writing Guide in UTSOnline

Assessment Item 2: Group Presentation

Objective(s):

1, 2, 3

Weighting: 20
Length: Presentations should be 15 minutes long, then the presenters should engage the class in discussion on their topic for a further 5 minutes.
Criteria:

Content & Organization /11

Good: Plenty of research-based information clearly related to main topic, A thesis/theme is built across each part of the presentation, Demonstrates good comprehension of the methodology readings, Uses evidence from methodology appropriately to illustrate important ideas, Points logically ordered, Stuck to topic, Kept within time limit, The sections tie together into a seamless whole Information examined in terms of critical perspectives and theories (including those from lectures and readings) Engaged class in meaningful discussion on the topic

Satisfactory: Adequate amount of information relating to topic, some evidence from methodology given for some ideas, Flow sometimes abrupt or fails to show relations between points, Mostly stuck to topic, Went slightly over time, Information a bit ‘government line’ or ‘tourist brochure’ rather than explored critically, Class discussion engaged students somewhat, discussion was shallow or off-topic

Unsatisfactory: Insufficient information or information irrelevant to topic, Ideas not explained with use of examples, no evidence of methodology, No meaningful flow from one point to another, Points do not combine to build a thesis, Wandered from topic, Presentation much too long or short, Is a collection of single presentations rather than one group presentation, Major relevant ideas from the subject not mentioned, Did not do class discussion, or unable to elicit responses from class

Audiovisual Media / Other Presentation Material /3

Good: Engaging, enhances argument, content appropriate to topic, enhances presentation

Satisfactory: Material is on appropriate topic but does not enhance the argument, not completely connected to topic

Unsatisfactory: Little or no audiovisual or other material used, or what is used is not related to topic, or detracts from argument

Presentation Skills /3

Good: Clear articulation, positive posture, suitable volume, enthusiastic (or shyness is well managed), confident, engaged audience and held their attention

Satisfactory: Articulation, posture, volume and attitude OK, or sometimes good and sometimes less good. Some of the audience engaged, or audience engaged some of the time

Unsatisfactory: Articulation unclear (too fast, too quiet or mumbling), Shyness detracted from presentation, Audience were confused or bored, Speakers distracted by a technical hitch

Teamwork /3

Good: Each member is equally involved in the presentation and seems well informed about the topic, Perspectives from each students’ discipline brought into presentation , Group Progress Template completed thoughtfully and submitted to tutor in Week 7

Satisfactory: Most of the group contributes, or the group works well together some of the time, Only some disciplines from the group represented, Progress template completed in a ‘slap dash’ manner, or is submitted late

Unsatisfactory: One or two members dominate, others seem ill-prepared or are otherwise not contributing, Only one or none of the students’ disciplines visible in the presentation, No progress template

Assessment Item 3: Weekly Quiz

Objective(s):

2

Weighting: 20
Criteria:

Marking Criteria:

Points are scored for correct answers (no deductions for incorrect answers). The scores for the best eight quizzes for each student will be added up and turned into a score out of 20. For example, if Jane scores 7/10 for her best eightquizzes her final score will be 14/20 (56/80). If students do not complete 8 quizzes they will be given 0 for the number of missing quizzes. For example, if Jess scores 7/10 for 6 quizzes but did not come to class the other weeks her score will be 10.5/20 (42/80). In other words, to do well in this assignment students need to come to class prepared for the quiz for as many weeks as possible during the semester. Students may do all 11 of the quizzes and have just their best 8 selected. It is likely that each student will be sick for at least one week during the semester, and have some extremely busy weeks. It is students’ responsibility to make sure they have done enough quizzes in the weeks when they are well and less busy, so that they can skip the quiz whenill/busy and still make up the minimum of 8 quizzes.

Assessment Item 4: Essay

Objective(s):

1, 2, 3

Weighting: 20
Length:

2000 words (excluding the reference list). 10% longer or shorter than this is OK.

Criteria:

Marking Criteria:

  1. Content (the most important thing in your essay)
    • Essay question fully answered
    • Clear and logical thesis (improved marks for sophisticated and original thesis)
    • Engaged with relevant materials listed in the Subject Outline
    • Engaged with at least another 5 academic-quality materials the student found independently
    • Thesis is supported with evidence for all main points
    • Evidence contrary to thesis is explained
    • All material presented is relevant to topic
    • Thesis is well sustained throughout the essay
    • Quality examples used to support points
    • Relevant ideas from lectures and essential readings referred to
  2. Organisation (important in terms of communication of your content)
    • Clear introduction (thesis + procedural statement)
    • Schematic structure suited to purpose
    • Ideas organised logically in paragraphs
    • Smooth transition from point to point
    • Word length is no more than 10% + or - the limit
    • Clear conclusion (summarizes main points of essay and reiterates thesis). A really good essay then adds a point about why this is something significant for people to know about.
  3. Expression (also important for communication, but a bit less so than Organization)
    • Main thesis is clearly communicated to reader
    • Language use flows from point to point
    • Uses summary and paraphrasing (avoid over-reliance on direct quotes)
    • Appropriate topic sentences
    • Acceptable grammatical structures
    • Vocabulary suited to reader and purpose
    • Acceptable spelling
    • Acceptable punctuation
  4. Presentation (also important for communication, a bit less important than Expression)
    • Submitted with IS Assignment Cover Page
    • Presentation as specified in FASS Essay Writing Guide
    • Edited for "typos"
  5. Referencing (a basic requirement, but great referencing will not increase grade)
    • Quoting, summarizing and paraphrasing from sources according to Harvard system

Assessment Item 5: Reading and Lecture Content Test

Intent:

To encourage students to revise the content of the readings and lectures at the end of semester.

Objective(s):

2

Weighting: 20
Criteria:

Marking Criteria: Points will be given for correct answers (no deductions for incorrect answers).

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve a total of at least 50% on the combined total of marks from the graded assessment tasks. Students may fail even if their total is 50% or more if they fail an assessment task that relates to an essential requirement of the subject (see Subject Objectives and Contribution to Course Aims and Graduate Attributes in this Subject Outline) that is not assessed in another task in the subject.

Required texts

Essential readings for each week's classes are listed in the weekly program in this Subject Outline.

Most weeks one of the essential readings will be a chapter from the subject text: Smallman, S. and Brown, K. 2011. Introduction to International and Global Studies University of North Carolina Press, USA. ISBN: 9780807871751. There are 10 copies of this book in the Library, that may be borrowed for free. It is available to buy at the Coop Bookshop Broadway: Non-Members: $57.95, Members: $52.73.

The rest of the essential readings are free to download from the UTS Library Subject Resources eReadings for the subject, or are available freely on the web via the URL in the subject outline. These readings may also be purchased as Course Notes from the Union Shop (details for this will be emailed to students and put in UTSOnline close to the start of semester).

References

Please see the list of readings for each week in the Program section of this Subject Outline.