HPL2511

Community Studies ( 6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader: Dr Keith Wilson

Offered:
Gippsland First semester 2006 (Day)
Gippsland First semester 2006 (OCL)

Synopsis: This unit gives students a critical understanding of community building, innovation, maintenance and failure. Topics include traditional communities, utopian communities, theories of social organisations, cooperatives, religious communities, sects, self-sufficient communities, community networks and the challenges facing Australian rural communities.

Objectives: At the completion of this unit students will be able to: 1. understand the range of social formations that exist both as parts of communities and as communities in themselves; 2. comprehend a range of perspectives on community organisation; 3. critically understand the factors involved in community building, community innovation, community maintenance and community failure; 4. employ a range of analytical skills and conceptual frameworks; and 5. write well argued and competently written essays for assessment.

Homepage: 12

Assessment: Essay 2500 words) (on-campus include oral presentation): 60% + Examination (2 hours): 40%

Contact Hours: 2 hours per week (1-hour lecture, 1-hour tutorial)

Prerequisites: Completion of eight first-level units in Humanities and Social Sciences or permission

Prohibitions: GSC2701