HIST1208 Women and Men in Australian History

First Year Course

Offered By	School of History
Academic Career	Undergraduate
Course Subject	History
Offered in	Second Semester, 2010 and Second Semester, 2011
Unit Value	6 units
Course Description	This course provides a fresh introduction to Australian history since British invasion/occupation in 1788. We will cast aside many of the traditional assumptions about Australian history, and seek to replace them with new angles of vision on the large and varied cast of women and men who have shaped this nation from its contested beginnings. The course uses two main approaches: biographical vignettes of men and women, from a range of class and ethnic backgrounds, whose stories tell us about various periods and episodes; and the analytical frame of gender-so that we can see how different ideas of femininity and masculinity shaped Australians' lives, and how they changed. Using these two approaches, the course covers a range of topics and themes: from early cultural encounters, to the transition from penal colonies to prosperous societies, how colonial Australians made their living both legally and criminally, what happened to Indigenous people under British colonialism, political protests and inequalities, the evolution towards democracy, wars and connections within and beyond the British Empire, federation and its meanings, the White Australia policy, World Wars I and II, postwar immigration and multiculturalism, feminism, civil rights and reconciliation. Along the way we will interrogate the making and meaning of Australian mythologies-from the bushman to the Anzac
Learning Outcomes	By the end of this course, you should be able to: Reflect on and discuss a wide range of events in and aspects of Australian history. Use a range of individual life stories to analyze important episodes and themes in Australian history. Analyze the ways changing ideas of gender (both masculinities and femininities) have shaped Australian history and vice versa. Think, write and argue about how Australian history is presented in public exhibitions and other media, and how particular myths have evolved. Use specific events to explain central themes in Australian history.
Indicative Assessment	Exhibition review essay 1000 words (20%); Topic essay 2000 words (30%); final exam (40%); tutorial participation (10%)
Workload	This course will be delivered through (streamed) lectures and face-to-face tutorials.
Areas of Interest	History
Requisite Statement	No co-requisites No pre-requisites Incompatibility: HIST 1203, Australian History
Prescribed Texts	Patricia Grimshaw, Marilyn Lake, Ann McGrath and Marian Quartly, Creating A Nation (revised edition 2007).
Majors/Specialisations	History
Academic Contact	Angela.Woollacott@anu.edu.au

The information published on the Study at ANU 2010 website applies to the 2010 academic year only. All information provided on this website replaces the information contained in the Study at ANU 2009 website.