ASS330 - Cyborg Anthropology
Unit details
| Year | 2027 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s) | 1 |
| EFTSL value | 0.125 |
| Unit chair | Trimester 2: Timothy Neale |
| Prerequisite | Nil |
| Corequisite | Nil |
| Incompatible with | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment | 1 x 1-hour on-campus lecture per week 1 x 1-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment | 1 x 1-hour online lecture per week (recordings provided) 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week |
| Typical study commitment | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
| Supplementary information | *Community Based Delivery (CBD): only for students of the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation NIKERI Institute (located at the Waurn Ponds campus) |
Content
In the 1960s, the term "cyborg" was coined to describe a future in which humans might be made up of both biological and human-made parts. But, on reflection, perhaps we were already cyborgs? Global telecommunication systems mediate our relationships. Radiation and pharmaceuticals affect our environments and bodies. Microplastics are in our bloodstreams. Maybe humans and human societies have actually been a blend of the biological and technological for much longer than we typically imagine.
In this unit, students will be introduced to anthropological perspectives that engage these issues. What do new technological discoveries and our interactions with technologies tell us about human beings of today? How are human beings and their potential imagined in the digital age? How are human values and priorities embedded in the technologies that are shaping our futures? This course will open up new and exciting ways of thinking about the nature of human beings in the context of rapid technological and cultural change, as well as asking how human experiences of love, death, culture, gender, identity, community, the body, environment, work and leisure are being transformed in the context of new technologies.
Cyborg anthropology is about the world-transforming event of modern technological development. It is about the new human beings that we are always becoming.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Describe and analyse an emerging field of new theoretical approaches to technology, from historic to contemporary contexts, and communicate understandings to peers through visual and verbal modes | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking GLO7: Teamwork |
| ULO2 | Evaluate the implications of changing forms of technology for human life, personhood and relationships | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Question taken-for-granted assumptions about modern technology use, innovation and scientific knowledge in order to apply anthropological thinking and perspectives to contemporary digital life | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital literacy GLO5: Problem Solving |
| ULO4 | Evaluate the role of digital technologies in everyday life and reflect on the forms of knowledge and power embedded in these technologies | GLO2: Communication GLO3: Digital literacy GLO4: Critical thinking |
Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some units still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 - Group seminar presentation | 800 words or equivalent | 20% | Ongoing |
| Assessment 2 - Visual project on digital life | 2000 words or equivalent | 50% | Ongoing |
| Assessment 3 - Essay | 1200 words or equivalent | 30% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Hurdle requirements
To be eligible to obtain a pass in this unit, students must achieve an overall mark of at least 50% in assessment task 1, Group seminar presentation and assessment 2, Visual project on digital life to evidence a minimum proficiency in the aligned discipline learning outcomes included in this unit.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for ASS330 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
Unit fee information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.