Course Title: Race and Racism

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Race and Racism

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

HUSO1182

City Campus

Undergraduate

330H Social Science & Planning

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006

HUSO1182

City Campus

Undergraduate

365H Global, Urban and Social Studies

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 2 2012,
Sem 2 2013,
Sem 1 2016,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 2 2020

Flexible Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

HUSO1182

City Campus

Undergraduate

365H Global, Urban and Social Studies

Face-to-Face

UGRDFlex17 (XXXX)

Course Coordinator: Dr. Peter Phipps

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2039

Course Coordinator Email: peter.phipps@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 37.5.20

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Assumed Knowledge

It is recommended that you have previously taken at least one social science or humanities course so that you are familiar with some concepts in the social sciences and humanities, as these will be a useful foundation for the issues and concepts addressed in this course.  


Course Description

Racism has had many guises. Its influence can be seen in politics and the law, historical interpretations, media reporting, and in everyday life, where it affects some people more than others. Theories about race have often been used to justify differences in wealth and poverty, or to explain the power of certain groups of people over others. In Australia and elsewhere, racism and racial theories have been closely associated with the destruction of indigenous societies. The science of race and racial difference has changed dramatically over time, in recent decades influenced by genetics research which proved that ‘race’, in a genetic sense, does not exist. Yet, racism continues to reduce life changes and access to opportunities for many groups perceived as racially different from the white-Anglo Australian majority. In this course you will examines the history and current social and political issues associated with ‘race’ as a concept and racism as social practice, using examples from Australia and elsewhere. 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development







Course Learning Outcomes 

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Identify and define racism and racial doctrines both historically and in the contemporary context, in Australia and elsewhere  
  2. Describe and evaluate the major debates about race and racism 
  3. Investigate and articulate reasons why racial discourse and racist practices persist in the 21st century 
  4. Reflect on the experience of racism and racial conflict and outline its relationship to broader social contexts, including economic and political interest, cultural practices and identity discourses 




Overview of Learning Activities

Contact hours / teacher’s input: 3 hours per week (lecture and interactive seminar combined) 

We will have online lectures followed by an interactive seminar, including an individual presentation on a weekly topic and a group discussion following it. Sometimes the discussion will be based on a video or a short text (e.g. media article). 

Students are expected to engage in independent learning, which includes reading course and other literature, and continuous work on assignments. Students will actively participate in class work, primarily individual presentations and class discussions. 


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. 

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal. 


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course learning outcomes. 

Assessment Tasks

1: Me and Racism - A reflective diary (2500 words) - 35%, Aligned Course Learning Outcomes: 1, 3 and 4 

2: Class Presentation 20%, Aligned Course Learning Outcomes: 3 and 4 

3: Race and Art – a Review (500 words), 20%, Aligned Course Learning Outcomes: 1, 2 and 3

4: Online Test (1000 words): 25%, Aligned Course Learning Outcomes: 1, 2 and 3

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks. 

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program manager or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more. 

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.