Anthropology of Current World Issues (ANTH1030)

Course overview

This course introduces students to a core set of social and cultural theories in anthropology, anthropological case studies, and anthropological research processes that address contemporary challenges relating to current world issues including environmental problems, displacement and forced migration, global and local Indigenous struggles, health inequalities, and multiculturalism. We explore what anthropologists study, how they do it and what impact that is having in the world. From online ethnography to anthropologists working with the military, from coal seam gas to refugees, from indigenous knowledge to material culture, we survey the breadth of the anthropological imagination.

This foundational course introduces students to the discipline of social and cultural anthropology through critical examination of contemporary global issues. Drawing on ethnographic methods and cross-cultural perspectives, students explore how anthropological thinking illuminates complex social phenomena including globalization, migration, inequality, environmental change, and cultural transformation. We explore local concerns to global affairs with an anthropological perspective. We will consider how modernity and globalisation have affected diverse peoples and places over time, including the impact of sociocultural norms, political pressures and economic opportunities on custom and livelihood; the effect of migration on notions of nationalism, culture and identity; the influence of global environmental campaigns on resource users in developed and developing countries; the role of indigenous struggles over land and belonging in the 21st century; and the representation of culture and heritage through material objects. Drawing on interesting and exciting case studies from Australia, Europe, Latin America, Melanesia, Southeast Asia, and the United States, we will examine these important current world issues and consider their social history in anthropology.

This course will be a little different to most other 1st year courses, as you will be engaging an online community of learners throughout the course. The course incorporates materials from UQx's "Anthropology of Current World Issues," providing you with digital learning resources that examine real-world case studies from diverse cultural contexts. Through this integrated approach, students develop skills in ethnographic analysis, cultural critique, and anthropological reasoning while engaging with pressing contemporary challenges.

Course requirements

Assumed background

This is an introductory course; no background in anthropology required. All are welcome.

Incompatible

You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:

ANTH1101X

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Aims and outcomes

In taking ANTH1030, you will:

• Explore key ideas, concepts and skills usedﾠin anthropology;
• Examine the relationship between local and global issues;
• Analyse the historical, social, and cultural dimensions of different world issues,ﾠincluding thoseﾠrelated to nationalism, social movementsﾠand Indigenous sovereignty, global capitalism,ﾠmigration and forced displacement, and environmental politics;
• Investigate current events through an anthropological lens.

The approach to the course places emphasis on you as an (inter)active learner rather than as a passive recipient of knowledge. Active involvement requires that you complete assigned readings and assessments, reflect critically on course material, participate actively in online study modules and workshopﾠsessions as well as ask questions of your lecturers and tutors.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment details

World101x quizzes, participation, project

• Online

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Quiz

Weight

20%

Due date

1/08/2025 - 31/10/2025

By 2pm on the Friday of each World101X online study week

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04

Task description

Submission guidelines

You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date. These assessments are to be completed via the edX platform.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Please note that from Semester 2, 2025 the Assessment Procedure has changed. You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.

The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.

Students who are registered with Student Support and Wellbeing Services may apply for an extension without providing documentation. This extension request must be the student’s first extension request for the assessment item. If you proceed with an extension request based on your SAP, you will be ineligible to use your discretionary extension for the same assessment item. In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require students to provide their SAP along with additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).

A student is eligible for a discretionary extension for one assessment task per semester for a duration of 2 calendar days or less. A discretionary extension may only be used on a student’s first extension request for an assessment task.

A student may have a maximum of 3 extension requests approved for a single assessment task. If a third extension is necessary, you must submit an Assessment Management Plan in addition to your supporting documentation with your request. In exceptional circumstances, a fourth extension may be requested through the grievance and appeals process.

Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.

Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.

Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.

Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.

Late submission

You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.

Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.

Museum Project

• In-person

Mode

Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written

Category

Project, Reflection

Weight

40%

Due date

17/09/2025 2:00 pm

There will be only ONE make-up slot in Week 9 Monday 9-11am for Part 2 of the assessment.

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Part 1: Object Display

You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.

Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.

By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.

You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.

Part 2: Written Reflection

Submitted in class. If you can't attend Week 8, there will be ONE make-up slot in Week 9 Monday 9-11am

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Please note that from Semester 2, 2025 the Assessment Procedure has changed. You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.

The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.

Students who are registered with Student Support and Wellbeing Services may apply for an extension without providing documentation. This extension request must be the student’s first extension request for the assessment item. If you proceed with an extension request based on your SAP, you will be ineligible to use your discretionary extension for the same assessment item. In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require students to provide their SAP along with additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).

