Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies programme.
The number of participants is limited to 25.
Description
What we wear, eat, and the goods that we use in our day to day lives reflect a range of often unconscious values that we hold on concepts including class, gender, ethics, nationalism, and other identities. As cultures of consumption became increasingly global during the twentieth century, the development of mass consumer culture in different places also reflected how different countries and regions are integrated into international cultural, economic, and political orders.
In this course, we will examine the development of modern consumer culture from a multidisciplinary and international perspective. Focussing on the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, we will discuss the evolving ways in which the production and consumption of goods beyond basic material needs has been associated with social, emotional, and moral values in different contexts. We will also see how the promotion of particular modes of consumption by state and non-state actors within and across national borders has been an important strategy of cultural diplomacy and economic expansion.
This course will emphasise the cultural component of consumption and explore case studies related to regions including the United States, Latin America, and Western Europe. However, students will be given the freedom to explore the topic of consumer culture according to their own regional and thematic interests in their assessment tasks.
Course objectives
The Electives for International Studies are designed to teach students how to deal with state-of-the-art literature and research questions. They are chosen to enhance the students’ learning experience by building on the multidisciplinary perspectives they have developed so far, and to introduce them to the art of academic research. They are characterised by an international or comparative approach.
Academic skills that are trained include:
Oral and written presentation skills:
1. To explain clear and substantiated research results.
2. To provide an answer to questions concerning (a subject) in the field covered by the course:
in the form of a clear and well-structured oral presentation;
in agreement with the appropriate disciplinary criteria;
using up-to-date presentation techniques;
using relevant illustration or multimedia techniques;
aimed at a specific audience.
3. To actively participate in a discussion following the presentation.
Collaboration skills:
1. To be socio-communicative in collaborative situations.
2. To provide and receive constructive criticism, and incorporate justified criticism by revising one’s own position.
3. To adhere to agreed schedules and priorities.
Basic research skills, including heuristic skills:
1. To collect and select academic literature using traditional and digital methods and techniques.
2. To analyze and assess this literature with regard to quality and reliability.
3. To formulate on this basis a sound research question.
4. To design under supervision a research plan of limited scope, and implement it using the methods and techniques that are appropriate within the discipline involved.
5. To formulate a substantiated conclusion.
Timetable
The timetable is available on the BA International Studies website.
Mode of instruction
Seminars
Seminars are held every week, with the exception of the Midterm Exam week. This includes supervised research.
Course Load
Total course load for this course is 10 EC (1 EC = 28 hours), which equals 280 hours, broken down by:
Attending seminars (2 hours per week x 12): 24 hours
Reading literature: 80 hours
Preparing assignments: 50 hours
Oral presentation: 25 hours
Writing the final research essay: 101 hours
Assessment method
Assessment and Weighing
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Assignments and in-class participation | 30% |
| Oral presentation | 20% |
| Final Research Essay (5,000 words) | 50% |
End Grade
To successfully complete the course, please take note that the End Grade of the course is established by determining the weighted average of all assessment components.
Resit
Students who have been active participants in class and submitted the Final Essay on time, but scored an overall insufficient mark, are entitled to a resit. For the resit, students are given a chance to hand in a new version of the Final Essay.
In case of resubmission of the Final Essay (insufficient grade only) the final grade for the Essay will be lowered as a consequence of the longer process of completion. The deadline for resubmission is 10 working days after receiving the grade for the Final Essay.
Retaking a passing grade
Please consult the Course and Examination Regulations 2018 – 2019.
Exam review
How and when an exam review takes place will be determined by the examiner. This review will be within 30 days after official publication of exam results.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for the seminars. Students are requested to enroll on Blackboard, but only after correct enrolment in uSis.
Reading list
The reading material will be made available by the lecturer via Blackboard together with the syllabus. There will be no need to purchase books.
Registration
Registration occurs via survey only. Registration opens 3 December:
1) On 3 December you will receive a message with a link to the survey.
2) Indicate there which are your 5 preferred Electives, in order of preference.
3) Based on preferences indicated by 16 December the Electives Coordinator will assign you to one specific Elective by 15 January.
4) Students will then be enrolled for the specific groups by the Administration Office.
5) All students are required to enroll for their group in Blackboard to access all course information.
Students cannot register in uSis for the Elective, or be allowed into an Elective in any other way.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable.
Contact
When contacting your lecturers, please include your full name, student number, and tutorial group number.
Remarks
The deadline for submission of the Final Essay is 14 June 2019.