ANTH 2041 - Pop Anthropology: Music, Media & Material Culture

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2021

This course examines the central role that popular culture plays in people's everyday lives in diverse contexts around the world. It explores the impacts of industrialisation, globalisation and new technological developments on the production and consumption of fashion, music, film, fandom, art, and material culture. The course draws on examples like graffiti writing, tattooing and household decoration to consider how people use popular culture to form and express identities and relationships (e.g. what factors shape where people shop, the music that they listen to, their use of social media and how they modify their bodies?). In particular, the course considers how taste distinctions like 'low' and 'high' culture are shaped by social / cultural norms and values. It investigates how theorists from cultural studies, media studies and other disciplines have understood popular culture and highlights what anthropology contributes to this field.

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Course Details

Course Code	ANTH 2041
Course	Pop Anthropology: Music, Media & Material Culture
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 I undergraduate study
Incompatible	ANTH 2022 or ANTH 3022
Assessment	Participation, small group discovery, quiz, essay

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Dianne Rodger

Course Timetable

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

Course Learning Outcomes

At the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1	Develop an understanding of the broad nature and theories of the anthropological analysis of popular culture
2	Deepen knowledge of and insight into key issues concerning the study of popular culture in anthropology
3	Obtain the ability to understand and apply key theoretical approaches to ethnographic representations of contemporary popular culture like music, shopping and art
4	Develop the ability to critically evaluate central themes, propositions and concepts in the anthropology of popular culture
5	Develop the skills to work collaboratively in teams as well as individually in a learning and research environment
6	Foster an interest in and commitment to continuous learning and social scientific research

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, 6
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	1-6
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	1-6
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	1-6
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	5

Learning Resources

Required Resources

All required resources for this course will be made available on MyUni.

Weekly essential and supplementary readings will be provided electronically and will be accessible at the beginning of semester.

Lecture materials (audio-recording and powerpoint slides) will be posted weekly on MyUni.

No text books or other materials are required.

Recommended Resources

Recommended resources will be provided electronically via MyUni or in-class (e.g. essay writing guides, writing in first person in Anthropology guide).

Online Learning

This course will make use of the online learning tool MyUni as a platform for learning in the course including; making announcements, providing an online discussion board, making all course material and assignments available (e.g. reading list, lecture recordings / powerpoints etc).

All assessment tasks will be submitted (e.g. written work, group presentation) or completed (e.g. quiz) electronically via MyUni.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

The learning and teaching mode for this course is based around weekly ‘themes’ where a specific topic is explored in both the readings and weekly lecture or other activity.

Insights from the lecture / readings are further developed in two hour weekly workshops where students discuss the content and complete tasks (e.g. go on a tour of street art / public art, watch short documentaries / clips, engage in debates, work through questions in small groups, reflect on their own experience and so on). As such, workshop participation forms an essential part of this course.

The learning mode in this course is influenced by active learning (learning through doing) with an emphasis on real-life scenarios and examples.

Workload

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

Contact Hours (Formal / Structured workload) = 3 Hours
Lectures: 1 hour per week
Workshop: 2 hours per week

Research, reading and preparation for workshop and assessment (Unstructured work load):

Workshop preparation (reading): between 3-4 hours per week
Preparation for assignments and reading supplementary readings: 5-7 hours per week (average)

Learning Activities Summary

Rough Lecture Plan / Weekly Themes
Note: This is a broad overview and the order of themes / topics covered may change. Check MyUni for the most up to date information.

Week One - Introducing Popular Culture: Art on the Streets
Week Two - Fandom Research Project
Week Three - Popular Consumption: From Domination to Resistance
Week Four - Subcultures, Scenes and Youth Culture
Week Five - From Texts to Contexts: Media Anthropology and Ethnographic Research Methods
Week Six - Material Culture: Consumption and Disposal
Week Seven - Digital Anthropology: Technology and Culture
Week Eight - Streaming Sounds: Digital Music Production, Distribution and Consumption
Week Nine - Fandom Group Project Presentations / Discussion
Week Ten - Adorning the Body: Fashion and Style
Week Eleven - Inscribing the Body: Tattooing
Week Twelve - Essay Writing Week

Specific Course Requirements

None - not applicable.

Small Group Discovery Experience

Small Group Discovery Experience is a core component in this course. A SGDE group project runs throughout the semester.

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

The assessment for this course has four components:

(1) Quiz
(2) Fandom Project
(3) Workshop Portfolio
(4) Final Research Essay

Assessment Task	Task Type	Due	Weighting	Learning Outcome
Quiz	Formative and Summative	TBA (Before mid semester break)	10%	1-6
Fandom Project	Formative and Summative	Week 9	25%	1-6
Workshop Portfolio	Formative and Summative	Week 11	15%	1-6
Final Research Essay	Summative	TBA - End of semester	50%	1-6

Quiz: Students complete a quiz that will cover key concepts learned in the early weeks of the course.

Fandom Project: Students will work in small groups of 4-5 students to research a fan community that they select. Both the process (i.e. reflection on group work – 5%) and final product (video, oral presentation or power-point presentation – 20%) will be assessed. 25% total weighting.

Workshop Portfolio: Students will submit a portfolio of completed work demonstrating their engagement in workshops and wil the course readings / lectures.

Final Research Essay: Students will write a research essay that addresses one of the course topics.

Assessment Related Requirements

There are no hurdle requirements for this course (e.g. you do not need to pass / submit each component to pass the course overall).

Assessment Detail

Detailed information about all assessment tasks including marking rubrics will be provided on MyUni.

Submission

All written assignments must be submitted electronically via Turnitin using the MyUni website.

Extensions:
There will be no extensions for any assessment tasks (e.g. quizzes, group presentations, written assignments) without adequate documentation. You must seek extensions before the due date. Communication with your course co-ordinator or tutor is critical!

Note: If you have an access plan the rules for extensions are different. You should discuss with your course co-ordinator or tutor at the beginning of semester.

All students are encouraged to read through the Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/3303 for further information about the extensions procedure.

In brief, you need to submit an Application for Assessment Extension form BEFORE the due date and with the relevant supporting documentation that applies to your situation.

In many cases this involves getting a suitable person (i.e. medical practitioner, counsellor) to fill out a section of the form. A medical certificate alone is insufficient. Please remember to bring a copy of the form if you have an appointment with a GP etc.

A copy of the form can be downloaded here and will also be available on My Uni:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/3303/?dsn=policy.document;field=data;id=7446;m=view

Here are some of the important details:

• Modified Arrangements will not be granted for Circumstances such as, but not limited to, the following (see clause c):
i. balancing workloads from other units of study, disciplines or faculties;
ii. personal commitments or events such as international travel, holidays or weddings;
iii. temporary minor ailments such as colds, minor respiratory infections, headaches or minor gastric upsets;
iv. stress or anxiety normally associated with examinations, required assessment tasks or any aspect of course work;
v. misreading or misunderstanding of the examination timetable.

• Course co-ordinators can only give extensions of 10 business days. Longer time frames need to be approved by the Head of School.

Late Penalties:
2 marks will be deducted from late work if it is not received/completed by the advised time on the due date.

You will be penalised a further 2 marks for each additional day that the work is overdue.

Assessment tasks that are more than 7 days overdue will not be graded and will receive a zero mark.

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
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
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.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator