HIST6133 Human Variations and Racism in Western Culture, c. 1450-1950
| Offered By | School of History |
|---|---|
| Academic Career | Graduate Coursework |
| Course Subject | History |
| Offered in | Second Semester, 2011 |
| Unit Value | 6 units |
| Course Description |
This course investigates how Western societies have comprehended humanity's physical diversity and why these understandings have changed over time (c.1450-1950). We will examine the historical processes which gradually encouraged this diversity to be read both as evidence of permanent, innate, ‘racial' difference and justification for socio-political inequality, or ‘racist' discrimination. The course will consider the concept of ‘race' within the contexts of the development of scientific knowledge regarding the natural world and the intellectual history of what it was to be human. We will also explore some of the signal manifestations of these beliefs in European and neo-European societies, including how they shaped colonisation and chattel slavery; nationalism and empire; segregation and sexuality; eugenics and genocide. |
| Learning Outcomes |
Fundamentally, students will develop their ability to think historically. That is, they will learn how we go about comprehending the past; explaining change and continuity over time by analyzing primary sources. They will practise articulating their understanding of the past and should also be able to explain how their own understanding relates to the wider historiography. More precisely, candidates will gain experience of two different types of historiography, the history of ideas and of science. They will also appreciate how we go about comprehending the development of a particular social process (in this case, the process of racialization) over time. |
| Indicative Assessment |
An independent research essay of 4000 words (60%); the remaining coursework will consist of preparatory exercise(s) for the research essay, such as a book review and/or formal research proposal, which together would total no more that 2000 words (40%). While students will have considerable freedom to formulate a research topic which is of particular interest to them, ongoing consultation with the course convener will be required. Preparatory exercises will typically be due in the first 6-8 weeks of teaching. As there is no final examination, the research essay will be due on the last day of teaching. |
| Workload |
Semester 2, 2009. On-campus. Lectures streamed via DLD audio, and Web video as available. One two-hour lecture and one one-hour tutorial session per week. Tutorial sessions will involve group discussion but also a combination of research workshops, consultations and presentations. Students should expect to spend a further 4-5 hours per week engaged in private study. |
| Course Classification(s) | TransitionalTransitional courses are designed for students from a broad range of backgrounds and learning achievements, which provide for the acquisition of generic skills; or an informed understanding of contemporary issues; or fundamental knowledge for transition to Advanced or Specialist courses. |
| Areas of Interest | History |
| Prescribed Texts | A Reading Brick will be compiled. Purchase of the Preliminary Reading is also recommended. |
| Preliminary Reading |
Ivan Hannaford, Race: The History of an Idea in the West (Baltimore, 1996). |
| Indicative Reading List | Contact course convener for further details. |
| Technology Requirements | Recommend up-to-date browser and the following software: word-processing (for .doc, .rtf, or .pdf creation); Adobe Acrobat (reader for .pdfs); RealPlayer or iTunes (for listening to lecture audio); Quicktime or Windows MediaPlayer (for viewing lecture video). |
| Academic Contact | Dr Dawson |
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.
