Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2017-2018 (archived)
Module ANTH3641: Science, Culture and Ethics
Department: Anthropology
ANTH3641: Science, Culture and Ethics
| Type | Open | Level | 3 | Credits | 20 | Availability | Available in 2017/18 | Module Cap | Location | Durham |
|---|
Prerequisites
- Political and Economic Organisation (ANTH2051) or Families, Kinship and the Social Order (ANTH2041) or Cultures and Classifications (ANTH2091) or Biology, Culture and Society (ANTH2021) or Ecololgy, Genomics and Health (ANTH2011)
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combination of Modules
- None.
Aims
- To introduce students to a variety of anthropological approaches to the study of science and biotechnology.
- To provide an overview of current debates regarding the way that the public, organisations and institutions engage with biomedical sciences.
- To enable students to develop analytical skills to be used to conduct independent research on the subject.
Content
- The module will draw closely on the research interests of the tutors and will provide students with an opportunity to explore the contribution that anthropologists have made to understanding of biological and biomedical sciences. The module will include the following themes and case studies:
- Theoretical approaches to biology in Science and Technology Studies.
- Biomedical research and ethics.
- Genetic screening.
- New reproductive technologies.
- Genetic research and constructions of race.
- DNA and ancestry.
- Public understandings of the life sciences in different countries.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge:
- Acquaintance with the main theoretical approaches to the study of science as a social and cultural phenomenon.
- Familiarity with the anthropological and sociological research literature which describes the socio-cultural significance of advances in the life sciences and biotechnology.
- Ability to apply the analytical insights acquired on the course to specific examples of biological and biomedical advance.
Subject-specific Skills:
- Ability to evaluate critically the social issues arising from recent developments in the life sciences.
- Competence to carry out an in-depth analysis of a particular issue or theme relating to the socio-cultural implications of biosciences and biotechnology.
- Ability to review literature relevant to a particular issue.
Key Skills:
- Ability to integrate and evaluate a range of information and data from primary and secondary sources.
- Ability to communicate through written work.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Lectures - SSK
- Seminars - SSS/KS
- Proposal - SSK/SSS
- Literature Review - SSS/KS
- Extended Case Study/Project - SSK/SSS/KS
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total/Hours | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 21 | Weekly | 1 Hour | 21 | ||
| Seminars | 6 | 3 in Michaelmas, 3 in Epiphany | 1 Hour | 6 | ■ | |
| Preparation & Reading | 173 | |||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component: Extended Case Study/Project | Component Weighting: 100% | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Element | Length / duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
| Extended Case Study/Project | 5000 words | 100% | |
Formative Assessment:
1000 word Proposal for a Case Study and 1500 word review of a book-length ethnography from a selected area of the student's choice in science and biotechnology.
■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University