Resistance, Activism and Empowerment
Overview
This unit focuses on the politics of Indigenous resistance, self-representation and sovereignty expressed variously through community and culture. It provides knowledge of Indigenous political movements, creative expression and other challenges to the colonial state, along with an understanding of assertions of sovereignty in a variety of ways including cultural continuance, language revitalisation, expressions of contemporary culture, and the fabric of peoples’ everyday lived-experiences Students will examine specific examples of Indigenous resistance to colonial hegemony including historical and contemporary film, TV, literature, sport, art, and dance. Through each, the strength of culture emerges as a recurring theme.
Requisites
26-May-2024
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Identify key moments of Indigenous resistance to colonisation, sovereignty, and self-determination in Australian history and in contemporary culture
- Think critically about the diverse expressions of Indigenous culture and the way resistance is embedded cultural continuity in people’s everyday lives
- Engage with scholarly debates about power, resistance, empowerment and protest in Australian history
- Confidently describe and evaluate the diverse and varied forms of protest, dissent and action that occurred at different times throughout Australia’s past and present
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Lecture | 2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| On-campus Class | 1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Specified Activities Various | 3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
| Unspecified Activities Various | 6.25 | 12 weeks | 75 |
| TOTAL | 147 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journal and Review | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Presentation | Group | 40% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Written Assignment | Individual | 40% | 1,2,4 |
Content
- Indigenous self-representations across a variety of contexts and media and historical periods
- Community control, self-determinism, empowerment and governance
- Cultural and political expressions found across a range of forms such as sport, art, literature, film, theatre, humour, protest, music, storytelling, dance, language
- Activism and activists and key legal moments of resistance, sovereignty assertion and change
- Including the Kulin treaty, the Tent Embassy, the Mabo Judgement, the Hindmarsh Island Bridge case, and the Uluru Statement of the Heart
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.