136-075 Identities in Conflict

Formerly available as 136-257/357. Students who have completed 136-257/357 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Usually 50 points of first-year arts subjects.

This subject investigates identities in conflict by studying witchcraft accusations, Nazi doctors, Malcolm X, the bonds of love, formations of violence, ethnic and racial conflict, gender relations and everyday life in high or postmodernity. These settings highlight the social, cultural and psychological processes involved in the ongoing politics of identity and provide the context within which a series of social-theoretical issues are raised regarding the relationship between the subjective and the social. Theories of ideology, discourse, agency, structuration, violence, intersubjectivity and subjectivity are drawn upon to analyse the centrality of individual and group identities to the organisation of social and political relations. Students completing this subject should develop a recognition of the ways in which social theory can provide both a range of approaches and a series of concepts for the analysis of the politics of identity, along with a critical perspective on standard approaches to identities in conflict.

• develop skills in written and oral communication;

• be able to conduct independent research;

• be able to make appropriate use of primary and secondary sources in mounting an argument;

• be able to form defensible judgements based on a critical evaluation of conflicting arguments.

An oral presentation of a 400 word tutorial paper 10%, an essays of 1600 words 30% (due mid-semester), a second essay of 2000 words 50% (due during the examination period), class participation and contribution 10%.