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Study humanities & social science online with Macquarie University through Open Universities Australia. Explore all degrees, subjects and short courses now.

Health and Wellbeing in Social and Cultural Contexts

Genre and Classic Texts

Dangerous Pleasures: An Introduction to Literary Studies

Academic Writing

Archaeology of Ancient Civilisations

Introduction to Cultural Studies

Sustainability, Climate Change and Economics

Academic and Professional Communications

Drugs in Society

English Language in Use

With increasing entrenchment of AI in human affairs, its scientific, moral, political, economic, and other social aspects are becoming a significant issue. For instance, there is a significant concern that machine learning algorithms contribute to the discrimination against members of oppressed groups (e.g., women, people of colour). This unit, co-designed and co-taught by relevant experts in Computing, Philosophy, and cognate disciplines, will present and discuss key theoretical, ethical, and empirical questions about the conditions of explainable, safe, fair, and responsible AI. Furthermore, it will explore scientific, ethical, political, economic, and other social implications of topical issues such as algorithmic decision making, applications of deep learning models, and robot rights. Students will be exposed to ideas such as balancing risks and responsibilities, both in the scientific and moral sense, in the context of the evolving AI technologies.

Rights, Responsibilities, and AI

Literature has always been at the forefront of responding to and influencing social change, providing profound insights into what it means to live in challenging times. In this unit students choose one of several different streams of study to explore how particular literary epochs, movements and/or genres challenge political hierarchies, narrate social justice, create empathy for humans and the natural world, and engage with conceptual or technological innovations. Learn how major literary figures grappled with the global issues of their own interconnected worlds through dedication to their craft and the enduring search for freedom and meaning.

Literary Responses to Global Issues

Please note: This subject is available in Macquarie Session 3, which is an intensive semester that spans only 5 intensive teaching weeks, plus a mid-semester recess and an assessment period. Students are advised to enrol in only one or two subjects in Session 3. Students who would prefer to take the unit over 13 teaching weeks should enrol in the Session 1 or Session 2 offering. What do the humanities, arts, and social sciences comprise and how do they benefit society? How do they contribute to the rapidly changing world of work? This unit is an interdisciplinary introduction to the main methods used and issues considered in the study of the humanities, arts, and social sciences, with particular reference to the key transferable skills that you will develop in your learning journey through the Bachelor of Arts. Case studies drawn from a variety of disciplines and real-life situations will be employed to illustrate the ways in which the humanities, arts, and social sciences respond to complex problems and social challenges. In addition, you will develop essential skills and strategies to succeed as a Bachelor of Arts student, which are also applicable to the subject disciplines that constitute the degree.

An introduction to the study of the humanities, arts, and social sciences at university—and a gateway to your arts degree. Open your mind to culture, philosophy, and language. Build transferrable skills in critical thinking, research, and analysis. 

Humanities and the World

The study of the past is constantly evolving and this unit sets out to introduce students to the changing nature of the study of antiquity and the on-going significance of the past in the modern world. This unit also introduces students to the study of primary sources, or evidence from Greek and Roman world, and the evaluation of how history is written through an analysis of a specific historical area. The first section of the unit is focused on the study of ancient sources - what is our evidence and how did authors millennia ago write about major world events - pandemics, war, politics, and so on that continue to be a focus for us today. This section of the unit will give you a thorough understanding of the issues around the use of evidence in Ancient History.The second section of the unit focuses on the writing of ancient history in the modern world. You will study a developing area of recent research and critically evaluate how this research is created, its limitations and its strengths, and its significance for those living in the modern world.The third section introduces students to recent research on the failure of the Roman Republic in the second century BCE with a view to better understanding how a political system can simply cease to function and to understand the relevance of this historical phenomenon for the 21st century.

Explore how universities in today’s modern world research and make meaning of the past. You’ll review evidence of major events in Greek and Roman history. And with a critical eye, you’ll evaluate ancient sources against current principles and processes.

Studying the Past: An Introduction to Ancient History in the 21st Century

This subject was previously known as JPNX101/JNPX1010 Introductory Japanese I.This subject provides introductory Japanese language instruction for students with no previous knowledge of Japanese. Students develop basic speaking, listening, reading &amp; writing skills, including mastery of the hiragana &amp; katakana scripts. By the end of the course, students should be able to describe their surroundings, ask questions, make plans, and effectively participate in a variety of fundamental conversations. Furthermore, the subject will also assist students in developing an awareness of sociocultural issues which influence Japanese language use. The subject provides opportunities for interactive language learning, and a wide variety of methods for Japanese practice through the use of online resources.

Begin your journey to writing, reading and speaking Japanese. Learn about different components of the Japanese writing system such as hiragana and katakana. Acquire a grasp of kana scripts. Interact with online resources to test your studies.

