ANY3430

Civilisation and its malcontents

(ART)

Michael Stevenson

6 points + 2 hours per week + Second semester + Clayton + Prerequisite: Appropriate first-year ANY sequence or by permission + Prohibition: COS3440

Synopsis: The unit deals with texts that relate to the following argument: an important force in the making of contemporary civilisation has been the encounter, and its aftermath, between peoples leading distinctively different modes of life. One such significant encounter for example is that between native peoples of Europe and the native peoples of the Americas. The nature and dynamics of these encounters, often destructive to the point of ethnocide, also produce movements of criticism and opposition. The malcontents create forms of consciousness and organisation which, while modern in themselves, strive to counter the general destruction and alienation created by modernity itself.

Assessment: One research essay (3000 words): 60% + one review essay (1500 words): 40%