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Biopower: History, Politics & Evolution (HPSC10005)
Undergraduate level 1Points: 12.5Online
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 - Online |
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Fees | Look up fees |
What happens when biological theory is applied to the political realm? The answer is not necessarily a happy one. The advent of plausible evolutionary theories in the nineteenth century did not just transform biology, they changed politics and the social realm as a whole. No field of human life and endeavour was left untouched. Ethnicity, gender and class relations were transformed by the application of biological theory to politics.
In exploring this subject, we will look at theories of biopower and then analyse the emergence of an evolutionary biopolitics. Particular attention will be paid to eugenics (the attempt to implement selective breeding upon human populations), the construction of crime and deviance (including the making of the “criminal brain”), sex and gender (and the use of biology to argue for gendered inferiority and sexual deviance) , and race and ethnicity (with particular attention paid to Nazi genocide). Underlying this will be a critical examination of the theories of sociobiology and evolutionary psychology, which came to prominence in the latter part of the last century and are still fundamental to the biopolitical perspectives of many commentators.
This subject is entirely online, and is focused upon developing research and communication skills. It will be of interest to students across a wide range of disciplines, from biology to the humanities and social sciences.
Intended learning outcomes
By the end of this subject students should be able to:
- analyse, synthesise and assess scholarly and other arguments about the relationship between evolutionary science and biopower;
- describe evolutionary and its application to pollical, social and cultural realms;
- construct and present effective arguments, backed up by convincing evidence, about the impact of evolutionary theory and biopower to experts and interested non-experts;
- demonstrate effective research skills, including the use of digital tools;
- communicate and present ideas clearly and cogently;
- collaborate successfully within the virtual classroom, and
- demonstrate ethical integrity in written work and classroom activities, including a deep ethical engagement with evolutionary ideas and their biopolitical impact.
Generic skills
- Critical and analytical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Presentation and communication
- Collaboration
- Active citizenship
- Ethical awareness and alignment of cultural values
Last updated: 19 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 19 April 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Semester 1
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Report on biopower in theory and practice
| Week 5 | 17.5% |
Pitch for Podcast / Video
| Week 7 | 7.5% |
Conversation-style analytical piece on an aspect of biopower and evolution
| Week 9 | 25% |
Podcast or YouTube video (script and/or voice/vision)
| During the examination period | 50% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 75% of seminars in order to pass this subject. All pieces of assessment must be submitted to pass this subject. | Throughout the semester | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. After five working days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.
Last updated: 19 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2 - Online
Principal coordinator James Bradley Mode of delivery Online Contact hours Total 30 hours - 12 x online lecture modules (equivalent to 1 hour lecture), 12 x tutes (online, asynchronous forums); and 4 x 90-minute Zoom Webinars with a particular focus upon assessments (Week 1, Week 3, Week 8, Week 10) Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 August 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 contact information
Last updated: 19 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
None – all reading will be available online
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 19 April 2024