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  2. Theories of Youth [YWK3203]

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Theories of Youth

  • Unit Code

    YWK3203

  • Year

    2016

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    1

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

This unit gives students an overview and understanding of the place of young people in society. It explores the theoretical dimensions of the concept of youth and encourages students to develop their own understanding of the phenomenon that is coherent and applicable to youth work practice.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded YWK2103, YWK3103, YWK4103

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an ability to critically analyse the social construction of youth and adolescence in society.
  2. Develop their own understanding of the concept of youth consistent with critical youth work practice.
  3. Discuss the major theoretical approaches to youth in society.
  4. Discuss the role of discourse in the governance of young people.

Unit Content

  1. Exploration of contrasting theoretical approaches from different disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, history, psychology, critical studies, to the study of youth and adolescence in modern industrial and other societies.
  2. Directions in youth studies research and the implications for youth work
  3. Discourses of youth in contemporary society and how these relate to professional discourses in youth work and in other professions working with young people.
  4. The history of youth, youth culture and youth subcultures.
  5. Youth as a social category and its relationship to other categories such as race, gender and class.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures and tutorials or online discussion.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Reflective PracticeLinking theory to practice either through reflection on set of questions provided OR through a reflective literature review50%
ExaminationFinal examination (long answer questions from a question bank )50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Reflective PracticeLinking theory to practice either through reflection on set of questions provided OR through a reflective literature review50%
ExaminationFinal examination (long answer questions from a question bank )50%

Text References

  • Giroux, H. (2009). Youth in a suspect society: Democracy or disposability? New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Cohen, S. (1980). Folk devils and moral panics (2nd ed.). Oxford: Robinson. Note: Seminal Reference.
  • Furlong, A. (2009). Handbook of youth and young adulthood: New perspectives and agendas. Hoboken: Taylor & Francis.
  • White, R. (Ed.). (2006). Youth subcultures: Theory, history and the Australian experience (4th ed.). Hobart, Tas: ACYS Publishing. Note: Seminal Reference.
  • Merton, B., Hunter, R., & Gore, H. (2006). Getting better all the time: Case studies of improving youth work services. Leicester: The National Youth Agency.
  • Nilan, P., Julian, R., & Germov, J. (2007). Australian youth: Social and cultural issues. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia. Note: Seminal Reference.

Journal References

  • Journal of Youth Studies

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

YWK3203|1|1

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Theories of Youth

  • Unit Code

    YWK3203

  • Year

    2016

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

This unit gives students an overview and understanding of the place of young people in society. It explores the theoretical dimensions of the concept of youth and encourages students to develop their own understanding of the phenomenon that is coherent and applicable to youth work practice.

Prerequisite Rule

Must have passed either YWK1220 or YWK1101

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded YWK2103, YWK3103, YWK4103

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse topical debates about young people, by comparing contemporary discussions with historical and cross-cultural accounts of young people and society.
  2. Identify and critically analyse how theories about youth are used in professional discourse about young people, and in media commentary on young people.
  3. Analyse how various theories about young people influence contemporary youth policy, youth services and youth work practice.
  4. Integrate theoretical understanding of youth with profession and personal values, to develop a consistent conceptual base for future work with young people for work with young people related to your future career (e.g. education, youth work, psychology, juvenile justice, media, politics, health or other settings).

Unit Content

  1. Discourses of youth in contemporary society and how these relate to professional discourses in youth work and in other professions working with young people, and implications for inter-disciplinary professional teams.
  2. Youth as a social category and its relationship to other categories such as race, gender and class.
  3. The history of youth, youth culture and youth subcultures.
  4. Directions in youth studies research and the implications for youth work.
  5. Exploration of contrasting theoretical approaches from different disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, history, psychology, critical studies, to the study of youth and adolescence in modern industrial and other societies.
  6. Contemporary research on theories of youth, which may include research on implications of brain development, epigenetics, and social deprivation on services for young people.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures and tutorials or online discussion.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Reflective PracticeLinking theory to practice either through reflection on set of questions provided OR through a reflective literature review50%
ExaminationFinal examination (long answer questions from a question bank )50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Reflective PracticeLinking theory to practice either through reflection on set of questions provided OR through a reflective literature review50%
ExaminationFinal examination (long answer questions from a question bank )50%

Text References

  • White, R. (Ed.). (2006). Youth subcultures: Theory, history and the Australian experience (4th ed.). Hobart, Australia: ACYS Publishing. Note: Seminal Reference.
  • Nilan, P., Julian, R., & Germov, J. (2007). Australian youth: Social and cultural issues. Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Education Australia. Note: Seminal Reference.
  • Merton, B., Hunter, R., & Gore, H. (2006). Getting better all the time: Case studies of improving youth work services. Leicester, United Kingdom: The National Youth Agency.
  • Giroux, H. (2009). Youth in a suspect society: Democracy or disposability? New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Furlong, A. (2009). Handbook of youth and young adulthood: New perspectives and agendas. Hoboken, NJ: Taylor & Francis.
  • Cohen, S. (1980). Folk devils and moral panics. (2nd ed.). Oxford, United Kingdom: Robinson. Note: Seminal Reference.

Journal References

  • Journal of Youth Studies

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

YWK3203|2|2