| Unit name | Representations: This is (not) my America |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HUMS10014 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Forbes |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
n/a |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
n/a |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
n/a |
| School/department | School of Humanities |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit aims to introduce students to a variety of theoretical perspectives on representation in the arts and humanities. The theoretical issues under consideration may include metaphor, allegory and figurative perspectives; 'objective' representation and questions of interpretation; realism and discourse; signification and absence; ideology; the creation of stereotypes; the creation of meaning; and the use of critical perspectives to name and/or re-make the world.
In addition to the theoretical questions that are introduced, students will have an opportunity to consider practical questions arising from the unit, and particularly issues about representation within arts/culture in society and about the perspectives that are normally heard or which may go unrepresented in the academy. These perspectives will be considered in part through contributions to the teaching on the unit by external experts such as members of local community organisations and professionals from related disciplines, e.g. a novelist, a television producer, an activist or a lawyer specialising in issues related to culture.
The assessment for the unit will allow students to specialise in either the academic or practical questions raised, and will provide an opportunity to undertake group work.
The unit will, where relevant, include an introduction to relevant issues – such as managing difficult situations and health and safety – for those undertaking working in/with the community.
An overview of content:
In the age of Covid-19, Brexit, Trump, rising nationalism across Europe, and an ongoing worldwide refugee crisis, this interdisciplinary unit takes up the question of nationhood and belonging. As our primary focus, we will be looking at representations of nationalism, race, identity, and citizenship in U.S. literature, music, history, art, and cultural theory from the eighteenth century to the present day. Toward the latter part of the term, we will turn to related questions of belonging in relation to Bristol. The issues will usually be considered through 5 'case studies' of representation, which might include (as examples) a novel or memoir, a painting, a philosophical or theological essay, a film and a television programme.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit:
On completion of the unit students will have had the opportunity to engage with a variety of text, music, visual culture, and heritage institutions, gain an increased understanding of how academic work links with pressing issues in the broader world, and, via the group project and peer assessment, refine their skills for co-working and improve their understanding of the processes of assessment in ways that not only connect to the content of this unit, but will be a valuable frame of reference for progress into years 2 and 3.
Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. demonstrate an understanding of theoretical issues underpinning how representation has been debated and articulated in different arts/humanities disciplines;
2. explain and evaluate how non-Western perspectives have challenged and re-framed questions about representation in arts/humanities disciplines in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries especially;
3. apply these theoretical groundings to practical questions about representation as they are debated and understood in non-academic settings and communities, and to questions about voices, communities or perspectives that may often go unheard in the academy;
4. apply what they are learning in the classroom to a range of settings, including in workplaces and through engagement with non-academic perspectives;
5. participate in class discussions and work collaboratively.
Teaching will involve asynchronous and synchronous elements, including group discussion, research and writing activities, and peer dialogue. Students are expected to engage with the reading and participate fully with the weekly tasks and topics. Learning will be further supported through the opportunity for individual consultation
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Regular seminar attendance is required for the award of credit. Failure to attend at least 50% of the seminars – without validated reason - will mean that you are not able to receive the credit for this unit. [ILO 5]
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
For this unit, students will complete one written assignment of 2,500 words (100% of the unit mark) or equivalent.
This assignment will be one of:
1. A creative response to the themes of the unit, which may be in the form of a piece of creative writing, photographs, a short film, a piece of music, jewellery or another form to be agreed by the unit tutor (equivalent to 1500 words), and which is accompanied by a reflective commentary of 1,000 words showing how the work responds to theoretical, practical and ethical questions prompted by the unit. This assignment will normally emphasise learning outcomes (3)-(4) and (5), but the student should also draw on knowledge and understanding acquired through tasks related to ILOs (1)-(2).
2. A group project, in which students will present a report engaging with the theoretical issues prompted by the unit and emphasising ILOs (1)-(2), but drawing also on knowledge and skills acquired through tasks in the unit designed to facilitate ILOs (3)-(4) and (5). This may be in the form of a report mapping issues of representation with a community organisation or similar. Each student will be required to hand in their preparatory notes for the report, which will form part of the assessment.
The assessments will be marked initially through peer assessment, designed to facilitate ILO (5) and to add to students’ evolving understanding of undergraduate marking criteria. The unit convenor will then moderate a selection of the assignments to ensure parity across the unit. A numerical mark will thus be provided for the assessment through peer feedback, but the unit will be assessed on a pass/fail basis. Attending a minimum of 50% of the total timetabled sessions and satisfactory engagement with the peer assessment process will be a requirement for successful completion of the unit.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the format or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are confirmed by the School/Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HUMS10014).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
