Cosmopolitanism: Beyond Multiculturalism

Subject INTS90004 (2010)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2010.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

Semester 1, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A 2-hour seminar per week
Total Time Commitment: 10 hours per week: total time commitment 120 hours
Prerequisites: Admission to a relevant coursework masters program. Admission to a relevant postgraduate diploma or fourth-year honours program.
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements: For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Description, Course Objectives and Generic Skills of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Coordinator

Dr Sara Wills

Contact

Dr Sara Wills
X49975
s.wills@unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

Cosmopolitanism: Beyond Multiculturalism explores a range of effects resulting from the traffic across national boundaries of culture, capital, people and ideas. Unlike some programmes that focus upon politics, economics and development, this subject focuses in particular on the development and operation of social and cultural processes, practices and theories across a range of humanities and social science disciplines. The course aims to encourage students to think outside of national frameworks in order to meet the challenges of an increasingly transnational and globalised world, but especially to think critically about the social and cultural implications for Australia as it rethinks old models of multiculturalism within the nation. In particular, it aims to outline and explore the bases and potential for a cosmopolitan ethos in Australia today.

Objectives:

Students who complete this subject should be able to:

  • comprehend and engage with a range of interdisciplinary approaches to cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism, including historical, sociological, philosophical, social and cultural texts and debates
  • demonstrate a critical understanding of cosmopolitanism, multiculturalism and related concepts such as transnationalism, internationalism and globalisation
  • be able to think in theoretical terms about the concepts of cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism in an Australian context
  • exhibit a capacity for critical thinking about Australian culture and society
  • demonstrate interdisciplinary skills in research, analysis, and written and verbal communication that draw upon materials and concepts presented and discussed in seminars
Assessment: Each student will be required to make a class presentation outlining their research project on some aspect of cosmopolitanism in Australia. This presentation will be equivalent to 500 words in length and due at a time allocated in week one, 10%. This presentation will be developed into a major essay of 4000 words, 70% (due at the end of semester). Students will also be required to write a 500 word review of class reading, 20% (due during the semester). Hurdle requirement: students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to be pass this subject.
Prescribed Texts:

A subject reader will be available.

Recommended Texts:

Linda Basch, Nina Glick Schiller, Cristina Szanton Blanc, Nations unbound: transnational projects, postcolonial predicaments, and deterritorialized nation-states ([S.l.] : Gordon and Breach, 1994). Jan S. Adams and Marilyn R. Waldman (eds), Transnational approaches of the social sciences : readings in international studies (Lanham, Md. : University Press of America, c1983) Pheng Cheah and Bruce Robbins, Cosmopolitics: Thinking and Feeling beyond the Nation (University of Minnesota Press,1998) John Docker and Gerhard Fischer (Eds), Race, colour and identity in Australia and New Zealand (Sydney : UNSW Press, 2000). John Wiseman, Global nation? : Australia and the politics of globalisation (Cambridge . Melbourne : Cambridge University Press, 1998). Antoinette Burton (ed.), After the imperial turn : thinking with and through the nation (Durham, [N.C.] : Duke University Press, 2003). Gerard Delanty, Citizenship in a global age : society, culture, politics (Buckingham : Open University Press, 2000). Carol A. Breckenridge [et al., guest editors]. Cosmopolitanism, (Durham, N.C.: Society for Transnational Cultural Studies by Duke University Press, c2000. Steven Vertovec and Robin Cohen (eds), Conceiving cosmopolitanism : theory, context and practice (New York : Oxford University Press, c2002). Joshua Cohen (ed.), For love of country: debating the limits of patriotism / Martha C. Nussbaum with respondents (Boston : Beacon Press, c1996). Nigel Dower &amp.amp.amp.amp.amp.amp.amp.amp.amp.amp.amp.amp.amp. John Williams, (Eds.) Global citizenship : a critical reader (Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, 2002). (University of Minnesota Press,1998) Cornelia Navari, Internationalism and the state in the twentieth century (London : Routledge, 2000).

Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  • be able to demonstrate that they can take responsibility for their own learning and academic endeavour. be able to think in theoretical and / or have strong foundation for empirical research.
  • be able to demonstrate the time-management skills required for conducting a sustained and developmental piece of independent study.
  • be able to demonstrate skills of information retrieval, management of ideas, and orchestration of diverse sources in the process of essay construction and presentation.
  • be able to situate the significance of their research in the context of broader social, ethical and cultural contexts.
  • be able to communicate their research findings in a clear and intelligible manner.
Related Course(s): M.A.Australian Studies (Advanced Seminars and Shorter Thesis)
Master of Arts in History (Advanced Seminars and Shorter Thesis)
Master of International Relations
Master of International Studies
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Australian Studies
Australian Studies
Cultural Studies
Cultural Studies
Cultural Studies
History
History
History

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