Australian history
BT BW BB DT GA PA BC BP BDT BJ BY
Proposed to be offered next in 1996
Subject value of 1.0 (6 points) * 3 hours per week * First semester * Gippsland/Distance * Prerequisites: GSC1501 and 1502 or equivalents (Students who have completed 6233 [Gippsland history] can enrol in GSC2501. Students who have completed 6252 [Australian history] cannot enrol in GSC2501)
This subject provides a general introduction to the history of Australia from the arrival of the Aboriginal people to the postwar period. The subject seeks to give an overview of the development of Australian society; the development of rural and urban life; the nature of Australian character in studies of colonial life, the utilisation of land and resources, and the involvement in and impact of war; and the emergence of a mixed economy. The themes are explored by a comparative study of the `traditional' and more recent `revisionist' historians' accounts of Australian history. The accent of this subject is on how and why the economic and social structure and institutions developed and matured in their present form. The major research essay will provide a vehicle for the development and application of primary research skills on an original essay topic taken from one of the options studied.
Assessment
Essay one - tutorial topic (1500 words): 25% * Essay two - theme study (1500 words): 30% * Research essay - option study (2000 words): 45%
Prescribed texts
Clark C M H A short history of Australia Penguin, 1986
Clarke F Australia: A concise political and social history HBJ, 1992
Farrell F Themes in Australian history NSWUP, 1990