ANTHRO 377 : Whiteness in the Settler State

Arts

2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Examines the concept and construct of “whiteness” within the construct of the "settler state" through the lens of critical anthropology. Explores the development of white supremacy as an ideology and expression of social and political power and provides students with the conceptual and intellectual frameworks to consider the invisibility of whiteness as a social habit.

Course Overview

This course uses anthropology as a core discipline to examine “whiteness” as a social construct within the framework of “settler-colonial countries,” of which Aotearoa - New Zealand is one. Whiteness plays a pivotal role in the construction of kinship, identity and power relations both within local communities and the international sphere in the post-colonial world. Using anthropology and anthropological theories as frameworks, this course will draw on literature from New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Canada to interrogate the construction of Whiteness and the role that it has played in the past and contemporary world.

 
A goal of this course is to enable students to use anthropological tools to engage with and better understand relational models of power, the role of turning anthropology inward to spheres of power and how critical anthropology can operate in spaces of social activism and change.

This course draws substantially from work within Anthropology but also outside, which could include work such as that of Ahmed, Fanon, hooks, Kendi, Lee-Morgan, Lourde, Meghji, Oluo, Ormond, Pihama, Smith and others.  

This course is for stage 3 students only, and students are advised that they may find course material challenging and that they may be asked to engage in significant self-reflection in order to engage properly with the academic work. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 15 points at Stage I in Anthropology

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 6: Communication
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Apply the role of critical anthropology in political spaces (Capability 4)
  2. Develop an understanding of the concept and history of “whiteness’ in the settler-colonial political sphere (Capability 3)
  3. Identify complex and difficult histories shared between different settler states. (Capability 6)
  4. Be able to engage with critiques of anthropology as an academic practice of power (Capability 3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Quizzes 30% Individual Coursework
Assignments 20% Individual Coursework
Reflection 10% Individual Coursework
Essay 30% Individual Coursework
Tutorials 10% Individual Coursework
The annotated bibliography is required for students to submit the final essay. 

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 2 hours of lectures, a 1-hour tutorial, 4 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled tutorials to receive credit for the tutorial component of the course. With prior arrangement, students can make up tutorial participation in the lecture space. 

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities, including tutorials, will not be available as recordings.

Attendance on campus is required for Quizzes.

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2025.

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.

Course materials will be provided via a Talis reading list. 

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.

Student feedback will be collected via the AUSA Class Representative and through the SET evaluations. 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations 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. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

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 your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, 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 you may be asked to submit your 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. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 30/10/2024 07:20 a.m.