Researching Society and Culture

This subject is not offered in 2014.

120 hours

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

The aims of the 'Researching Society and Culture' workshop are twofold. Part I is designed to enable students to reflect comparatively on how different theoretical traditions have contributed to debate about core tensions in the conceptualization of society and culture. Part II is designed to enable students to deepen and broaden their understanding of core and, whether perennial, resurgent or cutting-edge, contemporary concepts in the social sciences. In both cases the emphasis is on relating this to students' development of their own and their peers' doctoral theses.

Successful completion of the Research Workshop will enable students to have an enhanced awareness of the range of contemporary scholarship in the discipline or interdisciplinary area. In the assessment, you will be expected to demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate the contemporary research literature that is relevant to the thesis topic. The Research Workshop will also enable students to formulate and present the research proposal for confirmation.

• one 2,500-word literature review positioning essay. Due at the end of first semester (50%)
• one 2,500-word research essay. Due during mid-second semester (50%)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.