Race, Ethnicity & Representation

Essay Questions
1. Compare the origins of multiculturalism in Australia and Canada. To what extent is Australia a
multicultural country?
2. Describe the difference between descriptive and substantive representation. Drawing on one or
two examples, critically reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of descriptive
representation for minority citizens in state or federal electorates.
3. Drawing on a case study from Canada, Australia or the United States, discuss what are the main
factors explaining the under-representation of MEM groups in federal politics.
4. Do our representative institutions reflect the ethno-cultural diversity of society, and does it
matter? Draw on census and/or legislative data to provide evidence.
5. A question of your choice that has been given approval by the lecturer or tutor (at least 2 weeks
prior to the due date). You may like to focus on a particular country of your choice or
incorporate some of your own particular interests.
Length: 2,200 words (Bibliographies, footnotes and endnotes will not be included in the word
count).
Pass Credit Distinction High Distinction
Contextualisation
of issue/case
study
Personal or
anecdotal overview
bearing little
relation to the core
course themes.
Descriptive
overview of issue,
long or rambling.
Some attempt
made to relate to
the core course
themes.
Provides clear
overview of issue
related to themes
of the course,
clearly related to
the core course
themes.
A clear, succinct and
accessible overview of
issue and analytical
claims.
Related to the core
course themes in
creative and
innovative fashion.
Engagement with
literature
Use of literature and
additional materials
is very limited
and/or largely
irrelevant.
Resources not well
integrated.
Shows evidence of
engagement with
good range of
literature but does
not always
discriminate
effectively between
sources of
information.
Can seek out and
locate required
information with
minimal support.
Employs a wide
range of relevant
literature
effectively.
Independently seeks
out and locates
required information.
Is selective and
discriminates
between sources of
information.
Analysis
Account is mostly
descriptive, personal
and/or anecdotal
though relevant to
the issue at hand.
Attempts to analyse
issue and explain
not just what it is
but how/why it
matters to Politics
in theory and in
practice.
Provide persuasive
analysis of the
issue. Can
synthesise a
number of
concepts or factors
into a larger idea.
Can evaluate the
salience &
limitations of
arguments.
Analysis is
sophisticated and
nuanced. Analysis
evaluates competing
ideas from a number
of standpoints. Makes
and supports
persuasive
argument(s).
Presentation
Adheres to most
expectations
regarding the
formatting and
presentation of
work. Bears title and
name/studen t ID.
Spell checked,
grammatically
correct.
Adheres to all
expectations and
conventions with all
expected attributes
present
(introduction ,
conclusion, wellstructured
paragraphs, linking
phrases).
Adheres to all
expectations and
conventions with
all expected
attributes present.
All expected
attributes present but
have been creatively
interpreted to suit
personal style and the
specific execution of
the task. A unique but
appropriate
presentation of work.
Adherence to
academic
conventions
Basic referencing
accurate and use of
a bibliography and
or reference list.
Lacks consistency.
Consistent system
of referencing with
minor errors of
style or
presentation.
Use of academic
conventions such
as referencing and
citation is accurate,
consistent and
appropriate for the
discipline.
Use of academic
conventions such as
referencing and
citation is accurate,
consistent and
appropriate for the
discipline.