HIST 2058 - Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide in History

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2021

This course will explore the nature of ethnic cleansing and genocide and seek to discover the common historical, political and sociological threads that unite these tragedies. Students will analyse and discuss a series of case studies including, among others: the near extermination of First Nations people by colonisers of the New World, the Armenian genocide, the man-made famine in Ukraine, the Holocaust, the displacement of peoples in the aftermath of the Second World War in Europe and Africa, and the case of ethnic cleansing and genocide during the wars of Yugoslav succession.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HIST 2058
    Course Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide in History
    Coordinating Unit Historical and Classical 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 I undergraduate study
    Incompatible HIST 2031 or HIST 3031
    Course Description This course will explore the nature of ethnic cleansing and genocide and seek to discover the common historical, political and sociological threads that unite these tragedies. Students will analyse and discuss a series of case studies including, among others: the near extermination of First Nations people by colonisers of the New World, the Armenian genocide, the man-made famine in Ukraine, the Holocaust, the displacement of peoples in the aftermath of the Second World War in Europe and Africa, and the case of ethnic cleansing and genocide during the wars of Yugoslav succession.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Robert Foster





    Course Timetable

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

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    1. An understanding of the causes, nature and consequences of ethnic cleansing and genocide in modern history.

    2. An ability to distinguish between different historical interpretations and different cultural perspectives.

    3. Enhanced skills in research, synthesis, organisation and presentation of information.

    4. Enhanced problem solving skills.

    5. Familiarisation with the research skills necessary for working with primary sources.

    6. An ability to work independently.

    7. An ability to work cooperatively.

    8. An ability to evaluate arguments.

    9. Enhanced oral communication skills.

    10. An awareness of the role of historians in determining the dominant perceptions of the past and the way these impact on the present.
    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)
    1,2,3,5
    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
    2,3,4,5,8
    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
    7,9
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    4,6,7,9
    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
    1,2,10
    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
    9,10
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    There are no textbooks for this course.

    1. Relevant information about the assessment, the readings and the general running of the course will be available on Canvas.

    2. The Course Reader contains essential readings for tutorial discussion.
    Recommended Resources
    There is no textbook for this course but a useful guide to the material may be found in  Adam Jones, Genocide: A Comprehensive Introduction, Routledge, New York, 2017.
    Online Learning
    This course has a website accessible through Canvas, which provides further instructions on the assessment tasks, reading lists, essay questions and other relevant materials.

    In addition the website will contain recorded lectures, lecture notes, handouts, and worksheets.

    Regular announcements and updates will be posted on Canvas.

    You will be expected to check your emails regularly for updates and other information relating to the course.

    The University provides you with electronic access to thousands of books and the full text of articles in a very large range of history journals through the Barr Smith Library.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The course comprises a combination of face-to-face teaching on campus and online activities. Lectures will be pre-recorded.

    Tutorials begin in Week Two.

    Lectures in this course refer specifically to the topics and readings to be discussed in tutorials. Lectures are therefore designed to stimulate debate and reflection. They do this by evoking the wider context in which to place the subjects under review, by pointing you to historians’ debates on key issues, and by referring directly to items in Course Readings.


    Tutorials are designed to promote discussion among all members of the class and to hone each student’s oral communication skills. The readings and the lectures provide you with the necessary background to participate in tutorials and to contribute to discussion. Tutorials comprise an essential component of the course with the primary purpose of developing key graduate attributes. As a result, tutorial attendance and participation is a hurdle requirement in this course. There will be an option to attend online tutorials.


    Workload

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

    Students will need to devote approximately 13 hours per week to this course across the semester. This will comprise the 3 contact hours and about 10 hours of independent study in preparation for tutorials, written assignments and the exam. A total workload of about 156 hours.
    Learning Activities Summary
    The lectures in the course are designed to provide a framework for the undertanding of the issues covered in the course, and provide important background for the tutorial exercises. As well as presenting case studies, ranging from early modern times to the contemporary world, they will also engage the theoretical and ethical dimensions of the subject.
    Specific Course Requirements
    Tutorial attendance and participation comprise a hurdle requirement for this course. Students must attend at least 80% of tutorials in order to meet the hurdle requirement.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    The Small Group Discovery Experience will be embedded in select tutorials over the duration of the course. Led by researchers in the field, students will be guided in addressing questions relating to the national and international community's reponses to Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide.

  • 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

    Tutorial Participation and Attendence (hurdle requirement)
    Learning objectives: 1-10.

    Two Online Tests  = 30%
    Learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 8 and 10.

    Research Essay (2,000 words) = 45%
    Learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 8.

    Short Essay (1,000 words) = 25%
    Learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 8.
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Tutorial attendance is a requirement of this course and absences other than for medical reasons (with supporting documentation) will result in serious penalties. Students must attend at least 80% of tutorials to pass. Students who are absent at tutorials for which they are the designated discussion leaders (presenters) will not be permitted to present at another tutorial unless they provide a medical certificate attesting to their inability to attend the tutorial due to illness.

    Students must satisfactorily complete all of the assigned work in order to pass this course.

    All written work is to be submitted electronically AND to Turnitin. (See 5.4 below.) Assessment tasks must be submitted within two weeks of the due date, assignments submitted after this are subject to be marked at a pass or fail grade, unless students have been granted a formal extension.

    In the exam you will not be permitted to write on the same topics as your written assignments.

    The exam will take place in the exam period. Please ensure that you will be in Adelaide at this time.
    Assessment Detail
    1. Tutorial Attendance and Participation
    In this course there is a strong emphasis on a key graduate attribute - building on your oral communication skills - by participating in, leading, and summarising small group discussions. Therefore attendance at weekly tutorials is a hurdle requirement and frequent absences (other than for medical reasons) are unacceptable.

    No work will be accepted in lieu of tutorial attendance and participation.

    2. Two Online Tests = 30%
    These short answer tests will comprise questions on key concepts in the course.

    3. Research Essay (2,000 words) = 45%
    For this assignment you will be required to focus closely on a case study. You will present a synthesis of your response to the question in
    your own words. Your main goal will be to develop an argument in a logical and persuasive style and to seek appropriate evidence or
    examples to illustrate it. The questions will be available on Canvas.

    4. Short essay (1,000 words) = 25%
    The questions for this essay will relate to how national and international communities respond to cases of historical injustice. These might include state apologies, repatriation, reparation, truth and reconciliation commissions, and war crimes tribunals.
    Submission
    Online Submission of Assignments (e-submission) via MyUni
    All assignments are to be submitted electronically via MyUni.

    Extensions
    Students wishing to apply for an extension need to submit the relevant form available at http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/mod_arrange.html  to the Faculty Office at least 5 days prior to the due date for the assignment.


    All work submitted late without an extension will incur a penalty of 2% per day including weekends.

    Exceptions to the Policy
    If one of the following criteria is met, an informal extension can be organised with the course coordinator or tutor:
    · assessment item is worth 20% or less;
    · student is registered with the Disability Office (need to attach a Disability Access Plan – DAP).
    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.

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