This course provides students with an introduction to current and historical debates and issues in the Humanities, with a particular focus on Public Culture and Digital Humanities. The course will involve contributions from leading Humanities scholars from across the University, and draw on the expertise of visiting scholars where appropriate. Visits to cultural institutions in Canberra are included when possible. Key issues covered in the course may include: the relevance of the Humanities for contemporary society and culture; the role of public cultural institutions in Humanities debates; the political uses of the Humanities; issues in Humanities communication (such as copyright and open access); the impact of the Internet on Humanities scholarship and research; and emerging digital methodologies in Humanities research.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. develop critical reading skills;
2. identify and discuss relevant literature, including theoretical and methodological approaches to the topic;
3. analyse and critically discuss key issues and debates relevant to Humanities research; and
4. communicate these issues to professional audiences.

Field Trips

National Museum of Australia

Self-guided walk around the Parliamentary Triangle

Additional Course Costs

None

Required Resources

Internet access Students are expected to access class materials through the course website and Wattle learning platform. Your ANU student email (via Wattle) will be used regularly to communicate important information about class activities and assessments so you must check it regularly. 

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Responses to postings on Wattle forums
• Comments and marks on all assignments
• Discussion in class
• Informal feedback via email as required

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	THEME 1 - Definition and Histories of the Humanities Week 1. What are the humanities? (History, debates, definitions) To begin we look at the history of the humanities and discuss the different ways that it can be defined. Key texts* Rens Bod, A New History of the Humanities: The Search for Principles and Patterns from Antiquity to the Present, Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2013 *Texts listed on CMS are to give an overview of the course readings. The required full weekly reading list is on Wattle.	Participate in weekly class discussion
2	THEME 1 - Definition and Histories of the Humanities Week 2. Humanities now! (Humanities in the digital, global age) Now we know where the humanities came from we reflect on the current state of the humanities. What new disciplines and issues are emerging? Is research in the humanities global? Key text Lesley Johnson, ‘Generosity and the Institutions of the Humanities’, in Humanities Australia, No. 6, 2015, pp. 6-19.	Participate in weekly class discussion
3	Theme 2 - STEM V HUM Week 3 Science vs humanities - the history of the debate The idea that science and the humanities are wholly distinct and separate disciplines with little to say to each other is often disproved, yet persists. This week we look at the relationship between STEM and the Humanities, examine the history of the two fields, look at when they diverged, and the origins of the ongoing debate over the separateness of the two in the modern university. Key Text Snow, CP, The Two Cultures: And a Second Look: An Expanded Version of The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution, Cambridge University Press, 1963.	Participate in weekly class discussion
4	Theme 2 - STEM V HUM Week 4 Humanities and technologies This week we look at the history of computational and technological methods in the humanities, and on the growing role that traditional humanities methods are being applied in disciplines such as engineering and computer science as we strive to create a more ethical, and a more human, digital world. Key Texts Kathleen Fitzpatrick, 'Humanities, Done Digitally', in Debates in the Digital Humanities, 2012. Genevieve Bell, 2017 Boyer Lectures, Radio National, http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/boyerlectures/introducing-2017-boyer-lecturer-prof-genevieve-bell/8868990	Participate in weekly class discussion
5	Theme 3 - Public Culture Week 5 Humanities and Public Culture - The Museum The museum and the library are the public spaces of the humanities. They give a physical presence to the humanities in braoder society and are probably the place where the broader public most consciously engage with the ideas, history, arguments and debates central to humanities research. This week we will critique the role they play and the challenges they face. This week will include a visit to the National Museum of Australia. Key Texts Australian Journey (stories of Australia’s history by ANU and the National Museum of Australia) https://www.nma.gov.au/learn/classroom-resources/australian-journey Michael Warner, ‘Publics and Counterpublics’, in Public Culture (2002) 14 (1): 49-90	Participate in weekly class discussion Digital Communication due Monday 25 March 5pm.
6	Theme 3 - Public Culture Week 6 Media - humanities in the public arena We often hear about the need for humanities (and other academic disciplines) to reach outside the university and have a presence in the public sphere. This week we will look at how research in the humanities can have a public presence, the advantages, the pitfalls, and the challenges of presenting complex research on popular public platforms, including social media. We will also share and discuss the digital communication assessment due in Week 5. Key Text Martin Robbins, ‘The trouble with TED talks’, The New Statesmen, September 2012. Mary Beard, ‘Roman Britain in Black and White’, Times Literary Suplement, August 2017 https://www.the-tls.co.uk/roman-britain-black-white/	Participate in weekly class discussion
7	Theme 4 - Humanities and Place Week 7 Humanities and the city - ANZAC DAY no class. Students to undertake a self-guided walk around the Parliamentary Triangle.	Participate in weekly class discussion
8	Theme 4 - Humanities and Place Week 8 - Humanities, Space and Society We probably mostly think about humanities as something that happens in words, in text, as an abstract concept. But, what is the role of place and space in shaping humanities, and how do humanities ideas shape the spaces in which we live? We will discuss this in terms of civic spaces, especially Canberra. Key Text Jane Jacobs The Death and Life of Great American Cities, New York: Random House, 1961.	Participate in weekly class discussion
9	Theme 5 - Humanities and Politics Week 9 Democracy and the humanities Over the next two weeks we will think about the intersections of politics and the humanities. First, we will look at the way that humanities shapes politics and political discussion. We will look at what role humanism and humanities plays in a modern democracy. We will ask whether humanists good at politics? Are politicians bad at humanities? Key Texts Martha Nussbaum, ‘The Silent Crisis', Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities, Princeton University Press, 2016. Edward W. Said , Humanism and Democratic Criticism, 2004, Columbia University Press.	Participate in weekly class discussion Annotated Bibliography and Research Proposal due Friday 10th May 4pm.
10	Theme 5 - Humanities and Politics Week 10 Values, morals, politics, humanism This week we will look at the politics of the humanities. There is no single ‘humanities’, rather there are many types, and many different people who practice it. This week we will consider who is included or excluded and what assumptions might lie beneath humanities research and debates. DIscuss how do modern political debates and issues affect our study of humanities subjects (even those focused on the past) and ask if humanities radical or conservative. Key Text Rebecca Futo Kennedy, ‘Why I Teach About Race and Ethnicity in the Classical World’, EIDOLON, Sep 2017 https://eidolon.pub/why-i-teach-about-race-and-ethnicity- in-the-classical-world-ade379722170	Participate in weekly class discussion
11	Theme 6 Future of the Humanities Week 11 Is humanities becoming global? This week we will look at emerging trends in the humanities. We will also consider the use of interdisciplinary and cross cultural methods and methodologies in humanities research. How do scholars engage methods from other disciplines? Are discuplinary boundaries useful or constrictive? How can we educate ourselves to think globally and cross culturally? Key Texts Peter-Andre Alt, ‘Humanities in Modern Society’, The German House, 4 April 2012. http://www.fu- berlin.de/sites/praesident/reden_artikel/20120404_humani ties_modern_society.pdf Mikhail Epstein, ‘Mikhail Bakhtin and the Future of the Humanities’, in Mikhail Epstein , The Transformative Humanities: A Manifesto (Bloomsbury, 2012).	Participate in weekly class discussion
12	Future of the Humanities What is the role of the humanities in the 21st century? The final week will be student presentations - you should prrsent your research for your final essay. Presentations should aim to engage with ideas about the future of the humanities.	Participate in weekly class discussion Class presentation due.

