Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
Nil
Unit rationale, description and aim
Difference is an essential part of Australian society Appreciating human diversity, which can include, culture, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, and social location, is fundamental to understanding a sense of who we are and how people are positioned within our society.
In this unit, students will examine how people’s personal and public identities are formed; how they are understood and recognised; and how they can change over time. The place of history, family, gender, sexuality, culture, ethnicity and social class will be considered in how people think about themselves. We will also consider how identities can function for individuals; how identity categories can be collective; and how they can be imposed or chosen. Another important aspect of diversity to be explored in this unit is the consequences of diversity and how diversity and difference is approached To do this we will look at how different academic disciplines in the humanities have approached questions of identity and diversity, and how these ideas circulate in society to create possibilities for connections and also divisions.
The unit aims to explore and engage with the premise that contemporary society should see diversity of all kinds as productive, and that marginalised or silenced groups have a right be seen, heard and valued so that their contributions can enhance social dialogue and form connections based on solidarity and common interest.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Describe the historical and cultural processes that have forged a sense of personal and collective identity in contemporary society | GC1, GC2, GC7 |
| LO2 | Interpret the interconnecting historical, political, economic, social and cultural contexts on a sense of individual or collective identity | GC1, GC7 |
| LO3 | Analyse ways in which diverse groups of people form identity through forging connection around commonalities and reclamation of cultural knowledge | GC1, GC5, GC7 |
| LO4 | Apply foundation research techniques and use publicly available sources to explore the lived experiences of people from diverse culture, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, or social locations | GC5, GC6, GC7, GC9, GC10, GC11 |
| LO5 | Develop and articulate a critical disposition towards assumptions about diversity and difference in Australian contemporary culture. | GC1, GC3, GC7 |
Content
Topics and content may include:
- History of diversity in Australian society
- Diversity in Indigenous communities and cultures
- Concepts related to defining diversity, identity and social cohesion
- Consequences of diversity: marginalisation of groups and collective action by groups
- Individual and collective identities
- Gender, sexuality and identity
- Dis/ability and identity
- Diverse experiences of culture, ethnicity, place and identity
- Dealing with diversity: creating solidarity, equity, and countering discrimination
- Diversity online: social media and identity formation
- Social capital and diversity: can we connect, belong, and flourish?
- Skills in research, providing evidence, referencing and essay writing
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This subject is designed to assist students in understanding the complex interactions of identity and culture and the impacts of this diversity in social inclusion and exclusion. Weekly lectures and tutorials will allow the students to learn and collaborate with the tutor and fellow peers through working in pairs or groups on activities such as classroom debates as well as engage in certain simulation tasks. In addition, students will be expected to engage with resources provided on Canvas (such as journal articles, news reports, YouTube videos, podcasts), as preparation for the relevant in-class activities. Students will also be encouraged to share content in class that they are interested in, thereby becoming active agents in crafting their own learning experience and fostering deeper engagement with each other and with the subject matter more broadly.
This unit will introduce students to the diverse experiences of people through guest lecturers and engaged interactions with other students. This unit will proceed initially through exploring the historical origins of cultural and social connection among disparate cultural groups in Australia. The students will consider the kinds of exclusions that still occur and location of this – is exclusion the result of deliberate government policy, entrenched ways of thinking or personal choice? The role of social media in forming groups and the dangers of epistemic ‘bubbles’ will be covered in classroom discussions.
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with ACU assessment requirements.
The assessment tasks are designed to work in a sequence to develop different but related skills. The first research assignment will develop skills in research and enquiry. Students will also develop skills in presenting research findings in a format specified by the lecturer.
The second assessment task requires students to analyse how the person or group studied in the first assessment has been represented, memorialised or promoted in public contexts. While normally students will study the same person or group as the first task, the lecturer may give permission for students to choose a different subject for this assignment. This assignment develops skills in critical thinking and analysis.
The reflective assessment requires students to consider a set of questions that relate to the themes, content and unit materials studied over the semester. This may be in the format of quizzes throughout the semester or a final in-class quiz, take-home exam, or reflective essay, as specified by the lecturer. This assessment develops foundation skills in absorbing and applying information.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|---|
RESEARCH TASK This task requires you to use publicly available sources and information to research a topic on identity and diversity considering historical, political and social contexts. Topics will be available on the learning management system.
The research will be shared with other students using a format specified by the lecturer. | 25% | LO1, LO2 | GC1, GC2, GC7 |
ANALYTIC TASK This task examines how a group, individual or community has been represented. Ideally, this would build on the same case study as the research task so you can build on work completed, but it does not have to be. Examples of representation can include film, artwork, meme, poster, novel, song, podcast, documentary or newspaper. Specific questions related to the group/individual represented will be available on the learning management system to guide your analysis. | 40% | LO2, LO3, LO4 | GC1, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC9, GC10, GC11 |
REFLECTIVE TASK Reflecting on this subject overall you are asked to respond to questions set by the lecturer that require you to think about the material covered in the unit on identity and diversity. You do not need to carry out additional research, but your response should be informed by unit readings, lectures, tutorial activities and podcasts.
This assessment may be in the form of a reading journal, weekly quiz, or reflective essay as specified by the lecturer. | 35% | LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5 | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC9, GC10, GC11 |
Representative texts and references
Bendl, Regine, et al. The Oxford Handbook of Diversity in Organizations. Edited by Regine Bendl et al., Oxford University Press, 2016.
Berry, Bonnie. Social Rage: Emotion and Cultural Conflict. Taylor and Francis, 2013.
Bruhn, John G. The Sociology of Community Connections. 2nd ed. 2011., Springer Netherlands, 2011.
Collins, P and Bilge, S. Intersectionality, Wiley, 2020. (2nd edn).
Dandy, J and Pe-Pua, R . Research into the Current and Emerging Drivers for Social Cohesion, Social Division and Conflict in Multicultural Australia, Edith Cowan University and The University of New South Wales, 2013.
Derman, Brandon Barclay. Struggles for Climate Justice Uneven Geographies and the Politics of Connection. 1st ed. 2020., Springer International Publishing, 2020.
Guilherme, Camara, Misoczky, Maria and Steffen Böhm. Organizational Practices of Social Movements and Popular Struggles: Understanding the Power of Organizing from Below. Emerald Publishing Limited, 2017.
Lam, K., Harris, A., Hartup, M., Collin, P., Third, A., & Quek, S. Social Issues and Diverse Young Australians. Centre for Resilient and Inclusive Societies, 2022. https://www.crisconsortium.org/lit-reviews/social-issue-diverse-young-australians
Rayner, Cynthia, and Francois Bonnici. The Systems Work of Social Change: How to Harness Connection, Context, and Power to Cultivate Deep and Enduring Change. Oxford University Press, 2021.
Snow, David A., et al. The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Social Movements. Edited by David A. Snow et al., Second edition., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2019.
Additional electronic resource:
Scanlon Institute mapping social cohesion: Mapping Social Cohesion | Scanlon institute