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Introduction to Aboriginal Australia (ABST150)
Semester 1 / 2009

Texts

y separately published work icon Aboriginal Australians : Black Response to White Dominance 1788-1980 Aboriginal Australians : A History Since 1788 Richard Broome , George Allen and Unwin , 1982 Z1575265 1982 single work (taught in 12 units)

'This book tells the history of Australia from the standpoint of the original Australians - those who lost most in our country's early colonial struggle for power. Surveying two centuries of Aboriginal-European encounters, it reveals what white Australia lost through unremitting colonial invasion and tells the story of Aboriginal survival through resistance and accommodation. It traces the continuing Aboriginal struggle to move from the margins of colonial society to a more central place in modern Australia.".

'Since its first appearance in 1982 and revision in 1994, Richard Broome's Aboriginal Australians has won a wide readership as a classic text on the history of race relations in Australia. Now fully updated to 2001, this new edition explains the land rights struggle since Mabo, the Hindmarsh Island affair, debates over the 'stolen generation', 'sorry' and reconciliation, and the recent experience of Aboriginal Australia. Aboriginal Australians remains the only concise and up-to-date survey of Aboriginal history since 1788.' (Taken from book jacket of 2002 edition.)

y separately published work icon The Little Red Yellow Black Book : An Introduction to Indigenous Australia Bruce Pascoe , Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies , Canberra : Aboriginal Studies Press , 2008 Z1546895 2008 single work non-fiction (taught in 2 units)

'The Little Red Yellow Black Book is an accessible and highly illustrated pocket-sized guide. It's an invaluable introduction to Australia's rich Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture. It takes a non-chronological approach and is written from an Indigenous viewpoint. The themes that emerge are the importance of identity, and adaptation and continuity. If you want to read stories the media don't tell you, mini-essays on famous as well as everyday individuals and organisations will provide insights into a range of Australian Indigenous experiences.' (Publisher's blurb)

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Description

The interaction between the oldest living cultural tradition on Earth, and the ongoing results of the colonial process, are the focus of this subject. Lectures and tutorials provide local and international students with an introduction to the cultures and histories of Aboriginal Australia, and some current issues, through the key concepts of colonisation and resistance. The contrast between indigenous knowledge systems and dominant Western worldviews is a critical theme.

Extra Information:

This subject is designed for any local or overseas student requiring introductory and foundational knowledge in a range of Aboriginal issues. Please note: a quota will be applied to this subject at the Wollongong campus. Once all places have been filled, subject enrolments will be closed.

Subject Objectives:

On completion of this subject each student will be able to: 1. Explain the significance of Aboriginal worldviews in relation to aspects of Aboriginal cultures; 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of colonisation and resistance, 3. Understand the persistence and revival of Aboriginal cultural traditions in the modern world

Assessment

Media journal (15%); Tutorial presentation (25%); Lecture quiz (10%); Final essay (50%).

Other Details

Current Campus: Semester 1 : Batemans Bay, Bega, Moss Vale, Shoalhaven, Wollongong ; Semester 2 : Wollongong only
Levels: Undergraduate
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