Macquarie University

Cultural Contexts: Communities and Cultures in Action - CUL350

This unit explores student participation in the representation of diverse communities and cultures. Students place their study experiences in a relationship with community and cultural contexts they have an interest in, or engagement with. These include but are not limited to: social and support groups, sporting communities, interest groups, charities, fan clubs and cultures, traditional cultural practices, volunteer projects, collectives, or other social networks. This focus extends to engagement with media and performance production, archival and curatorial cultures, in addition to social service providers and policy makers. Students actively investigate ‘real world’ situations and problems, evaluating cultural experience beyond the university. Activities in the course include: testing theoretical debates and methods against community standards and policies; debating key issues with reference to cultural productions and performances; and developing innovative ways of applying methodologies with a view to potential actions, humanitarian interventions.