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

    The Politics of Knowledge and Disinformation
  • Unit Code

    POL2305
  • Year

    2026
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Simon STEVENS

Description

This unit examines the intricate dynamics of information dissemination, power and societal impact. Students explore how disinformation has operated historically and in the present, with a focus on the reproduction of power and inequality. Through case studies, the unit investigates the ways in which disinformation shapes our understanding of the world, influences decision-making and perpetuates existing hierarchies.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Critically analyse the tools of disinformation to assess their impact on political debate, democratic processes and the reproduction of power and inequality.
  2. Evaluate the impact of disinformation on individual beliefs.
  3. Apply advanced media literacy skills to identify and critically evaluate the credibility of information sources.
  4. Collaborate to generate and communicate a range of evidence-based strategies for countering disinformation and promoting media literacy in public discourse, showing autonomy, accountability and judgement for own contributions.

Unit Content

  1. The role of media, technology, and political actors in the production and dissemination of disinformation and conspiracy theories.
  2. Propaganda and its relationship to disinformation.
  3. Social media in the spread of disinformation.
  4. Political manipulation and the use of disinformation.
  5. The impact of disinformation on elections and democratic processes.
  6. Strategies for countering disinformation and promoting media literacy.

Additional Learning Experience Information

As part of their assessment, students will create a media literacy campaign or educational resource aimed at addressing the challenges of disinformation.

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 School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
EssayResearch essay50%
ProjectMedia literacy project (including individual reflection)50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
EssayResearch essay50%
ProjectMedia literacy project (including individual reflection) 50%

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.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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