Studying online
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
Cultures have not only been represented, but also produced and reproduced through the use of film and other mass media. This unit critically examines such issues as the anthropological construction of myths about other cultures, the textual nature of media, the histories of various media and their implications for contemporary representations, relationships between the representers and the represented, and the modes of ethnographically investigating media. It focuses on issues of the roles of subjectivity and power in the process of representing, seeking to sensitise students to the ways in which media construe and construct cultures, both constraining and liberating our understandings, especially in cross-cultural contexts of learning and dialogue. Students who take the unit are particularly well prepared to enter the field of media production and those organisations involved in the promulgation and analysis of media productions.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
Availability Location Mode Not available in 2024 UWA (Perth) Face to face - Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 2 elective
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in anthropological and sociological studies of media including cultural diversity, social inequality, the nature of social relationships and institutions, systems of symbolic meaning, and processes that underpin social and cultural change; (2) demonstrate knowledge of anthropological and sociological approaches to media, debates surrounding the history and deployment of media, and the complexities of media depictions of cultural issues (as in, e.g., ethnographic film); (3) demonstrate an ability to critically review, analyse, sumarise and synthesise anthropological and sociological research and theory focused on media; (4) demonstrate an ability to formulate, investigate and discuss anthropologically and sociologically informed research questions and develop arguments based on a critical evaluation of evidence, and respond insighfully to media production with due attention to rhetorical strategies; and (5) demonstrate an ability to communicate anthropological and sociological ideas, principles and knowledge to specialist and non-specialist audiences using a range of formats (written, oral, visual etc.) with particular attention to interactive and social media.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) tutorial/workshop participation; (2) written work; and (3) in-class exercise. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit rules
- Prerequisites
- any Level 1 ANTH unit
- Incompatibility
- ANTH2204 Visual Representations of Cultures, ANTH2239 Anthropology of Media
- Contact hours
- up to 3 hours per teaching week
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.