Indigenous Representations
Overview
Building on the knowledge gained in pre-requisite units, this unit further develops students’ knowledge of Indigenous Australian issues and further emphasise the diversity of Indigenous Australia and its people. It provides a solid understanding of the pervasive power of colonial representations and the ways in which these have functioned during the ‘contact period’ (1770-present) to shape non-Indigenous understandings of Australia’s Indigenous peoples. The unit also investigates the impact that representational constructs have had in shaping the lives Indigenous Australians, and the role of all citizens in this investigation.
Requisites
27-October-2024
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the way that Australia has historically created knowledge about Indigenous Australians, and the historical dissemination of this knowledge
- Show a basic understanding of the power of language in the construction of representational racial and cultural identity and the implications of these images, stories, stereotypes and tropes on the life choices of Indigenous Australians
- Understand and identify the extant, pervasive effects of colonialism on contemporary Australian society
- Confidently practise and further encourage broader thinking in issues of inter-cultural relationships in contemporary Australia
- Research a number of topics relating to Indigenous Australians and present a balanced, supported argument that contributes to informed discussions of Indigenous issues in Australia and inter-cultural discussions in general
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Lecture | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Tutorial | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Various | 2.75 | 12 weeks | 33 |
| Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Individual Study | 6.00 | 12 weeks | 72 |
| TOTAL | 141 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media Watch Assessment | Individual | 30% | 1,2,4,5 |
| Museum Exercise | Group | 35% | 2,3,4,5 |
| Research Essay | Individual | 35% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Content
- Representing the ‘Native’ and Aboriginalism: An Introduction.
- Australian Government: Representations - Victoria.
- Aboriginalism in practice
- The Australian Academy: Indigenous Studies
- The Power of Anthropology in the Academy
- ‘Modern’ Science: The role of The Museum.
- Australian Film – The (In)Visibility of Indigenous Film Representation
- Australian Sport.
- Australian media – reporting Indigenous people in contemporary Australian society.
- Representations of Aboriginal Australia and the imperative for Self-Reflection
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.