University of Queensland

This course examines the philosophical underpinnings and practical application of nonviolence as a means for effecting social change. It covers the relationship between violence and nonviolence in particular historical contexts, as well as examining debates over the ethics and efficacy of resistance. By focusing on nonviolence, as well as its ostensible opposite, students gain insight into the character of social relations and the distinct forms of violence and nonviolence which mark the everyday lived experiences of people across the world. Such insights allow students to think anew about the nature of contemporary conflicts and resistance movements, including, for example, consideration of the role of new technologies and social media in the pursuit of social change.

This course analyzes coastal zone management. Lectures cover waves in the ocean and calculation of properties such as wavelength from the parameters of wave period and water depth; surf zone processes and coastal groundwater: wave setup, wave run up, rip currents, and long shore currents; how the processes of saltwater intrusion into agricultural areas are generated and managed; sea level rise, the Bruun rule, and coastal sediment budgets; constitutional and legislative frameworks looking at the State of the Marine Environment Report; and evolution of integrated coastal zone management in Australia. Case studies are used to examine specific issues in Australia. The Barrier Island case study looks at geomorphic and ecological characteristics and processes, land use and development history, and contrasting approaches to management. The Venice case study examines environmental history, coastal structures, catchment impacts and management, resource exploitation, coastal subsidence, storm surge, ecological and engineering solutions, and sustainability. Students also participate in field trips to the Gold Coast and the Port of Brisbane.

This course examines the changes that occur as particular texts move between various cultural forms. The media under consideration will include print, radio, theatre, television, film and videogames, but some adaptations that change cultures rather than media, such as television formats and cross cultural stage adaptations will also be examined.

This course provides students with an overview of prevalent developmental disorders present in childhood. The class covers issues related to diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of specific disorders (autism, ADHD, sensory disorders, behavior disorders, and anxiety and mood disorders), as well as more general theoretical issues related to causes of disorders in development and the implications of various disorders for the understanding of normal development.