HI3450:06
Australia’s Colonial Past
Townsville
Prerequisites: 4 units of level 2 HI or PL subjects
Inadmissable Subject Combination: HI2450 HI3460
39 lectures, 12 tutorials. First semester.
Staff: Dr R McGregor.
This subject explores the European encounter with Australia from early maritime contacts in the seventeenth century to the establishment of the Commonwealth in 1901. Attention is given to attempts at recreating British-style culture and institutions in the colonies, as well as endeavours to create distinctively Australian forms of society and culture. The development of ideologies of nationalism and images of national identity, along with changing representations and evaluations of the Australian landscape, are topics for particular scrutiny.
Learning Objectives:
- to become familiar with relevant debate in Australian cultural history and in Australian historiography in general;
- to acquire competence in research appropriate to level 3 studies;
- to gain an appreciation of the diversity of historiographic and theoretical perspectives available to the historian;
- to develop skills in the organisation and expression of research findings appropriate to level 3 studies.
Assessment by 5,000 word essay (35%); tutorial assignments (30%); examination (35%).
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