CRWR 2006 - The Politics of Writing

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2024

Why do we write? What authors have inspired us? Many of the books and stories we admire have been conceived during times of crisis and transformation. To what extent, and in what ways, is the literary imagination conditioned by its social contexts? What is political today? And how might we navigate the tensions between the aesthetic and the political in our own work? These and other questions form the basis of this course by challenging students to draw on their reading and life experiences to write creatively. Students will examine the work of Australian and international writers who might be considered 'political' in different ways. In so doing, students are encouraged to frame their work 'politically'. Readings will include speeches, poetry, short fiction, comics, essays, and novels, to demonstrate the wide range of 'political' writing in circulation.

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Course Details

Course Code	CRWR 2006
Course	The Politics of Writing
Coordinating Unit	English, Creative Writing, and Film
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
Assessment	1500 word creative writing piece in poetry or prose (20%), 2000 word creative writing piece in poetry or prose (40%), 1500 word exegetical essay (30%), participation (10%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Georgia Phillips

Course Timetable

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

Course Learning Outcomes

After successfully completing this course students should be able to:

(1) Confidently read, understand and appreciate a range of contemporary literary texts.
(2) Begin to demonstrate an awareness of how to frame a research problem and devise ways of addressing it in the context of creative writing.
(3) Think rigorously about selected contemporary texts and the contexts of their production.
(4) Prepare and deliver polished and carefully edited samples of creative writing (through a series of exercises and drafts).
(5) Critically evaluate their own and others’ written materials.
(6) Engage productively and respectfully with their peers.

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)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1,2,3,4,5,6
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	1,2,3,4,5
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	1,2,5,6
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	1,2,4,5
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	1,2,3,5
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	2,4,5,6

Learning Resources

Required Resources

V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore.

The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood.

The City and the City, by China Miéville.

*Further weekly Course Readings available on My Uni.

Online Learning

Lectures will be recorded and available on MyUni and released progressively throughout the semester. Course announcements will also will made through MyUni.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

This course is structured around weekly readings and novels that students are expected to thoroughly read. Students are expected to write in class and weekly exercises should be polished prior to the following week's seminar. Seminars will provide the opportunity for detailed reflection on ideas, themes and practices introduced in lectures. The weekly readings will be discussed in detail, critically and in terms of writing practice. Student interaction will occur in small group exercises, including close-reading, writing, editing and other tasks.

Workload

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

Students will commit the equivalent of 156 hours of study in this course.

Learning Activities Summary

Specific Course Requirements

Not applicable.

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

CW Piece                    Formative          Friday week 4          20%                            2,3,4,5
CW Piece                    Formative          Friday week 8          40%                            1,2,3,4,5
Exegetical Essay         Summative         Friday Week 12       30%                             1,2,3,4,5
Seminar participation Summative -     On-going                 10%                             2,4,5,6

Assessment Related Requirements

Attendance at seminars is expected.
Submission of all assessment tasks is a mandatory course requirement.

Assessment Detail

No information currently available.

Submission

All submissions must be in hard copy. No electronic submissions are permitted.

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