Contemporary Cultural Theory & Research

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

85 hours

Admission into 101AA Ph.D.- Arts or DR-PHILART Doctor of Philosophy in Arts.

Cultural studies

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

This subject will introduce students to the current state of the discipline of Cultural Studies. Students will be oriented in relation to the major theoretical traditions, methodological approaches, empirical and political pre-occupations, and national traditions in Cultural Studies. We will do this by considering particular contemporary configurations of Cultural Studies in relation to specific research problems. Students will develop both a synoptic sense of the shape of Cultural Studies now and focused expertise which will enable them to engage with some of the most significant contemporary problems from cultural competency and equity to cultural sustainability.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have:

• enhanced knowledge of the topic or area of scholarship taught in the module;
• an ability to reflect upon their own research work in relation to the content of the module; and
• enhanced engagement with leading-edge research in Arts today.

1. One 500-word essay proposal (20%), due during the teaching period.

2. One 2000-word essay (80%), due within four weeks of completion of teaching.

Hurdle Requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

The subjects will contribute, through teaching and discussion with academic staff and peers, to developing the skills and capacities identified in the University-defined Graduate Attributes for the PhD, in particular:

• the capacity to contextualise research within an international corpus of specialist knowledge;
• an advanced ability to evaluate and synthesise research-based and scholarly literature; and
• an advanced understanding of key disciplinary and multi-disciplinary norms and perspectives relevant to the field.