English

This seminar seeks to trace the arguments and development of queer theory from the early 1990s when the term was first introduced to the present, including earlier texts that helped to shape the discourse. Special focus lies on the political and rhetorical strategies that these texts employ and how they establish queerness as a lens through which one can analyze US American culture and cultural productions. To test the scope and limits of a queer framework, students also ask themselves how queer theory relates to interrelated discourses such as feminism, transgender studies, intersex studies, critical race theory, and disability studies. The course discusses such topics as compulsory heterosexuality and heteronormativity, women of color feminism and queer of color critique, queer negativity versus utopianism, homonormativity and homonationalism, crip theory, and trans studies as queer theory’s supposed evil twin.

This course examines major European civil wars of the 20th century, focusing on their origins, military developments, social impact, and long-term consequences. Each case study follows a structured approach, analyzing four key aspects: causes of the war, battlefield front, home front, and post-war period. Students develop a structured and comparative perspective on European civil wars, fostering critical engagement with historical conflicts and their long-term impact.

This course examines the intricate relationship between two of perhaps the most central concepts in the disciplines of political economy and economic sociology: Capitalism and Democracy. It will explore both the complementarities and conflicts that arise from the interaction of these concepts, tracing the ideational history of both, as well as the ideational history of the relationship between capitalism and democracy. Building on key classical perspectives from economic sociology and political economy, students develop a nuanced understanding of how capitalism and democracy have shaped, challenged, and coexisted throughout history, and explore their relationship to today's major political challenges.

This course offers a study of complex systems in the context of sustainability and their governance, particularly in the urban environment. It analyzes the problems and challenges of sustainability and governance, as well as the various implications of adapting sustainable strategies and governance of cities in different geographies and countries at different income levels and political regimes.

The entire fabric of commerce is woven from a complex legal regime which regulates all commercial activity. The dominant vehicle for this commercial activity is the limited liability company. A thorough understanding of key aspects of the legal and regulatory frameworks for business and the operation and governance of corporations is essential for business professionals and those who engage in business activity in Australia. The overall aim of this course is to introduce students to the range of issues likely to be encountered in the contemporary commercial context and the legal implications of such conduct.

The course examines how consumer insights inform marketing strategies and business decisions. Students explore consumer decision-making, branding, persuasion, loyalty, and digital marketing strategies used to influence consumer behavior and strengthen brand performance. 

The course examines social innovation and entrepreneurship as approaches to addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. Students explore social enterprise models, sustainable business practices, impact investing, technology, behavioral approaches, and strategies for scaling and measuring social impact. The course emphasizes the development and evaluation of innovative, socially responsible business initiatives.  

This course offers an introduction to the study of the phenomenon of music. The general concept of sound and music are discussed, its manifestations in folk, popular, and art music as well as its context in community and commercial settings. Discussions center on Africa and beyond, keeping in mind the local and the translocal. As an introductory course, content engages the diversity of students’ life worlds and is cognizant of our African location. The course employs innovative teaching and delivery methods, including multilingual pedagogies and digital literacy, which allow more time for active engagement and the development of critical reading and writing skills in the Humanities. DP requirements: Due submission of all assigned work; at least 80% attendance at lectures and practicals. Assessment: Continuous assessment (essays, projects, tests, etc.) counts 100%.

This course examines the marketing environment, customer types, buyer behavior, market segmentation and product, pricing, distribution and promotion issues in the context of domestic and international product and service markets. Taking a firm centric perspective, it considers how marketing management creates value for an organization through the integration of market and customer information.