A student is eligible for a discretionary extension for one assessment task per semester for a duration of 2 calendar days or less. A discretionary extension may only be used on a student’s first extension request for an assessment task.

A student may have a maximum of 3 extension requests approved for a single assessment task. If a third extension is necessary, you must submit an Assessment Management Plan in addition to your supporting documentation with your request. In exceptional circumstances, a fourth extension may be requested through the grievance and appeals process.

Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.

Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.

Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.

Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.

Late submission

Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.

Media Project

Mode

Written

Category

Project, Reflection

Weight

40%

Due date

31/10/2025 12:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

You must submit your assignment electronically by the due time, on the due date.

Your assignment must be submitted via Turnitin on blackboard. To submit your assignment electronically log in to https://learn.uq.edu.au/ultra with your UQ username and password, then click on Course Code>>Assessment>>Assignments, and use the appropriate assignment submission link for each piece of assessment. No e-mailed submissions of assessments will be accepted.

By uploading your assignment via Turnitin, you are certifying that the work you submit is your own work except where correctly attributed to another source. Do not submit your assignment if it contains any work that is not your own.

You are required to retain proof of submission of your assessment. Your Digital Receipt is available for download from your Assignment Dashboard. If you cannot see your submission and download your digital receipt, your assessment has not been successfully submitted; please submit again.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, please contact the ITS Support Team.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Please note that from Semester 2, 2025 the Assessment Procedure has changed. You must submit a request for an extension as soon as it becomes clear you need an extension. Your request should be submitted no later than the assessment item's due date and time.

The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation corroborating the reason for the request. A list of acceptable reasons for an extension and the evidence you must provide can be found here. Your request may be refused if you do not meet the acceptable reasons for an extension. The student submitting the request is fully responsible for all supporting documentation that is provided with the request and should ensure all documents are authentic.

Students who are registered with Student Support and Wellbeing Services may apply for an extension without providing documentation. This extension request must be the student’s first extension request for the assessment item. If you proceed with an extension request based on your SAP, you will be ineligible to use your discretionary extension for the same assessment item. In the School of Social Science, extensions on the basis of an approved Student Access Plan (SAP) can be approved for a maximum period of 7 calendar days. Subsequent extensions for a piece of assessment will require students to provide their SAP along with additional supporting documentation (e.g., a medical certificate or other supporting evidence listed on my.UQ).

A student is eligible for a discretionary extension for one assessment task per semester for a duration of 2 calendar days or less. A discretionary extension may only be used on a student’s first extension request for an assessment task.

A student may have a maximum of 3 extension requests approved for a single assessment task. If a third extension is necessary, you must submit an Assessment Management Plan in addition to your supporting documentation with your request. In exceptional circumstances, a fourth extension may be requested through the grievance and appeals process.

Extension requests exceeding the maximum extension period stated for a piece of assessment will only be considered under exceptional circumstances (circumstances outside of your control) with additional supporting documentation.

Late applications must include evidence of the reasons for the late request, detailing why you were unable to apply for an extension by the due date and time. The School of Social Science will not accept personal statements.

Extension requests are processed and managed by the School of Social Science Administration Team.

Extensions in your final semester of study could delay your graduation by up to one semester.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Work will not be accepted if it is more than one week (7 calendar days) late without prior approval.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

The final grade is determined by adding together the sum of all individual assessment tasks.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Supplementary assessment is an additional opportunity to demonstrate that the learning requirements for an eligible course have been satisfied and that the graduate attributes for the course have been attained. Supplementary assessment may only be granted where Supplementary Assessment – procedures allow. A passing grade of 4 (or P) is the highest grade that can be awarded in a course where supplementary assessment has been granted. For further information on supplementary assessment please see my.UQ.

Additional assessment information

Academic Integrity: All students must complete the Academic Integrity Modules https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/

School Guide for Written Assessments: School of Social Science Guide for Written Assessments

Release of Marks: The marks and feedback for assessments will be released to students in a timely manner, prior to the due date of the next assessment piece for the course. This is with the exception of the final piece of assessment. The marks and feedback for the final assessment item will only be made available to the student on the Finalisation of Grades date at the end of semester.

Assessment Re-mark: For information on requesting an assessment re-mark, please view the following page on my.UQ: https://my.uq.edu.au/querying-result

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

The UQ Library also offers information, guides and technical help on quizzes and tests, Blackboard assignments and Turnitin assignments. Details are available on the Learn.UQ Assessment website (https://www.library.uq.edu.au/ask-it/learnuq-assessment) and UQ Library Ask I.T. Service website (https://www.library.uq.edu.au/ask-it/about-ask-it).

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.