‘Celebrity: An Unauthorised History’ points a telephoto lens at one of modernity’s most mesmerising and perplexing cultural phenomena: stardom. The course begins and ends in London. We will open in the eighteenth century, when David Garrick, first superstar of the theatre, is treading the boards. The curtain closes in 1997, when the late Princess Diana is became the focus for a world in mourning. Between those two points, this course will drive a wide arc through the interrelated worlds of politics and entertainment, reflecting on forms of celebrity in diverse cultures and contexts. Drawing from historian Fred Inglis' argument that celebrity is a ‘product of culture and technology’, an ‘adhesive’ that pulls together ‘public politics, civil society, and private domestic life’, this journey through the history of celebrity will track the rise of individualism, consumerism, the arrival of mass media and the emerging impact of digital formats and social media. The course shows that celebrity—and our preoccupation with it—reveals much about our society and even more about ourselves.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the factors shaping the cultural phenomenon of celebrity and its iterations over an extended period of history;
- explain the influence or impact of those factors and the areas and periods of change associated with them;
- assess a range of historiographical approaches to 'celebrity', and to related areas of social and political change;
- demonstrate research skills in working with a diversity of historical and secondary sources; and
- construct an evidence-based historical argument in a form suitable to its purpose and target audience.
Indicative Assessment
- Document Exercise, 1000 words (20%) Learning outcomes 1-5 (20) [LO null]
- Essay, 2500 words (40%) Learning outcomes 1-5 (40) [LO null]
- Tutorial Participation (10%) Learning outcomes 1-3, 5 (10) [LO null]
- Online quiz (10%) Learning outcomes 1, 2 (10) [LO null]
- Final open book examination, held during the exam period (20%) Learning outcomes 1-3, 5 (20) [LO null]
The ANU uses 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. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials and tutorial-like activities; and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Not applicable
Majors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3000 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $4560 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4725 | 25 Feb 2019 | 04 Mar 2019 | 31 Mar 2019 | 31 May 2019 | In Person | View |
