013082 Aboriginal Social and Political History
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
UTS: Education: Social and Political ChangeCredit points: 6 cp
Subject level: Undergraduate
Result Type: Grade, no marksAnti-requisite(s): 015395 Aboriginal Social and Political History
Handbook description
This subject examines and analyses the impact of colonialism on Indigenous Australian people, with particular reference to the Aboriginal inhabitants of this region. The emergence of Aboriginal social and political movements is presented as the basis for repossession of traditional heritages in land and culture. Topics include ethnocentric versions of history, consequences of the practices and policies particularly in relation to the Aborigines Protection Boards, Indigenous Australian social and political movements, and misconceptions about Aboriginal history; and their impact on public opinion to the detriment of Indigenous peoples.
Subject objectives/outcomes
On completion of this subject students will:
- Have gained a basic understanding of Aboriginal history as a site of political struggle
- Be familiar with major shifts in government policy on Aborigines between 1788 – 2006
- Possess an understanding of the diversity and commonality of Aboriginal strategies dealing with government policy and non-Aboriginal Institutions between 1788 – 2006
- Have developed an understanding of how government policy changes over the past two hundred years continue to impact on Indigenous Australian communities
- Have developed some basic skills in historical research
- Have explored some Indigenous approaches to sharing information
Teaching and learning strategies
Students will learn through a combination of set readings, lectures, workshop exercises, case studies, and written assessments requiring them to apply concepts to their own research and presentations. Students will be encouraged to be active rather than passive learners. The subject will feature 3 Block sessions through the semester for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander block students. The subject may include a selection of the following teaching and learning strategies:
- full lectures or mini lectures (possibly including guest speakers),
- large group discussion,
- practical group exercises,
- small group discussion,
- student presentations (individual or group projects)
- workshops on specific practical skills
- role play.
Mode of Delivery
Teaching Aboriginal Studies is offered in residential block mode as part of the Indigenous Australian block programs for the BEd. in Adult Education; and the BA Adult Education and Community Management. It is also offered as a University-wide elective, and as an elective subject in the weekly BEd. Adult Education and the BA Organisational Learning.Content
This subject will explore ethnocentric versions of history that have reinforced negative stereotypes and created incomplete versions of past events. Such representations obscure the past making it difficult to understand the present. Indigenous Australian peoples have been (and still are) misrepresented in 'popular' accounts of history (Hollingsworth 2005, p17; Tamisari 2004, p98). The consequences of the practices and policies particularly in relation to the Aborigines Protection Boards resulted in generations of Indigenous Australians with little or no access to formal education. It also left a lot of people and communities with low self-esteem and created many negative stereotypes. The legacies of which are still impacting on the lives of Indigenous Australians today. Aboriginal Social and Political History will challenge some misconceptions presented by people in positions of power and influence such as the media and their impact on public opinion to the detriment of Indigenous peoples (Rowley, 1986, p104). It will challenge romanticised views that perpetuate imposed criterias of the 'real' or 'traditional' Aboriginal that have been used to rank and exclude the views of Indigenous people who do not 'qualify' or fall in line with these limitations (Keefe, 1992, p88). It will explore Indigenous Australian social and political movements with an aim to be respectful of the pathways created by others that have directly impacted on the opportunities afforded in the present. The power in re-creating these experiences and reflecting on them from our different perspectives creates opportunity for developing new understandings (Apte 2003, p1). It is through this recreation, reevaluating and sharing that we are afforded an invaluable opportunity to progress as individuals and as educators.
