Overview

This unit examines contemporary culture as a construct through initiating the education of students in Indigenous issues. With particular focus on the world’s oldest living, continuing culture, students learn concepts of imperialism and colonialism, the diversity of Indigenous Australian people and culture, and a basic understanding of issues that define our experiences as Australian citizens in a postcolonial society. Fundamental Indigenous concepts are introduced, including respect and relationships, connection to country spirituality, and kinship. Students will learn to challenge existing knowledge of Indigenous cultures and encouraged to form their own connections to help underpin their knowledge of contemporary culture.

Requisites

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-February-2024
26-May-2024
Last self-enrolment date
10-March-2024
Census date
31-March-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Analyse and discuss theories of imperialism, colonialism, and postcolonialism, and their relevance to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians today
  • Examine Indigenous knowledge and spirituality, as well as the contemporary implications of traditional aspects of Indigenous life
  • Describe factors that explain historical and contemporary change in Indigenous cultures
  • Explain the ongoing significance of Indigenous culture to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
  • Confidently practise and further encourage broader thinking in issues of inter-cultural relationships

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Lecture
2.00 10 weeks 20
On-campus
Class
1.00 10 weeks 10
Study Tour
Site Visit
2.00 2 weeks 4
Specified Activities
Various
3.00 12 weeks 36
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
6.67 12 weeks 80
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
12.50 12 weeks 150
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
PresentationGroup 35% 2,3,4,5 
Reflective PieceIndividual 30% 1,2,3,4,5 
Written AssignmentIndividual 35% 1,3,4,5 

Content

  • The roles of colonialism and imperialism in Australian society
  • Culture as a construct; the role of race and racial identity
  • Diversity within Indigenous cultures
  • Connections to country and local Wurundjeri culture
  • Sovereignty of Indigenous cultures and knowledges
  • The roles of narrative and storytelling in cultural identity
  • Concepts central to Indigenous culture including The Dreaming, kinship structures, non-linear time and gendered knowledges
  • Indigenous cultures in contemporary society

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.