ATS3438 · The body: A human history

Overview

In this unit, you will develop your own understanding of key primary and secondary sources dealing with the history of the body. The unit draws on work from different fields of historical enquiry including the history of medicine, sexuality, psychology, and anthropology; cultural and social history, as well as the histories of exercise and sports. You will be able to analyse how representations of the body and practices centred on the body (e.g. exercising, tattooing etc.) have influenced people’s understandings of class, race, and gender. In addition, you will have the opportunity to develop your own critical views on historical sexualities. In discussing the representations of grotesque, normal, and beautiful bodies, the unit explores mechanisms of symbolic inclusion and exclusion from imagined communities. The relationship between the reproductive and productive bodies of men and women will be another area in which you can develop a research project. In addition to a discussion of disabled bodies, the unit will discuss the enabling of the body and mind through modern practices of performance enhancement. You will learn through a mix of lectures, seminar discussions and small work groups.

Areas of study: History

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. distinguish between different approaches in the historiography dealing with the body;
2. critically assess these approaches;
3. formulate your own positions on key issues in the history of the body based on a critical engagement with the historiography and relevant primary sources;
4. research and develop an independent research project on a topic relevant to the history of the body;
5. present your findings orally and in writing.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.