Assessment
Assessment item 1: Sharing History - a poster and presentation
| Weighting: | 40% |
| Length: | Poster size A3 or larger and a 15 minute presentation |
| Assessment criteria: |
Total 40% |
Assessment item 2: Sharing History - a written presentation
| Weighting: | 30% |
| Length: | 1500 words |
| Assessment criteria: |
Total 30% |
Assessment item 3: Class attendance and participation
| Weighting: | 30% |
Required text(s)
Some readings for this subject are contained in the accompanying book of 'Readings'. Other information will be distributed during class sessions. UTS Coursework Assessment Policy and Procedures Manual that may be downloaded at: http://www.gsu.uts.edu.au/policies/coursewkassess.html
Indicative references
Apte, Judi (2003) 'A narrative approach to transformative learning' Proceedings of the 43rd Annual National Conference Adult Learning Australia Canberra: ALA Augoustinos, M., Lecouteur, A., and Soyland, J. (2002) 'Self-sufficient arguments in political rhetoric: constructing reconciliation and apologizing to the Stolen Generations' in Discourse and Society, vol.13, (1), London: SAGE Publications Bachelard, M. (1998) The great land grab: What every Australian should know about Wik, Mabo and the Ten Point Plan Melbourne: Hyland House Batty, Philip (2005) 'Recruiting an Aboriginal voice: The state development of Aboriginal broadcasting' in Taylor, L., Ward, G., Henderson, G., Davis, R., and Wallis, L. (eds.) (2005) The power of knowledge: The resonance of tradition Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press Behrendt, Larissa (2004) 'Law stories and life stories: Aboriginal women, the law and Australian Society' 2004 Clare Burton Memorial Lecture in Australian Feminist Studies vol.20, no.47, July 2005, SA: University of Adelaide Caruana, Wally (2003) Aboriginal Art: New edition, London, UK: Thames and Hudson Christie, M. (2005) 'Aboriginal knowledge traditions in digital environments' in Battiste, M., and McConaghy, C. (eds) (2005) The Australian Indigenous Journal of Indigenous Education – Thinking Place: The Indigenous Humanities in Education, vol.34, Brisbane Qld: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Study Unit, University of Queensland, pp61-66 Coe, M. (1989) Windradyne: A Wiradjuri Koorie Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Elder, B., (1992) Blood on the wattle: Massacres and maltreatment of Australian Aborigines since 1788 Sydney: National Ellis, Cath (2004) 'Helping yourself: Marlo Morgan and the fabrication of Indigenous wisdom' in Australian Literary Studies, vol.21, issue 4, University of Queensland Press Hokari, Minoru (2005) 'Gurindji mode of historical practice' in Taylor, L., Ward, G., Henderson, G., Davis, R., and Wallis, L. (eds.) (2005) The power of knowledge: The resonance of tradition Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press Hollingsworth, David (2005) 'My island home: Riot and resistance in media representations of Aboriginality' in Social Alternatives vol.24, no.1, first quarter, Brisbane: Social Alternatives HREOC (2005) Social Justice Report 2005, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, http://wwwhumanrights.gov.au/social_justice/sjreport05.index.html HREOC (2005) Native Title Report 2005, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, http://wwwhumanrights.gov.au/social_justice/intreport05.index.html Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1997) Bringing them home: National Inquiry into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. Sydney: HREOC Langton, M (2001) 'The Nations of Australia' An Alfred Deakin Lecture, 20 May, 2001, Melbourne Town Hall, University of Melbourne, http://search.abc.net.au/search/cache.cgi?collection=abconline&doc Long, Michael (2005) 'Kaleidoscope: Michael Long: The long walk to raise awareness of the chronic issues affecting Indigenous Australians – interviewed by Kowalski-Roth, Suzanne' in Independent Education vol.35, no.2, July 2005 pp6-7. North Sydney: NSW Independent Teachers Association Macdonald, Gaynor (2003) 'Photos in Wiradjuri biscuit tins: Negotiating relatedness and validating colonial histories' in Oceania vol.73, no.4, University of Sydney Smith, Claire (2004) Country, kin and culture: Survival of an Australian Aboriginal community South Australia: Wakefield Press Smith, Benjamin (2005) 'Culture, change and the ambiguous resonance of tradition in Central Cape York Peninsula' in Taylor, L., Ward, G., Henderson, G., Davis, R., and Wallis, L. (eds.) (2005) The power of knowledge: The resonance of tradition Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press Smith, Benjamin (2003) 'Images, selves, and the visual record: Photography and ethnographic complexity in Central Cape York Peninsula' in Social Analysis vol.47, issue 3, Fall 2003 Tamisari, Franca (2004) 'When is Aboriginal Aboriginal too much? (not a hump but a historical speed bump)' in Hecate vol.30, issue 1, pp96-99, St Lucia, Qld.
