ANTHRO 321 : Equality and Inequality

Arts

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Examines conceptualisations, realities and consequences of equality and inequality cross-culturally. Considers whether there are egalitarian societies and whether inequality is inevitable. Covers types and systems of inequality such as slavery, gender inequality, caste and class, as well as differences between economic and political inequality, and between equality of opportunity and equality of results.

Course Overview

 Inequality affects all of us, both in the details of our everyday lives and in our general understandings of who we are and how we fit in the societies in which we live. We live in times of tremendous and increasing economic inequality, in which the wealthiest ten percent of the world’s population owns 84 percent of the wealth, and the world’s 42 wealthiest individuals own more than the combined assets of the poorest 50 percent of the world’s population (source: inequality.org). Understanding this massive economic inequality is critical since, as Thomas Piketty has recently observed, inequality and redistribution are central to political conflict.

In this course we will explore the causes, consequences and forms of equality and inequality from a comparative perspective. We will consider whether there are egalitarian societies or whether inequality is inevitable. The course will explore the intersection of economic inequality on the one hand with gender inequality and inequality based on ideas of race on the other. We will examine social hierarchies, peasant inequality and social class, as well as the complex relationship between capitalism and inequality cross-culturally.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage II

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in anthropological studies of equality and inequality. (Capability 3 and 4)
  2. Demonstrate a familiarity with anthropological case studies of equality and inequality. (Capability 1 and 4)
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of what capitalism is and how capitalism is related to equality and inequality. (Capability 2, 3, 4 and 5)
  4. Demonstrate reading, writing and discussion skills at an appropriate level. (Capability 3, 4 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Essay 20% Individual Coursework
Essay 50% Individual Coursework
Test 30% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours per week of lectures, 4 hours per week of reading and thinking about the content, and 3 hours per week of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities.
Lectures will be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events.
Attendance on campus is not required for the test.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2024.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

 The course readings will include articles and chapters from books. These will be available online.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

While the course is substantially the same as when it was last taught in Semester 2, 2022, small changes have been made reflecting student feedback and areas of course content with which students seemed to be struggling, based on their performance on assessments.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 30/10/2023 08:14 a.m.