ATS2385 - War and Australian society - 2018

Why is war central to the shaping of Australian identity? This unit explores the experiences of Australians at war through the major conflicts of the twentieth century. It focuses on the 'face of battle' and how human conflict affected men and women on the front line. 'Anzac Legends' examines the role of war in both consolidating and challenging definitions of gender, national, and racial identity. In the centenary years of the First World War, this unit considers how the Anzac Legend has evolved and what it means today. As part of this unit students undertake hands-on work with the First World War repatriation records at the National Archives of Australia, a collection that tells us about the true cost of war and the battles that returned servicemen and women, their families, and the community faced beyond the Armistice.

Upon successful completion of this unit students will:

1. demonstrate a critical understanding of the history of Australia's involvement in war and the significance of that involvement, and have interrogated the mythologies that have grown up around Anzac;
2. exhibit an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of war and an ability to interrogate personal testimonies.
3. show an awareness of the historical and social context of Australia's involvement in particular campaigns and how these have redefined Australia's relationship with the region and the world;
4. have built the capacity to research and critically evaluate topical and historiographical debates regarding the impact of war on Australian identity and society.
5. 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.
6. have developed skills in written and oral presentation and communication.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

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