| 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. O'Brien |
| 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 |
Why is this unit important?
This interdisciplinary unit offers students a chance to develop their creative and scholarly skills by exploring how the arts and humanities connect with the broader social and political world. We will take the question of what “representation” really means as a jumping off point. If you think about it, you will soon realise that the answer may look very different depending on the context. In the age of Trump, rising nationalism across Europe, and an ongoing worldwide refugee crisis, this unit looks at how representation relates to art, culture, nationhood, power, identity, and belonging. We will examine past, present and future battles over the question “Who is an American”?
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
By exploring ‘case studies’ of representation across literature, art, history, music, philosophy, film, and politics, this unit will introduce students to a variety of theoretical perspectives on representation in the arts and humanities. Throughout, we will be working to understand how academic study in the arts and humanities connects with our everyday, real-world concerns. This interdisciplinary unit therefore offers a fantastic opportunity for students to broaden the focus of their single or joint honours courses, while also sharing expertise from their primary area(s) of study with students studying other subjects.
Overview of the content
The unit’s primary focus will be on representations of nationalism, race, place, identity, and citizenship in U.S. literature, music, history, art, and philosophy 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 Britain and Bristol specifically. The unit offers students a chance to learn about and explore the Public Humanities and therefore includes teaching from external partners and/or site visits to local heritage institutions.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
This unit broadens students’ horizons by introducing them to a range of literature, music, visual culture, and heritage institutions. It helps them gain an increased understanding of how academic work links with pressing issues in the broader world. The Group Project Presentation unit boosts students’ employability skills and refines skills for co-working. Peer assessment improves students’ understanding of the processes of assessment in ways that not only connect to the content of this unit but offer a valuable frame of reference for progress into years 2 and 3.
Learning Outcomes
1. demonstrate an understanding of theoretical issues underpinning how representation has been debated and articulated in different arts/humanities disciplines and in the public humanities;
2. evaluate how non-Western perspectives have challenged and re-framed questions about representation in arts/humanities disciplines and in the public humanities;
3. apply what they are learning in the classroom to a range of settings, including in workplaces and non-academic settings;
4. contribute to 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 for your summative tasks (formative):
Weekly discussions and workshops to develop and share drafts with unit tutors for the Group Project Presentation. Frequent verbal feedback.
Tasks which count toward your unit mark (summative):
This unit is assessed on a pass/fail basis via two components:
Contribution Mark (Pass/Fail) [ILO 4]
This assessment follows the School’s standard approach to contribution marks but results in a pass/fail outcome. A minimum of 40% of the total timetabled sessions will be necessary to pass the assessment and therefore the unit.
Group Project Presentation & Peer Assessment (Pass/Fail) [ILO 1-4]
The group project may have either creative or a public humanities focus, which engages with the unit’s content and theoretical focus, and emphasizes ILOs (1)-(2). The project will draw on knowledge and skills acquired through teaching and workshops relating to ILOs (3)-(4), such as visits to local cultural heritage sites or talks by external partners. Projects may take the form of websites, walking tours, podcasts, blue plaque proposals, reading guides, video poems, art pieces or similar.
Each student will be required to present their project with their group and submit their slides and/or handouts. The Group Project Presentations will be marked initially through peer assessment, designed to facilitate ILO (4) and to add to students’ evolving understanding of undergraduate marking criteria. The unit tutors will meet with groups to moderate marks and feedback to ensure parity across the unit. A numerical mark will thus be provided for the assessment through peer feedback, but the assessment outcome will recorded on a pass/fail basis.
Students will be required to submit their peer assessed mark and feedback.
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 University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
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. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
