HIST 2090 - Violence in the Modern Western World

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2017

This course will address understandings of violence across different moments in modern western society, and consider how expressions and definitions of violence have changed over time. Drawing upon examples over the last two centuries, the course will introduce students to some of the military, interpersonal and judicial contexts in which violence has been conceptualised; some of the roles it has played in maintaining, legitimating and challenging relations of power; and some of the ways that changing understandings of violence have influenced the meanings of crime and punishment. In doing so, the course will focus upon a set of interrelated issues about how violence can be theorised, including: debates about whether and when violence might be justified; the legal boundaries of warfare; the consequences of technological change on the capacity for mass violence; debates about the legitimacy of judicial violence, particularly in relation to corporal and capital punishment; shifting social visibility relating to offenders and victims of interpersonal violence; and the question of how societies respond to the aftermaths of violence.

Open All

Course Details

Course Code	HIST 2090
Course	Violence in the Modern Western World
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 1 undergraduate study
Assessment	Quiz 10%, Small group seminar task 15%, Essay 35%, Exam 40%

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Professor Amanda Nettelbeck

Course Timetable

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

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Understand and reflect upon the changing historical, social and legal dimensions of violence

2. Critically evaluate the historical relationship between violence and changing understandings of crime

3. Identify a range of sources relating to violence as part of a global field of historical enquiry

4. Undertake individual research and produce effective written argument appropriate to the discipline of history

5. Participate productively in group-based problem-solving and research activities

6. Use technologies relevant to the development of critical expertise and completion of assessment tasks

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
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
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	3, 4, 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	3, 4, 5, 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, 2
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	1, 4, 5, 6

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Course materials (to be determined) and will be outlined in the course profile when available.

Recommended Resources

To be determined.

Online Learning

Lectures will be offered online weekly and will include links to further learning materials. Essay assignments will be submitted online.
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

Weekly online lecture modules will introduce key historical concepts and introduce relevant theoretical and conceptual debates in light of structured weekly readings. Face to face seminars will be student-driven and will include SGDE in the form of small-group work and peer
assessment. Academic literacies and research skills will be developed through group work, peer feedback and structured scope for individual research.

Workload

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

2 x 1 hour online lectures = 12 hours per semester
12 x 2 hour seminar or equavilent strutured learning = 24 hours
3.5 hours reading per week = 42 hours
3.5 hours independent research per week = 42 hours
3 hours assignment preperation per week = 36 hours

Total = 156 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

Weekly lecture topics and readings will be outlined in the course profile.

Specific Course Requirements

Not applicable.

Small Group Discovery Experience

SGDE will take place in seminars under the direction of experienced academic staff. It will take the form of structured small-group problem-solving and research tasks that will be attached to assessment in the form of an in-class quiz (10%) and a group-based collaborative research task (15%).

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

Small-group quiz (formative) 10%
Small-group seminar task (formative) 15%
Essay (formative and summative) 35%
Exam (formative and summative) 40%

Assessment Related Requirements

Core learning will take place in seminars and so seminar attendance is compulsory. All assessment tasks must be undertaken.

Assessment Detail

Quiz (400 word equivalent), weighting 10%. This will be designed to test students’ understanding of core theories and concepts introduced early in the course.

Small-group seminar task (600 word equivalent), weighting 15%: Students will present a summary of key issues and questions arising from one week’s readings, in partnership with a small peer group. Groups will be organised in the first seminar of semester, and students will be expected to develop a class presentation in collaboration. The presentations will be peer-assessed in class with tutor oversight.

Essay (1500 words) to be due after the mid-semester break, weighting 35%: The essay will develop students’ critical understanding of historical context, analytic abilities, capacity to argue from evidence, and written communication skills. It will also develop students’ skills in the identification of source materials relevant to the discipline and the mechanics of citation.

Examination (2000 words) to be held at the end of semester, weighting 40%: The examination will assess student understanding of the full spread of course material and will be in 2 sections: 1) total 1000 word response to multiple questions on key concepts developed through the course; 1000 word essay. Both sections will include choice from a list of topics.

Submission

Essay submission will be online. Students must submit work in accordance with the policies and procedures of the History Department.

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