Students

ABST100 – Introducing Indigenous Australia

2016 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Corrinne Franklin
corrinne.franklin@mq.edu.au
Contact via corrinne.franklin@mq.edu.au
W3A 407
Thursday 1-2pm
Tutor
Holly Doel-Mackaway
holly.doel-mackaway@mq.edu.au
Contact via holly.doel-mackaway@mq.edu.au
W3A 409
By email
Tutor
Michelle Finneran
michelle.finneran@mq.edu.au
Contact via michelle.finneran@mq.edu.au
By email
Tutor
Minna Hsu
minna.hsu@mq.edu.au
Contact via minna.hsu@mq.edu.au
By email
Bronwyn Carlson
bronwyn.carlson@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit offers a broad introduction to the history and cultures of Indigenous Australia from an Indigenous standpoint. Students in this unit will study the historical impact of British colonisation on Australia's first peoples and learn about the history of Indigenous political resistance centred on land, social justice, human rights and cultural identity. Students in this unit will also be introduced to the social, cultural and political outlook of contemporary Indigenous identity and explore the impact and influence of early colonialist race theory on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity. This unit presents as a thought provoking and challenging cultural experience of Indigenous Australian history, culture and worldview and as such provides a solid theoretical foundation for anyone wishing to pursue further Indigenous studies.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Examine non-Indigenous constructions of Indigenous identity over time, including early colonialist race theory and its impact on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Explore societal misconceptions, ideas, attitudes and assumptions about Indigenous Australia.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Community Overview 25% Monday 29th August, 2016
Reflective Essay 25% Monday 10th October, 2016
Topic Discussion 40% Monday 7th November, 2016
Class participation 10% Ongoing

Community Overview

Due: Monday 29th August, 2016
Weighting: 25%

Students will identify and discuss the local Indigenous Australian people of the land on which the student lives/works/or studies.

Further information about the assignment, including the criteria and standards by which your work will be assessed will be available in the ilearn site.

Please note that late submissions will incur a one mark per day penalty.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Examine non-Indigenous constructions of Indigenous identity over time, including early colonialist race theory and its impact on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Explore societal misconceptions, ideas, attitudes and assumptions about Indigenous Australia.

Reflective Essay

Due: Monday 10th October, 2016
Weighting: 25%

Students will write a 1500 word reflective essay drawing from their journals that focus on their learning and findings of the topics (lectures, tutorial discussion/online forum) presented to date.

Further information about the assignment, including the criteria and standards by which your work will be assessed will be available in the ilearn site.

Please note that late submissions will incur a one mark per day penalty.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Examine non-Indigenous constructions of Indigenous identity over time, including early colonialist race theory and its impact on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Explore societal misconceptions, ideas, attitudes and assumptions about Indigenous Australia.

Topic Discussion

Due: Monday 7th November, 2016
Weighting: 40%

Students will self-select 3 weekly topics and will critically engage with and draw upon those topics to discuss their relationship to Indigenous Australians.

Further information about the assignment, including the criteria and standards by which your work will be assessed will be available in the ilearn site.

Please note that late submissions will incur a one mark per day penalty.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Examine non-Indigenous constructions of Indigenous identity over time, including early colonialist race theory and its impact on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Explore societal misconceptions, ideas, attitudes and assumptions about Indigenous Australia.

Class participation

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%

Student attendance and contributions will be assessed on an on-going basis.

This participation mark has two components:

*Class participation – attendance, reading, posing questions/identifying key themes.

*Class contribution – actively participating in classroom/online discussion.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Examine non-Indigenous constructions of Indigenous identity over time, including early colonialist race theory and its impact on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Explore societal misconceptions, ideas, attitudes and assumptions about Indigenous Australia.

Delivery and Resources

Online units can be accessed at: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/.

Students are to attend all lectures and tutorials. There are no tutorials in weeks 1 and 13.

PC and Internet access are required. Basic computer skills (e.g. internet browsing) and skills in word processing are also a requirement.

Please consult teaching staff for any further, more specific requirements.

Unit Schedule

Weekly Lecture Schedule ABST 100 Introduction to Indigenous Australia –

Semester Two 2016

X5B Theatre 1

Lecture 1 

4th August

Welcome to Indigenous Studies

Lecture 2

11th August

Who are Indigenous Australia: Identity

 

Lecture 3

18th August

Indigenous People and the Media

Lecture 4 

25th August

An historical timeline: colonisation to resistance

Lecture 5

2nd September

Indigenous people and Health

Lecture 6

8th September

Race and Racism

Lecture 7

15th September

Indigenous people and Literature

 

 

Mid-Semester Break

 

Lecture 8

6th October

Indigenous land and country 

Lecture 9

13th October

Indigenous Education 

 

Lecture 10

20th October

Stolen Generations

Lecture11 

27th October

Indigenous people and the law: The Northern Territory Intervention or Stronger Futures?

Lecture 12

3rd November

More than dots: Indigenous people and the Arts

 

Lecture 13

10th November

Indigenous Australia: Where to from here

 

Weekly Tutorial Schedule ABST 100 Introduction to Indigenous Australia – Semester Two 2016

Week 1

No Tutorial

 

NO TUTORIAL

 

Week 2

11th/12th August

Tutorial Reading and Question:

Introductions and assessment overview.

 

What is Indigenous? Who are Indigenous? What is Indigenous studies?

 

DODSON, M. 1994. The Wentworth lecture the end in the beginning: Re(de)finding [A]boriginality. Australian Aboriginal Studies, 2-13.

