CULS30006 Global Cultures, Semester 2 2025

The aim of this assignment is to allow you to demonstrate how your conceptual understanding has developed as a result of your reading, discussions and thinking across weeks 1-5 of this subject (Block 1, Thinking Global). Your essay should demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts introduced in this subject and the disciplinary specificity of Cultural Studies approaches to globalisation and their inter-relationship with approaches in related disciplines, with specific reference to readings, tutorial discussions and lectures in Block 1 of this subject. Please draw upon a minimum of 4 academic peer-reviewed articles for this essay drawn from the prescribed subject readings (ie: the 2 set readings listed each week). For each question, you should engage with materials from at least two different weeks. For example, you might connect your analysis of cultural imperialism with cosmopolitanism, or relate globalization to mobilities or multiculturalism. The assignment requires you to critically reflect on the subject content, demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the entire subject block, recognize how these concepts are interconnected, and reflect on aspects of your own experiences in relation to these theories. Please use Chicago B (author-date) referencing style to cite your sources. Please choose ONE of the following questions:

Essay questions:

1.   How can globalisations (plural) be seen as a postcolonial critique of globalisation (singular)? Why does pluralisation matter?

2.   How have processes of cultural imperialism and cultural hybridization impacted the media you engage with and/or your sense of identity? Answer with reference to one particular text (e.g., a tv series), genre (e.g., country music; sci-fi), or practice (e.g., celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, writing fanfiction etc.).

3.   Reflecting on your own experiences of (im)mobility and mobility regimes, reflect on whether mobility is a risk or an advantage for you. Answer with reference to your personal life experiences (e.g., a solo travel experience; moving abroad for education, etc.).

4.   How can the concepts of cosmopolitanism and everyday multiculturalism help us to understand social life in super-diverse societies? Illustrate your answer using a case   study of everyday multicultural interactions from your own experience (e.g., a neighbourhood where you have lived, going to the food market, or another setting characterised by cultural diversity and informal cross-ethnic interactions, such as a school, club, workplace, etc.).

Assessment criteria:

•    Demonstrated understanding of concepts from weeks 1-5 (including both the

concepts directly referenced in the questions themselves, and any other relevant, related concepts we have discussed alongside these in lectures, readings, tutes etc);

•    Sophisticated ability to reflect on own thinking;

•    Demonstrated ability for independent thinking;

•    Quality of research and referencing;

•    Originality of ideas (demonstration of independent thought and analysis).

Submission of essays:

All written work for assessment must be submitted electronically via Turnitin, linked from the LMS site (Canvas)

Feedback on Essays:

Feedback on essays will be delivered electronically, via the LMS.

Extensions:

It is your responsibility to submit work by the due date. If for some reason you cannot make a deadline, please discuss the matter with your tutor well before the due date. Please email your tutor or course coordinator with any supporting material, who can provide a maximum of 10 working days extension. Significant extensions cannot be granted for the final essay without an application for Special Consideration lodged along with supporting documentation (see below). Please remember that having essays for other subjects due at the same time does not amount to ‘special circumstances’ for requesting special consideration or an extension!

Penalties for late work:

Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at five per cent   (5%) of the possible marks available for the assessment task per day or part thereof. All pieces of assessment must be submitted to pass the subject. Each submitted assessment must be complete, constitute a genuine attempt to address the requirements of the task and will not be accepted after 20 University business days from the original assessment due date without written approval.

Special consideration:

If an extension of 10 working days is not long enough for you to complete your work due to  severe and ongoing circumstances, then you should apply to faculty for Special Consideration and a longer extension. This application must be made within 3 days of the original or extended due date. Again, you will need to supply relevant supporting documentation. The Faculty Special Consideration Committee will decide if you will receive special consideration and a longer extension. If you are unclear about these procedures please consult the following address for the full university policy: https://students.unimelb.edu.au/your- course/manage-your-course/exams-assessments-and-results/special-consideration .

Special consideration is available when: at any time, your work during the academic year has to a substantial degree been hampered by illness or other cause; or, you have been prevented by illness or other cause from preparing for all or part of a component of assessment; or, you were to a substantial degree adversely affected by illness or other cause during the performance of a component of assessment. Requests for Special Consideration are lodged online through the Student Portal, and the requested supporting documentation must be submitted before the application will be considered. Please note the timelines for the lodgment of special consideration. Applications that are lodged outside of these timelines will not be considered.

Guidelines for proper use of AI:

The Student Academic Integrity Policy (MPF1310) section 4.13 (e) states that breaches of academic integrity standards by a student that have the purpose or effect of gaining an unfair academic advantage for themselves or another person include unauthorised or undisclosed  use of technology:

e) Unauthorised or undisclosed use of technology: Unauthorised or undisclosed use of any technology (including generative artificial intelligence, paraphrasing tools and translation  tools) in assessable work. For example, using technology to:

·     disguise plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct

·     generate or modify text or code

·     create or modify designs and images.

This does not include the use of software or other assistive technology in assessment or examination under an assessment adjustment plan.

Disclosing your use of AI:

If you use AI at any stage of your assignment, you must disclose this in your submission. See below for an example.

What is permitted in this subject (Disclosure required)

·    You may use AI to translate academic sources to help you understand them.

·    You may use AI to format your bibliography according a citation style.

·    You may use non-AI spelling and grammar tools, such as Grammarly or Hemingway with the AI functions turned off.

·    You must clearly declare within the assessment submission any use of AI tools.

What is NOT permitted in this subject:

·    You must not use AI to write entire sentences, paragraphs, or papers to complete assignments.

·    You must not present AI-generated output as your own research and ideas.

·    You must not cite AI-generated output as a source for your arguments.

·    You must not use AI-based or AI-assisted tools to rewrite your assignments.

·    You must not use AI to translate your assignments from another language into English.

Any use of AI outside these parameters, or not declared, may be a breach of academic integrity and will be subject to investigation. In accordance with the University of Melbourne’s Student Academic Integrity Policy (MPF1310), this is what is permitted and prohibited regarding the use of AI tools for this subject’s written assignments.

Sample AI Disclosure (adapt this for your own use)

In the research stage of writing my assignment, I used AI translation tools [specify which one/s] to make sure I had fully understood complex concepts including [specify which  concepts] by reviewing their definitions in my first language. In the writing stage of my assignment, I used [Grammarly] to check my work for smooth expressive flow. I checked its suggestions to ensure that the edited text retained my intended meanings, and re-edited it accordingly.