The Publishing Industry & Globalisation

Subject 106-514 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

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

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Semester 2, - 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: 2 contact hours/week, 8 additional hours/week. Total of 10 hours per week.
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Dr Mark Davis

Contact

Mark Davis
davismr@unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview: This subject addresses a range of political, social and cultural issues associated with the globalisation of publishing. Students will review various interpretations of the emergence of global publishing conglomerates and the integration of print publishing with other media forms. They will also examine the rhetoric surrounding the book as an emblem of national culture, and the emerging resistance to English as a global lingua franca. The subject will pay particular attention to discourses of national identity and cultural integrity as they have influenced the development of publishing in a postcolonial and post-Cold War environment. Students completing this subject will be familiar with contemporary debates about cultural globalisation, hybridity and the place of publishing in the ‘knowledge economy’.
Objectives:
  • have gained an understanding of the ways in which the development of publishing is bound up with issues of national culture;
  • be able to critically analyse the role publishing has played in North-South cultural and economic inequalities and the commodification of cultures;
  • have developed an awareness of emerging patterns of publishing activity and their implications for global cultural exchange.
Assessment: Project proposal 20% (due mid semester) and a research paper 80% (due at the end of the semester).
Prescribed Texts: A subject reader will be available.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  • develop skills in high-level written and oral communication skills through contribution to class discussions and the completion of assignments;
  • demonstrate a capacity for effective teamwork through group discussions and peer review;
  • acquire cultural and ethical understanding through reading and critical reflection on the role of the publishing industry in perpetuating Eurocentric constructions of culture and received knowledge;
  • acquire skills in research through the preparation of class papers and assignments, including the use of online as well as print-based materials;
  • acquire skills in time management and planning through managing workloads for recommended reading, tutorial presentations and assessment requirements;
  • develop a capacity for critical thinking through the use of readings and discussion to develop a critique of received wisdom about the cultural, social and political significance of the publishing industry in its international context.
Notes: This subject is only available to students enrolled in the Publishing and Communication Program, BA Honours, Media and Communications Honours or MA Programs. Students enrolled in other cognate PG Programs may seek approval from the course coordinator
Related Course(s): Master of Arts (International Studies)(Adv. Seminars and Shorter Thesis)
Master of Creative Writing, Publishing and Editing
Master of Global Media Communication
Master of International Studies
Master of Publishing and Communications

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