Week 3

18th/19th  August

Tutorial Reading and Question:

Students will name and discuss a recent news article. All students to locate their own news article from recent newspapers (Koori Mail, Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph etc). Internal students should bring a copy to their tutorial class, external students are to cite their news article for other students to locate and read.

 

How are Indigenous people represented by mainstream media?

Is Indigenous media (Koori Mail, NITV) empowering for Indigenous people, why?

 

BANERJEE, S. B. & OSURI, G. 2000. Silences of the media: whiting out Aboriginality in making news and making history. Media, Culture & Society, 22, 263-284.

Week 4

25th/26th

August

Tutorial Reading and Question:

It has been claimed that the extent of Indigenous death through massacre has been greatly exaggerated (Windshuttle 2002). Do you think this aspect of Australia’s history is an inconvenient truth?  Why was Australia invaded?

What, in your opinion, was the greatest act of resistance by Indigenous Australia?

 

REYNOLDS, H. 2006. Resistance: Motives and Objectives. In: REYNOLDS, H. (ed.) The other side of the frontier: Aboriginal resistance to the European invasion of Australia. Sydney: UNSW Press.

Week 5

2nd/3rd September

Tutorial Reading and Question:

What solutions can you argue that may improve basic health lifestyles for Aboriginal peoples in city/rural/remote locations? Can you identify some successful health programs?

 

PHOLI, K., BLACK, D. & RICHARDS, C. 2009. Is ‘Close the Gap’ a useful approach to improving the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians? Australian Review of Public Affairs, 2, 1-13.

Week 6

8th /9th September

Tutorial Reading and Question:

How or why are Indigenous Australians targeted for racism by Australian society?

 

MELLOR, D. 2003. Contemporary Racism in Australia: The Experiences of Aborigines. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 474-486.

Week 7

15th/16th

September

Tutorial Reading and Question:

In what ways can literature expose Indigenous ways of seeing history, social issues and life in general?

 

Readings will be posted to ilearn.

Mid-Semester Break

Week 8

6th /7th

October

Tutorial Reading and Question:

What are the concerns about Aboriginal Australian Native title claims in Australia? Consider the pastoral (farming) and mining industries – who actually has control over ‘Aboriginal lands’?

Why is land important to Indigenous Australians?

 

SEIDEL, P. 2004. Native Title: The struggle for justice for the Yorta Yorta Nation. Alternative Law Journal, 29, 70-74.

Week 9

13th/14th October

Tutorial Reading and Question:

What strategies would you include in any educational setting (early childhood, primary, Secondary, tertiary) that could increase participation levels of Indigenous students?

 

RIGNEY, L.-I. 2011. Indigenous education and tomorrow's classroom: Three questions, three answers. In: PURDIE, N., MILGATE, G. & BELL, H. R. (eds.) Two way teaching and learning: Toward culturally reflective and relevant education. Victoria: ACER Press.

 

Week 10

20th/21st October

Tutorial Reading and Question:

The Stolen Generations had a deep impact on Indigenous Australia. How and why is this still affecting Indigenous Australia today?

Was the national apology effective?

 

Listen to more testimonies http://stolengenerationstestimonies.com/

 

READ, P. 1998. The return of the stolen generation. Journal of Australian Studies, 22, 8-19.

Week 11

27th/28th October

Tutorial Reading and Question:

Discuss Gary Johns article on The Northern Territory Intervention in Aboriginal Affairs: ‘Wicked Problem or Wicked Policy’? What factors are at play?

 

JOHNS, G. 2008. The Northern Territory Intervention in Aboriginal Affairs: Wicked Problem or Wicked Policy? Agenda, 15, 65-84.

Week 12

3rd/4th  November

Tutorial Reading and Question:

Choose an Indigenous identified character from television or film, and discuss the ways in which that character is portrayed.

 

GLOW, H. & JOHANSON, K. Your Genre is Black': Indigenous Performing Arts and Policy.  Platform Papers, 2009. Jan 2009, 1-66.

Week 13

10th /11th November

NO TUTORIAL

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Support for Indigenous Australian students –

The University has an Indigenous Student Support Officer, who is able to provide social educational and personal support for all Indigenous students. For further information please contact (02) 9850 4209.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Explore societal misconceptions, ideas, attitudes and assumptions about Indigenous Australia.

Assessment tasks

  • Reflective Essay
  • Topic Discussion
  • Class participation

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Examine non-Indigenous constructions of Indigenous identity over time, including early colonialist race theory and its impact on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Explore societal misconceptions, ideas, attitudes and assumptions about Indigenous Australia.

Assessment tasks

  • Reflective Essay
  • Topic Discussion

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Examine non-Indigenous constructions of Indigenous identity over time, including early colonialist race theory and its impact on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity.

Assessment tasks

  • Reflective Essay
  • Topic Discussion
  • Class participation

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.

Assessment tasks

  • Community Overview
  • Reflective Essay
  • Topic Discussion
  • Class participation

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.
  • Discuss the social, cultural and political issues that challenge contemporary Indigenous Australia.
  • Explain contemporary Indigenous identity and Indigenous representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Examine non-Indigenous constructions of Indigenous identity over time, including early colonialist race theory and its impact on contemporary representations of Indigenous identity.
  • Explore societal misconceptions, ideas, attitudes and assumptions about Indigenous Australia.

Assessment tasks

  • Community Overview
  • Reflective Essay
  • Topic Discussion
  • Class participation

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Describe the history of Indigenous Australia since British colonisation.