AUS5025 - Exploring Australia: Diverse people, diverse lives

Leader(s): TBA

Offered

Not offered in 2009

Synopsis

Contemporary Australia is experiencing global challenges, such as the movement of refugees, threats to the environment and international terrorism. This troubled engagement with the outside world has been a recurrent theme in Australia's history and shaped the nature of our society. Australia Unlimited looks at Australia through the context of the region and the world. An interdisciplinary unit, it explores the origins of key Australian institutions and examines the issues and debates dividing modern Australia. Topics include the attempted dispossession of Australia's Indigenous communities, immigration and asylum seekers, class and gender inequality and the impact of globalization.

Objectives

Upon completing this unit students will be able to:

1. identify, represent and critically engage with differing views relating to transnational issues as they impact on Australia, especially the concept of 'glocalisation';
2. recognise and account for the effects of globalisation in Australia, including the changing role of government and changing patterns of work and consumption;
3. recognise, represent and critically reflect upon ideas and concepts from diverse cultures, and develop the ability to reflect on one's own cultural values;
4. reflect on personal learning and respond productively to constructive feedback from one's peers;
5. utilise proficiently a range of IT resources such as word processing and email, search databases and text files, and locate, employ and evaluate internet sites;
6. communicate ideas to an international audience with clarity, coherence and persuasiveness;
7. employ effective essay and report writing skills showing ability to integrate and critically assess material from a variety of sources relating to Australia in a global context;
8. work collaboratively within international groups, and contribute creatively, flexibly and adaptively to the achievement of shared goals;
9. work independently and to deadlines within a guided framework, with a capacity to define problems/questions and to know how to set about finding answers;
10. Undertake social science research using interviews or questionnaires.

Assessment

Participation (on-campus) Learning journal (off-campus) (1000) : 10%
Short assignment (2 x 1500 words) (3000) : 30%
Project proposal and literature review (1000) : 15%
Research project (4000) : 45%

Contact hours

2 hours (1 x 2-hour seminar) per week (on-campus students only)

Prohibitions

AUS4025