| Unit name | Social Theories |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ARCH20057 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Gillings |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit aims to acquaint students with contemporary theories within anthropology and archaeology. Emphasis is placed upon the role of theory in these fields and the academic, political and social contexts within which various theoretical approaches have developed. The unit reviews the history of theoretical developments of anthropology and archaeology and provides the necessary analytical frameworks within which students can understand contemporary theoretical trends within these fields. The unit will provide students with the skills to effectively read, understand and assess current anthropological and archaeological literature on the basis of its theoretical stance.
Aims
At the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to
1) Discuss the broad philosophical and historical development of contemporary anthropological and archaeological theory.
2) Critically assess competing explanative frameworks and evaluate their strengths and weakness.
3) Evaluate critically and deconstruct anthropological and archaeological texts on the basis of their theoretical underpinnings.
4) Explain and evaluate anthropological and archaeological data from multiple theoretical standpoints.
5) Evaluate the relationship between theory and ethnography.
Weekly lectures, and five one-hour seminars, supported by self-directed activities. There will be a half day field trip (self-guided) subject to University policy.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
None
Tasks which do not count towards your unit mark but are required for credit (zero-weighted):
Book Review, (1000 words) [0%, Required for Credit], (ILOs 1, 2,3, 5)
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay, 2500 words [100%], (ILOs 1-5)
When assessment doesn’t go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complet reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic 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. ARCH20057).
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 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.
