ANTH 2036 - Anthropology of Conflict and Crisis

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2016

The course addresses the issues of conflict and complex political and ecological emergencies from a comparative anthropological perspective. Case studies are drawn from countries such as Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Guatemala and Northern Ireland. This course introduces students to some of the methodological issues surrounding doing fieldwork in dangerous locations and addresses a number of core themes that include: food and famine; violence and evil; terror, fear and suffering; war and visual culture, media culture and spiritualism; and conflict, global governance and the global economy.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ANTH 2036
    Course Anthropology of Conflict and Crisis
    Coordinating Unit Anthropology and Development Studies
    Term Semester 1
    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 Arts courses
    Incompatible ANTH 2024 or ANTH 3024
    Course Description The course addresses the issues of conflict and complex political and ecological emergencies from a comparative anthropological perspective. Case studies are drawn from countries such as Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Guatemala and Northern Ireland. This course introduces students to some of the methodological issues surrounding doing fieldwork in dangerous locations and addresses a number of core themes that include: food and famine; violence and evil; terror, fear and suffering; war and visual culture, media culture and spiritualism; and conflict, global governance and the global economy.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Professor Andrew Skuse

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    At the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
    1 Obtain knowledge and understanding of anthropological approaches to conflict, violence and human suffering
    2 Demonstrate awareness and use of specific academic and non-academic conflict resources (web, library, film, etc)
    3 Demonstrate broad understanding of what drives conflict on a global basis, especially the diversity of cultural, political and economic factors
    4 Obtain knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised
    5 Demonstrate the ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner
    6 Obtain an ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems
    7 Demonstrate an awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities
    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, 4
    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
    4, 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
    5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    7
    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
    6, 7
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    You are required to prepare for each seminar by doing the required readings that are highlighted. All required readings in this course are found in the Required Readings Book available from the Image and Copy Centre (Level 1, Hughes). Copies of the required readings will also be available in the Barr Smith Reserved Readings Section.
    Online Learning
    All material associated with the course is available on the MyUni site, including audio lectures, lecture notes, essay questions and multiple-choice examinations.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course consists of online lectures on MyUni and a two-hour weekly seminar that includes a documenary film series and student presentations. The course structure is designed to provide students with the flexibility to listen to lectures at their own convenience and provide audio-visual content that will enable a higher level of engagement to occur in seminars.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    2 hours of lectures (or equivalent) per week 24 hours per semester
    1 x 1-hour seminar (or equivalent) per week 12 hours per semester
    6 hours reading per week 72 hours per semester
    2 hours research per week 24 hours per semester
    2 hours assignment preparation per week 24 hours per semester
    TOTAL WORKLOAD 156 hours per semester
    Learning Activities Summary
    Schedule
    Week 1 Course Overview
    Film: Pepsi War by Charlie Clay (Video)
    Week 2 Understanding Conflict and Violence
    Film: ‘The Quran and the Kalashnikov’ by BBC
    Week 3 Dangerous Fieldwork: safety, morality
    Film: Human Terrain System by National Geographic
    Film: Human Terrain System and War in Iraq by Harjant Gill
    Week 4 Famine, hunger and conflict
    Film: ‘Darfur Destroyed’ by Aegis Trust
    Week 5 Suffering and survival in Sudan and Ethiopia: proxy wars and small arms
    Film: ‘Chechnya: The Dirty War’ by Dispatches, Channel 4
    Week 6 Spirits, myth and warfare: appropriating the past for ethnic and nationalist conflict
    Film: ‘Rwanda: Do Scars Ever Fade’ by Paul Freedman
    Week 7 Multiple choice exam preparation and completion
    Week 8 Modernity, diamonds and violence: global capitalism and the ‘new barbarianism’
    Film: ‘Cry Freetown’ by Sorious Somura
    Week 9 Fear, terror and perception: the ‘disappeared’ of Latin America
    Film: ‘The Death Squads’ by Dispatches, Channel 4
    Week 10 The visual and material culture of conflict
    Film: ‘The Thompsons’ by Andy Lawrence (Video)
    Week 11 Conflict, memory and suffering
    Film: ‘Journey of Hope: Surviving the Holocaust’ by PBS (Houston, USA)
    Week 12 Multiple choice exam preparation and completion
    Essay preparation
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    Takes place in all weeks of the course, through group conflict analysis of contemporary documentary film component
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Weighting Course Learning Outcome
    Attendance and participation Formative and Summative 10% 1-7
    Seminar presentation Formative and Summative 15% 1-7
    2 x multiple choice exams Formative and Summative 30% 1, 3, 7
    2000 word essay Formative and Summative 45% 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

    Assessment Detail
    Attendance and participation: attendance and participation in seminars. Missing more than 2 seminars without legitimate explanation will result in failure of this component - 10% weighting.

    Seminar Presentation: students will present a group presentation - 15% weighting.

    2 x multiple-choice exams: exams based on lecture materials - 15% weighting each (30% total).

    2000 word essay: an essay on a particular question - 45% weighting.

    Submission
    Assignments are submitted online via MyUni. Extensions on written work will be granted only for legitimate medical or personal reasons. If students fail to achieve a pass grade for a seminar presentation or essay, they may request to resubmit this work at a date and time negotiated with the tutor.

    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 Access Adelaide.

  • 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.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • 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’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.