SYMBOLS AND SOCIETY

ANT3SPS

2014

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

Human culture is often said to be communicated through the use of symbols. In this subject, students are introduced to the major issues involved in the understanding of culture as a symbolic system. Students will encounter a range of ethnographic examples of symbolic systems. Students can expect to achieve an understanding of how ideas are represented in symbols, how symbolic systems are configured, and how symbolism is related to social life, power, consciousness and the unconscious.

Faculty: Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Makiko Nishitani

Available to Study Abroad Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 3 - UG

Exchange Students: Yes

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: N/A

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: ANT2SPS

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Learning resources

Readings

Resource TypeTitleResource RequirementAuthor and YearPublisher
ReadingsThe Forest of SymbolsPreliminaryTurnerITHACA, CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1967
ReadingsThe Interpretation of CulturesPreliminaryGeertzHUTCHINSON, LONDON, 1983

Melbourne, 2014, Semester 2, Day

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: N/A

Enrolment information:

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Makiko Nishitani

Class requirements

Lecture/WorkshopWeek: 31 - 43
One 3.0 hours lecture/workshop per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via blended.

Assessments

Assessment elementComments%
One 2000-word essay50
Weekly in-class assessments (1,000-word equivalent)25
Weekly multiple choice questions (1,000-word equivalent)25