Japanese Studies I

Building on the range of concepts and tools introduced to students in ENGL1001 Literature: From Medieval to Modern, this subject focuses on how literature developed throughout the twentieth century to the present day. It analyses how English, Australian and American writers – poets, playwrights, novelists, graphic novelists and screenwriters – responded in profoundly intellectual and visceral ways to the wars, calamities, technological change and digital disruptions of what Eric Hobsbawm calls the ‘Age of Extremes’. We trace patterns of alienation and anomie, but also the growing urgency of hope and human rights in literary responses to the modern world. Continuing to develop university level skills in critical reading, textual analysis and writing about literary texts, this subject also introduces students to theories of visual literacy and critical studies, equipping students with the tools to interpret different kinds of narratives.

Seek to understand how poets, playwrights, novelists, graphic novelists and screenwriters responded to the world around them – including wars and technological change – reflecting this in their texts. Build on your skills in critiquing narratives.

Literature: Modern and Contemporary

This subject was previously known as PHIX137 Critical Thinking.Please note: This subject is available in Macquarie Session 3, which is an intensive semester that spans only 5 intensive teaching weeks, plus a mid-semester recess and an assessment period. Students are advised to enrol in only one or two subjects in Session 3. Students who would prefer to take the unit over 13 teaching weeks should enrol in the Session 1 or 2 offering.This subject aims to teach the fundamentals of critical thinking and reasoning. Students will learn how to construct, analyse and critically evaluate arguments; how to detect common fallacies in reasoning; and how to think logically and creatively. We teach these skills by developing practical techniques for the evaluation of reasoning, and applying them to arguments from business, law, science, politics, philosophy and the media. Critical thinking skills are invaluable across all disciplines, and will benefit students in academic contexts and in life beyond university.s

Identify methods used to structure arguments. Beware of fallacies and pseudo-arguments. Prepare for discourses on subjects including science, philosophy and law. Sharpen your approach to thinking critically and producing well-reasoned arguments.

Critical Thinking

In 1215 CE, a Mongol army led by Genghis Khan conquered the Chinese city of Zongdhu (present-day Beijing), creating the basis for the largest contiguous land empire in human history. That same year, leaders of the Latin Church met for the Fourth Lateran Council in Rome at the other end of Eurasia, establishing western European Christian doctrine for the next three centuries. These civilizations soon came into contact as the Mongol Empire enabled commerce and cultural exchange between east and west Eurasia. This unit explores how the increasingly complex network of connections that linked Europe and the wider world between the High Middle Ages and the eve of the modern era helped to create the particular society and culture that we today frequently refer to as “the West.” We focus on the historical contingency of this creation and the ways in which both European and non-European influences and factors forged the idea of the West. From medieval encounters between Christianity and Islam to eighteenth-century encounters between Pacific Islanders and Europeans, from the thirteenth-century Eurasian economic world system to the truly global economy that emerged after 1500, from the horseback empire of the Mongols to the martime empires built by European states, we explore the transformation of the premodern world. The unit considers these processes from both European and non-European perspectives.

Explore a crucial period of premodern history. Analyse the religious, political, economic, and cultural events that contributed to the creation of Western society. Dive more deeply into an aspect of this era by penning a research-based essay. 

Forging the West: A World History of Europe, 1215-1788

Every week students will be introduced to a number of myths from ancient Greece, Rome, the ancient Near East (including Egypt), and some myths from the Aboriginal traditions. You will study the earliest creation myths, explore the stories of gods and goddesses, heroes and monsters, in ancient literature and art. The myths, studied in translation, will be analysed in terms of their cultural context, the genre in which they belong, their typology and as the semester progresses through certain theoretical perspectives.

Reveal how the politics and cultural life of ancient civilisations are reflected in their mythology. Meet figures from Greek, Roman and Near-Eastern mythology. Study Egyptian and biblical texts. Look for examples of myths in literature and art.

Myth in the Ancient World

This subject was previously known as POIX108 Introduction to Global Politics.Globalisation has had dramatic implications for the structure and conduct of global politics, now defined by the multiplication of actors and networks. Contemporary crises can no longer be contained within state borders and global problems such as climate change, poverty, health insecurities, and violent conflicts call for global solutions. This unit equips students with the tools to understand the forces that shape the world we live in by introducing them to the key issues, institutions, ideas, and actors involved in global politics. It first outlines the historical context, key theories and concepts, and fundamental institutions of contemporary global politics. Students will then explore important contemporary global issues and crises. Overall, the unit provides students with foundational knowledge about the complexity of global politics, problems and solutions.

Gain a global perspective on issues like poverty, climate change and terrorism. Broaden your understanding of the history of global politics. Identify the challenges facing international governing bodies. Ask what you can do to change the world.

Introduction to Global Politics

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