Undergraduate - UnitATS2394 - Australia and Asia

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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12 points, SCA Band 1, 0.250 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	National Centre For Australian Studies
Offered	Caulfield Summer semester A 2014 (Flexible)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Agnieszka Sobocinska

Notes

This is an international study program that requires an application to be enrolled - see the Study Overseas page for further information.
Previously coded AUS2060

Synopsis

This unit examines Australia's past and present relations with Asia, culminating in a study tour of an Asian country. It traverses a broad terrain, investigating cross-cultural contact at political and diplomatic, economic and trade, as well as cultural and personal levels. The unit places contemporary events within their broader historical contexts, to identify enduring themes that influence Australian-Asian relations. It also looks ahead to future developments as Australia negotiates the 'Asian Century'. The unit begins in Australia, before students embark on a study tour of an Asian nation to gain an in-depth awareness of the complex social, cultural and political context of Asia, and how Australia fits into a regional frame.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit students will:

Demonstrate a critical understanding of the breadth and complexity of Australia's contacts with Asia, at diplomatic, economic, social and cultural levels.
Exhibit an understanding of the ways in which past encounters, discourses and policies affect contemporary cross-cultural and international relations.
Have attained an understanding of the impacts of representation and discourse in shaping international relations.
Have developed the capacity to reflect on the implications between personal attitudes and views and broader patterns of culture and discourse.
Have developed skills in constructing evidence-based arguments using a variety of primary and secondary sources, and demonstrated their ability to reflect critically on what they have learnt.
Have developed skills in written and oral presentation and communication.
Have developed a capacity to undertake location-based fieldwork, enhancing personal resilience and the capacity to work cooperatively in teams, and conduct independent research.
Students taking this unit at Level 3 will demonstrate a higher level of skills in independent research and critical analysis.