Course unit details:
Current Issues of Violence and Social Disorder
| Unit code | SOCS23110 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 20 |
| Unit level | Level 5 |
| Teaching period(s) | Full year |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Aims
The aims of this unit are to:
- Provide the basis for students to develop practical skills in relation to the transdisciplinary issues of violence and disorder
- Develop personal and professional skills while working on the issues of violence and disorder
- Deepen overall understanding of global challenges and harms that relate to violence and disorder
Teaching and learning methods
This course unit is designed to run during Semesters 1 and 2. Students will attend a workshop on alternate weeks that will last for 3 hours.
Teaching delivery will mostly take the form of active on-campus learning in the form of interactive, student-led workshops. This on-campus learning will be complemented by a variety of e-learning tasks that will be embedded into teaching practice – thereby providing a blended learning environment. For example, prior to an on-campus workshop, students will be given a task to complete online as part of their preparation to bring to the workshop and discuss further. This may take the form of watching a video clip or reading a news article and then posting their reactions or answers to a question on a discussion board. The points on the discussion board can then be drawn out in the workshop, thereby ‘warming up’ students to the topic and making them better prepared for discussion. Therefore, students will experience a range of learning styles to inform their overall experience.
The 30 contact hours are broken down as follows: 10x workshops spread over 2 semesters, each lasting 3 hours.
Knowledge and understanding
- Analyse case studies to identify issues of social harm and consider how and why violence occurs
Intellectual skills
- Justify a policy critique related to violence and disorder using credible evidence
Practical skills
- Design a well-structured written report using case study material and transdisciplinary research that would be accessible to a broad audience
- Construct a video presentation in small groups examining an example of state violence
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- Develop digital and virtual presentation skills and integrate with group working
- Argue a self-determined viewpoint relating to an aspect of state violence
Assessment methods
Group e-Presentation (20 minutes, end of semester 1, 20%)
Report (2000 words, end of semester 2, 80%)
Feedback methods
Feedback to students is provided in the following ways:
- Informal and verbal feedback during workshops on student contributions – this can also be discussed with staff beyond workshops
- Students can discuss and/or submit a detailed one-page plan for their summative work (video presentation and report), staff will provide written feedback within 10 working days
- Written feedback for summative assessments to be provided within standard SoSS timeframes
Recommended reading
Bloxham, D., and Moses, A. (eds.) (2010) The Oxford Handbook of Genocide Studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Coleman, R., Sim, J., Tombs, S., Whyte, D. (eds.) (2009) State, Power, Crime. London: SAGE.
Evans, I. (2009) Cultures of Violence. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Shaw, M. (2015) What is Genocide? Malden, MA: Polity Press.
Study hours
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 170 |
Additional notes
Contact hours 30 (10x workshops spread over 2 semesters, each lasting 3 hours)