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MPP505 - Ethnography and Policy

2020

Sector

Higher Education

Discipline

Public Policy

Unit Description

Ethnography uses informal data gathering (collected statements, stories of happenings, images of events) to study situations from the point of view of a researcher who is also a partial participant. Working on the assumption that policies of public administration should proceed from the ground up, inspired by real situations, this unit teaches students to collect and use ethnographic methods as an evidence base for policy formulation and evaluation. Students will undertake ethnographic data gathering in multiple modes: embodied participation in everyday situations; viewing of video material; listening to audio material; interrogating written texts and learn how to incorporate this data in policy work.

Text Book

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Unit Learning Outcomes

1.	Engage in ethnographic research to experience the role of partial participant.
2.	Critically assess policy documents for their ability to reflect and connect with public problems and service needs.
3.	Analyse audio, video, and written texts generated in various contexts to discern embedded analytic concepts.
4.	Compose ethnographic stories as a response to unexpected or puzzling events or situations.
5.	Evaluate various conceptual approaches to social analysis.

Assessment Overview

	Assessment Task	Value (of total mark)	Related Learning Outcome/s
1.	Three written ethnographic stories. (1000 words each)	30%	1,3,4
2.	Oral presentation relating ethnographic stories to policy issues (15 mins)	20%	1,2
3.	Essay discussing social analysis, ethnography, and policy (4000 words)	50%	3,5

Unit Availability

Year	Semester	Att Mode	Location	Learning Method	Timetable*
2020	Semester 2	Internal	Casuarina Campus	OLR
2020	Semester 2	External	External Studies	OLR

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Critical Dates

Important Dates for Students

Fee Information:
Fees and Payments
Student Services and Amenities Fees

2021 Domestic Unit Fees (PDF)

Commonwealth Supported Student Contribution amounts

Year	Credit Points	EFTSL	From 2010	Pre 2010
2020	10	0.125	Band 1 - $835	Band 1 - $835