Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

NB: INFORMATION IN THIS UNIT OUTLINE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF SEMESTER

This unit will provide a rich source of information and ideas through which students can acquire an introductory knowledge of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander political culture and history, politics and activism. The unit takes a fresh approach by centring the investigation of Indigenous Australian political culture through the exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander standpoints. The ongoing history of colonial policy will be examined through the consideration of Indigenous Peoples' struggle for equal rights, Indigenous rights and self-determination. Core political concepts and institutions in Australian social life such as the nation-state, sovereignty, liberalism, representation and democracy will be viewed from Indigenous perspectives and critically analysed according to their capacity to accommodate Indigenous interests. Students will be actively involved in contemporary debates regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples including such issues as: current government policy towards Indigenous peoples and their communities, the continuing struggle for land rights and native title, the proposed new national Indigenous representative body, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and other relevant issues as they arise throughout the course.

Aims

The primary aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of Indigenous politics and its relationship with non-Indigenous politics. In addition to fostering an adequate understanding of this, students will be encouraged to examine their values, attitudes and skills in relation to the issues and perspectives presented. Students are expected to acquire a competent and informed understanding of Indigenous Australian political history and contemporary issues relevant to the research topics and assessment selected.

Objectives

1. Develop a critical understanding of the history and politics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous relations up to the present day.


2. Develop a critical understanding of cultural positioning and its relationship to contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues.


3. Develop a critical understanding of your own cultural 'situatedness' and its relationship to the construction of diverse forms of knowing.


4. Develop criticl and analytical research and writing skills.

Content

Issues to be explored include: political history, government policy, Indigenous political culture, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance and sovereignty, the history of policy including assimilation and self-determination, land and sea management, land rights and native title, Torres Strait Islander political history and culture, representation and rights, and the politics of race and racism in Australian society.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

• Promote student learning and cross-cultural understanding through intellectual debate and exploration of issues relevant to the course.


• Encourage students to critically appraise the range of perspective's surrounding Indigenous political culture and be capable of deconstructing their own cultural 'situatedness' and its relationship to the construction of diverse forms of knowing.


• Empower students to question the broader political environment and contribute to contemporary debates on the delivery of social justice for Indigenous peoples.


• Facilitate an environment that promotes peer discussion and learning and the development of appropriate professional skills with respect to engagement with a diverse range of Indigenous communities and their contemporary concerns.

Assessment name: Reflection paper
Description: -
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 4
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 6

Assessment name: Essay
Description: -
Relates to objectives: All
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 12

Assessment name: Examination (Theory)
Description: -
Relates to objectives: 1
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 13

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

There are no set texts for this Unit. Readings will be provided thropugh the Course Materials Database and the Blackboard site however the following references are all relevant and contain useful discussions of the topics covered in this unit of study.

Attwood, Bain (2003) Rights for Aborigines Crows Nest, N.S.W: Allen & Unwin.

Attwood, B and Markus, A (1999) The Struggle for Aboriginal rights N.S.W: Allen & Unwin.

Broome, Richard (1994). Aboriginal Australians 2nd ed. Sydney: Allen and Unwin.

Cunneen, Chris (2001) Conflict, Politics and Crime: Aboriginal Communities and the Police Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest.

Hooks, Bell. (1992) Black looks: race and representation Boston, Mass: South End Press.

Maddison, Sarah (2009) Black Politics St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Maynard, John (2007) Fight For Liberty and Freedom. The Origins of Australian Aboriginal Activism Canberra, Aboriginal Studies Press.

Moreton-Robinson, Aileen (ed) (2007). Sovereign Subjects: Indigenous Sovereignty Matters St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Neill, R, (2002) White Out Allen & Unwin: Crows Nest.

Reynolds, H (1996) Aboriginal Sovereignty St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Reynolds, H. (1999) Why weren't we told? Viking, Ringwood.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 30-Oct-2012