ANTHRO 742 : Contact and Colonialism

Arts

2022 Semester Two (1225) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A seminar focused on critical understanding of the political, social and economic expansion of European countries around the world and its cultural consequences. Themes may include: cultural encounter, causes and effects of colonisation, interpretations of the other by colonisers and colonised, Creole cultures, slavery, race, resistance and accommodation, gender, demography, environmental impacts.

Course Overview

This course covers issues in cross-cultural contact and colonialism during the period of Western European global expansion and domination between the 16th – 20th centuries. The emphasis is on developing understanding in historical anthropology, specifically of colonialism as a phenomenon that incorporated and shaped much of the world in which we live. 
Colonialism varied immensely according to geographic locale, historical period and the characteristics and imperatives of those involved. Understanding these linked phenomena therefore entails flexible approaches and attention to diverse cases. Accordingly, we adopt a global perspective by reading and discussing representative texts. Our focus this year is on three key themes as exemplified by cases in Latin America, North America and Oceania:
  • The past as we know and think about it in the present. 
  • Early forms of interaction and questions of domination and agency as played out in the ambiguities of encounter on the colonial frontiers 
  • Questions of equal or unequal exchange and exploitation, particularly the interplay of indigenous and colonizer perspectives, understandings and shifting power relations between them. 

Course Requirements

Restriction: ANTHRO 720

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Master of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Familiarity with some of the key issues in contact and colonialism (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2 and 6.3)
  2. Awareness of issues and perspectives in historical anthropology (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.3, 6.2 and 6.3)
  3. Ability to think critically about accounts of the past, placing them in political, social and personal context (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2 and 6.2)
  4. Develop a sense of New Zealand and Pacific histories vis-à-vis those of the wider colonial world (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2 and 6.3)
  5. Familiarity with approaches to global social change grounded in the political and cultural interaction of diverse peoples (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2 and 6.3)
  6. Knowledge and understanding of political, economic, cultural, symbolic and ideological forces (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.2 and 6.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Participation 10% Individual Coursework
Seminar Lead 20% Individual Coursework
Essay 40% Individual Coursework
Review 30% Individual Coursework

There is no plussage for this course. There is no DNC (Did Not Complete) grade.

Next offered

This course is unlikely to be offered again

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 seminar, 4 - 6 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 2 - 4 hours of work on assignments. 

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2022.

Attendance is required at seminars to  receive credit for components of the course.
Seminars will  not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events. 

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.

All materials will be available via Canvas reading lists or emailed directly to you in advance of class.

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.

For example, students in 2020 chose a new volume for discussion in future offerings.

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 against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

All written work will be submitted via Turnitin. Reports will be made available and students are encouraged to read their own reports in the interests of consolidating their skills in academic integrity. These reports will be taken seriously in grading coursework. 

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.

Anyone with disabilities or other constraints on their learning or their study experiences are encouraged to get in contact early on so as to see how we can work together to help out. 

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 02/11/2021 03:59 p.m.