Tutorial Registration

Registration not required for tutorials - all students to attend the weekly seminar

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Digital Communication	25 %	25/03/2019	04/04/2019	1, 2, 3, 4
Annotated Bibliography and Research Proposal	15 %	10/05/2019	24/05/2019	1, 2, 3, 4
Class presentation	10 %	30/05/2019	06/05/2019	3, 4
Participation in class discussions	10 %	30/05/2019	07/06/2019	1, 2, 3, 4
Research Essay	40 %	14/06/2019	28/06/2019	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website. Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Digital Communication

1000 words (or equivalent) blog post, podcast or video (25%) Learning Outcomes 1-4 (Due week 6)

Assessment Task 2

Annotated Bibliography and Research Proposal

1500 words (15%) Learning Outcomes 1-4

Due week 9.

Assessment Task 3

Class presentation

(10%) Learning Outcomes 3, 4 (Due in class in week 12)

Assessment Task 4

Participation in class discussions

It is expected that all students will complete the weekly readings and will be active participants in class. Students will be asked to lead discussions on certain topics and to find further readings or similar to discuss with the group.

Due weekly.

Assessment Task 5

Research Essay

3000 words (40%) Learning Outcomes 1-4

Due June 14 5pm.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) as submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Assignment feedback and results will be posted on gradebook on Wattle.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students