AN2003:04
Anthropology in Australia and the Pacific
Townsville, Cairns
HECS Band 1
26 hours lectures, 12 hours tutorials. Semester 1.
Staff: Dr R Henry (Townsville campus); Dr M Wood (Cairns campus).
This subject introduces students to various anthropological, historical and cultural representations of Australian and Pacific societies, both past and present and examines contemporary issues concerned with the politics of identity, colonialism, statehood, land rights, reconciliation, representation and resistance. Discussion of these issues unfolds against a detailed consideration of Indigenous-European relations in Australia and the Pacific region.
Learning Objectives:
- discuss and deconstruct popular discourses relating to the representation of Australian and Pacific societies and peoples;
- outline and critique key debates in anthropology concerning aspects of Australian and Pacific societies;
- describe the nature and content of Aboriginal cosmology, land tenure and social organisation in Australian and Pacific societies;
- identify the content of various historically specific government and colonial policies and the implications of these practices for European and Indigenous people in Australia and the Pacific region;
- discuss the history of Aboriginal land rights in Australia and identify the key issues and points of a number of legislative acts which recognise native title rights and interests;
- indicate and give details about a number of contemporary social and political contexts in which Indigenous people in Australia and the Pacific are empowered.
Assessment by tutorial attendance/participation/presentation (20%); major essay (40%); end of semester examination (40%).